Did Les Gold Pass Away? Les Gold, from Hardcore Pawn Chicago, heart attack news spread all over the internet. It’s good to know that Les Gold is alive and well. The rumor of his death appears to be false, and there has been no official confirmation of his passing from any credible sources. It’s always important to verify information before sharing it, especially when it comes to sensitive matters like someone’s health and well-being.
A TikTok user with the username @thecomelis sparked a rumor about the death of the founder of American Jewellery and Loan, Les Gold, by posting a video with the caption “R.I.P Les Gold 1950-2023”.
@thecomelis
#riplesgold #lesgold #perte #viral #rip #acution #americanjewerlyandloan
♬ I Think I Like When It Rains – WILLIS
After the video claiming Les Gold’s death was posted on TikTok, it quickly went viral and garnered over 214.5k views. Soon after, a similar post appeared on Twitter, complete with a link to a fake CBS News story which has since been removed.
Fortunately, the rumors were dispelled when Les Gold’s son, Seth Gold, posted a TikTok video on April 10, 2023, featuring his father standing alongside him.
@pawnpresident
Replying to @momma_invader NOT DEAD #hardcorepawn #pawn #viral #funny
♬ original sound – Darnell Jawatowitz
The video was accompanied by the caption “THE RUMORS ARE FALSE!”, and in the clip, Les Gold confirmed his survival and thanked everyone for their concern.
Who is Les Gold from Hardcore Pawn Chicago?
Les Gold is a well-known businessman and television personality, recognized for his role in the reality show “Hardcore Pawn: Chicago”. He is the owner of American Jewelry and Loan, a renowned pawn shop located in Detroit, Michigan. With over four decades of experience in the pawnbroking industry, Gold has earned respect for his expertise in assessing the value of various items and his intimidating negotiation skills.
Richard Dominick, an independent producer, discovered Gold’s TV advertisements while working on “The Jerry Springer Show” in 1998. He recognized the potential of Gold’s family and business, and approached them with the idea of creating a reality show. Despite initial objections from his son Seth, Les Gold permitted the cameras inside, and the pilot aired at the end of 2009. Gold and his son were listed as executive producers from the third season onwards. The debut of “Hardcore Pawn” broke the previous record for most viewers for a truTV premiere, with two million views. By June 2013, the number of viewers surpassed three million. However, in 2014, the production of the show was suspended and discontinued.
Gold’s interest in the pawnbroking industry began at a young age when he made his first transaction at Sam’s Loans when he was just seven years old. By the age of 12, he had started his first company, selling pizzas to other Hebrew School pupils by the slice. In 1978, he established American Jewelry and Loan at the Green Eight Shopping Center on 8 Mile Road in Oak Park. He relocated it to its current location, a 50,000 square foot structure that was originally a bowling alley, on Greenfield Road in Detroit near 8 Mile in 1993. The company operates out of five sites, employs up to 200 people, and sees approximately 1,000 clients daily.
Gold has been married to Lilli Gold since 1975, and they have two children, Ashley and Seth. In 2013, Penguin/Portfolio published Gold’s autobiography, “For What It’s Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker.” The book outlines his personal experiences creating a successful pawn shop, how anyone can “think like a pawnbroker,” and how he accomplished it. In a Forbes article, fellow entrepreneur Josh Linkner details what he has learned from Gold’s teachings. The book was featured on The New York Times Best Seller list, placing #8 in the Hardcover Business Books category and #4 in the Advice, How-To, and Miscellaneous category for the week ending June 30, 2013. On June 18, 2013, Gold, the book, and his “three simple steps to successful negotiation” were discussed on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
