Treasure hunter still in jail after 6 years for refusing to disclose whereabouts of 500 gold coins found in historic shipwreck

A former deep-sea treasure hunter is preparing to mark his sixth year in jail for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of 500 missing coins made from gold found in an historic shipwreck.

Research scientist Tommy Thompson has been  held in contempt of court since Dec. 15, 2015, for that refusal. He is also incurring a daily fine of $1,000.

Thompson's case dates to his discovery of the S.S. Central America, known as the Ship of Gold, in 1988. The gold rush-era ship sank in a hurricane off South Carolina in 1857 with thousands of pounds of gold aboard, contributing to an economic panic.