tommy thompson has agreed to go to prison rather than reveal details about the valuable haul he recovered from the ss central america .
in 1988 the 62-year-old led an excursion to the vessel , known as the ship of gold , which sank off the carolina coast in 1857 laden with 21 tons of gold .
tommy thompson , 62 , left , and girlfriend alison antekeier , 42 , have both admitted contempt of court in columbus , ohio .