Discovery’s “Gold Rush” is all about the hectic, sometimes life-threatening, and often messy job of prospecting for gold in the Yukon wilderness. All of the hardships, pain, and stress often pay off for the show’s central figures with huge financial dividends. Many of the show’s prospectors have already made a pretty penny, with series stars Tony Beets, Todd Hoffman, and Parker Schnabel all raking in millions from their mining activities and outside business ventures. Add on the salaries they accrue from Discovery for the show’s filming and you apparently have some very wealthy people.
But prospecting for gold is an expensive vocation. For every million each team makes, hundreds of thousands of dollars a year end up being reinvested into equipment, repairs, taxes, and staff salaries. They say it takes a lot of money to make a lot of money, and the folks who regularly populate “Gold Rush” are proof positive that the maxim is true.
While the central figures in “Gold Rush” may be millionaires, one wonders how much other regulars on the program make — like wiseacre mine operator Chris Doumitt, who’s been helping to run the gold room at Schnabel’s claim since Season 4 after leaving the Hoffman team. Here’s what we know about his alleged net worth.
Chris Doumitt is worth roughly $400,000
Per Celebrity Dig, Chris Doumitt is worth only $400,000. It’s a fairly surprising revelation, as Doumitt is the only Season 1 “Gold Rush” cast member still with the program. It’s still quite a lot of cash, but not quite as much as his bosses allegedly make — and Doumitt is worth his weight in gold to Parker Schnabel. Per a recent Season 12 moment captured on YouTube, he’s the kind of guy whose invaluable innovation can work miracles. Realizing that too much water is washing gold out of the back of their plant, he realizes the pump is running too slowly. Doumitt’s idea gets ‘Slucifer’ up and running — and helps the Schnabel team to dredge up $600,000 in gold dust.
The miner also has a side business that adds to his general fiscal health. He started a cigar company called Doumitt Cigar in 2018, a business that vows to offer “100% hand made premium cigars at a fair price.” The shop sprung to life in light of Doumitt’s proclivity for cigars; on “Gold Rush” he’s rarely seen without a stogie tucked into his cheek. The cigars, cigar accessories, and cigar bundles range in price from just over $21 and just under $160. They’re available via the company’s official website and in three different retail locations in California, Tennessee, and Oregon.
Doumitt definitely has an instinct when it comes to bringing in cash, so don’t be surprised if someday his cigar business makes him a millionaire.