Over the next two weeks, David thought about it. Steve and Michelle Chambers moved from a mobile home into the $635,000 house. All six were charged with aiding, abetting and counseling the commission of a bank larceny and being accessories after the fact, and hindering Ghantt's apprehension. What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. She declined to take a lie-detector test. "She said, 'What would it take to convince you to do it?' MASTERMINDS is available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download tomorrow. We talked about the fiction and fact from the movie. 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. Loomis officials--forced to break into their own vault because David had taken the keys with him--calculated that he had stolen $17,044,000, making the second biggest heist in U.S. history, following the $18.8 million theft of an armored car by another Loomis Fargo employee just six months earlier. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? Did you know that the SAT offers subject exams, too? What made her abandon an ordinary existence to commit this spectacular, doomed crime? Probably very egotistical of me, I thought, Yeah, sure, I can beat them, theyre college smart and thats about it, Ghantt said. All I needed was a change of pace.". Like David, Kelly was frustrated with her marriage. David kissed his sleeping wife on the cheek on the morning of Oct. 4. You can seize property. 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. This website is using Google Analytics. 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. Zach Galifianakis played David Scott Ghantt, with other roles played by Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon. On March 1, 1988, Mexican police arrested Ghantt at Playa del Carmen. Then he was driving in the darkness with a van full of cash. After a Gulf War stint in the Army, David got married in 1992. Three of the 21 defendants in the case haven't been "Everything's gonna be all right," she told him. They put up mauve wallpaper. Custom Content. The eight accomplices were also apprehended. Two days later, when the FBI found the Loomis Fargo armored van, they discovered almost $3.3 million in cash left in the back of the van; it was later discovered that the thieves had miscalculated the sheer bulk of the small denomination currency, and that they simply left the cash that they could not take with them in the back of the van. 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. From the beginning, the FBIs prime suspect was David Ghantt. They bought a BMW roadster. Steve was sentenced to 11 years 3 months in prison. "He said, 'Yeah, right,' and turned his head. ". Project #ShowUs. He loves his motorcycle and enjoys going fishing and, while hes sorry for the past, hes not ashamed to talk about it. 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. He told Steve he hadn't been able to find David. The CEO and co-founder of the company that is responsible for Arkane Studios. This article will teach you more about the SAT subject testsasync src='https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js' and help you decide whether you should take them. The authorities didn't know yet how much was missing from the armored-car company, but Steve did. Why had he ever believed he'd get it? Why do we feel its so necessary to treat people like this, to say, OK, well just ruin the rest of your life because you made a bad decision., Punishment should not last a lifetime. Kelly had resisted this suggestion before the heist: She and David were friends. WebMasterminds. Zach Galifianakis played David Scott Ghantt, with other roles played by Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon. The trainee didn't know to check to make sure it was closed. Kelly drove David to the airport. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. LRM: Obviously, this is comedy and not a documentary. Webdavid ghantt wife nowplombon funeral home obituaries david ghantt wife now. AMA In October of 1997, I was a vault supervisor for armored truck company Loomis Fargo, when I made off with $17.3 million. He discovers that it's pretty boring stuff, and he often fantasizes about getting robbed. Thats my standard answer these days. Ghantt was the vault manager and was surrounded daily by millions of dollars worth of temptation. The biggest restitution numbers for victims of financial crimes generally involve Ponzi schemes or sweepstakes fraud, not cash thefts. For a better shopping experience, please upgrade now. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. The participants in the heist also spent lavishly on fancy jewelry, fancy cars and breast enhancement surgeries. My name is David Scott Ghantt. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. The gang made numerous mistakes. Javascript is not enabled in your browser. Within a few months, they were arrested. And after two years, you're just a file." What was the number one question? But neither of those things would matter after he met Kelly Campbell. She also assured the teller her cash wasn't drug money. He had since served time in prison for the crime and told our sister station WSOC-TV Channel 9s Glenn Counts he learned a valuable lesson while behind bars. In 1994, they moved to Gastonia, North Carolina, where they had grown up, and David took a job driving a forklift. Most high schools offer a variety of history classes, so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. BBC Motion Gallery. In the two days after the robbery, agents interviewed more than 100 people, most connected with David. They didn't know it, but they were leaving $3.3 million behind. Were others involved? Everything changes when he meets Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig), a new employee at his bank, Loomis Fargo. 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 might even have more these days. He told him McKinney was in Mexico to kill somebody. Were you really hailed as a hero? In Kukulcan Plaza in Cancun, Mexico, they had a small Internet caf. And once he started, he didn't stop with one cartful. She could spend time with her children and parents. AMA In October of 1997, I was a vault supervisor for armored truck company Loomis Fargo, when I made off with $17.3 million. Kelly, using David's cell phone, kept beeping him. When McKinney arrived in North Carolina, the plan had changed. According to Campbell, Chambers could help Ghantt execute a massive cash robbery of the vault at Loomis Fargo in one night. ". Now that Kelly believes she has found Jesus, she has become more analytical about her past. Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. ", "Even then . In mid-November, McKinney carried $10,000 to Cancun but wound up spending most of it on himself. The loot would later be divided among David, Kelly, and Steve. Creative Insights. I dont know if Steve would have done it himself, but he definitely was capable of buying someone to do it for him and I think that was going to happen if we didnt step in and arrest Ghantt, Wydra said. Sandra Floyd, Michele Chambers's mother, remembers the first time she saw the house. Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. I'd probably change jobs. To celebrate Halloween, about seven of Steve's friends, including Eric Payne and Kelly, gathered for a party at Steve's house. "I've learned that I'm a fortunate man," he said. There it was, "The Heist." Pick 18 Iowa LB Jack Campbell . But what did that mean? At 6-1 and 220 pounds, Steve was stocky and imposing, a fast talker with a brown goatee. One time, he knocked on my door when I was getting ready to go scuba diving. WebDavid Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. In Florida, a Loomis Fargo employee had pulled a gun on his coworkers and gotten away with $18 million, a move that FBI agents theorize Ghantt, Campbell and other employees all sat around talking about - and what they would do with that amount of money - for a while. Working together, they got the gate open, then drove in a caravan to the Reynolds & Reynolds parking lot. Growing up, David's family went to Disney World, sent him to religious school, and shopped at places he couldn't afford as a self-supporting adult. EDITORIAL. A parrot tattoo on her right ankle. He said he put that amount of money in a storage building. He was also married. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. At first, David Ghantt said, "I didn't take her seriously. He ejected the two VCR tapes that he knew had recorded him stealing the money, took them, and prepared to leave. The CEO and co-founder of the company that is responsible for Arkane Studios. PFF: Below Average Campbell is the top linebacker on the PFF big board but ranks just 39th overall. Heist! While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money. The true part is that Kelly did say, Did you try the backdoor? She'd heard his stories of other successful schemes, like getting refunds on phony tax returns, or operating a loan shark business. I even helped them design the set, where he breaks into the vault. His assignment was to deliver the cash to David and keep him happy until they could find a way to kill him, McKinney said. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with the law. So what made you do it? Then FBI agent Wydra watched Steve's wife, Michele, deposit about $8,000 at a Gaston County, N.C., bank. 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.. General Mills issues Gold Medal flour recall over salmonella concerns Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people's money with no escape in sharing the loot from Ghantt's $17 million armored-car-company heist in. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Five years he told how he explains his past like this: "People are very forgiving if you're open and honest right from the start. Who was she to be pressuring him? Its things like that. She had attitude. 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. Then another. LRM: True. David, now 30, says he's sorry he abandoned his wife--who he says still loves him--and his family. Expanded two-hour true crime story about the 1997 Loomis-Fargo armored car heist in North Carolina and the serio-comic fate of its bumbling underdog perpetra. I've got a good woman.". David Ghantt: There are quite a few small facts and tidbits. . I live down here in Jacksonville, Florida. And though she had been made night shift supervisor at Allied Security, she still felt she would never make the money she needed. Records show the government has garnished his Social Security checks. The supervisor liked him and gave him the job. Additionally, we also discussed about his life in Mexico, the discoveries, and his life today after all this fame. He partied, met women, drank, skied and hung out at the beach. However, he was released for good behavior after serving only five of them. 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. His only distraction is his colleague Kelly Campbell, whom he has a crush on. I even helped them design the set, where he breaks into the vault. Many of the lesser players in the conspiracy have been the most effective in paying their debts. David Ghantt: In my way of thinking, you are part of the story and people will talk about you regardless. The police almost immediately called theFBI, since 95% of the money handled at the facility was owned by banks. David Ghantt: I would be really philosophical about this. Kelly, she says now, was thinking about how happy she would be to By now, you probably know the names -- David Ghantt, Steve Chambers and his wife Michelle, and Kelly Campbell. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 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. "What would it take to make you do it?". He placed stacks of currency on a cart and wheeled it to the van about 15 feet away, inside the building. The next day, Kelly drove back to Steve's mobile home to watch the news with Steve and Michele. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. He kept looking over his shoulder. Hidden in it was a 3 1/2-carat diamond ring that cost $43,000. Change). Its baggeditup.net. In preparation for what lay ahead, David had backed an unmarked company Ford Econoline van near the vault entrance and opened the van's back door. Then I realized I needed to be more conservative. Butcher says the federal courts in the Western District of North Carolina have never handled a case quite like Loomis. There were times when I drank really heavily.". Despite being caught on camera wheeling the money from the vault to the getaway van, David Ghantt makes off to Mexico before the FBI can blink. WebGhantt hadagreed to split the proceeds equally with Steve and Michele Chambersand Kelly Campbell after the others who were involved in the offensewere paid. And robbing a truck was dangerous. David kissed his sleeping wife on the cheek on the morning of Oct. 4. They hadn't slept together or even fooled around much, but he was ready to commit. The Loomis Fargo heist became something of a media lightning rod. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. His wife, they said, got breast implants and used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3 sports car. He recalled that another agent, Phil King, said, "Hey, there was an article in the [Charlotte] Observer about beeper codes. Some of that money is just gone. The phone rang: Kelly had a problem. Inside the Mazda, Steve told Scott Grant to get out and help David. Ghantt added, I really enjoyed the movie. People did ask questions or they wanted to chat. He realized his life wouldn't improve unless he did something drastic. 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. The money was heavy. Ghantt, who had been with the bank since 1994, was promoted from driver to vault supervisor in 1997, where he earned $360 a week and befriended Kelly Campbell (Wiig), who got Ghantt mixed up in the plans for the heist after she left Loomis. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. . Could you talk a little more about that? Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. She was a wife and mother with two children. They could talk about anything, even topics he couldn't discuss with his wife. I was taken back. Web1997 - David Scott Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) thought being an armored car driver would be a dream come true. Scott Grant and Steve pulled up next to her in a Mazda. From Mexico, David usually spoke with Kelly on the phone once a week, paying with calling cards. ', "He asked me if I'd mind holding some money for him. Steve told her to send David to Atlanta on a bus and drive back to the trailer. LRM: Do you enjoy the publicity for yourself? "A lot of people out there had it worse than me, but . Afterward, she and David would talk just occasionally on the phone. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: The Beast Lays On The Charm In New TV Spot. If we work together, we can all have plenty of pie.. "It probably should bother me," he said. 1998 The Associated Press. "I'll need help moving the money, getting a new ID, and leaving the country," he told her. I was also made myself available on set in case if someone wanted to talk to me. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. . Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; Too many questions remained: Where was the cash? There was a book published in 2002 as well, by author Jeff Diamant called,Heist! WebRepresentative Daryl Campbell Representative Michael Caruso Representative Jennifer Canady Representative Michelle Salzman Representative Allison Tant Representative Dana Trabulsy Representative Chase Tramont Representative Marie Woodson House Higher Education / Senate Education Representative Jason Shoaf, House Chair Representative The plan called for David to leave the vault door ajar, then maneuver a few minutes alone at the end of his shift, long enough to loot the cash, then pass it to Kelly and Steve. David ghantt and kelly campbell married. Michele received the best gift of the night. The FBI's final challenge is finding the remaining $2 million. The film's crackpot-innocent sensibility is encapsulated by a scene where Wiig's character Kelly Campbell, a former security company employee who was fired for incompetence, tries to convince an ex-coworker, Galfianakis' David Scott Ghantt, that she'll join him in Rio if he uses his keys to open a vault and steal cash from the company. He completed his prison sentence in November 2006. He longed for the middle-class lifestyle of his childhood, with its private religious-school education and Disney World vacations. . It, too, has changed hands several times. A report by the General Accounting Office found that as of budget year 2016, $110 billion in restitution ordered by the federal courts was outstanding and that more than 90% of the amount had been classified as uncollectible.. This article will teach you more about the SAT subject tests. Steve told Scott to ignore the remaining stacks, which were mostly ones and fives. LRM: Did you like the portrayal of yourself in the movie? "I wanted to be more like my mom and dad were.". . One of them tapped him on the back. Yes, *that* David Ghantt, lol. Ghantt was captured Sunday in Mexico. They set the date, Oct. 4, a Saturday when David knew he could be alone in the building after his shift. . Scott Grant said he hesitated, but agreed if no guns would be involved. Scotty, Lord Arthur, Kelly Maxwell, & more, with new dialogue performed by Bruce Campbell & others! #inline-recirc-item--id-91a2c54e-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91a2c54e-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { The next day, the Chambers, Campbell, and some other notable parties were arrested in Charlotte. It didn't quite pan out that way. Perry identified the other six people arrested as Steve and Michelle Chambers; Kelly Jane Campbell, a former Loomis employee; Michael L. McKinney; Thomas 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. Mexican police, Interpol officers and an FBI agent were watching him. Two New Featurettes For CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR Are HERE! Learning about US history? David Ghantt: Oh, yeah. There, Scott and Eric paced the floor as Steve tried to calm them down. Three weeks after the theft, Steve and Michele moved from their Lincoln County mobile home to a $635,000 house in a gated Cramerton, N.C., neighborhood. But being the vault supervisor at Loomis Fargo had one perk -- exposure to tons of cash. Five years he told how he explains his past like this: "People are very forgiving if you're open and honest right from the start. 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. Reward offered as manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reaches "dead end" They had met in December 1995 on one of her first days at Loomis. At the party, Steve invited Michele's stepfather, truck driver Dennis Floyd, to the basement to play pool. "Think of how many women would have stood by. Now he offered to pay him to carry cash to David--Steve said he was a friend hiding out after a bad drug deal, McKinney recalled. Unexplained Mysteries - owned by Aliens since 2011. Campbellwho was married herselfrepresented something new and exciting. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. Chambers, it turned out, became the biggest source of evidence for the FBI. Here's how. The next day, he was sitting next to FBI agent Mark Rozzi on a US Airways flight to Charlotte. Her husband, Steve Chambers, whom prosecutors have called the main defendant, began serving an 11-year sentence earlier this year. Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated. Webis david ghantt married to kelly campbell is david ghantt married to kelly campbell on March 30, 2023 on March 30, 2023 I think I always knew that, but lost my way for a while.". David was excited, jabbering about their future together. Ghantt, who had been with the bank since 1994, was promoted from driver to vault supervisor in 1997, where he earned $360 a week and befriended Kelly At the end of one session, they wound up kissing outside the pickup. . Michele told her mother she and Steve had been saving gambling winnings for the down payment. So the pieces were falling into place for investigators. David Ghantt: Since the movie came out, I probably say I would have more now. Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser. LRM: You did serve time in Federal prison and it was a very well-known bank robbery. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. To be brutally honest, it was that morning, Ghantt replied. 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. What made her do it? On March 1, David Ghantt left his hotel to do some laundry. "I was trying to figure out a way to [leave my husband] and take care of my kids without having to depend on him or any other man," Kelly said. I stole $17 million, and Zach Galifianakis played me in a movie. ALSO READ: 14-year-old boy robbed at gunpoint while waiting for bus in east. David explains his life and a bit of the plot of the film in this Masterminds movie quote. Ghantt reported to Chambers that his supply of money was running low, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $8,000. "He showed me a lot of money," McKinney said. Kelly told the FBI she had done drugs with David but denied knowing about the theft. The FBI knew they needed to make their move. EDITORIAL. He flew in an ultra-light plane. They are Steve and Michelle Chambers; Kelly Jane Campbell, a former Loomis employee and Ghantts alleged love interest; Michael McKinney; Thomas Grant; his brother, Eric Grant; and Eric Payne. 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. 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. They also purchased expensive cars, jewelry and a breast enhancement or two. Play As Good or Evil Fight for the forces of good or take control of the Kandarian Demon to hunt Ash & others while possessing Deadites, the environmental objects & more as you seek to Clerk of Court Frank Johns of Charlotte. David Scott Ghantt, 28, was arrested Sunday on an island off the Mexican coast, near the resort city of Cozumel, FBI spokesman William Perry said today. David Scott Ghantt. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. Kelly had no problem fanning the flames of their old flirtation. Tell us on what was actually real from that movie. He says the Loomis case shows how the criminal justice system and the courts treat lower-income people differently. "I was thinking, 'They aren't paying me enough,' " McKinney recalled. At first, David Ghantt said, "I didn't take her seriously. Project #ShowUs. About 200 keys dangled from it. Ghantt didnt know the full extent of what was happening back home -- how that lay low plan turned into a flurry of extravagant spending. Still, she wasn't happy. This technically made it abank robbery afederal offense. 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. Worlds Biggest Heists London Hatton Garden 200m Diamond Robbery, Easter 2015. WebKelly lives (also in a mobile home) with an old friend named Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and his wife, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Ellis). . Ghantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. Over 88% of the money has been recovered since the heist. They placed a bust of Caesar in the dining room. The case resurfaced in the federal courts on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the U.S. Scott didn't want to, but then he remembered the hundred-grand payday. At the sight of all that money, Scott and Eric had the same thought: They'd made the worst mistake of their lives. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Its all being part as a comedy and its Hollywood. Day in and day out, he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other peoples money with no escape in sight. Twelve hours later, at 6 that evening, Eric Payne drove a rented Budget van to his workplace, a graphics company on Performance Road in western Mecklenburg County called Reynolds & Reynolds, which was closed for the night and had a secluded parking lot where they intended to transfer the cash.

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