The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee. Punishment needs to be fair and realistic. The next morning, Loomis Fargo employees were unable to open the vault. Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. Getting restitution, its like pulling teeth.. The biggest restitution numbers for victims of financial crimes generally involve Ponzi schemes or sweepstakes fraud, not cash thefts. Chambers and his wife also made some cash payments on a few cars. Join the 119,947 smart Charlotteans that receive our daily newsletter. The reason Ghantt got involved wasalways the same: he realized that he couldnt make his credit card payments, and was thus unable to support his family. Thatd be the time to do it, Ghantt recalls. Former Cramerton Police Chief David Young soon got wind of the Chambers excessive spending spree and reached out to the FBI. When he walked onto the plane, he was wearing big, tall cowboy boots, where hed stuffed a majority of the smuggled cash. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. All of the defendants except for one pleaded guilty and accepted their sentences. Michelle, meanwhile, purchased new breasts for herself, along with a $43,000 diamond ring and a new convertible BMW Z3. I threw you out, and then threw the parachute after you. But neither of those things would matter after he met Kelly Campbell. All but one of the indicted pleaded guilty. Get to me. Its that kind of excitement.. WebThe Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery was a robbery of $17.3 million in cash from the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis, Fargo & Co. on the evening of October 4, As you probably know, its loosely based on the Loomis Fargo heist in Charlotte back in the late nineties. Retro CharlotteFBI security footage of David Ghantt in the midst of the Loomis Fargo heist. The pair began to daydream about whether they could really pull off the heist. I was working all the time and unhappy I felt cornered and one day the joking in the break room about robbing the place suddenly didnt seem so far-fetched.. Husband and wife Steven and Michelle Chambers, whose conspicuous consumption of a luxury home, a BMW convertible, breast implants and a $600 wooden Indian, among other purchases, helped the FBI solve the crime, were assessed $3.81 million and $4.8 million, respectively. But as he later recalled to the media, as soon as he stepped through those big-box doors, he realized he was flush with cash, and he didnt need to shop at Walmart ever again. One of the best ways to learn more about U.S. history is to make sure youre taking history classes. I did a little research into crime statistics and the local cops. The film was produced by Brent Almond. Campbell, a former Loomis employee and one of the original masterminds of the caper, has paid off less than $21,000 of the $4,701,694.18 she was docked. I didnt even know about it and overlooked it, he said. Either way, intothe picture walks Steve Chambers and a group of friends that would set the plan in motion. We spoke to the FBI agents who investigated the case who say the real-life masterminds couldnt contain their spending-spree. If you want me to leave, Ill leave. Then, Ghantt went into another room. Todd Williamson/Getty ImagesDavid Ghantt attends the 2016 after party for the Hollywood premiere of Masterminds, based on the Loomis Fargo heist that he helped carry out. Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. ", After successfully tracing Ghantt's phone call, FBI agents coordinated with Mexican police to arrest Ghantt on March 1, 1998, at Playa del Carmen, a city near Cancun. WebTwo days after the heist, the FBI found the missing van with $3.3 million of cash left in it. Meanwhile, David Ghantt was relaxing on a beach in Cozumel, Mexico. October 26, 1999. Truth be told, Ghantt had something of a crush on Campbell, and so, he told her exactly how hed pull off such a heist. Too bad it was so poorly planned. WebGhantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. Eventually, Ghantt would return to the United States and the full sum would be split up between the conspirators. Chambers got 11 years. According to an Observer report, this was seven times larger than their trailer. I felt cornered and one day the joking in the break room about robbing the place suddenly didnt seem so far-fetched.. Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The platform is designed to engage citizens and government leaders in a discussion about what needs improvement across the country. More than 2 million dollars is still missing to this day. WebTo that end, Campbell brought in her childhood friend Steve Chambers, who was characterized in the local press as a small-time drug dealer and a local fence for stolen ];David Scott Ghanntt [Misc.] Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. In one case, the restitution for a Loomis defendant may be a moving target. First, in January, he tried to get someone to take some millions down to Mexico. For the New York State assemblyman, see. Clerk of Court Frank Johns of Charlotte. And I said, Hey, man, I got this. See all of the stories here. Marshals Service auctioned off the purchased items in Charlotte, most of which came from the Chambers and Cramers. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. He then proceeded to load about $17.3 million in cash (approximately $11 million of which was in $20 bills) into the back of a company van. Best States is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News for ranking the 50 U.S. states, alongside news analysis and daily reporting. A couple weeks pass, and I call again, Hey, Id like to get some more money. He says the Loomis case shows how the criminal justice system and the courts treat lower-income people differently. Items included a velvet Elvis painting, 1998 BMW, 17-foot motorboat and Harley Davidson. They found Ghantts truck, and in it were his keys, some personal items and his wedding ring. [1], This robbery was the second-largest cash robbery on U.S. soil at the time, as only seven months earlier, on March 29, 1997 in Jacksonville, Florida, Philip Noel Johnson stole $18.8 million from the Loomis Fargo armored vehicle he was driving.[2]. When asked what the dumbest thing was that Ghantt spent money on, he admitted: The 4 pairs of boots I bought in one day [shrug] what can I say they were nice and I was impulse shopping.. Ask below and we'll reply! Ghantt simply got ready for work one morning knowing it would be his last day on the job. WebCampbell left her job in the summer of 1997, but she would later use Ghantts feelings for her to her own advantage to get him to agree to carry out the multi-million-dollar heist. One day, the two employees were in the break room and got to talking about the news of the day a massive bank heist that just occurred in Florida by someone at their company. Cool, I say. Records show the government has garnished his Social Security checks. ];Kelly Jane Campbell [Misc. Michele Chambers 1998 BMW for sale following the prosecutions of the Loomis Fargo heist conspirators. Ghantt spent a solid hour moving what ended up being 2,700 pounds of cash more than an actual ton into an unmarked company van. The robbery was committed by Loomis vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt, his married girlfriend Kelly Campbell (a former Loomis co-worker), Steven Eugene Chambers (a one-time FBI informant), his wife Michelle Chambers, Michael Gobbies, and four other co-conspirators. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. (I) bought jewelry, bought a van, Campbell recalled of her own spending. After loading the massive cache of loot into the armored truck, Ghantt set the time lock on the vault, which locked the door for days unless the employees drilled through the lock. But of course, then they had to decorate that spectacular new space and so they spent tens of thousands of dollars on things like cigar store Indians, paintings of Elvis, and a bulldog dressed up like George Patton. FILE - Kelly Campbell, one of the 21 people convicted for their involvement in the $17 million Loomis Fargo heist, awaits sentencing for her part in the theft at her mobile home near Mount Holly, N.C. on Aug 16, 1999. As soon as Corey left, I pretended like I was leaving. Scary. Dozens of FBI agents everywhere. By then Id figured out that Bruno was up to no good, and that Id probably never seen any more of my money. It wasnt a big hit, but Ghantt, who was played by Galifianakis, gives it a rave review. Chambers, his wife, and several of their accomplices were arrested the next day. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Three weeks later, the couple purchased, in cash, a $635,000 stone mansion. As for his new wife, when the two just started dating, he was nervous about letting her know about his past, but he wanted to be honest. Its easy to get somebody to do something if you know that they are that infatuated with you.. Im a very deliberate person. Things went from bad to worse when, in November, Michelle strolled into a bank with a briefcase filled with 200 grand and asked the manager, How much can I deposit without the bank reporting the transaction? When she showed the bank manager that she really had the money to invest, the cash was still bound in Loomis Fargo wrappers. Ghantt's spending in Mexico was extravagant at first. One day, Campbell was speaking to an old friend named Steve Chambers. On October 6, they found the van with everything that Chambers had left behind, including Ghanttsgun and a clear picture of his face on video, which was identified by supervisors. 9 Where did the masterminds live after the heist? If so,check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. He made it across the border just as his deception was discovered. How to Market Your Business with Webinars? I studied up on the FBI. Zaron Burnett is an investigative journalist and longform features writer based in Los Angeles. Down in Jacksonville, a Loomis Fargo employee took $18 million from an armored van he was driving. There used to be a consulate in Cancun. I just had to call you., Today, Ghantt cant look back on the whole ordeal without some degree of pride. In the meantime, Ghantts wife reported him missing and the CMPD had found his truck in the parking lot of Loomis Fargo. Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it, the now-retired Gronquist told the Observer. Most high schools offer a variety of history classes, so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. In hindsight, it doesnt surprise me a bit, Ghantt says, a bitter laugh catching in his throat. Guller was the attorney for Steven Chambers, who came up with the original idea for the Loomis theft. Some of the biggest numbers remaining on the Loomis collection board, as is the case with Campbell, belong to those who played the biggest role in the crime: David Ghantt, the Loomis employee who loaded all that money 2,800 pounds in all into the back of a company van before escaping to Mexico, has paid just under $50,000 of the $3.81 million he was assessed. [15], "David Ghantt" redirects here. At the time of the real robbery, Chambers was facing criminal charges hed written 30K worth of bad checks and was facing jail time for it. I pay (restitution to) thousands of people, but its in drips and drabs.. When neighbors asked where they got their money, Steve said hed played in the NFL. Masterminds is a 2016 American comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina. Meanwhile, Ghantt would take $50,000, as much as could legally be carried across the border without questions, and flee to Mexico. On similar grounds, four other people were ultimately also charged with money laundering. WebCampbell made her way back to Charlotte (Ghantt was told by Chambers to head to Atlanta and catch a flight from there), where the money had since been moved into barrels and The FBI investigation was aided by the gang's extravagant spending. That sounds like a lot of money until its compared to the $18,930,201.26 the group was ordered to pay. Ridicule of those involved in what remains one of the largest cash thefts in U.S. history would soon begin. I really enjoyed the little scuba diving trip. [citation needed], The defendants were the targets of many barbed jokes in Charlotte and across the country, in part because of their extravagant spending. An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. Will Mcintyre/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. This article will teach you more about the SAT subject tests. Another accomplice, Eric Payne, took a three week, unpaid vacation, had his wife quit her job as a receptionist and bought a new Harley Davidson, Chevy Tahoe, big-screen TV, computer and new trailer. They received sentences and probation ranging from several years to 11 years and three months in federal prison for Steve Chambers, who was also fined more than $3,500,000. On the night of October 4, the plan went into action. A few of the Loomis restitution cases have already been closed either because the amount was paid in full or because the 20-year clock wound down. But as Ghantt admitted, the film took some liberties with specific details and characters to make the film funnier. But after one visit, she asked a teller "How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds?" The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. She was like, Well, at least you had guts, he says. The barrels were Steves idea, Ghantt says. He was also married. FBI security footage of David Ghantt in the midst of the Loomis Fargo heist. As it turned out, Ghantt was zipping up his scuba suit in Mexico. Except the person he offered $150,000 to mule $2.5 million down to Ghantt in Mexico turned him down and instead went to the FBI. Bubbling under the surface, however, was a deep frustration at the way he was treated. From there, the money was moved from the company vehicle to private vehicles. And Ghantt hadnt really thought about the physical challenge of moving such a large sum of money. The pal part is true: The real amateur killer Chambers sent couldnt pull off the crime after traveling to Mexico. Nine other relatives and friends were also charged with money laundering, as they had co-signed for safe deposit boxes used to store some of the money; prosecutors opted to charge them on the grounds that they should have known the money was obtained illegally. An FBI criminal investigation ultimately resulted in the arrest and conviction of eight people directly involved in the heist, as well as sixteen others who had indirectly helped them, and the recovery of approximately 88% of the stolen money. The connection to Chambers took more time. Ghantt worked at Loomis Fargos regional office vault in Charlotte. 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Was ordered to pay oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen,... Several of their accomplices were arrested the next morning, Loomis Fargo heist `` David Ghantt in midst... Day, Campbell recalled of her own spending schools offer a variety of history,. The possibility of a Robbery to Campbell, who came up with the original idea for Loomis! The bank to make the film took some liberties with specific details and characters to make the film took liberties. No good, and I said, Hey, Id like to get some more money make sure taking... It turned out, and I said, Hey, Id like to get to... Guts, he tried to get someone to take some millions down to Mexico and their! And Ghantt hadnt really thought about the SAT subject tests recalled of own! Chambers sent couldnt pull off the purchased items in Charlotte its easy to get to! A Robbery to Campbell earlier in the parking lot of Loomis Fargo employees were unable open.
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