Treasure Hunter Sentenced for Criminal Contempt

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thomas “Tommy” G. Thompson, 63, formerly of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for criminal contempt for failing to appear in court after being ordered to do so in connection with civil suits against him.  Thompson was a fugitive until earlier this year when he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Peter C. Tobin, United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed yesterday by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.

According to court documents, U.S. District Chief Judge Sargus ordered Thompson to appear at an August 13, 2012 hearing in a federal civil case. At the 2012 hearing, Thompson was to provide an accounting of certain funds and the location of 500 re-strike commemorative gold coins as part of a lawsuit over the treasure that Thompson found from the SS Central America shipwreck. After Thompson failed to appear, a bench warrant for Thompson’s arrest was issued the same day.

In March 2013, an arrest warrant based on a criminal complaint alleging criminal contempt was authorized against Thompson.

U.S. Marshals tracked, found, and arrested Thompson and co-defendant Alison L. Antekeier, 47, also formerly of Columbus, Ohio, on January 27, 2015 in Boca Raton, Florida. Thompson and Antekeier – Thompson’s close associate – had been living in a Hilton hotel room under fake names and paying with cash.

The two pleaded guilty on April 8, 2015. As part of their plea, the couple agreed that $425,000 in cash seized at the time of their arrest would not be returned to them.

Thompson was also ordered to pay a fine of $250,000 and was sentenced to one year of supervised release following his prison term, along with 208 hours of community service.  Shortly after the sentencing, a hearing was held to determine why Thompson should not be held in civil contempt for failing to comply with Judge Marbley’s order that Thompson assist the civil litigants in the identification and recovery of the 500 coins and other assets.  Judge Marbley found that Thompson had not complied and ordered him jailed indefinitely and fined $1000 per day until he complies. 

U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas W. Squires, who is representing the United States in this case.