Treasure Hunter Tommy Thompson Released After 10 Years in Prison

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Tommy Thompson, the deep-sea treasure hunter who discovered the SS Central America shipwreck and its valuable gold cargo in 1988, has been released from prison after serving 10 years for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of 500 missing gold coins from the find. Thompson was hailed as a hero for the historic discovery, but later battled with investors who accused him of cheating them out of millions. He spent years as a fugitive before being sent to prison over his refusal to comply with court orders regarding the missing coins, which were valued at $2.5 million.

Why it matters

The case of Tommy Thompson highlights the complex legal and ethical issues that can arise from major historical discoveries and the disputes that can emerge over the ownership and distribution of valuable artifacts. The story also raises questions about the appropriate use of civil contempt laws and the limits on how long someone can be imprisoned for refusing to comply with a court order.

The details

In 1988, Thompson located the SS Central America, a ship that sank in 1857 during the California Gold Rush, and recovered thousands of pounds of gold from the wreckage. However, Thompson was later accused by investors of cheating them out of millions from the sale of the gold. He went into hiding and became a fugitive, before being arrested in 2015 and sent to prison for refusing to disclose the location of 500 missing gold coins valued at $2.5 million. Thompson maintained that the coins had been turned over to a trust in Belize, but the courts rejected his arguments and kept him imprisoned for 10 years on a civil contempt charge, an unusually long sentence.

• In 1988, Thompson located the SS Central America shipwreck.
• In 2005, investors who backed Thompson's venture sued him, saying they had not received any money from the $50 million sale of gold from the wreckage.
• In 2012, an Ohio federal judge issued a warrant for Thompson's arrest after he failed to show up in court.
• In 2015, authorities tracked Thompson to a Florida hotel and he was sent to prison for refusing to answer questions about the missing coins.
• In 2019, a federal appeals court rejected Thompson's argument that the law limiting jail time for contempt of court to 18 months should apply to him.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge who ordered Thompson's release has not indicated whether he will take any further action to try to recover the missing 500 gold coins.