Treasure hunter who refused to give up location of shipwreck gold freed from prison

12 Mar 2026 • 5:04 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Deep-sea treasure hunter Tommy Thompson, who discovered the “Ship of Gold” in 1988, has been released from prison after more than a decade.
  • Thompson was initially celebrated for locating the S.S. Central America, which sank in 1857 with a vast amount of gold from the California Gold Rush.
  • He subsequently faced legal action from investors who alleged they were defrauded of millions from the sale of the recovered treasure.
  • After becoming a fugitive, Thompson was arrested in 2015 and jailed for contempt of court for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of 500 missing gold coins.
  • Despite a judge ending his civil contempt sentence in February, Thompson immediately commenced a two-year sentence for failing to attend a court hearing in 2012.

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