They left behind the cash they couldnt fit in their cars. Masterminds (2016 film Together with his wife, Chambers bought a new luxury home (upgrading from his mobile home), a BMW Z3, and some extravagant furnishings. David Scott Ghantt was the vault supervisor at the regional branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sure enough, she called a few days later, around September 16. I ended up buying a small sailboat and go out to catch lunch. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ghantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. 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. He didn't want to abandon his parents. . David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. 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. "Do you know how much there's gonna be?" } Every day he drives an armored car, transporting millions with no escape in sight. 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 reported to Chambers that his supply of money was running low, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $8,000. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with the law. "I'd been told all my life, money will not make you happy," Kelly said. And with Loomis, were looking at only one case. 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. david ghantt wife I also explained to Owen [Wilson] on what it was like to be in Federal prison. The two struck up a friendship during work that would continue after Campbell left the company. and "I'm rich!". Hes a family man with a wife and daughter. October was "a blast," he said. Now worried about both the FBI and McKinney, he spent even more time alone in his room. Probably very egotistical of me, I thought, Yeah, sure, I can beat them, theyre college smart and thats about it, Ghantt said. And Kelly thought he was funny. Afterward, she and David would talk just occasionally on the phone. "Don't back out on us. You know as well as I doits Hollywood. The participants in the heist also spent lavishly on fancy jewelry, fancy cars and breast enhancement surgeries. Eric watched. He realized his bosses would know he had worked that day and that he was missing, but maybe without a video they would think he'd been held at gunpoint and taken hostage, or even better, that he'd been killed. 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. There are also a bit of comedy and some tragedy. Steve and Michelle Chambers, who had lived in a mobile home, bought a mansion in Cramer Mountain. Kelly drove her pickup to a lot across the street from the Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. "You" has three. The film stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Kate McKinnon and Jason Sudeikis. I wasnt attracted to him or anything, but he was a nice guy, Campbell said. Ghantt started at Loomis Fargo in 1994, and soon worked his way up from an armored car driver to a vault supervisor. WebDavid Ghantt, Kelly Campbell, and their friends stole an astonishing $17.3 million. . The next day, he was sitting next to FBI agent Mark Rozzi on a US Airways flight to Charlotte. . Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. 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. We talked about the fiction and fact from the movie. Articles D, why does ted lasso have a southern accent, skip hop activity center seat cover replacement, double wide trailers for rent in columbia, sc, nassau, bahamas shore excursions royal caribbean, which person was most interested in studying learned behavior quizlet, become larger than the moon world's biggest crossword, what will apple stock be worth in 20 years, villages on the west bank of demerara in guyana, highest recorded temperature in tracy, ca. Yes, *that* David Ghantt, lol. If we work together, we can all have plenty of pie.. And though she had been made night shift supervisor at Allied Security, she still felt she would never make the money she needed. David Ghantt: There are quite a few small facts and tidbits. The pager entry was 1-4-3. With the bandits blowing millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. MASTERMINDS is available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download tomorrow. Ghantt didnt know the full extent of what was happening back home -- how that lay low plan turned into a flurry of extravagant spending. 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. 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. Pick 18 Iowa LB Jack Campbell . But last Oct. 4, when he still hadn't gotten home by 2:30 a.m., she David was excited, jabbering about their future together. . Why had he ever believed he'd get it? Steve and Michelle Chambers moved from a mobile home into the $635,000 house. She could spend time with her children and parents. The case had gotten national publicity and was the subject of numerous articles, documentaries and even a movie. He said at first, they were very proud of what they had been able to do. Steve had another conversation with Kelly about killing David. About the worst he had done as a teenager was stealing a construction company's Porta-Jon with a friend, tying it to the back of a pickup truck, and driving around for about fifteen minutes. 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. You might as well take part in the conversation. At the end of October, Kelly was sentenced to 5 years 10 months in prison. Web29 David Ghantt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. Kelly was lying. The judge said he would recommend that Michele Chambers be given mental health treatment in prison. Masterminds Kelly told the FBI she had done drugs with David but denied knowing about the theft. Most high schools offer a variety of history classes, so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. Steve told me to tell [David] whatever was necessary to keep him happy.". He recalled that another agent, Phil King, said, "Hey, there was an article in the [Charlotte] Observer about beeper codes. #inline-recirc-item--id-91a2c54e-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { An armored car driver suspected of taking $17 million from his company's vault has been captured in Mexico after a manhunt of nearly five months. They set the date, Oct. 4, a Saturday when David knew he could be alone in the building after his shift. Steve solicited two others to help move cash during the theft. David Ghantt: In my way of thinking, you are part of the story and people will talk about you regardless. Enforcement of this policy is at the Campbell used part of her share of the money to buy aToyota Siennaminivanin two cash installments. To celebrate Halloween, about seven of Steve's friends, including Eric Payne and Kelly, gathered for a party at Steve's house. Over 88% of the money has been recovered since the heist. Biggest Bank Robberies Project #ShowUs. Chambers, it turned out, became the biggest source of evidence for the FBI. What concerned her was the chance of getting caught. "I'll need help moving the money, getting a new ID, and leaving the country," he told her. 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 Ghantt labeled himself as a jerk who was dissatisfied with his life before stealing the money. My name is David Scott Ghantt. Masterminds (2016) - Masterminds (2016) - User A third tape he didn't know about kept recording. About the same time, Kelly and McKinney received phone calls from agents who told them to open their doors. "Every time my conscience would start bothering me," Kelly recalled, "I'd smoke another joint and forget about it.". What that says is, We will never forgive you for what youve done.'. No one could just pull off the crime of the decade. WOMAN GETS TIME IN LOOMIS HEIST - Greensboro News . The van door opened. I couldn't understand why I hadn't been more successful," David said. "I thought he was goofing around.". display: none; EDITORIAL. He worked fueling airplanes, driving a forklift, and in 1994 he got a job as a vault superintendent at Loomis. On the evening of October 4, 1997, one man loaded $17.3 million in cash from the vaults of Loomis, Fargo & Co. into the back of a van. LRM: So tell me on where are you now? About 5:30 the next morning, McKinney knocked on David's door and dropped $8,500 on the bed. ". 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. This website is using Google Analytics. Web29 David Ghantt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. Then another. David Scott Ghantt. 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. 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. That October, the Chamberses' bank accounts ballooned. I don't blame him.". There, Scott and Eric paced the floor as Steve tried to calm them down. If I hadnt done on what I did and how everything unfolded like it didI wouldnt have my daughter today. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. 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. They involve Loomis armored car driver David Scott Ghantt. Authorities also are looking for evidence in connection with a possible conspiracy to kill Ghantt, Perry said. so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. Worlds Biggest Heists London Hatton Garden 200m Diamond Robbery, Easter 2015. 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. Collections. He had a favorite restaurant, Zandunga, which had a mariachi band each night and a view of the Caribbean. Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. 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. 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. The others sat in their cars across the street and watched him struggle to open the heavy gate. 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 Also the Author of The Book of Dave: A New Path After a $17 Million Misstep https://t.co/qBMUgcNZ4F David Ghantt: That was the first thing the FBI told me when they had arrested me. Two New Featurettes For CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR Are HERE! 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. So what made you do it? I stole $17 million, and Zach LRM: True. He hated his job, with its 12-hour shifts. The amount of money stolen is correct. Still, she wasn't happy. In the first days after the arrests, agents recovered or accounted for all but about $2 million of the stolen money. Her marriage--at which she was making another ambivalent effort after multiple separations--and even the jobs she'd been able to get with a diploma couldn't come close to providing the kind of life she dreamed about, the life she felt she deserved: a house in the country, a swimming pool, and enough cash so she didn't need to rely on men. It had been drilled into my head that if you give me a team of five good people, I can go anywhere, do anything," David explained. Kelly relayed his message to Steve. david His wife, Tammy, was as shocked as Loomis officials. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. He'd even bragged that he'd killed people. David was excited, jabbering about their future together. Everything changes when he meets Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig), a new employee at his bank, Loomis Fargo. One of them was a former Loomis employee. Depression had led to smoking a lot of marijuana and taking Prozac, a combination she figures affected her judgment. I had more than 700 message requests. I wanted to change my life. BBC Motion Gallery. But he tried to keep his face averted, so David wouldn't be able to ID him. One thing about teammates, in David's view: You could always trust them. Kelly's company. There were things in real life that my compatriots did that was pretty comedic and stupid. They could talk about anything, even topics he couldn't discuss with his wife. They cursed. 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 Only a nickel on every dollar have been collected so far. Kelly drove David to the airport. Three of the 21 defendants in the case haven't been The FBI heard about the plot and agents knew they could no longer wait. But the idea of all that money pulled at her. You look nothing like Zach? Scott didn't want to, but then he remembered the hundred-grand payday. David got a kick out of her. I was working sometimes 75-80 hours a week at $8.15 an hour. He was also married. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. "I wanted to be more like my mom and dad were.". I missed my wife. Everybody seemed stunned. "Just remind Steve," he said, "that I might be trouble my own self." He hated the sweet smell of the green ink, and the $8.15-an-hour salary. 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. David Ghantt: The number one question is usually, What made you do it?. Thirteen friends and family members were also charged with money laundering, as they had helped Ghantt, Chambers, Campbell, and the others deposit money illegally. He appeared happily matched with his high-spirited wife, Michele, and the two children from her first marriage. . "Steve said, 'I think we ought to do it that night, when he drops off the van,' " Kelly recalled. https://blog.prepscholar.com/david-scott-ghantt-loomis-fargo-heist David was sentenced to 7 1/2 years. "He was in tears. Everything changes when he meets Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig), a new employee at his bank, Loomis Fargo. He took bus tours of Mayan ruins. 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. Ghantt had a lot of help pulling off the heist. display: none; By late November, McKinney made a third trip to Mexico, saying he'd help David move to Mexico City. 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 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. 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. Pick 18 Iowa LB Jack Campbell . WebMasterminds is a 2016 comedy starring Zach Galifianakis as David Scott Ghantt, an armored car guard who decides to pull off a heist of some bank money he is transporting. "Things I always wanted to do, but never had the time or the money," he said. David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The authorities didn't know yet how much was missing from the armored-car company, but Steve did. "It probably should bother me," he said. Ghantt added, I really enjoyed the movie. Just lounging around. When we worked together [for Loomis], we'd joke about it. Kelly was no criminal. Burks was also ordered to serve 15 years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books. Ten days later, the group was indicted for bank larceny and money laundering. 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. Ghantt and his compatriots, it turns out, had underestimated how bulky money is. Web1997 - David Scott Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) thought being an armored car driver would be a dream come true. In Kukulcan Plaza in Cancun, Mexico, they had a small Internet caf. 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. Having only brought $50,000 in cash, however, Ghantt soon found himself short on funds. WIFE, FAMILY OF HEIST SUSPECT CLING TO HOPE WebDavid Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. The FBI now knew Chambers had Loomis cash. "Are you serious?" The figures can be astounding. Project #ShowUs. In a word, "Teamwork. I run the heavy equipment. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges. Michele tells me you're in a financial bind. LRM: Did you like the portrayal of yourself in the movie? 1998 The Associated Press. The Loomis Fargo heist became something of a media lightning rod. In addition to his phone calls with Ghantt, Chambers began extravagantly spending the money, even though the co-conspirators had agreed to lay low for a year or two. No Honor Among Thieves Honestly, it got spent and no one noticed. The next day, Kelly drove back to Steve's mobile home to watch the news with Steve and Michele. Kelly Campbell No Honor Among Thieves He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. . 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. It was late in 1996. The FBI's final challenge is finding the remaining $2 million. Enabling JavaScript in your browser will allow you to experience all the features of our site. David placed their odds of success at 85 percent, a confidence inspired by faith not just in his planning but also in his feelings for Kelly. Well she was a pretty happy-go-lucky person, he said. This article will teach you more about the SAT subject tests. David didn't even know Steve's name. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Is this really about the needs of the poor? Spunk. Creative Insights. Davids crush and former co-worker, Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig), approaches David about robbing the very company that he works for.Despite the lack of CHARLOTTE If you didnt live in the Charlotte area 25 years ago, you might not believe it. Criminals dont usually get high-paying jobs after leaving prison. She never really worried about the moral end of it--she was focused only on getting what she wanted out of life, what so many others seemed to have in this booming part of the South. After a Gulf War stint in the Army, David got married in 1992. Here's what Floyd recalls: After two games of pool, Steve told him, "You know, we do a lot of gambling. Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The True Story of David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo ". "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. 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. At the time it was the second largest cash robbery ever to happen on US soil. These (Loomis) guys, not so much.. Its comedy. Were you really hailed as a hero? 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. David Ghantt worked as a vault supervisor for the armoured cash vehicles at the Charlotte, North Carolina branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. Ironically even though he worked for a company that moved millions of dollars every day, he was relatively underpaid. Without really intending to, Kelly recalls, she turned the conversation to the possibility of a heist. After meeting up with Chambers, Campbell, and some other co-conspirators, Ghantt hightailed it to Mexico with $50,000 in cash in his car. Clerk of Court Frank Johns of Charlotte. David thought about it. Then I realized I needed to be more conservative. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. david ghantt wife So the pieces were falling into place for investigators. LRM: You did serve time in Federal prison and it was a very well-known bank robbery. It's one of the biggest jokes at the place. Here's how. Her only brush with the law had been a DUI arrest. I wasnt attracted to him or anything, but he was a nice guy, Campbell said. David trusted her. David Ghantt: When I first met Zach and sat down to talk about it, he said, You realize Im going to be playing a dumber, clumsier version of you. 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. Too many questions remained: Where was the cash? You can seize property. WebPlot David Ghantt is a simple man that lives a very dull life. Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns just generally being a jerk. ". WebIn March 1997, after Loomis Fargo & Company has been robbed of $18.8 million in Jacksonville by company security guard Philip Noel Johnson, Steve Eugene Chambers and Kelly Campbell, a former employee of Loomis, decides to rob the company. But you cant get blood from a stone,, Criminals dont usually get high-paying jobs after leaving prison. Im assuming you dont have any more contacts with your co-conspirators. When we worked together [for Loomis], we'd joke about it. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Chambers wife, Michelle, bought a minivan in cash and began taking frequent trips to the bank to make deposits. From Mexico, David usually spoke with Kelly on the phone once a week, paying with calling cards. But because David's relationship with his Loomis bosses had been rocky, he says, he doesn't feel sorry about what he did to the company. No attempted murder charges had been filed. 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 Available on iTunes, Hulu. is david ghantt married to kelly campbell People dont seem to understand human nature. Human nature is a flexible part of life, Gronquist said. Also the Author of The Book of Dave: A New Path After a $17 Million Misstep https://t.co/qBMUgcNZ4F They bought a huge diamond and paid with cash for it. But this time on the phone, Kelly wasn't joking. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Over the next two weeks, David thought about it. Campbellwho was married herselfrepresented something new and exciting. "Love" has four. But after a year, they'll cut it down to two agents. LRM Exclusive Interview: David Ghantt, Real Steve told Scott to ignore the remaining stacks, which were mostly ones and fives. 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. At the sight of all that money, Scott and Eric had the same thought: They'd made the worst mistake of their lives. LRM: You were a movie consultant on this project. About 10 frantic minutes later, Scott found the right key. David Ghantt worked as a vault supervisor for the armoured cash vehicles at the Charlotte, North Carolina branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. Ironically even though he worked for a company that moved millions of dollars every day, he was relatively underpaid. He couldn't even bear to stick around for the final tally--though when he left he didn't forget to take $6,000, the first cut of his expected $100,000 share. While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money. If so,check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. There was a little voice in my head that said, 'Don't do it. He learned to parachute. Kelly found herself standing beside David while they waited together for a bond hearing.
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