Treasure Hunter posters and admins,
My intent here is NOT to argue Keith's theory or steal any of his 'fame'; but rather to inform you of what is true and what is not; however, Keith brought me here with his unwarranted provocation of his previous post.
Oakster and his ghost writer partner are using this forum and his oakisland subdomain
found at
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http://www.oakisland.thunting.com/
, along with a variety of other such boards to solicit investment to the tune of $1.475 million with nothing more than a clever scheme created around an illusion of supporting letters, falsely misrepresenting information, and by not disclosing pertinent information, such as applicable licenses or landowner permission.
Oakster and I do have a previous history dating back to early 2006. In fact I was the one who first created Oakster an online account, as his computer skills are very limited.
see a screen cap of my gmail client.
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http://premium1.uploadit.org/skiman/keith/birthofoakster.JPG
There is plenty more of that, but here is where he thanked me for all of my assistance.
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http://premium1.uploadit.org/skiman/keith/keithcredit.JPG
Unfortunately I did agree to assist Keith by furnishing him aerial photos and information of other treasure hunting activity in the very bay of which his Birch Island is located. I was the one who offered the SPECULATION of rocks and soil conditions so as to explain the island's feature. We parted ways in Jul 06. It was only on 5 Jan 07 when I discovered the extent to which Oakster/Keith was running this scheme.
As such, I have a moral obligation to post this material because I do not wish anyone to be tricked and I certainly do not wish to be viewed as an accomplice. In the fall of 05, the target of choice was the Big and Little Gooseberry Islands NNE of Oak Island, specifically the interconnecting semi-submerged gravel bridge connecting the two. Another location was on the Middle River, approx 7 km north of Oak Island. Dr. Zou was actually consulted about the Gooseberry Island feature, not Birch Island. I have the initial interpretation where Keith wrote in his own hand ?RIVER? and nothing to do with an island.
Without identifying any interesting aerial features to support his theory, Keith changed his interpretation in Apr 06 to an island called Big Island, or as Keith called it, Skull Island. With as much conviction as he now shows for Birch Island, Keith attempted to sell his Skull Island theory with fancy interpretive drawings based upon discolorations observed on a rock of Oak Island. He attempted to use these drawings as confirmation for his revised interpretation.
Again, after finding no interesting surface features through aerial photos of Big Island, the search was on for another target location. On 31 May 06, Keith asked me for aerial photos of numerous locations, one such place was Birch Island, or ?that second island east of Oak Island?. Shortly after, he changed his interpretation to now indicate Birch Island.
In Jul 06 Keith and I parted our ways after a very bizarre attempt to include a clearly post-1800 failed English tombstone as his ?ancient? confirmation. Without even seeing the stone and only having a verbal description, Keith dug in his heals. During this period Keith was actively posting at forum.oakislandtreasure.co.uk. His posts are now listed as ?guest? because his account was banned and deleted for his ensuing exchange.
I posted a photo of the very stone described to Keith, which clearly showed what it to be. Keith replied the entire forum was conspiring against him and this stone was a trick and it was because he was a native. Several posters on that forum are local Mi?kmaq who do not agree.
Here is the basic structure to Keith?s illusion.
1. Flood forum with self hype linking Birch Island to theme of forum
2. Create illusion of support by associating letters to the theme of the forum
3. State speculation as fact, do not disclose licensing and permission details, do not answer valid questions!
Here is detail to illustrate this structure of illusion.
1. Flood a forum with self-hype news releases, attempting to link his ideas to the theme of the forum.
Here is an example of Keith linking his idea to Atlantis for an Atlantis forum,
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http://forum.gateworld.net/showthread.php?t=37989
Here is a link to a screen capture of his posting on NBC Treasure Hunter, with the topic being the movie National Treasure and the whole Masonic reference. The thread was deleted by the NBC admin.
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http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3602/keithevidenceic1.jpg
Here is another linking his ideas to Shakespeare, for a Bacon Manuscript discussion This is a screen cap of cached google page of the NBC Forum, thread also deleted; however you can google ?Keith Ranville? +bacon to confirm the authenticity of my screen cap.
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http://premium1.uploadit.org/skiman/keith/keith_bacon.JPG
The list actually goes on with associations to Da Vinci, pirates, etc etc etc.
2. Associate letters of support for the related illusion as posted above. You can read the threads from above and see Keith?s attempt to link support letters from Dr. Zou, the Oak Island Tourism Society, the Bear River First Nation, and a Museum in S Ste Marie Ont all to his applicable forum illusion.
Support Letter from Dr. Zou - Yes Keith met with Dr. Zou of Dalhousie University Halifax. I spoke with Dr. Zou who indicates Birch Island was never discussed. During my first meeting with Keith in Jan 06, Keith was talking about something much different than Birch Island, and this is what he spoke about with Dr. Zou. The good Dr has since withdrawn his support and would rather offer a few choice words and snickers.
For those wishing to confirm this.
Steve Zou +1 902 494 3977
Steve.Zou@Dal.Ca Civil & Resource Engineering
Support Letter from the Oak Island Tourism Society - Yes Keith did at one time have a letter of support from the Oak Island Tourism Society; however, such support has been withdrawn. I cannot speak for this Society as I am not a member; however, you can contact them through their website at the following url
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http://www.oakislandsociety.ca/
I am awaiting reply from the Bear First Nation, and from Sault St Marie Museum, (who seems reluctant to acknowledge any such letter)
I have originals of Keith?s letters of support and you can see for yourself, these letters never once directly support any such claims.
3. Would you represent your speculation as fact when you?re asking people for investment? Keith did this very thing in the same thread he was asking for money.
Please read the first sentence (and it is because of this very statement I have once again become involved)
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http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3602/keithevidenceic1.jpg
The tone of his offering is a factual statement. The problem (besides the obvious) is that Keith has never been to Birch Island, does not have sufficient qualifications to make such a statement, has not employed others to conduct any scientific testing, and does not possess any third party scientific data to back this statement. He has been requested on numerous occasions to provide any pertinent documents to back this statement, of which he is unable and does not reply.
As many of you well know, in Nova Scotia one requires a Treasure Trove License and other permits to conduct such work which including the permission of the landowner. When asked to provide various authorizations to conduct such work, Keith has declined to reply. Only after much badgering did Keith admit he merely has application for a TTL and other such permits. However, what he will not disclose is that he does not have permission of the landowner and has not received so much as a single reply from said landowner after almost eight months. I have contacted the landowner and was immediately put into contact with his lawyer. I am awaiting reply to the question ?Will you ever give Keith Ranville permission to dig for treasure on Birch Island??
Given the above information
- why would one link various mysteries to Birch Island?
- attempt to falsely link academic and public support and to maintain this illusion when such support has been withdrawn?
- ask for investment dollars, when no reasonable possibly of obtaining permission and licensing exists?
Still to this day, the steps identified above are employed.
I am not concerned for the vast majority of reasonably cautious people, but rather those who could be viewed as ?prey?.
Now for an example of just how cunning the illusion can be.
Various accounts have been employed by Keith for the purpose of creating an illusion of internet support. The supporting post is made in one forum, then spammed across various other forums as attached quotes or direct posts made by Keith
For example
Post # 22 made at January 18, 2007 at 7:52 am
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is the exact same post you made at the CTV Canada AM thread, but while logged in as himself, Oakster, AKA Keith Ranville
Read post #23 then within 10 minutes
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See the Concerned Citizen in one, but Canadian Citizen in the other? hmmm
The server local times account for the time zone difference. During this 10 minutes, several other sites were spammed with the same post including the editing of his last post in this thread.
Why must an attempt to create an illusion of either different people posting under the same name, or the same person posting under different names? This sort of activity seems most bizarre and unusual, unless this illusion is part of an overall scheme?
Please PM me with any of your concerns. I for one do not appreciate having anything less than honest representation for the treasure hunting profession, hobby, and community at large.
In closing I will leave you with an observation made in the final sentence of Post #33 at the following link
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http://mysterytrivia.wordpress.com/2006/04/29/brand-new-mystery-blogger/#comment-260
?He (Keith) has the distinction of being the first man to bring an element of fraud into the Oak Island story after 212 years of honest men with honest intentions doing honest work.?
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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,136.msg13461.html#msg13461
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« Last Edit: January 20, 2007, 01:26:52 pm by n4N224CCW »
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