Treasure Hunter Freed After Decade in Prison

0:00This is Cory with Global News Today, powered by the Daily News Now. A D.C. treasure hunter named Tommy Thompson has finally walked free after spending a decade behind bars. The 73-year-old discovered a massive gold haul from the SS Central America shipwreck back in 1988. That ship, dubbed the Ship of Gold, sank off South Carolina with 30,000 pounds of freshly minted gold coins aboard. The treasure was headed east to back up banks when a hurricane sank the vessel 7,000 feet deep, claiming 425 lives, and sparking the financial panic of 1857. Thompson's investors poured $12.7 million into his search, expecting big returns from the recovery worth up to $400 million. But those backers felt cheated when they saw no payouts, leading to a lawsuit in 2005. Thompson banished in 2012 to dodge court orders demanding he handed over details on missing coins. He and a partner got busted in Florida in 2015,

1:02after hiding out in a hotel under a fake name. Jailed for criminal contempt, he refused to reveal where about 500 gold coins ended up. Last year, a judge cut him loose, figuring he'd never talk anyway. Those coins remain missing, leaving investors still out of luck. D&N is sponsored by our partner. Head in, sound on, lights out, that is the routine, s-o-l-i-soli-pillow-dot-com.