unknown
March 15, 2026
Treasure hunter freed from prison after 10 years but location of gold coins still unknown
Tommy Thompson refused to give up the location of 500 missing coins found in 1988 in a historic shipwreck
TL;DR
- Treasure hunter Tommy Thompson, 73, was released from federal prison on March 4th.
- Thompson found the SS Central America shipwreck, also known as the Ship of Gold, in 1988.
- He was imprisoned for 10 years for contempt of court after refusing to reveal the location of 500 missing gold coins.
- Investors who funded his search sued Thompson in 2005, claiming he defrauded them.
- Thompson claimed the coins were given to a Belize-based trust, and that the sale of other gold covered loans and fees.
- A judge eventually ended his contempt sentence, finding that Thompson's continued imprisonment would not lead to the gold's discovery.
- Thompson also served a two-year sentence for missing a 2012 court proceeding.
Continue reading the original article