{"id":74243,"date":"2024-12-10T22:12:50","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T22:12:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/2024\/12\/10\/an-illicit-photo-a-secret-code-a-project-skydrop-sequel-a-tale-of-betrayal-and-reconciliation\/"},"modified":"2024-12-10T22:17:49","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T22:17:49","slug":"an-illicit-photo-a-secret-code-a-project-skydrop-sequel-a-tale-of-betrayal-and-reconciliation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/2024\/12\/10\/an-illicit-photo-a-secret-code-a-project-skydrop-sequel-a-tale-of-betrayal-and-reconciliation\/","title":{"rendered":"An illicit photo, a secret code, a Project Skydrop sequel. A tale of betrayal and reconciliation."},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8864793242727901\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header class=\"m-article-header m-article-header--standard\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span id=\"article-header-primary-term\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"a-term a-term--primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/tag\/the-boston-globe\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Boston Globe\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"m-article-header__sub-headline\">Project Skydrop prompted treasure hunters to search for a golden statue worth thousands of dollars. The search culminated in Massachusetts.<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"a-photo m-article-header__photo\"><figcaption class=\"a-photo__caption\">\n\tMeteorologist Dan Leonard posed with the golden trophy he located in the woods during the initial Project Skydrop treasure hunt and the $87,600 prize in gold coins.<em> Pat Greenhouse\/Globe Staff<\/em>\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"m-article-header__meta\">\n<div class=\"m-article-header__byline\">\n<p class=\"m-article-header__author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Nick Stoico, The Boston Globe\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"m-article-header__date\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 10, 2024 | 5:12 PM\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p>When Dan Leonard emerged from the woods of Wendell State Forest in Central Massachusetts with a golden trophy worth thousands of dollars in October, he thought his treasure hunt was over.<\/p>\n<p>A meteorologist from Belmont, Leonard used weather data to narrow down the possible locations for the lucrative prize in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/2024\/09\/30\/metro\/project-skydrop-treasure-hunt\/?p1=Article_Recirc_InThisSection&#038;p1=Article_Recirc_InThisSection\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cProject Skydrop,\u201d a treasure hunt created by a New Hampshire video game designer<\/a> that drew widespread interest.<\/p>\n<p>On his way back to his car, Leonard was met by other treasure hunters who applauded as held up the $25,000 solid gold statue, which also contained a decoding mechanism to access a far more lucrative prize \u2014 a bitcoin wallet worth $87,600.<\/p>\n<p>But his moment of triumph was short-lived. Another contestant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/2024\/10\/02\/metro\/someone-found-the-treasure-in-that-project-skydrop-game-everyones-been-buzzing-about\/\" target=\"_blank\">took a picture of the trophy with the decoder visible<\/a> and posted it online, giving anyone a shot at the bitcoin bounty. Fortunately, the game\u2019s developer, Jason Rohrer, hadn\u2019t transferred any money into the encrypted account, so he came up with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/2024\/10\/12\/metro\/project-skydrop-treasure-new-england-woods\/\" target=\"_blank\">another treasure hunt, this time for a jar of gold coins<\/a> and designed so only Leonard could find it.<\/p>\n<p>It sounded simple, but the second quest was anything but. Leonard would capture his winnings, but only<b> <\/b>after a dramatic sequence of events, from an absconded treasure and accusations of betrayal to a change of heart and ultimate reconciliation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a wild ride,\u201d said Leonard, 48. \u201cBut at the end of the day it worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2089\" src=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"  \" class=\"wp-image-32443870\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=200 200w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=300 300w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=500 500w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=600 600w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=700 700w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=800 800w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/YC5OWYWV2WJ4YIMX46XZJJYO3Q-675035107bc44-scaled.jpg?width=900 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Meteorologist Dan Leonard held the trophy he retrieved during what turned out to be the first phase of Project Skydrop, a real-life treasure hunt that took place in the Northeast this fall.<i> \u2013 Pat Greenhouse\/Globe Staff<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-first-treasure-hunt\">The first treasure hunt<\/h2>\n<p>Leonard was watching the news one night when he saw a story about Project Skydrop, a new kind of real-world treasure hunt.<\/p>\n<p>Each day, the designers, Rohrer and Tom Bailey, would post a map of the location where the gold statue was hidden. On the first day, the map had a 500-mile radius, covering much of the northeastern United States. But it would shrink each day, gradually zooming in on the prize.<\/p>\n<p>Players also received a daily email featuring an aerial photo of the statue on the forest floor, with the camera gradually panning out to reveal geographic clues to the trophy\u2019s location. A livestream of the statue on the project\u2019s website included the real-time temperature of the area.<\/p>\n<p>Leonard didn\u2019t think he\u2019d have much of a chance at first. But when he saw the livestream and the temperature reading, he realized his professional expertise could give him an edge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhoever found the treasure was either going to be a meteorologist or somebody who had a thorough understanding of the weather,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Leonard paid the $20 entry fee and began analyzing temperature data to narrow down the search, eventually leading him to Franklin County. He then began tracking cloud cover in the area and compared it to the amount of sunlight he could see shining on the forest floor in the livestream. That narrowed the range to \u201cseveral square miles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"  \" class=\"wp-image-32443872\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=200 200w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=300 300w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=500 500w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=600 600w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=700 700w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=800 800w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/R3WDOUSHYLC6QNZCHB27BDV5BM-6750352064b24-scaled.jpg?width=900 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the calculations meteorologist Dan Leonard made to decipher the clues to the location of the statue.<i> \u2013 Pat Greenhouse\/Globe Staff<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The breakthrough came when Leonard began analyzing the types of trees in the area. He noticed from the aerial images there were no evergreen trees in that part of the forest, so he pulled up Google Earth images taken during winter and began circling areas with leafless trees in state parks in the Greenfield area.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was able to get me into just a couple of tight pockets, maybe a quarter of a square mile in a few different spots,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He set out to search for the trophy on Oct. 1, a Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>He parked in the town of Erving off Route 2A and ventured into the woods. He searched for about two hours, looking for downed trees and logs that matched what he had seen in the images. Just as it was getting dark, Leonard found the golden figure, hidden by the fallen leaves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was an inch or two away from just kicking it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was virtually impossible to see unless you were really close up to it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His prize in hand, Leonard felt a wave of pride and relief.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere were a lot of late nights I spent after my shift just studying so many different factors and really putting a lot of time and effort into it, and it all paid off,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was sort of a relief, that I didn\u2019t just do this all for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-new-game-and-a-new-friend\">A new game and a new friend<\/h2>\n<p>Between the value of the trophy and the bitcoin, Leonard was in line for a windfall of more than $100,000. But when he accidentally compromised the code for the cash prize, his fellow competitors pounced.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of people put a lot of time and effort into making a virtual version of the trophy and decoding it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The game developers asked that the picture of the trophy be taken down from a Discord channel, and later versions had the decoder blurred out. But it was too late. Others were able to break the code, which produced a phrase to access the winnings.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1611\" src=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"  \" class=\"wp-image-32443874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=200 200w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=300 300w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=500 500w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=600 600w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=700 700w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=800 800w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/554HJTEGODLAFAHK3A5JPLE4K4-6750352ee3724-scaled.jpg?width=900 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">These hieroglyphics are on the bottom of the base of the trophy meteorologist Dan Leonard found during the first phase of the treasure hunt. He used them and other clues to locate a $87,600 prize in gold coins.<i> \u2013 Pat Greenhouse\/Globe Staff<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIf we had put the money into the bitcoin wallet as originally planned, somebody would have taken it before Dan had even got a chance,\u201d Rohrer said.<\/p>\n<p>Rohrer and Bailey spent several days coming up with a second treasure hunt designed specifically for Leonard, with a prize equal in value to the original $87,600 bounty, this time in the form of golden coins. Rohrer placed the jar in the woods near Madbury, N.H., not far from his Dover home. Like the first treasure hunt, he placed a camera near the jar and set up a livestream.<\/p>\n<p>At the beginning of the game, each player was given four secret words that could be used to access the Discord server. Rohrer used the four words he assigned to Leonard to create a puzzle that when solved would significantly narrow down the location. Without knowing Leonard\u2019s secret words, the hunt would be nearly impossible.<\/p>\n<p>But as Leonard faced a new puzzle, another player, Chris Passmore, offered to help.<\/p>\n<p>Passmore, 39, who lives in southern New Hampshire, had followed a strategy similar to Leonard\u2019s in the initial treasure hunt and<b> <\/b>reached out to chat about it. The two men built a rapport and Passmore suggested they team up to solve the new puzzle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe approach at the time was, \u2018Hey, whatever I can do to maybe help you out, it\u2019d be cool just to be part of the winning team and be part of your story,\u201d Passmore recalled.<\/p>\n<p>But other players had also offered to help him, and Leonard was a bit wary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was very difficult to discern who was being honest with me and who was a wolf in disguise,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cI felt Chris was being honest from the beginning. He seemed like he had a lot more to lose than to gain if he was ever to betray me.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dead-ends-and-questions-about-compensation\">Dead ends and questions about compensation<\/h2>\n<p>The pair spent hours on the phone over the following days, and Leonard eventually decided to divulge his four secret words \u2014 boulder, barrel, anger, piano \u2014 so Passmore and a team of code crackers he had enlisted could get to work.<\/p>\n<p>After a few more days, they thought they solved the puzzle and identified a target area in southern Maine. But a search yielded nothing.<\/p>\n<p>At that point, Passmore decided he would need a piece of the winnings for all his work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re taking time away from work and our families and so forth, and we\u2019re not getting any sleep, we were pulling all-nighters,\u201d Passmore said. \u201cWe needed to talk to Dan about some kind of split \u2026 prior to that we were just kind of doing it for fun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Leonard said he<b> <\/b>had planned all along to reward Passmore and his team. But when Passmore wanted to formalize the terms, they couldn\u2019t reach a deal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChris essentially replied that he expected the majority of the bounty money to go to him and his team, and I would get a small portion in the end,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cThis was a fairly shocking revelation to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Passmore said he initially asked for 65 percent of the winnings for his team. They briefly negotiated but couldn\u2019t reach a \u201cformal, written agreement,\u201d Passmore said.<\/p>\n<p>A couple of hours later, Passmore got a call from his team, he said. They had solved the code and gave him the GPS coordinates for the jar of gold. It was in the woods in Madbury, N.H., just 20 minutes from Passmore\u2019s home. (Leonard believes Passmore\u2019s team had already solved the code when he broached the subject of compensation.)<\/p>\n<p>Passmore had a choice: Listen to the angel on one shoulder and send Leonard the coordinates, or listen to the devil on his other and go get the bounty for himself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important to know that my whole relationship with Dan was not on the grounds of, like, let me weasel my way in and let me screw him over,\u201d he said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Leonard, meanwhile, knew Passmore\u2019s team was close to breaking the code. Fearing he would lose out on the bounty altogether,<b> <\/b>Leonard turned to the Discord community and asked for help. Leonard said one member sent him instructions and he soon had the GPS coordinates.<\/p>\n<p>Around 10 p.m., Leonard grabbed his jacket to head to Madbury, a little less than an hour away. But his wife stopped him as he headed for the door.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe said it was too dangerous,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cYou can only imagine what happens in the middle of the night, in the dark, in the middle of the deep, dark woods, when there\u2019s $87,000 of gold on the ground and two men come and find it at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Leonard hung his jacket back up. He and his wife turned on the livestream, assuming Passmore would eventually arrive and take the gold.<\/p>\n<p>Just before midnight, they saw a man appear in a baseball cap and balaclava. After picking up the jar of gold, he left a note that read, \u201cAnon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just sort of grabbed my head, and then we hugged and cried,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cThat was it, it was over. Of course I knew who it was, but nobody else did.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1844\" height=\"1228\" src=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg\" alt=\"  \" class=\"wp-image-32443876\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=200 200w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=300 300w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=500 500w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=600 600w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=700 700w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=800 800w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GYSPKAMKKJFH5KYVMO3ZY76M5A-6750353e67969.jpg?width=900 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1844px) 100vw, 1844px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chris Passmore wore a cap and face covering to hide his identity when he retrieved the jar of gold coins from the woods in Madbury, N.H.<i> \u2013 Project Skydrop<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2284\" height=\"1238\" src=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg\" alt=\"  \" class=\"wp-image-32443877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=200 200w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=300 300w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=500 500w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=600 600w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=700 700w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=800 800w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/MOEP52QID5HD7DVTNUS4ORNQKE-675035465e495.jpg?width=900 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2284px) 100vw, 2284px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chris Passmore left this note after retrieving the jar of gold coins from the woods of Madbury, N.H.<i> \u2013 Project Skydrop<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conflict-and-reconciliation\">Conflict and reconciliation<\/h2>\n<p>Passmore said he wore the cap and mask and out of concern for his personal safety. He equated it to anonymous lottery winners.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t want people knowing that I have two and a half pounds of gold in my possession, and you can easily find out where people live nowadays, right?\u201d Passmore said. \u201cSo the idea was I need to get it back home, I need to get it secured, I need to talk to a lawyer and an accountant and figure out what do I do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The next morning, Leonard called the game\u2019s designers. He told them he had given his four secret words to someone who offered to help him, but he wouldn\u2019t say who it was.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe wouldn\u2019t tell us,\u201d Rohrer said. \u201cHe was freaking out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But within a few days, Passmore posted a video online, showing the coins as Pink Floyd\u2019s \u201cMoney\u201d played in the background.<\/p>\n<p>Once the secret was out, the other participants were outraged at Passmore, Rohrer said. To tell his side of the story, Passmore set up a livestream and for three hours answered questions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the few supporters he had, he lost them,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cThe entire community had turned on him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey just tore him apart,\u201d Rohrer agreed.<\/p>\n<p>Passmore said he tried to defend himself, insisting he did not violate the rules of the game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome people were on my side, and some people weren\u2019t,\u201d Passmore said. \u201cI got hit with some hard questions, which I expected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Passmore said the other players knew where he lived and he received a couple of \u201cvery specific threats\u201d that he reported to the police.<\/p>\n<p>As the stress mounted, Passmore said he started to have a change of heart. He feared he had betrayed Leonard and the spirit of the game. Increasingly concerned for his and his family\u2019s safety,<b> <\/b>he felt it was time to put the game behind him.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"  \" class=\"wp-image-32443880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=200 200w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=300 300w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=400 400w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=500 500w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=600 600w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=700 700w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=800 800w, https:\/\/bdc2020.o0bc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/HCJZADYOYRH4LR4A6FRPZ5A25M-6750354f39f94-scaled.jpg?width=900 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">After a long and stressful journey, meteorologist Dan Leonard finally obtained the $87,600 prize in gold coins.<i> \u2013 Pat Greenhouse\/Globe Staff<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the day, it was just like, \u2018let\u2019s make the hard choice, the right choice.\u2019 I\u2019m not trying to be greedy and upset people and so forth. It was just a recognition of how this story should end,\u201d Passmore said.<\/p>\n<p>Passmore reached out to Rohrer and Bailey and said he wanted to forfeit the gold to Leonard. Rohrer said it was an emotional conversation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter four or five days of playing the villain, being the tough guy, and bragging about the gold he had taken, Chris essentially told us that what he had done was against his personal values,\u201d Rohrer said. \u201cHe\u2019d been trying to justify it to himself but that cognitive dissonance was friction in his soul and he was just at his breaking point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They set up a meeting between Passmore and Leonard to hand off the gold. But when the two men spoke, they wanted to make the exchange special. They returned to an earlier idea, that Leonard\u2019s 18-month-old son would be the one to collect the prize.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt felt good to have a happy ending,\u201d Passmore said.<\/p>\n<p>Leonard hasn\u2019t shared any of the bounty with Passmore, but he\u2019s considering it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI still might, maybe someday,\u201d he said<\/p>\n<p>He said that Passmore apologized for what had happened, saying the \u201cgold got the best of him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe he tripped up and had this moment of weakness,\u201d Leonard said. \u201cBut in the end, I think he\u2019s still a good person deep down.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>\n\t\tvar consent=\"grant\";\n\t\t\/* The above code is parsing the JSON data from the local storage and storing it in a variable. *\/\n\t\t\t\t\tconst onetrustStorageConsent = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem( 'consent_one_trust_bdc' ) );\n\t\t\tif ( ( onetrustStorageConsent !== null ) ) {\n\t\t\t\t\/* Checking to see if the user has consented to the use of cookies.\n\t\t\t\t* If they have not, it is deleting the cookie.\n\t\t\t\t* This will comment for now, until further notice.\n\t\t\t\t*\/\n\t\t\t\t\/\/if ( onetrustStorageConsent.C0002 === false ) {\n\t\t\t\t\/\/\tdocument.cookie=\"_fbp=;expires=Thu, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 UTC; path=\/; domain=.boston.com\";\n\t\t\t\t\/\/}\n\t\t\t\t\/* Checking if the user has given consent for the cookie C0002.\n\t\t\t\t* If the user has given consent, the variable consent will be set to 'grant'.\n\t\t\t\t* If the user has not given consent,the variable consent will be set to 'revoke'.\n\t\t\t\t* Documentation https:\/\/developers.facebook.com\/docs\/meta-pixel\/implementation\/gdpr\n\t\t\t\t*\/\n\t\t\t\tif ( onetrustStorageConsent.C0002 !== true ) {\n\t\t\t\t\tconsent=\"revoke\";\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n\t\t{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n\t\tn.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n\t\tif(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n\t\tn.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n\t\tt.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n\t\ts.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n\t\t'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n\t\tfbq('consent', consent);\n\t\tfbq('init', '989222871864976');\n\t\tfbq('track', 'PageView');\n\t<\/script><script type=\"module\">\n\t\tvar consent=\"grant\";\n\t\t\/* The above code is parsing the JSON data from the local storage and storing it in a variable. *\/\n\t\t\tconst onetrustStorageConsent = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem( 'consent_one_trust_bdc' ) );\n\t\t\t\/* Checking to see if the user has consented to the use of cookies.\n\t\t\t* If they have not, it is deleting the cookie.\n\t\t\t* This will comment for now, until further notice.\n\t\t\t*\/\n\t\t\t\/\/if ( onetrustStorageConsent.C0002 === false ) {\n\t\t\t\/\/\tdocument.cookie=\"_fbp=;expires=Thu, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 UTC; path=\/; domain=.boston.com\";\n\t\t\t\/\/}\n\t\t\t\/* Checking if the user has given consent for the cookie C0002.\n\t\t\t* If the user has given consent, the variable consent will be set to 'grant'.\n\t\t\t* If the user has not given consent,the variable consent will be set to 'revoke'.\n\t\t\t* Documentation https:\/\/developers.facebook.com\/docs\/meta-pixel\/implementation\/gdpr\n\t\t\t*\/\n\t\t\tif ( ( onetrustStorageConsent !== null ) && (onetrustStorageConsent.C0002 !== true ) ) {\n\t\t\t\tconsent=\"revoke\";\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()\n\t\t{n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}\n\t\t;if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;\n\t\tn.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n\t\tt.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,\n\t\tdocument,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n\t\tfbq('consent', consent);\n\t\tfbq('init', '813236348753005');\n\t\tfbq('track', \"PageView\");\n\t<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/news\/the-boston-globe\/2024\/12\/10\/an-illicit-photo-a-secret-code-a-project-skydrop-sequel-a-tale-of-betrayal-and-reconciliation\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Boston Globe Project Skydrop prompted treasure hunters to search for a golden statue worth thousands of dollars. The search culminated in Massachusetts. Meteorologist Dan Leonard posed with the golden&hellip;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":74244,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74243"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74245,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74243\/revisions\/74245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}