[TXnMA]

I never saw a genuine "treasure hunter" who broadcast the "secret locations" of his "finds" to the whole world...

The first point that comes to mind is, "If this guy is really 'onto something important' -- he would have every archaologist in Israeli government and academia dogging his every step." (Ex: Egypt's Zahi Hawass...)

Only a video actor carries a (replica) copper scroll into the field -- and has politicians (not archæologists) along when he "reveals" the location of "tons of gold"...

As bad as looters are in the Middle east, if there was anything to these "finds", there would be nothing left but potholes there, by now...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nope -- not buying it...

TXnMA
  

[SunkenCiv]

If potential looters took him seriously, they'd have a backhoe out there the next new moon, trying to dig up the 33 tons of gold.

If the gold had ever been dug up -- and we know that the Israelites returning from Babylon didn't do it, because they didn't know where to dig without having the Copper Scroll, and it was cooling in that cave for a centuries, undisturbed (same goes for those who believe the scrolls were stashed prior to the Roman War, rather than the destruction of the First Temple).

My general view is, there is not and never has been any such thing as a treasure map. People who bury loot to hide it temporarily will put it either near their home (even in their back yard) or put it somewhere they can keep an eye on it, hence, they don't need a map. And they don't plan to leave it there for long periods of time. If those who hide treasure never went back for it, it's because they didn't survive, or because local conditions (like the barbarian invasions that led to the repopulation of former Roman provinces) made it impossible.