Will California Save the Iconic Joshua Tree? 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. But after one visit, she asked a teller "How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds?" VIDEO. Then Michele made a trip to the bank. 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 Wiig) and Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and fled the country to Mexico. David Scott Ghantt Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. In the meantime, however, Chambers not only refused to wire money to Ghantt in Mexico, but ultimately hired a hitman (Jason Sudeikis) to take him out. (I) bought jewelry, bought a van, Campbell recalled of her own spending. Outside the building, Ghantt met up with Campbell, Chambers, and others who were involved in the plot, and drove off to a printing business called Reynolds & Reynolds in northwest Charlotte. Dont worry, its not drug money.. Q: North Carolina native Zach Galifianakis portrayed you in "Masterminds." [1] Tips had led the FBI to begin monitoring Chambers's (and his wife's) activities, but it was not until the FBI recorded a phone call from Ghantt in Mexico that the final connection was made. David Bowie 's widow recently took to Instagram to post selfies, while promoting both her makeup brand and fashion line. Ghantt plead guilty to his charges andserved six years in prison, along with21 other defendantswho received chargesrangingfrom money laundering to bank larceny. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. The Loomis Fargo heist became something of a media lightning rod. They kept several furnishings from the previous owners, including a painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet. David Ghantt, who pulled off the Loomis, Fargo & Co. vault robbery in 1997 and was sentenced to seven years in prison for the crime, served as a consultant for the film (in theaters Friday).. 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. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. There was also no dramatic showdown between Chambers and Ghantt as the movie suggests. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The thieves had simply abandoned whatever they couldnt carry away. 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. It was nearly the perfect crime, but while Ghantt fled to Mexico to lay low, his partners lavish spendingand their own alleged plans for murderwould ultimately be the groups demise. Instead, the bandits just started throwing as much money as they could into the van until they couldnt fit anymore. [7][8], Rocket Science, a 1998 double-disc album by Charlotte-based radio personalities John Boy & Billy, includes a track ("Marvin: The Loomis Caper") mocking the defendants. his wife-to-be. He then began loading $17 million in unmarked bills inside a company van before driving away. Based on a true story, the premise itself is fascinating, which makes Masterminds all the more a waste. I work construction. He made it across the border just as his deception was discovered. Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated. They took a lot of liberty with the story here and there. Ask questions; get answers. Guess what? Ghantt, Chambers, and Campbell came up with the following plan: Ghantt would remain in the vault after his shift on the night of the heist, Oct. 4, 1997, and let his co-conspirators into the vault. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. [1], Steven Chambers finished serving his sentence in November 2006. Chambers promised to wire him money in Mexico until the investigation blew over and Ghantt could return to . Because the money in the vault was largely from banks, the crime was technically a bank robbery and thus a federal offense. The former star . Authorities said they hired a man named Michael McKinney to meet up with Ghantt and kill him, under the guise that he was planning to give Ghantt more of the money he was owed. Instead, the two started hanging out on the beach together and became friends. Inside the truck, they found Ghantt's ring and surmised this was a sign of Ghantt's intention to end his relationship with his wife. 121 90 1,443 Show this thread David GhanttRetweeted C.A. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. 1) David Ghantt is underpaid and unhappy. (His wife tells him to change that word to "selfish."). Eventually, Ghantt would return to the United States and the full sum would be split up between the conspirators. His wife, they said, got breast implants and used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3 sports car. The plan to rob Loomis Fargo was spawned by Campbell and her friend Steve Chambers, during a casual bonfire at Chambers home. Dont come to me for a treasure map, Ill put it to you that way., Michael Sainatos writing has appeared in the Guardian, Miami Herald, Baltimore Sun, Denver Post, Buffalo News, the Hill, Alternet, and several other publications . I didnt even know about it and overlooked it, he said. 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. The next day, Steve and Michelle Chambers, Kelly Campbell, and four others were arrested.[6]. The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee. U kunt uw keuzes te allen tijde wijzigen door te klikken op de links 'Privacydashboard' op onze sites en in onze apps. There is nothing of value in this movie. David Ghantt was a nuisance to Steve Chambers and Kelly Campbell, John Wydra, a retired FBI agent who handled the case, told Super Heists.. And with that, David Ghantt took off for Mexico. ', He explained the glorification and glamour often associated with bank heists and bank robberies in Hollywood films is far from reality. C hristopher David Ghantt Phone Numbers (704) 678-8911. He was like OK, yeah, we can do that, she recalled. ", 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. David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. AI Chatbots are Even Scarier Than You Think, DeSantiss Educational Policies Come Right Out of the Fascist Playbook, Erase the Memory to Erase a People? The move bought him a little extra time to make his escape. 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.. If you can see the obvious flaw in this plan, namely that Chambers would have no reason whatsoever to actually wire Ghantt any money, then congratulations. Chambers served 11 years before being released. Before he decided to steal $17 million from the bank, Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee. As Predators' David Poile braces for retirement, his wife reveals their love story. Anonymous tips had the FBI monitoring Chambers calls. You'd be amazed at how much stress you can relieve yourself from in your life by just taking 20 or so minutes a day for yourself and just letting the world go. The brother of a man killed by a woman now charged with murder in Chambers County said he sees similarities in his brother's case and the case of woman's latest husband's death. Im like, You need to understand that, that money has been missing for 20 years. A: Zach and I have a runningtext conversation going, but he's very busy. Custom Content. He stayed at a luxury hotel and took scuba diving lesson. Culler acknowledged that she had overheard her husband and co-defendant Kelly Campbell talk about the plan, ``but she thought it was fantasy world.'. Chambers, it turned out, became the biggest source of evidence for the FBI. Her husband, Steve Chambers, whom prosecutors have called the main defendant, began serving an 11-year sentence earlier this year. For Christmas, Steve Chambers gave his wife a $43,000 diamond ring. Project #ShowUs. 29 David Ghantt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Former Cramerton Police Chief David Young soon got wind of the Chambers excessive spending spree and reached out to the FBI. Thirteen friends and family members were also charged with money laundering, as they had helped Ghantt, Chambers, Campbell, and the others deposit money illegally. But thanks in part to the film, the outlandish story of David Ghannt and the Loomis Fargo heist will surely live on for years to come. In November 1990, David married Margaret in San Diego, California. With the plan in place, Ghantt sent a newly employed co-worker home early (reportedly at 6 p.m) who had been assigned to train with him. David Bragg . He left his wedding ring behind and spent his days spending money on luxury hotels and scuba diving. Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. The scary one is stealing the money. Guided by federal sentencing rules, prosecutors had requested a sentence of nine years for Michele Chambers. During the next few months they bought a BMW-Z3 roadster and tens of thousands of dollars in antiques, furniture and decorations. Working by himself, Ghantt would commit the robbery and then flee for Mexico, leaving the bulk of the cash with Chambers. Authorities had the receipt and had known it was missing. Creative Insights. Chambers also promised to join Ghantt in Mexico as soon as she could, but she admitted to Super Heists she never had any intention of actually making the trip. When the rest of the Loomis Fargo employees showed up the next morning and found that they couldnt open the vault, they called the police. ``I'm glad she didn't get nine years,' said Sandra Floyd, her mother. For a time, it was nicknamed "the hillbilly heist" because nearly all of the major players in the case came from small towns around Charlotte. START or Stop: Do Nuclear Weapons Treaties Matter? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LCR9zyGkbo. Where ever it was, it is long gone now. We caught up with David Ghantt about life after his $17m heist, hanging out with Zach Galifianakis and the accuracy of Masterminds, a new movie based on. Whisler told the judge that the couple had searched for a new house before the theft, and that Michele Chambers bought rubber bands from Wal-Mart to count the money the night of the crime. You take a movie like Oceans Eleven, the whole concept of that movie is so farfetched, its not even funny. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. When I interviewed for this job about three years ago, I told (my boss) that I had some dirt in my background, and if he went digging for it, he would find it. When Seymour Hersh Strained to Keep Up With CounterPunch, Nichole Stephens, Administrative Assistant. Chambers, who made an ill-fated decision to buy a home in the gated Cramer Mountain community with his newfound wealth, now runsa gym on Lowell-Bethesda Road. Within two days, the investigators found the van with $3 million in cash and the security camera tapes inside. Theres barely a laugh in the entire film, which looks like it was shot entirely in one take while the actors were still working out their characters. He had never been in trouble with the law. Q: You say your time in federal prison changed you. Chambers and his wife also made some cash payments on a few cars. Ghantt was already married when he took part in the heist, to a woman named Tammy - who author Diamant described as "very nice." It is true, however, that she had no idea about the plot and that. All but one of the indicted pleaded guilty. I figured it had to be me. I didnt even have a real home life because I was never there. Loomis Fargo employees could not open the vault the next morning and called the police. Until it's gone, you don't appreciate it. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM MASTERMIND MOVIE. Going to prison helped me grow up as a human being. . Besides wearing the ring, driving the BMW, and living in the new house, prosecutors say Michele Chambers helped others deposit millions of dollars in safe-deposit boxes in the area, and that she took $200,000 in cash into a Salisbury bank in November 1997 and came out with a $200,000 check. Q: Your troubles were self-inflicted, but you seem happy. Authorities say Steve. For instance, after stealing $17.3 million $11 million of which was in $20 bills the conspirators had to leave behind $3 million in cash because they couldnt fit all of it in their cars. This Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of the notorious Loomis Fargo heist. He was also married. Of course, the FBI was already aware of Chambers and his free-spending ways, and the murder plot helped federal agents find Ghantt south of the border. In spite of Chambers assurance that the money was, you know, totally not illegally acquired, the teller remained suspicious, especially because the stacks of cash still had Loomis Fargo wrappers on them. 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. What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? But last Oct. 4, when he still hadn't gotten home by 2:30 a.m., she called his parents in. ABC7 Eyewitness News Watch Now A: I'm in dire need for some RO's barbecue and some Tony's Ice Cream. Youre better at planning bank heists than David Ghantt. The FBI continues to search for a missing $2 million from the theft. While Ghantt spent more than 6 1/2 years in federal prison, he said he usedthat time to"re-invent" himself. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Follow him on twitter: @MSainat1, 20 Years Later: Masterminds of One of the Largest Bank Heists in U.S. History, The CIAs Changing Take on the Climate Emergency, Emancipation, Hollywoods Best Civil War Film Ever. They had initially agreed to control their spending for a year or two, in the belief that the government would vigorously track the spending habits of any and all suspects for at least a year before relenting. But it was Ghantt, now 47 and living with his wife and daughter in Jacksonville, Florida,who actually took more than 2,000 pounds of cash and just drove away from his job. Over the years many of his social . Ghantt was the vault manager. Playing upon David's obvious feelings for her, Kelly is the . Chambers and his wife Michele moved out of a trailer and into a luxury mansion in a nice neighborhood. You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or www.Twitter.com/TheGazetteKevin. [3][4] Its Charlotte office would be the victim of David Scott Ghantt and his confederates later that year. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. In February 2009 the Associated Press reported that Chambers had chosen to describe himself as "changed". Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. Harper Beckham and her dad David Beckham dressed in matching black outfits as they headed to a Paris Fashion Week event being thrown by Harper's mom and David's wife Victoria . The FBI knew they needed to make their move. . The connection to Chambers took more time. Before he decided to steal $17 million from the bank, Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. Back then all I really wanted to do was just, I wanted to change my life. Because Ghantt was the only employee who wasnt there that morning, he became the obvious suspect. Q: Do you appreciate your normal life now more than you would if you hadn't spent years in prison? Too bad it was so poorly planned. A comedy film called Masterminds, based on the Loomis Fargo heist and starring Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, and Jason Sudeikis, was released in 2016. And Ghantt hadnt really thought about the physical challenge of moving such a large sum of money. Galifianakis seems to be playing a character out of Dumb and Dumber 3: The Dumbening; Kristen Wiig plays what could only be described as her worst SNL character; Owen Wilson plays an Owen Wilson character; and Sudeikis plays a bumbling hitman who cant pull the trigger after he finds out his target shares the same name and birthdate, which is the dumbest twist since the Martha revelation in Batman vs. Superman. 20 years ago,on the night ofOctober 4, 1997, David Scott Ghantt loaded $17.3 million of cash from the bank vault in Charlotte, North Carolina he was employed to supervise into a van. ``There are many people with those factors who don't resort to crime,' he said. Q: Do you ever think about what your life would be like if you had gotten away with the money? He would eventually be arrested in Mexico in March 1998 after one of his co-conspirators put out a hit on him under the false suspicion he was the only prime suspect authorities were aware of at the time. "Wells Fargo and Loomis forming armored car company", Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 16:45, Learn how and when to remove this template message, painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet, "FindACase | United States of America v. Steven Eugene Chambers", "The Unperfect Crime | New Dominion Pictures", "Sunday Evening/Late Night September 9, 2001", "Loomis Fargo heist: Q&A with guy who stole $17 million", "MASTERMINDS - Movie Production NotesCinemaReview.com", Ghantt and other gang members arrested in March 1998, Steven Chambers released from prison; announces he is a "retired criminal", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=October_1997_Loomis_Fargo_robbery&oldid=1140756292, Overcoming the mindset that led to the part David Ghantt played in the Loomis robbery and how he started on a new path was the subject of the book, Within days of the robbery, the case was depicted on the television criminal reporting show, An expanded two-hour special episode of the crime documentary series. But Ghantt has been open about what he did and how he believes it changed him for the better. Once the heat was off, Ghantt would return and they would split the haul evenly. Michele Chambers' sentence was two months longer than that given to David Scott Ghantt, the Loomis employee who removed the money from the company vault on Oct. 4, 1997. Federal Judge Graham Mullen sentenced her to between those lengths. A: People are very forgiving if you're open and honest right from the start. And, with the help of several others David made off with $17.3 million dollars, 11 million of which was in 20's. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. At the time it was the second largest cash robbery ever to happen on US soil. He was released in 2006. 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. David Ghantt attends the after party for the Premiere Of Relativity Media's "Masterminds" on September 26, 2016 in Hollywood, California. But neither of those things would matter after he met Kelly Campbell. After a Gulf War stint in the Army, David got married in 1992. Ghantt was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, though he was released on parole after five. 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. 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 Wiig) and Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and fled the country to Mexico. Theyre meant to be trailer-park trash, but they come off as character experiments on a bad night at the Groundlings. She had previously been making frequent small deposits to avert suspicion. Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. Even the outtakes during the credits are bad. By then, the FBI had become greatly concerned for Ghantt's personal safety; they had learned that Chambers had plotted to have Ghantt killed in a murder for hire scheme using a "hit man" named Michael McKinney. I'd probably be that infamous gringo living in Belize, kicked back on the beach, fishing and bored out of my mind. Its gone! How? But his partners soon began to get greedy and were spending large amountswith Chambers and his wife, Michelle, even buying an exclusive mansion in cash. The odds of you actually getting away with something these days is pretty damn slim. That 3-carat ring came back to haunt Michele Chambers at Tuesday's hearing. Please subscribe to keep reading. David Ghantt And The Loomis Fargo Heist: The Outrageous True Story. Loomis Fargo employee David Ghantt and his partners nearly pulled off the perfect crime, but it would be their lavish spending, and an alleged murder plot, that would be their undoing. At the time it was thesecond largest bank heistin U.S. history. Hes a great person. David Ghantt was the vault supervisor for Loomis, Fargo & Co. armored cars, which managed the transportation of large sums of cash between banks in North Carolina.