Derek Gold- original name Derek Pratt- was a crooked gold dealer, so obsessed with gold that he even went to fancy-dress parties as Auric Goldfinger; his company ran ads claiming to offer clients big returns on their old jewelry while paying them a mere pittance. He also worked as a middle-man for various mob bosses, meaning that the gang would have to ensure that he thought the deal went wrong rather than suspect that he was conned or they would be left to deal with the mob.