What a Fugitive Treasure Hunter Had on Him

Tommy Thompson kept unique array of items nearby
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 14, 2015 2:41 PM CDT
What a Fugitive Treasure Hunter Had on Him
This undated file photo provided by the Delaware County Sheriffs Office shows Tommy Thompson.   (AP Photo/Delaware County Sheriffs Office, File)

You're a treasure hunter who's illegally sold about $50 million in loot and gone into hiding—now what do you keep with you? According to a court filing today in the case of Tommy Thompson, the answer is 16 photo IDs, 43 cellphones, six thumb drives, 15 prepaid phone cards, $425,380 in cash, registration papers for Belize, and three gizmos that change a caller's voice, the AP reports. Investors made the filing as part of their effort to recover assets—including 500 missing gold coins from the SS Central America, or Ship of Gold—discovered by Thompson in 1998. Thompson, 63, was arrested earlier this year in Florida with a companion after failing to share the bounty with his investors. His plea deal, which requires him to help recover the loot, includes a maximum 2-year sentence and $250,000 fine, the Columbus Dispatch reports. (More treasure stories.)

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