Deep-sea treasure hunter Tommy Thompson has refused to let slip where he stashed three tons of gold and is facing the consequences. Authorities appear to be getting frustrated with Thompson’s stubborn attitude and have told him they won’t release him from jail until he reveals the location of the treasure.
Thompson’s story feels like it is straight out of folklore. In 1988, Thompson and his team discovered a huge haul of gold from the S.S. Central America, which sunk in 1857 near South Carolina. Many had tried to discover the ship’s whereabouts and where three tons of California gold encased, but the ship was 8,000 feet under the sea. Thompson and his investors were lucky enough to build an underwater robot that discovered the ship.
Ever the most humble treasure hunter, Thompson downplayed his involvement with the discovery, but his investors were not too pleased about this. New York Daily News reported the 161 people involved paid around $13 million to help find the ship and have yet to get a return on their investment. Once a fugitive, Thompson is now being held in an Ohio prison, as he owes more than $350,000 and a judge is ordering him to pay $1,000 until he reveals more details concerning the treasure. But Thompson is remaining tight-lipped, as his lawyer said he revealed all the details he knows in a deposition. Perhaps he has lined his home with the gold coins or the huge haul is buried somewhere else. The possibilities are endless.
(Via New York Daily News & Chicago Tribune)
