 had assisted them in investing in gold and silver bullion over the last few years, trading gold and silver coins to pay for that bullion investment. Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kristen Green says the couple got some bad news after the trade took place. After the trade, the victims had the gold and silver bars checked by a certified precious metals professional who told them that the bars were fake. The couple reported that they had purchased over a million dollars worth of gold and silver from Silvestri.