Ohio Treasure Hunter Released from Prison After Refusing to Reveal Whereabouts of Ship of Gold’s 500 Gold Coins

NEED TO KNOW

• A treasure hunter who spent years in prison after refusing to reveal the location of 500 missing gold coins from one of the greatest shipwrecks in the U.S. has been released

• Tommy Thompson discovered the 1857 Ship of Gold, also known as SS Central America, off the coast of South Carolina in 1988

• Thompson, now 73, was then sent to prison in 2015 after not disclosing where the ship’s 500 gold coins were located

A treasure hunter who spent years in prison after refusing to reveal the location of 500 missing gold coins from one of the greatest shipwrecks in the U.S. has been released.

Tommy Thompson discovered the 1857 Ship of Gold, also known as SS Central America, off the coast of South Carolina in 1988, according to the Associated Press and The Columbus Dispatch.

The Ship of Gold sank in 1857 during a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, killing 425 people, per The Columbus Dispatch.

Thompson, now 73, was then sent to prison in 2015 after not disclosing where the ship’s 500 gold coins were located.

On Wednesday, March 11, a spokesperson from the Federal Bureau of Prisons records confirmed to PEOPLE that Thompson was released from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons on Wednesday, March 4.

The spokesperson added that there would be no further comment on the “conditions of confinement,” as well as “release plans,” due to privacy and security reasons.

Thompson was initially celebrated when he made the discovery, which included the ship’s 150-year-old treasure, according to the Associated Press.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

However, after not revealing the location of the ship’s estimated $100 million gold coins and bars, many investors who financially backed his expedition felt cheated, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Investors argued that they had not received any money for the 500 gold bars and thousands of coins that were sold for $50 million, according to The Associated Press.

Thompson then faced multiple lawsuits before going on the run in Florida, per the outlet.

The explorer was eventually located in a hotel three years later. He was subsequently sentenced to prison after being found in contempt of court.

He was also ordered to pay $1,000 for every day of his imprisonment, $3,335,000 in civil contempt fines and a $250,000 fine in the criminal contempt case, per The Columbus Dispatch.

Thompson is now reportedly claiming that the coins, which were worth $2.5 million, were given to a trust in Belize. He also stated that the $50 million was used for legal expenses and bank loans, according to The Associated Press.

Read the original article on People