Columbus, Ohio – A former deep-sea explorer from Ohio, once celebrated for uncovering one of history’s richest shipwrecks, has been released from federal prison after nearly a decade behind bars. Tommy Thompson, 73, walked free on March 4, 2026, following a contentious legal battle over 500 missing gold coins from the SS Central America, a vessel dubbed the “Ship of Gold.”
Thompson, an Ohio-born research scientist, led an expedition in 1988 that located the SS Central America off the South Carolina coast, more than 7,000 feet beneath the Atlantic Ocean. The ship sank during a hurricane in September 1857 while transporting tons of gold from the California Gold Rush, resulting in the deaths of 425 passengers and crew and contributing to a national economic panic. Backed by around 160 investors, many from Ohio, Thompson’s team recovered thousands of pounds of gold bars and coins, with sales eventually totaling about $50 million.
However, disputes arose when investors claimed they received no compensation from the proceeds. Lawsuits followed in 2005, accusing Thompson of withholding funds. Thompson maintained that the money went toward legal fees and bank loans, and that the missing coins, valued at around $2.5 million, had been transferred to a trust in Belize. He repeatedly stated he could not recall their exact location.
After failing to appear in court in 2012, Thompson became a fugitive, living under a false identity in Florida until his arrest in 2015. U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley held him in contempt for refusing to disclose the coins’ whereabouts, sentencing him to prison and imposing a $1,000 daily fine, plus additional penalties exceeding $3.5 million.
Thompson’s release came after Judge Marbley determined that continued incarceration no longer served a coercive purpose. During a 2020 hearing, Thompson told the court, “I don’t know the whereabouts of the gold. I feel like I don’t have the keys to my freedom.”
The case has drawn attention in Ohio, where many investors hail from communities like Columbus and surrounding areas in south central regions. While Thompson is now free, the mystery of the missing coins persists, leaving questions about the full legacy of this historic Ohio-linked treasure hunt.
