Tommy Thompson’s saga is a gripping tale reminiscent of a Hollywood thriller, featuring a mysterious 19th-century shipwreck, advanced underwater technology, a contemporary treasure hunt, and a fortune that resulted in betrayal, lawsuits, and a prolonged manhunt. Once hailed as the brilliant discoverer of the fabled “Ship of Gold” and its hidden treasure, Thompson is now infamous as the treasure hunter who was imprisoned for refusing to surrender 500 missing gold coins. His story traverses from the ocean depths to courtrooms and prison, intertwining adventure with a lengthy legal struggle.
In September 1857, the sidewheel steamer SS Central America, commonly referred to as the “Ship of Gold,” sank during a hurricane off the Carolinas, carrying a significant fortune in gold from the California Gold Rush. The disaster claimed the lives of 425 passengers and crew, in addition to thousands of pounds of gold lost to the sea. The cargo, valued at approximately $8 million in 1857 (equivalent to hundreds of millions today), was so substantial that its loss triggered a financial panic, securing the wreck’s historical significance.
For more than a century, the treasure of the SS Central America remained elusive, captivating the interest of treasure seekers and investors.
In the 1980s, a young ocean engineer from Ohio, Tommy Thompson, set out to discover the lost gold. As a passionate deep-sea explorer, he designed a custom underwater robot to locate the wreck. His novel approach—integrating advanced sonar, satellite data, and probability-based search theories—was revolutionary at that time.
To finance the expedition, Thompson convinced 161 investors to contribute nearly $12.7 million, including prominent institutions and wealthy individuals eager for substantial returns. With the funding in place, he established a salvage company and initiated a state-of-the-art operation using the research vessel Arctic Discoverer and his remotely operated submersible, Nemo.
In September 1988, after intense searching, Thompson’s team achieved a monumental milestone when their submersible cameras captured glinting gold on the seabed. The SS Central America had been located—untouched for 131 years. The successful recovery included gold coins, bars, and ingots, representing the largest treasure retrieval in U.S. history, featuring an extraordinary 80-pound gold ingot that sold for a record $8 million.
Briefly, Thompson was celebrated. His landmark discovery was recognized as a remarkable achievement in deep-sea exploration, inspiring books and documentaries. However, his subsequent troubles began to overshadow his accomplishments.
Following the ship’s discovery, Thompson’s legal challenges rapidly emerged. After lengthy court battles, a judge awarded his team rights to 92% of the treasure, with 1800s insurance companies claiming the remainder. This apparent victory was soon followed by unforeseen complications.
Investors who funded the venture began asking, “Where are our returns?”
Although Thompson allegedly sold $50 million worth of gold, his backers never received the expected payouts. Some accused him of concealing a portion of the treasure. By 2005, enraged investors initiated lawsuits demanding their due. Members of his team also filed suit, alleging underpayment for their shares.
Thompson refused to divulge information, claiming that the gold had been placed in a Belize trust from which he could no longer access funds. Relocating to Florida, he lived in a quiet estate in Vero Beach, remaining out of the public eye. By 2012, a federal court mandated him to disclose the whereabouts of 500 missing gold coins. Instead of compliance, Thompson vanished.
For the ensuing two years, Thompson became one of the most sought-after fugitives in America. U.S. Marshals labeled him “one of the smartest fugitives” they pursued. Investigations of his abandoned residence revealed meticulous preparations: prepaid burner phones, large sums of cash, and a guide on how to live off the radar.
He had successfully concealed his whereabouts. He and his long-time assistant, Alison Antekeier, checked into a Hilton hotel in Boca Raton, Florida, using fake identities. Paying in cash, avoiding banks, and lacking vehicles, they managed to evade capture for over a year.
However, in January 2015, U.S. Marshals tracked them down, acting on a tip. They raided the hotel and arrested Thompson in his suite, concluding his time on the run, and he was subsequently extradited to Ohio for justice.
Upon returning to court, Thompson reached a plea agreement for his 2012 failure to appear, receiving a two-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. Yet, it came with a stipulation—he needed to disclose the location of the missing 500 coins.
When pressed for their whereabouts, Thompson claimed memory loss and insisted he did not know where they were. The judge was not persuaded.
In December 2015, he was found in civil contempt of court and sentenced to indefinite imprisonment until he revealed the coins’ location. For every day he failed to comply, he faced a $1,000 daily fine, accumulating millions in penalties.
Despite the intensifying pressure, Thompson never provided the information. He spent over seven years in jail, refusing to disclose the treasure’s fate. In early 2025, a judge ended his contempt sentence, acknowledging further incarceration was unlikely to compel him to cooperate. However, he was immediately assigned a two-year criminal sentence, ensuring his legal troubles were far from over.
