Long before the lawsuits, there was the story that captivated the world. Bre-X Minerals, a penny stock based in Calgary, claimed to have discovered the largest gold deposit in history deep in the jungles of Indonesia. Almost overnight, its market value soared into the billions, drawing in banks, governments, and some of the biggest players in mining.

The frenzy was intoxicating. Ordinary investors saw life-changing fortunes appear on paper. Analysts assured the public they had “seen the gold.” Politicians and corporations scrambled for a stake in what looked like a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.

Yet beneath the euphoria lay a series of red flags, signals that something was terribly wrong. Why were drill samples handled in secrecy? Why did results grow more spectacular with every announcement? And why did so many seasoned professionals suspend their disbelief?

In this episode, John Campion, one of Canada’s most respected litigators, reconstructs the rise and collapse of Bre-X before it ever reached the courtroom. From its basement beginnings and improbable ascent, to the mysterious fall of its chief geologist, John lays out how the world’s biggest gold rush unraveled into one of the greatest financial scandals of modern times.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Bre-X transformed from an obscure penny stock into a $6B global sensation
• Why governments, banks, and investors ignored glaring warning signs
• How Busang’s remote and treacherous setting made independent verification nearly impossible
• The role of key figures, Walsh, Felderhof, and de Guzman, in building the illusion
• The unanswered questions and enduring mysteries that still surround Bre-X today

Guest Bio

John Campion is a senior litigator and partner at Gardiner Roberts LLP with more than 45 years of experience across Canada and internationally. Over his career, he has acted in more than 300 trials, appeals, and arbitrations, representing prime ministers, heads of state, leading global corporations, and families in some of the most high-stakes disputes of the last half-century. John has appeared before the courts of ten provinces, the Federal Court, the Supreme Court of Canada, and in arbitrations and tribunals around the world. His work spans corporate and commercial law, estates, regulation, and government, giving him a rare perspective at the intersection of business, policy, and justice. Beyond the courtroom, John has served as President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, an Emeritus Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario, and President of the Empire Club of Canada. He has also advised the CBC, acted as counsel to prime ministers, written extensively on professional liability, and taught as an adjunct professor of law. John Campion is known not only as one of Canada’s leading senior counsel but also as a mentor, teacher, and advocate who has devoted his career to advancing both the law and the people it serves. Learn more about John here.

About Your Host

Areta Lloyd practices estate and trusts litigation, with a particular focus on capacity litigation. She participates in public speaking, mentoring junior lawyers, and presenting courses on the topics of estates law, health law, and law practice management. Areta has written for several publications and wrote a column for the Alzheimer caregiver website ALZlive.com.

Follow the One Great Case on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app so you get the latest episodes! If the show has been helpful, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts —or simply tell a friend about the show. Each time you share the show, you are potentially changing...

A gold discovery that never was. Billions in market value wiped out. Investors are demanding answers, and banks are facing claims that could shake confidence in the entire financial system.

The Bre-X scandal didn’t end when the gold vanished. In many ways, that’s when the real battle began. With billions lost and reputations in ruins, the courts became the new arena. The question was no longer whether the gold existed, but who would be held accountable for its disappearance.

John Campion, senior litigator and partner at Gardiner Roberts LLP, was at the center of it all. As lead counsel for Nesbitt Burns, he was charged with defending one of Canada’s largest brokerages against claims that could have reshaped the financial industry. Billions of dollars, institutional credibility, and investor trust all hung in the balance.

In this episode, John takes us inside the strategy: how he built a defense in a case with global attention, why the concept of reliance became the decisive factor, and how Bre-X ultimately triggered reforms that continue to define Canadian securities law today.

• How John structured a defense against billions in claims across multiple jurisdictions
• Why the legal principle of reliance became the turning point in the class action
• What U.S. jury research revealed about investor psychology and risk-taking
• How to manage media scrutiny when clients’ reputations are under siege
• The reforms Bre-X triggered in Canadian securities law and why they matter today

For the full picture, listen to our bonus episode, where John lays out the background of the Bre-X scandal, the key players, and the overlooked red flags that led to the courtroom battles.

Guest Bio

John Campion is a senior litigator and partner at Gardiner Roberts LLP with more than 45 years of experience across Canada and internationally. Over his career, he has acted in more than 300 trials, appeals, and arbitrations, representing prime ministers, heads of state, leading global corporations, and families in some of the most high-stakes disputes of the last half-century. John has appeared before the courts of ten provinces, the Federal Court, the Supreme Court of Canada, and in arbitrations and tribunals around the world. His work spans corporate and commercial law, estates, regulation, and government, giving him a rare perspective at the intersection of business, policy, and justice. Beyond the courtroom, John has served as President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, an Emeritus Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario, and President of the Empire Club of Canada. He has also advised the CBC, acted as counsel to prime ministers, written extensively on professional liability, and taught as an adjunct professor of law. John Campion is known not only as one of Canada’s leading senior counsel but also as a mentor, teacher, and advocate who has devoted his career to advancing both the law and the people it serves. Learn more about John here.

About Your Host

Areta Lloyd practices estate and trusts litigation, with a particular focus on capacity litigation. She participates in public speaking, mentoring junior lawyers, and presenting courses on the topics of estates law, health law, and law practice management. Areta has written for several publications and wrote a column for the Alzheimer caregiver website ALZlive.com.

Follow the One Great Case on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app so you get the latest episodes! If the show has been helpful, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts —or simply tell a friend about the show. Each time you share the show, you are...