Tommy Thompson, a treasure hunter who has been living as a fugitive for two years, has finally been apprehended in Florida.

US Marshals Caught Tommy Thompson

Thompson was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at a West Boca Raton hotel, and appears to have been living there for two years with his girlfriend Alison Antekeier.

In 1988, Thompson, an oceanic engineer and deep-sea treasure hunter, and his team struck gold, literally, when they discovered the wreckage of the SS Central America, believed to have sunk in 1857. The wreckage included millions of dollars worth of gold bars and coins, causing a legal battle between Thompson and two of his investors and some crew members. The investors and crew members filed a lawsuit claiming Thompson had tried to cheat them out of their share of the $50 million worth of gold discovered. In 2012, Thompson skipped a courtroom appearance in Ohio and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Authorities have been hunting Thompson ever since.

According to reports, Thompson and his girlfriend have been living in a two-room hotel suite in Florida for two years, paying for everything in cash and keeping a low profile. However, when Thompson appeared in court on Wednesday, he claimed that he had been staying in Florida due to a health condition and asked the judge to delay extradition to Ohio.

“I haven’t been out of Florida since 2005 because I’m sensitive to materials that are north,” Thompson told the court. “I just want you to know, it could be very fatal for me to go up there.”

Thompson says he suffers from encephalitis and a heightened immune system that makes him vulnerable to allergies. Both Thompson and Antekeier are in custody awaiting extradition, but neither have been officially charged with a crime.

“Thompson was smart – perhaps one of the smartest fugitives ever sought by the U.S. Marshals, along with almost limitless resources and approximately a 10-year head start,” said US Marshal Michael Tobin.