73-year-old treasure hunter released from prison
Airfind news item
By Minty Buckwalter
Published on March 12, 2026.
Tommy Thompson, a deep-sea treasure hunter known for finding the "Ship of Gold," has been released from prison after a decade in federal custody for refusing to disclose the location of missing gold coins. Thompson, who found the ship in 1988, was hailed as a hero and a legal battle ensued over who had the rights to the discovered treasure. His investors sued him in 2005 for not receiving any money from the $50 million sale of over 500 gold bars and thousands of coins. A warrant for his arrest was issued in 2012 and he was found in Florida three years later. A judge held him in contempt and sent him to prison in 2015 for not answering questions about the treasure.
Read Original Article