One day, he went to check on it and the lock had been cut. so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. Custom Content. I gave him the short synopsis. I run the heavy equipment. At first, David Ghantt said, "I didn't take her seriously. The film was based on an actual incident in 1997. Some of that money is just gone. David kissed his sleeping wife on the cheek on the morning of Oct. 4. Ask questions; get answers. . Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. The site features a collection of unexplained, strange and odd mysteries. In Campbells case, Gronquist says his client was buried in court-ordered debt despite the fact that she took responsibility for what she had done and cooperated with prosecutors and the FBI. 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. Ghantt was charged in connection with the robbery reported Oct. 5 at Loomis, Fargo & Co. He made it across the border just as his deception was discovered. Still facing possible unknowns of other people involved, the FBI needed to gather more information without the suspects getting suspicious of them. Can I Keep the Velvet Elvis?: The Great Hillbilly Heist of 1997 UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist WebDavid Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. OWLS director fired in wake of new board taking over, New rules will require flood history disclosure in real estate, North Carolina recreational spring flounder season canceled for 2023, Supreme Court seems ready to sink student loan forgiveness, Beach commission gets update on search for new sources of sand for beach nourishment. ". AMA In October of 1997, I was a vault supervisor for armored truck company Loomis Fargo, when I made off with $17.3 million. Web1) David Ghantt is underpaid and unhappy. Then, on a mid-September day, as he reviewed a credit card bill, David did some math. I even helped them design the set, where he breaks into the vault. As he and Kelly met in a field behind a shooting range to refine the plan, she allowed him to believe she was falling for him. Creative Insights. When they showed the mansion scene, the great big velvet Elvis painting was for real. Within a few months, they were arrested. It was his goodbye. They stocked a wine cellar. Afterward, everything became comical. His wife, Tammy, was as shocked as Loomis officials. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? I ended up buying a small sailboat and go out to catch lunch. In the following months, Steve persisted, even floating the notion of placing phony hand grenades on a Loomis truck to scare away the drivers, Kelly said. display: block; They tried to break the van's bulletproof windows. 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. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Not only was Ghantt the only unaccounted for employee the morning after the heist, there was also footage of Ghantt moving the cash into the back of the Loomis Fargo van. WebMasterminds. But being the vault supervisor at Loomis Fargo had one perk -- exposure to tons of cash. "Don't back out on us. An officer rang the doorbell. Ghantt added, I really enjoyed the movie. A Comprehensive Guide. The robbery was committed by David Scott Ghantt who was the vault supervisor and accomplices Kelly Campbell, Steve Chambers, Michelle Chambers, Michael Gobies, and other four members. To protect themselves, David and Steve didn't meet or talk. Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated. Project #ShowUs. '. At the time it was the second largest cash robbery ever to happen on US soil. I didn't think I had the guts. All of the defendants except for one pleaded guilty and accepted their sentences. About 200 keys dangled from it. Spending years in prison, he said, gave him time to re-invent himself. Ghantt didnt know the full extent of what was happening back home -- how that lay low plan turned into a flurry of extravagant spending. [Kelly] told me, 'Just think about it.' david ghantt wife 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. Steve had already paid McKinney $50,000 for the use of his ID. Theres no way to get it back, Butcher told The Charlotte Observer. My name is David Scott Ghantt. David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis), an employee of Loomis Fargo, robbed his own vault, left the $17.3 million in cash with his co-conspirators, Kelly Campbell (Kristen Scott Grant said he hesitated, but agreed if no guns would be involved. It was late in 1996. What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. LRM had an exclusive phone interview with David Ghantt last week, the real-life culprit who pulled off the successful bank heist. LRM: For whatever its worth, its a good answer. And once he started, he didn't stop with one cartful. We talked about the fiction and fact from the movie. Records show the government has garnished his Social Security checks. "I felt that if I didn't do something, I was going to snap," David said. With the help of Aldo, a Mexican waiter he had befriended, David found a beach apartment in Cancun. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Is this really about the needs of the poor? 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. Custom Content. Working together, they got the gate open, then drove in a caravan to the Reynolds & Reynolds parking lot. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Steve told her to send David to Atlanta on a bus and drive back to the trailer. David quickly realized he was the intended victim. Eventually, Steve made Kelly believe they could steal from Loomis and get away with it, she said. Before the robber left Loomis Fargo, he made a trip to the managers office to remove two surveillance tapes in order to conceal his identity. I was shocked. 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. Most high schools offer a variety of history classes, so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. She declined to take a lie-detector test. It wasn't how much you stole that mattered most; it was that you had stolen in the first place. Loomis Fargo heist: 25 years later Steve Chambers and his wife were living in a trailer and upgraded to what would today be a multi-million-dollar mansion at Cramer Mountain. At the party, Steve invited Michele's stepfather, truck driver Dennis Floyd, to the basement to play pool. Butcher says the federal courts in the Western District of North Carolina have never handled a case quite like Loomis. Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. On March 1, David Ghantt left his hotel to do some laundry. LRM Exclusive Interview: David Ghantt, Real Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers, carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. Themansion party is real. Steve had another conversation with Kelly about killing David. Scott was so nervous, he said, that he couldn't help. They soon realized David had stolen more money than would fit in their 55-gallon barrels. CREATIVE. It was unclear whether anyone will get that money, authorities said. David said he realized then, for the first time, he might not see the millions he thought he had coming to him. But agents weren't ready to arrest Kelly and Steve. David was sentenced to 7 1/2 years. I went in there to do a basic search. Ghantt had a lot of help pulling off the heist. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed One night in a small North Carolina town, a down-on-his-luck guard at Loomis Fargo manages to steal $17 millionliterally more than one ton of cash. LRM: [Laughter] Now the movie portrayed that they sent someone to kill you in Mexico. Her husband, Steve Chambers, whom prosecutors have called the main defendant, began serving an 11-year sentence earlier this year. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. What did you have to do to survive? She could visit friends. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. WebThe 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, VIDEO. The first weekday after the heist, Michele Chambers, co-conspirator Steve's wife, walked into a NationsBank branch with a briefcase containing $5,000. For reasons that remain obscure, Robert spilled the beans to David. The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee. No one could just pull off the crime of the decade. When they painted the cars, they were the wrong shake. You can seize property. 8 Arrested in $17 Mil. N.C. Heist | AP News On Oct. 7, 1997, two FBI agents arrived at Kelly Campbell's home after two Loomis employees had told agents she and David had once dated. She didn't plan to move to Mexico. Trending News 1998 The Associated Press. This time, David told McKinney the truth. Web1) David Ghantt is underpaid and unhappy. He went deep-sea fishing. ". I had more than 700 message requests. Who was she to be pressuring him? Webdavid ghantt wife nowplombon funeral home obituaries david ghantt wife now. The connection to Chambers took more time. Campbellwho was married herselfrepresented something new and exciting. 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. WebBank name Loomis, Fargo & Co. on the evening of October 4, 1997, by vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt, his married girlfriend Kelly Campbell (a former Loomis co-worker), Steve Chambers, his wife Michelle Chambers, Michael Gobbies and The eight accomplices were also apprehended. And Kelly thought he was funny. I stole $17 million, and Zach David trusted her. The FBI recovered several million dollars in a van found in Mecklenburg County, but about $14 million in cash is still missing, authorities said. He partied, met women, drank, skied and hung out at the beach. PFF: Below Average Campbell is the top linebacker on the PFF big board but ranks just 39th overall. Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. Virginia Police Auction, David Scott Ghantt. What concerned her was the chance of getting caught. Hed never really been in trouble, he wasnt a career criminal, said retired FBI agent John Wydra. Ask below and we'll reply! Exhibit A was that Steve had no steady job but plenty of cash. The government does not run debtors prisons, says U.S. Loomis Fargo heist: 25 years later David Scott Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. David Ghantt: Mostly, it concerned for Zach [Galifianakis] to have the right shirt and carrying the right pistol. I just wanted to restart. David Ghantt: Awesome. Attorneys Office in Charlotte posted a public reminder in the case file of Loomis defendant Kelly Campbell that she had fallen behind in her restitution. . Three of the 21 defendants in the case haven't been She asked about the limit for a cash deposit before "paperwork" was required. Enforcement of this policy is at the Campbell used part of her share of the money to buy aToyota Siennaminivanin two cash installments. He realized his life wouldn't improve unless he did something drastic. LRM: True. Federal prosecutors would ultimately charge 21 defendants in the case, including the Floyds, who were charged with (and pleaded guilty to) money laundering. After meeting up with Chambers, Campbell, and some other co-conspirators, Ghantt hightailed it to Mexico with $50,000 in cash in his car. All of us will be looking forward to your story by watching the movie on Blu-ray or DVD. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. So we were able to figure out with all the denominations, it would require about 20 safe deposit boxes to store it all., WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), Part 2: Channel 9 speaks with the man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago, ALSO READ: 14-year-old boy robbed at gunpoint while waiting for bus in east Charlotte, mom says, ALSO READ: Leader of $3M check theft, bank fraud scheme in Charlotte area sentenced to prison, ALSO READ: Man released from jail, accused of robbing banks while wearing electronic monitor, police say, ALSO READ: Suspect from south Charlotte bank robbery found, CMPD says, NCSHP arrest driver accused of nearly hitting 2 students at bus stop in Statesville, CMS delays opening of new school meant to ease overcrowding, Mooresville orders removal of memorial at park after teens death, Chick-fil-A announces app data breach, tells customers how to protect personal information, Charlotte woman celebrates $1 million scratch-off prize, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. "I've learned that I'm a fortunate man," he 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. Ten days later, the group was indicted for bank larceny and money laundering. David was excited, jabbering about their future together. I pretty much let them have their way with it, as you say. "Do you know how much there's gonna be?" Meanwhile, Steve was keeping a close eye on Kelly. Truth was, David wanted more than help leaving, he wanted company. Its all being part as a comedy and its Hollywood. Ghantt, who by then was long out of prison, served as a consultant. 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. Sure enough, she called a few days later, around September 16. Web29 David Ghantt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. Kelly had resisted this suggestion before the heist: She and David were friends. Kelly called David at Loomis; he told her he'd be ready for them with the cash at 6:30 or 7 p.m. Alone in the building, David was trying to finish loading cash from the vault into an unmarked white Ford Econoline van belonging to Loomis. Ghantt was the vault manager and was surrounded daily by millions of dollars worth of temptation. BBC Motion Gallery. In the end, it is a good story. Steve began talking about wiring money to overseas accounts, and even purchasing a nightclub. Of course the problem was, the money belonged to someone else. I loved it that she is part of my life now, because of all this. He learned to parachute. Hes a family man with a wife and daughter. WebThe 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, Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated. display: none; The 2016 comedy movie, Masterminds is based on the story of the Loomis Fargo Heist. "You" has three. Pick 18 Iowa LB Jack Campbell . Loomis Fargo, the nation's largest privately held armored- car company, used vans to transport hundreds of millions of dollars a day belonging to banks and other businesses, stocking automated teller machines and storing money in the Loomis vault between deliveries. October was "a blast," he said. Sunny. I just sat back and waited on my money. I stole $17 million, and Zach Galifianakis played me in a movie. This technically made it abank robbery afederal offense. He approached a longtime friend, Eric Payne, who lived in a mobile home south of Belmont, N.C. Steve offered him $100,000 to help. Web1997 - David Scott Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) thought being an armored car driver would be a dream come true. "I said, 'That's all they gave me,' " McKinney recalled. About 5:30 the next morning, McKinney knocked on David's door and dropped $8,500 on the bed. Eventually, the money had to run out. Change). Meanwhile, Michele Chambers was laughing and saying, repeatedly, "Look at all this money!" No Honor Among Thieves He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. It was the second-largest. David Ghantt: My standard answer now is [to say] that the person I was thenI am certainly not that person now. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. We dont have the manpower to track all that (restitution) money down I pay (restitution to) thousands of people, but its in drips and drabs., Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it,, You can garnish wages. His wife, they said, got breast implants and used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3 sports car. Over 88% of the money has been recovered since the heist. . Were just getting started on that. The amount of money stolen is correct. People did come up to me and asked me for my autograph. LRM: If you had to relive that heist againwhat would you do differently? He gave the rest to Kelly. PFF: Below Average Campbell is the top linebacker on the PFF big board but ranks just 39th overall. I might even have more these days. 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. These (Loomis) guys, not so much.. 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. 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. Campbell and her husband had always been just scraping by, however in the weeks following the robbery, the two seemed to have more money than theyve ever had. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges. david scott ghantt kelly campbell today - Investigative Guide General Mills issues Gold Medal flour recall over salmonella concerns He shut the empty vault and set its timer so the vault could not be opened for two or three days. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges. By now, you probably know the names -- David Ghantt, Steve Chambers and his wife Michelle, and Kelly Campbell. He told him McKinney was in Mexico to kill somebody. Just lounging around. Chambers had told Campbell to do whatever she needed to do to get Ghantt to commit the robbery. Kelly drove her pickup to a lot across the street from the Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. But neither of those things would matter after he met Kelly Campbell. Steve tried keys on a side door. I've got a good woman.". It wouldn't work, Kelly told him. The FBI now knew Chambers had Loomis cash. I did do a lot of diving down in Mexico, which is a great diving spot. The corporation handled armored transportation, ATM maintenance and other cash handling services, and had millions of currency stashed in the vault of the North Carolina branch. Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. "For the first year after a crime," he told her, "they're all over you, with six to ten agents. The theft at the time the second-largest cash robbery in U.S. history has been the brunt of mocking movies and books, mostly on how the thieves, who had little money to begin with, could not control their spending habits once they did. They heard Michele brag about her $43,000 ring. WebGhantt hadagreed to split the proceeds equally with Steve and Michele Chambersand Kelly Campbell after the others who were involved in the offensewere paid. David Ghantt: No, I havent talked to them in a very long time. David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. David got a kick out of her. The building was configured so vans could drive inside and pull up next to the vault. The Internet was still new at the time. The details of the heist itself, coupled with the missteps the crew made after stealing the money, attracted the attention of writers and movie producers. They were ready to set the van on fire for real. If they could just sit on the money until then, he said, they'd be fine.