Treasure Hunter Released From Prison Years After Discovery of Historic Shipwreck A treasure hunter connected to one of the most famous shipwreck discoveries in U.S. history has been released from prison after spending years behind bars in a long-running legal dispute over missing gold coins. Tommy Thompson is known for leading the team that discovered the SS Central America, a ship that sank in 1857 during a hurricane off the coast of South Carolina. The wreck contained a massive amount of gold from the California Gold Rush and became known as the “Ship of Gold.” According to court records and reports from major news outlets, the discovery and the treasure recovered from the wreck later became the subject of legal disputes involving investors and ownership claims. Thompson and his team located the wreck in 1988 after an extensive search using deep-sea exploration technology. The discovery was considered one of the most significant underwater treasure finds ever made. However, the case later became complicated after investors who funded the expedition accused Thompson of failing to share profits from the treasure recovered from the wreck. Authorities say Thompson refused to reveal the location of approximately 500 gold coins connected to the shipwreck. Because he declined to cooperate with court orders, he spent more than a decade in prison for contempt of court. Maritime and legal experts say disputes like this are not uncommon when historically valuable shipwrecks are discovered, especially when large sums of money and multiple investors are involved. Although Thompson has now been released, questions about the missing coins and the long legal battle surrounding the treasure remain unresolved.