Treasure hunter Mel Fisher, who became a multimillionaire when his son discovered a sunken Spanish galleon off the coast of Key West, FL, is dead.

Admirers gathered at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum, one of the top tourist attractions in Key West, to pay their respects. Many admired him for his single-minded pursuit of the American dream.

In 1997, the federal government sued Fisher for damaging sea grasses in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and won a $600,000 judgment. Last month, Fisher's company pleaded no contest to charges it sold fraudulent Spanish coins at its Key West souvenir shop.

Fisher, who died of cancer, requested that his ashes be scattered at sea. [01/02/1999]

February 10, 2012