Chambers and his wife also made some cash payments on a few cars. People still laugh when they think of the "velvet Elvis" Chambershad in his Cramer Mountain mansion, or how his former wife showed upat a local bankto deposit wads of cash that she assured the teller was not "drug money.". 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. If you're trying to make yourself better today, that's all most people care about. I was working sometimes 75-80 hours a week at $8.15 an hour. 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. But as Ghantt admitted, the film took some liberties with specific details and characters to make the film funnier. David GhanttRetweeted Iraqveteran8888 @Iraqveteran8888 Dec 9, 2022 Elect me President and I'll fire everyone, free Julian Assange, and pardon Edward Snowden. The judge said he doubted she would be able to pay the $4.8 million restitution, but said federal law required him to impose it. Although the history of the predecessor Wells Fargo & Company dates back to 1852, Loomis Fargo & Company was established in 1997 by the consolidation of Wells Fargo Armored Service and Loomis Armored Inc.; the resulting corporation employed 8,500 people and provided armored transportation, cash handling services, and automatic teller machine maintenance. For Christmas, Steve Chambers gave his wife a $43,000 diamond ring. . And, with the help of several others David made off with $17.3 million dollars, 11 million of which was in 20's. In August 1997, Campbell informed Ghantt of an old high school friend of hers, Steve Chambers, who could assist Ghantt in executing a massive cash robbery of the Loomis Fargo vault in one night. One day, Campbell was speaking to an old friend named Steve Chambers. David Ghantt is more than just a man who was a part of one of the worlds largest heists, he's more than a funny name associated with a comedy movie, he's actually just an every day person who once made a really bad decision. A former co-worker told me, "Everybody has screwed up. 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. Naturally, Ghantt started to run out of cash and turned to Chambers, who was annoyed by his requests for more money. Ask below and we'll reply! CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM MASTERMIND MOVIE. But last Oct. 4, when he still hadn't gotten home by 2:30 a.m., she called his parents in. Going to prison helped me grow up as a human being. During the hearing, Culler recounted his client's difficult personal life: her parents' divorce when she was 2 or 3 years old; a teenage stay in a Baptist Children's home; a teenage pregnancy; and various medical conditions. The odds of you actually getting away with something these days is pretty damn slim. Als u uw keuzes wilt aanpassen, klik dan op 'Privacyinstellingen beheren'. FBI security footage of David Ghantt in the midst of the Loomis Fargo heist. U kunt uw keuzes te allen tijde wijzigen door te klikken op de links 'Privacydashboard' op onze sites en in onze apps. Also charged were several innocent relatives that the robbers had enlisted to help get safety deposit boxes in various banks. I wasnt attracted to him or anything, but he was a nice guy, Campbell said. Its a farce that never farces; a comedy without jokes. Ghantt's spending in Mexico was extravagant at first. Everybody thinks being famous and being an actor is stupendous, and the money is fantastic, but they kind of live in afish bowl. Ghantt, a U.S. Army veteran, was living a relatively "boring" life working as the vault superintendent at a Loomis Fargo armored car warehouse just outside Charlotte, North Carolina making a relatively meager paycheck, when he crossed paths with Kelly Campbell. Steve Chambers and his wife (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) were a little more difficult to connect to the heist. We were in Old Fortwhen they were shooting the movie and went out to eat. START or Stop: Do Nuclear Weapons Treaties Matter? I got to eat my meal perfectly, but every 5 minutes, someone wanted to shoot a selfie with Zach or an autograph from Zach. 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. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. 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. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. If I hadnt of done that, Id probably still be in North Carolina and I would not have got to meet a lot of the interesting people that Ive got to meet. Unfortunately, he failed to disable the third camera. 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. David Ghantt had been a model employee for an armored car company before pulling off the second biggest cash heist in U.S. history, fleeing with more than $17 million in untraceable bills in 1997. You can't get barbecue slaw in this hedonistic state (Florida), and there's nowhere to get real ice cream here like Tony's. A: Zach and I have a runningtext conversation going, but he's very busy. Q: Your troubles were self-inflicted, but you seem happy. 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. Kelly Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced in October. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Police identify victim who died Wednesday in Greensboro's 11th homicide of 2023, William Sturkey: Chapel Hill trustees 'hellbent' on winning campus culture wars, Rob Schofield: North Carolinas chronic public employee shortage wasnt an accident, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Richard Groves: What the 'He Gets Us' media campaign says about the decline of Christianity, Two Things: Victim's family not surprised by no show; hospital wars in Greensboro and money well spent, Mark Elliott and Jeremy Rinker: Budget reductions at UNCG punish it for serving disadvantaged students, Samet: Guilford County wanted more black-owned businesses added to construction project after the bids were opened, Former Page High School teacher arrested on child sex charges, records show, Proposed rules for Airbnb, other short-term rentals advance in Greensboro, 'A bizarre case': Greensboro TikTok star found not guilty in fatal 2019 crash, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist proposes community hospital in Greensboro, Greensboro police officer involved in confrontation on Golden Gate Drive resigns, Jaydon Young's lessons of sacrifice mix with two-hour transfer, Virginia Tech and 2023 tournament. No rift here! Because Ghantt was the only employee who wasnt there that morning, he became the obvious suspect. Campbell was receptive and brought the idea up to Ghantt. David Ghantt had been a model employee for an armored car company before pulling off the second biggest cash heist in U.S. history, fleeing with more than . "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. Robbing the 7-Eleven and getting $40 bucks and a pack of Marlboros was not for me. It's the little things like that that gnaw on you. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba. The pair began to daydream about whether they could really pull off the heist. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. Ghantt @ChristyGhantt Dec 7, 2022 I just entered the @clxgaming Ra PC Giveaway! Authorities began to hone in on the group and put a wire tap on Campbell's phones. He stayed at a luxury hotel and took scuba diving lesson. As the FBI listened in to Chambers calls, they discovered that he was also planning to have Ghantt assassinated, hoping to keep all the money for himself. I'll take the live one. So he hatched a plan to rob his employers. Meanwhile, David Ghantt was relaxing on a beach in Cozumel, Mexico. 2023 www.gastongazette.com. But before thehit could be carried out, the FBI swooped in and arrested Ghantt and the others. Meanwhile, Ghantt would take $50,000, as much as could legally be carried across the border without questions, and flee to Mexico. 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. The thieves had simply abandoned whatever they couldnt carry away. Culler acknowledged that she had overheard her husband and co-defendant Kelly Campbell talk about the plan, ``but she thought it was fantasy world.'. 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. The connection to Chambers took more time. Ghantt was the vault manager. In October of 1997, I was a vault supervisor for armored truck company Loomis Fargo, when I made off with $17.3 million. Separating the Red and Blue. The next day, Steve and Michelle Chambers, Kelly Campbell, and four others were arrested.[6]. While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. $17.3 million in cash was robbed from the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis, Fargo & Co. on the evening of October 4, 1997. On Oct. 5, 1997, Ghantt carried out the heist during his regular shift after sending another employee home, stealing more than $17 million from the bank vault. 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. Day in and day out, he drives an armored vehicle,. Ghantts wife was reportedly nothing like the bizarre, robotic fiance character in the film, for instance. This Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of the notorious Loomis Fargo heist. The only defendant to not plead guilty, Chambers's attorney Jeff Guller, was found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to eight years in prison. 5 min read. Thats going to be your life for quite some time, typically. They left behind the cash they couldnt fit in their cars. Eventually, Ghantt would return to the United States and the full sum would be split up between the conspirators. The judge said he would recommend that Michele Chambers be given mental health treatment in prison. Ghantt added, I really enjoyed the movie. ``I'm glad she didn't get nine years,' said Sandra Floyd, her mother. 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. 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. Most high schools offer a variety of history classes, so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. Fed up, exhausted, and seeing a way out, Ghantt agreed. David Bowie 's widow recently took to Instagram to post selfies, while promoting both her makeup brand and fashion line. Together with his wife, Chambers bought a new luxury home (upgrading from his mobile home), a BMW Z3, and some extravagant furnishings. [3][4] Its Charlotte office would be the victim of David Scott Ghantt and his confederates later that year. 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. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! That usually takes the shine right off of it, when you start explaining that. He continued, Youd be wearing a lot of khaki brown and eating crappy food., Since the films release and its recent Netflix debut, Scott Ghent cited that the most common question he receives is about the missing $2 million never recovered by the FBI; Ive had people actually ask me that question. They got to work planning the straightforward heist that would rely on Ghantts existing access to the vault, fewer staff at the warehouse on the weekends, and the ability to use one of the companys armored trucks to make the successful getaway. The couple was married for 22 years before her untimely death in 2012. Investigators also found Ghantt's pickup truck, abandoned at the warehouse. C hristopher David Ghantt Phone Numbers (704) 678-8911. It was an open-and-shut case and all authorities had to do now was to find the culprit and identify Ghantts accomplices. Prosecutors also resisted Culler's efforts to downplay Michele Chambers' role in the theft. David Ghantt : I had a hard time liftin' it up. 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. Degrowth or Debunk: Do Degrowth proponents have a strategy? 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.. Former Cramerton Police Chief David Young soon got wind of the Chambers excessive spending spree and reached out to the FBI. Campbell used to work for Loomis and continued the friendship with Ghantt, eventually . They kept several furnishings from the previous owners, including a painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet. I'd probably be that infamous gringo living in Belize, kicked back on the beach, fishing and bored out of my mind. But Ghantt has been open about what he did and how he believes it changed him for the better. Chambers was a small-time crook who suggested to Campbell that they rob Loomis Fargo. Before he decided to steal $17 million from the bank, Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee. On March 12, a Charlotte grand jury indicted the eight co-conspirators for bank larceny and money laundering; the latter offense was included because of how they spent the stolen money. As he later recalled about his life before the 1997 heist that changed his life forever: Prior to, I would have never even considered it but one day life kinda slapped me in the face. Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. To make a successful getaway, Ghantt had to lift nearly 2,800 pounds of currency. Ghantts accomplices soon showed up but now they had another problem. Just days after agreeing to the plan, the group set a day to carry out the robbery. In November 1990, David married Margaret in San Diego, California. Chambers would then occasionally wire Ghantt money and see to his basic financial needs; when "the heat was off," Ghantt was to re-enter the U.S. and the money would be split up among all of the co-conspirators. Here's whatGhantt says now about the heist that madethe "Cramer Mountain Hillbillies" famous and changed him forever. Michele Chambers 1998 BMW for sale following the prosecutions of the Loomis Fargo heist conspirators. Here, he amps up the most obnoxious excesses of his entire cast and lets their grating bad-improv skills run amok. Chambers had known enough to insist that no one blows through a ton of cash immediately after the robbery, but once he actually had his hands on the money, he couldnt follow his own advice. His partners, who planned to stay behind, agreed to send him his full cut of the money after the heat from investigators had died down. The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Where ever it was, it is long gone now. 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. The FBI investigation was aided by the gang's extravagant spending. Ghantt plead guilty to his charges andserved six years in prison, along with21 other defendantswho received chargesrangingfrom money laundering to bank larceny. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur le lien Tableau de bord sur la vie prive prsent sur nos sites et dans nos applications. Project #ShowUs. Authorities say Steve. Ghantt was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, though he was released on parole after five. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. [15], "David Ghantt" redirects here. To find out more about how the thieves got caught and how long they landed behind bars, tune in the Super Heists on CNBC on Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. followed by "Don't worry, it is not drug money," the bank filled out a suspicious activity report, which ultimately reached the FBI. A Comprehensive Guide. After a Gulf War stint in the Army, David got married in 1992. His wife, they said, got breast implants and used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3 sports car. Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. 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. More than 2 million dollars is still missing to this day. Lindy Hop: The Dance That Defined The Golden Age of Jazz, Inside The Unsolved Disappearance Of Jennifer Kesse, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, David Ghantt attends the 2016 after party for the Hollywood premiere of. Thirteen friends and family members were also charged with money laundering, as they had helped Ghantt, Chambers, Campbell, and the others deposit money illegally. As Predators' David Poile braces for retirement, his wife reveals their love story. 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.. He was insecure. After his release, Ghantt took a job as a construction worker and was eventually brought on as a consultant for the 2016 movie Masterminds, based on the Loomis Fargo Heist. 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. The additions come as KFC recently removed some menu items, including wings, popcorn chicken and cookies, to make room for new additions. Als u niet wilt dat wij en onze partners cookies en persoonsgegevens voor deze aanvullende doeleinden gebruiken, klik dan op 'Alles weigeren'. 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. so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. He then began loading $17 million in unmarked bills inside a company van before driving away. At the time it was the second largest cash robbery ever to happen on US soil. Playing upon David's obvious feelings for her, Kelly is the . (Ghantt works as a heavy machine operator in the construction industry.). To its credit, Masterminds does nail down the broad strokes of the real story, although there were a couple of noteworthy details the film left out.
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