Her only brush with the law had been a DUI arrest. But this time on the phone, Kelly wasn't joking. . One of my compatriots, Steve Chambers was in charge of the money. . ", "Even then . Jim Gronquist, Campbells defense attorney during the Loomis case, says the financial penalties levied against his client and her co-defendants are grossly excessive and unjust, particularly since most of the stolen Loomis money was actually recovered. He had stolen $17 million from Loomis Fargo. But because David's relationship with his Loomis bosses had been rocky, he says, he doesn't feel sorry about what he did to the company. Pensacola State College Job Fair 2022, Available on iTunes, Hulu. Over the next two weeks, David thought about it. . When we worked together [for Loomis], we'd joke about it. Another surveillance videotape shows the man loading the bags into a company van. David Ghantt: In my way of thinking, you are part of the story and people will talk about you regardless. In early September 1997, Kelly found herself chatting on the phone with a friend who still worked at Loomis, a 27-year-old man who, despite being married, had made no secret of the fact that he had a crush on her. He had a favorite restaurant, Zandunga, which had a mariachi band each night and a view of the Caribbean. General Mills issues Gold Medal flour recall over salmonella concerns Ghantt was joined by Kelly Campbell, a former Loomis Fargo employee who had been fired from the company for theft. AMA In October of 1997, I was a vault supervisor for armored truck company Loomis Fargo, when I made off with $17.3 million. The supervisor liked him and gave him the job. Masterminds That first day in prison was scary, Ghantt said. He had even scheduled a follow-up appointment at the dentist. The crew was led by David Ghantt, a Loomis Fargo employee that drove the armored truck that transported cash to different locations. The next day, Kelly drove back to Steve's mobile home to watch the news with Steve and Michele. The True Story of David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo Ghantt was the She declined to take a lie-detector test. However, he was released for good behavior after serving only five of them. He says the Loomis case shows how the criminal justice system and the courts treat lower-income people differently. While she made small deposits at first, she became more reckless, eventually making a deposit of thousands of dollars in cash, telling the teller not to worry: Its not drug money. The True Story of David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo Heist, Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Score, check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. Afterward, everything became comical. To protect themselves, David and Steve didn't meet or talk. Kelly drove her pickup to a lot across the street from the Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. Its like, me and you sat down, I have access to pie, you like pie, all I want is my share of the pie. Anonymous tips had the FBI monitoring Chambers calls. Ghantt says he believes in redemption, and that his mistake 25 years ago brought him all the things that are important in his life today. David Ghantt: There are quite a few small facts and tidbits. Every day he drives an armored car, transporting millions with no escape in sight. She was five-foot-seven, had dirty-blond hair, and had worked with him for about a year at Loomis Fargo, until she left for another job in 1996. The loot would later be divided among David, Kelly, and Steve. Surveillance tapes and photographs showed a man who the FBI believes is Ghantt taking bags of money and putting them onto a cart in the vault at Loomis, Fargo's offices in Charlotte. Pick 18 Iowa LB Jack Campbell . The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee. Steve and Michele invited everyone back for a Christmas party, where they gave Michele's stepfather a special gift--the pickup truck he'd always wanted. The 2016 comedy movie, Masterminds is based on the story of the Loomis Fargo Heist. More than half of the amount came from the seizure of a luxury home purchased by husband-and-wife defendants during their post-heist spending spree. They called the police, who brought in the FBI, classifying the heist as a bank robbery. LRM: Do you enjoy the publicity for yourself? The phone rang: Kelly had a problem. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges. Though he never found the right moment to carry out the hit, McKinney did find time to make a friend--a shady character named Robert, to whom he revealed more than was prudent. Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash..only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. But after a year, they'll cut it down to two agents. It was unclear whether anyone will get that money, authorities said. "But, I hate to admit it, it doesn't faze me one bit. What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. Steve solicited two others to help move cash during the theft. Trending News What that says is, We will never forgive you for what youve done.'. Later, they also arrested Nathans older brother. There was a book published in 2002 as well, by author Jeff Diamant called,Heist! I ended up buying a small sailboat and go out to catch lunch. I thought he did a really good job. On the night of October 4, the plan went into action. Biggest Bank Robberies On March 1, David Ghantt left his hotel to do some laundry. Every time I meet this guy, it was always in a very public place. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with the law. I might be a little biased. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. Enabling JavaScript in your browser will allow you to experience all the features of our site. EDITORIAL. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Just lounging around. David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. Though David had said earlier he thought there was $15 million in the vault, the sight of that much cash held them spellbound. Everything changes when he meets Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig), a new employee at his bank, Loomis Fargo. But agents weren't ready to arrest Kelly and Steve. At about 6:40 p.m., he went back inside. Thats my standard answer these days. david ghantt wife He flew in an ultra-light plane. Reward offered as manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reaches "dead end" Ghantt and his compatriots, it turns out, had underestimated how bulky money is. It wouldn't work, Kelly told him. Im still going through the friend requests. One of them tapped him on the back. The affidavit described Chambers as a former FBI informant who had provided information on another Loomis armored car robbery that never materialized. He said at first, they were very proud of what they had been able to do. display: none; 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist LRM: Im curious. To celebrate Halloween, about seven of Steve's friends, including Eric Payne and Kelly, gathered for a party at Steve's house. PFF: Below Average Campbell is the top linebacker on the PFF big board but ranks just 39th overall. In addition, six other people, some of whom had been spending large amounts of money, were arrested Monday in North Carolina in connection with the case, Perry said. I don't blame him.". Virginia Police Auction, Steve Chambers has told agents the missing cash was stolen from a shed in Lincoln County. While she made small deposits at first, she became more reckless, eventually making a deposit of thousands of dollars in cash, telling the teller not to worry: Its not drug money. For a better shopping experience, please upgrade now. He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; It's one of the biggest jokes at the place. At the end of one session, they wound up kissing outside the pickup. Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. In the first couple of weeks, they had heard both Steve and Shelley bragging about their new-found fortune, and spending remarkable amounts of money. display: none; This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed WebIn March 1997, after Loomis Fargo & Company has been robbed of $18.8 million in Jacksonville by company security guard Philip Noel Johnson, Steve Eugene Chambers and Kelly Campbell, a former employee of Loomis, decides to rob the company. In the end, it is a good story. I stole $17 million, and Zach Galifianakis played me in a movie. Some of that money is just gone. Thirteen friends and family members were also charged with money laundering, as they had helped Ghantt, Chambers, Campbell, and the others deposit money illegally. In February 1998, the FBI tapped their phones and listened to Steve discuss depositing $2.5 million in the Cayman Islands. The morning after the height, employees of Loomis Fargo realized they couldnt open the vault. They hadn't slept together or even fooled around much, but he was ready to commit. LRM: When you first heard the story he was there to get rid of you, what was your reaction? Unexplained Mysteries - owned by Aliens since 2011. She was the group's only contact with David, and she was smoking marijuana "like other people smoke cigarettes," she said. "I missed my family. Charlotte this past October. Once they were in custody, the overwhelming task of clearing out possessions possibly purchased with the stolen money began. All of us will be looking forward to your story by watching the movie on Blu-ray or DVD. . What made her do it? David didn't even know Steve's name. They bought a BMW roadster. BBC Motion Gallery. In the game, David has to track down eight Visionaries, This meant a bump in pay, up to $8.15 an Current price is $11.49, Original price is $14.99. He was the only employee unaccounted for the next morning, and videotapes recovered at the Loomis Fargo Charlotte office showed Ghantt removing cubes of cash and loading it into a Loomis Fargo armored van for over an hour. His wife, they said, got breast implants and used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3 sports car. The van door opened. David thought about it. Yes, *that* David Ghantt, lol. "It wasn't me, it was Steve," she says she told him. She didn't plan to move to Mexico. Ghantt sent home a new employee and quickly loaded the money into the back of a bank van. Then another. WebKelly lives (also in a mobile home) with an old friend named Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and his wife, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Ellis). At 6 that morning, FBI supervisor Rick Shaffer led 12 agents and several Gaston County police officers up a winding road on Cramer Mountain to Steve's home. Truth was, David wanted more than help leaving, he wanted company. Steve now needed a hit man. Eventually, Ghantt would return to the United States and the full sum would be split up between the conspirators. He went deep-sea fishing. She also assured the teller her cash wasn't drug money. CHARLOTTE If you didnt live in the Charlotte area 25 years ago, you might not believe it. Inside the Mazda, Steve told Scott Grant to get out and help David. "He showed me a lot of money," McKinney said. I wasnt attracted to him or anything, but he was a nice guy, Campbell said. } So what made you do it? Now worried about both the FBI and McKinney, he spent even more time alone in his room. Bubbling under the surface, however, was a deep frustration at the way he was treated. He was also married. I even helped them design the set, where he breaks into the vault. The money was heavy. While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money. "She said, 'What would it take to convince you to do it?' My name is David Scott Ghantt. Ghantt labeled himself as a jerk who was dissatisfied with his life before stealing the money. The principals here are David Ghantt, a driver for Loomis, Fargo and Co.; Kelly Campbell, the woman Ghantt had a crush on, and who convinced him to commit the crime; and Steve and Michele Chambers. The CEO and co-founder of the company that is responsible for Arkane Studios. She is the diamond of my soul. Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated.
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