David, the international fugitive, lived it up, too--for a while. ", "I wouldn't do it. Ghantt was working as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte in 1997, earning about $8 an hour and tired of his humdrum life. Ghantt, meanwhile, was losing his patience and starting to make threats. In real life: False. Each week, Michele deposited thousands of dollars in cash. In February 1998, the FBI tapped their phones and listened to Steve discuss depositing $2.5 million in the Cayman Islands. Or that it was an inheritance. "I'm glad I've grown out of that.". . A third tape he didn't know about kept recording. Michelle Chambers paid off only $27,000. She declined to take a lie-detector test. Thats one of my personality flaws. She laughed for like 45 minutes. He took bus tours of Mayan ruins. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. Alert: Obviously, spoilers abound. Question: Do you ever think you could have been killed? In the two days after the robbery, agents interviewed more than 100 people, most connected with David. Almost 19 years after Ghantt and a group of friends from Gaston County pulled off one of the largest cash heists in U.S. history, the movie "Masterminds" will play up the caper for laughs. Will Vin Sant Leave You Jacked or Scammed? Kelly Campbell - Wikipedia kellis@gastongazette.com 0:04 0:57 On Oct. 4, 1997, former Kings Mountain resident David Scott Ghantt finished his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte. He realized that if they met the minimum monthly payments, the bill would take 30 years to pay. Campbell was another employee at Loomis Fargo and she and Ghantt quickly struck up a relationship, one that Campbell denies was ever romantic though FBI evidence says otherwise, and one that continued after she left the company. . But the idea of all that money pulled at her. "As soon as you start, you realize there's no going back," David recalled. SEVEN NABBED IN CHARLOTTE HEIST\ - Greensboro News and Record Ghantt would go on to spend six and a half years in federal prison. I'll never pay it off on my paycheck." His new life in Mexico had begun. Steve had another conversation with Kelly about killing David. and "I love money!" Sandra Floyd, Michele Chambers's mother, remembers the first time she saw the house. When we worked together [for Loomis], we'd joke about it. ". They bought a BMW roadster. Mine did. Given the presence of the surveillance tapes and a gun belonging to Ghantt, they started with Ghantts phone and pager records and discovered a pattern they attributed to an accomplice. Ghantt was never in Chamberss presence until he actually handed off the money to him. In the dark, Scott inserted one key into the back door slot. Or that hed gotten lucky gambling. On March 1, David Ghantt left his hotel to do some laundry. More agents waited outside to arrest them. Key benefit components include: Health insurance plans. I had to go in there and tell her the whole story, and she was real cool about it. By March, Steve Chambers decided he needed to do something more drastic about Ghantt, making plans to send a hitman to Mexico to silence him for good. "For the first year, they're all over you. In real life: True. On the radio, the "John Boy and Billy" show played the song "Take the Money and Run. He was also a former FBI informant who had tipped the bureau off to a planned robbery of a Loomis Fargo armored truck that never came to fruition. Purchases included a pool table, jewelry (including a $43,000 diamond ring), a minivan, $20,000 worth of cigars, and the 7,000-square-foot home on the side of Cramer. Kelly found herself standing beside David while they waited together for a bond hearing. In early December, Steve and Michele invited relatives to their daughter's sixth birthday party. Kelly had no problem fanning the flames of their old flirtation. Then another. Instead of lobster, the man who stole $17 million survived on home-cooked pasta and grilled cheese sandwiches. "I said, 'That's all they gave me,' " McKinney recalled. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist - legal-innovation.com Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect, A Highly Questionable Cultural History of Richard Geres Ass Gerbil. (The conversation was depicted as 100 percent private on screen). On his second trip, Steve gave McKinney David's hotel address. Even still, he was 27, married and struggling to provide for his family. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. In hindsight, it doesnt surprise me a bit, Ghantt says, a bitter laugh catching in his throat. You can garnish wages. He grabbed the tapes from two VCRs that connected to 16 security cameras. (John D. Simmons/The Charlotte Observer via AP), Police: Officer Who Shot Black Man Retired 'In Bad Standing', 3 Kansas City Officers Who Were Shot Released From Hospital, 1 Killed When Business Jet Encounters Severe Turbulence. I wanted to make a drastic change and I went for it," Ghantt said. What made her abandon an ordinary existence to commit this spectacular, doomed crime? On October 5, 1997, FBI agents gathered at the Loomis, Fargo & Co. warehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina, to watch a security videotape of a man loading stacks of cash into a pushcart and wheeling them from the vault. 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. "I've moved on with my life," he said Tuesday. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM 1998 and ACTORS IN MOVIE. Though David had no criminal experience, he felt he could offer expert advice: He'd just finished reading a book on the FBI. "It probably should bother me," he said. But in November, money ran low. Loomis has received $978,983.79, according to Sally Butcher, an assistant clerk in the federal courts of the Western District of North Carolina who specializes in criminal debt. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ A woman who helped plan the $17 million robbery of armored car company Loomis, Fargo & Co. was sentenced Tuesday to nearly six years in prison and ordered to pay back more than $4 million. . Heres your money. Then he turns around and leaves., The problem was, it was nowhere near the amount Ghantt had expected: Im looking at it, and theres maybe $8,000. Then, I started loading the van., Money, when bound in bulk and stacked in canvas bags, is heavier than you might expect. Hed be in contact. Things were spiraling fast. Chambers, now 32, didn't grant an interview for this article, but last year, in response to written questions, he said the biggest lesson he learned was: "Family is more important and valuable than money. Cool, I say. Loomis - Home So he got in a cab and went to a mall. "I've learned that I'm a fortunate man," he said. David complained it wasn't enough. If you want to go ahead and go, I got it. As soon as Corey left, I pretended like I was leaving. Or does it sit in an offshore account, waiting for a prison sentence to end? He comes to my door, and hes got a brown paper bag in his hand. Kelly drove her pickup to a lot across the street from the Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. Because surprise! Before David left for the airport, he had handed Scott an eight-inch key ring. About 20 ago, Campbell sent him a letter of apology, but he never responded. He drove to the edge of the Loomis compound, which was surrounded by a chain-link fence. At 7:45, David had finished loading. When McKinney realized Ghantt was wanted for the Loomis Fargo robbery, he backed off personally because he didnt want to be anywhere near a federal investigation. So much so that one suspicious neighbor called the FBI. He'd even bragged that he'd killed people. I don't blame him.". A version of this story originally appeared on CharlotteObserver.com. 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. Thats where they feel comfortable., This piece of information would become critical to his getaway plan. shaka wear graphic tees is candy digital publicly traded ellen lawson wife of ted lawson real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist 25 Feb/23 (No Ratings Yet) . About 10 frantic minutes later, Scott found the right key. They tried to break the van's bulletproof windows. Ghantt:I don't think he ever really meant to harm me. In real life: False. 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. Michele received the best gift of the night. Contact Us | Loomis US Charlotte hotel chef who serves with a smile recognized as outstanding ambassador, Eritrean, Ethiopian restaurant owner was a big brother and father to many in Charlotte, Home tours: This wired-up Weddington smart home has a pool big enough for the neighborhood. Like David, Kelly was frustrated with her marriage. 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. 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. and "I'm rich!". The FBI's final challenge is finding the remaining $2 million. The Loomis defendants face no additional legal jeopardy for not paying off their debts. I couldn't understand why I hadn't been more successful," David said. "We had David Ghantt and Kelly Campbell tied together, and we had Steven Chambers and Eric Payne with unexplained wealth, but we didn't have a tie between them," Agent John Wydra said. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist - molecularrecipes.com From Mexico, David usually spoke with Kelly on the phone once a week, paying with calling cards. But agents weren't ready to arrest Kelly and Steve. 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. . At first, I just blended in with the tourists and picked up a few translation books, Ghantt explains. Ghantt fled to Mexico. They cursed. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. An officer rang the doorbell. Chambers never held Campbell hostage by locking her in a shed on his property. . The real 'Masterminds' FBI agents recall surreal story of heist that inspired - WLOS 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. It's one of the biggest jokes at the place. David said he realized then, for the first time, he might not see the millions he thought he had coming to him. But McKinney never stopped trying to kill Ghantt although, initally, McKinney thought Chambers had paid for the hit over a drug deal gone bad, Diamant said. Steve now needed a hit man. . . Ghantt:Since I still owe the federal government money I can't get paid. The Columbia airport had no available flights. I can take it.". Yes, happy. I did every touristy thing you could possibly do while I was down there. Campbell, 29, had pleaded guilty to charges of bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder. They loaded the wine cellar with Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Steve hung a velvet portrait of Elvis Presley in the basement. When Chambers and the two Erics were done loading the stolen millions into barrels, they abandoned the van in the woods. Careers. His assignment was to deliver the cash to David and keep him happy until they could find a way to kill him, McKinney said. They found Ghantts truck, and in it were his keys, some personal items and his wedding ring. Records show the government has garnished his Social Security checks. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. Meanwhile, outside Reynolds & Reynolds, Steve, Scott and Eric needed to move 2,748 pounds of cash, quickly, from the Loomis van into the Budget van. Field Operations; Corporate; Why Loomis. On Feb. 27, agents listened in on a call from David to Kelly and learned David's location in Mexico. In real life: True. His name was Corey. I was looking at small sailboats and theyre not cheap, he tells me. The Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery was the $17.3 million cash robbery of the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis Fargo & Company on the evening of October 4, 1997, by armored car driver and vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt. Kelly had recently left a job driving an armored-car for Loomis, Fargo & Co. "He's the one who brought it up first," said Kelly, a year after her arrest. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Our success depends on our team members, and that's why it's important for us to offer an employee benefits program that is not only extremely comprehensive but also one of the best in the industry. I mean, it was dark, Ghantt explains. The biggest restitution numbers for victims of financial crimes generally involve Ponzi schemes or sweepstakes fraud, not cash thefts. 2500 City West Blvd., Suite 2300 Houston, TX 77042. Did you get paid? He says the Loomis case shows how the criminal justice system and the courts treat lower-income people differently. She was devastated, Diamant said. I knew I was going to be the prime suspect. There was a little voice in my head that said, 'Don't do it. Some family members hid money in bank deposit boxes, other friends were asked to mule cash to the Cayman Islands. Question: How much of 'Masterminds' is true? Heres what happened on Sunday nights episode. The True Story of David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo Heist - PrepScholar "I was thinking, 'They aren't paying me enough,' " McKinney recalled. She was like, Well, at least you had guts, he says. If you were one of the much-smaller-than-expected group of people who caught Masterminds at the theater this weekend, and are looking for a fact-check of the events depicted on screen, here are some of the highlights of our chat with Diamant. This story was originally published October 3, 2016, 9:12 PM. The others sat in their cars across the street and watched him struggle to open the heavy gate. Masterminds (2016 film) - Wikipedia I said, Probably, the best time would be on the weekend; theres fewer people there. He rewarded Robert with $3,000 and vowed never to meet McKinney alone. Kelly Loomis Facebook, Instagram & Twitter on PeekYou I knew it was just a matter of time. In one case, the restitution for a Loomis defendant may be a moving target. Ghantt:It's a comedy. He couldn't talk.". 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. In that time, I realized most of my problems were because of me. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist (No Ratings Yet) . 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. I just had to call you., Today, Ghantt cant look back on the whole ordeal without some degree of pride. Butcher says the federal courts in the Western District of North Carolina have never handled a case quite like Loomis. Eric watched. It was the first Saturday in October. But I thought this is me being hard-headed Im going to ride this thing to the ground. And so thats what I did.. I wish them all a happy life and that's about it. Ghantt worked at Loomis Fargos regional office vault in Charlotte. Ghantt: My cut was supposed to be about $5 million, but that's not what I ended up with. I thought, Okay, if I get out of that bubble because the cops depend on that, even the feds my chances to get away go way up.. . Too stupid to be true? Five 'Masterminds' missteps that actually happened That week, the FBI designated the theft its 142nd "major case," putting it on a list--begun in the 1970s--that includes such other infamous crimes as the World Trade Center bombing. Him and I still talk every now and then. He had an endearing smile, a beautiful wife and two children. They sweated, though the night was cool. Gaston County residents remember how that worked out. Were others involved? I mentioned it to Kelly. "I felt that if I didn't do something, I was going to snap," David said. Federal prosecutors would ultimately charge 21 defendants in the case, including the Floyds, who were charged with (and pleaded guilty to) money laundering. Its a yes: Clover teen shakes off nerves to earn American Idol golden ticket, Mail carrier cant believe his eyes after seeing NC lottery win. "I" has one letter. All rights reserved. Clerk of Court Frank Johns of Charlotte. After a couple of weeks, Ghantt and the rest of the heist team were ready to strike. When Ghantt was on the plane home from Mexico with the FBI, he admitted to the agents that while Campbell had been integral to why hed done it and that he did indeed have a crush on her it was never his true motivation. The money was heavy. >> PHOTOS: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers, carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4,. ". It was one of those things everyone (at Loomis Fargo) joked about, but in time, it became serious. Almost 19 years after Ghantt and a group of friends from Gaston County pulled off one of the largest cash heists in U.S. history, the movie "Masterminds" will play up the caper for laughs. I said, Listen, You all need to get your shit together, or Im just going to walk over here to the government building and tell them who the fuck I am. That lit a little fire under her ass, for a bit.. Money'll turn your head, I don't care who you are. Basic and voluntary life insurance plan. Kelly says she underestimated the value of her life before the heist. They agreed that after the heist, David would immediately move to Mexico, alone, but Kelly would soon join him there, with her two children. Kelly drove David to the airport. Steve, who had sworn Kelly, Eric and Scott to secrecy the night of the theft, named them all to the FBI. "Think of how many women would have stood by. "He showed me a lot of money," McKinney said. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. Chambers did hire McKinney to kill Ghantt, but initially McKinney was making personal cash deliveries to Ghantt in Mexico on behalf of Chambers.