Thomas Gerull was a West German épée fencer, winning the team silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Individually, he finished 23rd. At World Championships, Gerull won the individual gold medal in 1990, which was the highpoint of his career. He also won three team medals with one gold (1985) and two silvers (1987 and 1989).
Gerull was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award. He later became a financial consultant and worked with his twin brother Michael. In 2015-16 both were involved in one of the most sensational investor scandals in Germany in recent years, in which around 25,000 small investors lost their money. Thomas and Michael Gerull were sentenced to prison for eight and seven years respectively.