In one case, the restitution for a Loomis defendant may be a moving target. (LogOut/ When I put that cash in the back of the car, by the time I got to the office the whole car smelled like that. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In the end, the FBI was able to capture the original gang in five months, snaring 21 individuals for their participation in the crime. Punishment needs to be fair and realistic. The case resurfaced in the federal courts on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte posted a public reminder in the case file of Loomis defendant Kelly Campbell that she had fallen behind in her restitution. Outside of 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. true story that has captivated American audiences on the news and now on the big screen in the major motion picture, Masterminds. Soon thereafter, he met Kelly Campbell, a co-worker at Loomis Fargo. Money. The figures can be astounding. Thomas Grant, who served three years in prison for bank larceny, paid off restitution of $70,000; brother Eric Grant paid all of his $26,000; as did David Craig, $40,000; and Dennis and Sandra Floyd; $27,000. We dont have the manpower to track all that (restitution) money down I pay (restitution to) thousands of people, but its in drips and drabs., Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it,, You can garnish wages. But with Kelly's new idea on the table, several dark realities converged on him. Nathan, Steves cousin, was found in a mobile home the Chambers had abandoned. Inside $3.3 million was located along with the two stolen surveillance tapes, apparently left due to the robber and his accomplices being sloppy, or in a hurry. "So he stays behind and moving over two thousand pounds of . By this time, agents knew where he was and had a general idea who the other players were, so they went to every bank in town to see if any of them rented a safe deposit box. In Gastonia, David would run into high-school classmates who had never struck him as especially smart. The $17 million was stolen last Oct. 4 from the armored-car company's vault in Charlotte. Heist! https://www.charlotteagenda.com/67457/loomis-fargo-heist-masterminds-movie/, http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/article104506876.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_1997_Loomis_Fargo_robbery#Company, http://retroclt.blogspot.com/2014/07/loomis-fargo-heist.html, . That first day in prison was scary, Ghantt said. There are multiples of thousands of these things coming every year. The plan was for Ghantt to commit the actual robbery and then quickly leave the country forMexico but to leave the bulk of the cash with Chambers. He was a hard worker, smart enough, and had graduated from high school. 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. Four-wheeling. There's just one hitch: Ghantt has entrusted the money to an oddball crew of accomplices who had wooed him into committing this massive theft in the first placeand who, he soon learns, are trying to take him out. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist - molecularrecipes.com David didn't appreciate her tone. The bag held his mobile phone and handgun. Jeffrey Guller, who at 81 is by far the oldest of the Loomis defendants, still owes almost $1.1 million on his original court debt of $1.14 million and will remain on the governments books for another four years. But if you did, youll never forget it. It, too, has changed hands several times. The real 'Masterminds' The loot would later be divided among David, Kelly, and Steve. She sounded incredulous. They had met in December 1995 on one of her first days at Loomis. She'd left Loomis in November 1996 to take a job elsewhere as a security guard. Of course the problem was, the money belonged to someone else. In the movie: Campbell invites Ghantt to a restaurant under the auspices of a date, but then springs the idea of the heist on him, as Chambers and two associates join the conversation from an . Ghantt, who by then was long out of prison, served as a consultant. Now one of the most wanted men in America with the FBI hot on his heels, Ghantt must figure out how to get his money, get away from a hit man, and get even. The woman on the phone was Kelly Jane Campbell, and David had a mad crush on her. On Oct. 5, the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday. ALSO READ: 14-year-old boy robbed at gunpoint while waiting for bus in east. David and Kelly had driven to Rock Hill, South Carolina, and used the documents to obtain a fake ID that David would also rely on after the theft. The hillbilly outfit did more that just drop a few breadcrumbs. Johnson had stolen $18.8 million earlier in the year, on March 19, 1997, only to be caught five months later, in late August, while crossing into Texas from Mexico to retrieve some of the money, which he'd hidden in a shed in mountainous western North Carolina. These weren't the hardest of criminals, and though there was logic to not knowing each other's names, they had derived some of their methods from Hollywood depictions of crime. Her case closes in 2025. 'When you have money, you just have different problems': The Loomis The reason David didn't know Steve's last name was so they couldn't identify each other to the police or FBI, should cops or G-men ever enter the picture. Besides her prison sentence, Campbell must undergo mental health and drug treatment and spend two years in a supervised release program. Ghantt went to Mexico leaving the money with his cohorts, thinking that he could get his share back when he needed it. But he wasn't finished. It all went down in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the man at the center of that heist, David Scott Ghantt, now lives in Jacksonville. Then one day, while reviewing his and Tammy's credit card bill, he did some quick math and realized that even if they met the minimum monthly payments, the bill would take thirty years to pay. When did you conclude Yeah, Im actually going to do this? Counts asked. More calls between the two men, and also between Steve and Kelly Campbell, made it clear that the group was starting to turn on David Ghantt. A parrot tattoo on her right ankle. Ghantt was working as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte in 1997, earning about $8 an hour and tired of his humdrum life. He and Tammy could have one or two meals each week that he really liked, but the rest were hot dogs or Hamburger Helper. Discover the truth behind unexplained ancient mysteries, UFO mysteries, secret locations and paranormal events. But on Oct. 4, 1997, that no longer mattered and Ghantt took off with $17.3 million. The bigger the amount, however, the bigger the damages to victims that likely will never be repaid: - Amy Paynes collection account was closed in 2020 with her having paid $53,000 of the $274,000 she owed. One day, the two employees were in the break room and got to talking about the news of the day a massive bank heist that just occurred in Florida by someone at their company. The only other employee with him on this day was a trainee. David would simply empty the vault and deliver the money to the others. The FBI began to question past and current employees of Loomis Fargo. What it does is put a ball and chain on that person for the rest of their lives, they are walking around and they are basically an indentured servant, Gronquist said. On Oct. 5, the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday. The plan to rob Loomis Fargo was spawned by Campbell and her friend Steve Chambers, during a casual bonfire at Chambers' home. Turns out, most of the thieves and their accomplices have been about as effective coming up with their court-ordered restitution as they were hiding their original crimes. All of the primary players got fined millions of dollars --for example, Kelly Campbell was hit with more than $4 million, an amount that she will never come close to paying. Ghantt reported to Chambers that his supply of money was running low, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $8,000. I made a joke once that was the hardest Id ever worked for Wells Fargo -- yeah, its a lot of work, Ghantt said. Many of the lesser players in the conspiracy have been the most effective in paying their debts. Change). In August 1997, Campbell informed Ghantt about an old high school friend of hers named Steve Chambers, who could assist Ghantt to execute a massive cash robbery of the Loomis Fargo vault in one night. That sounds like a lot of money until its compared to the $18,930,201.26 the group was ordered to pay. It wasn't how much you stole that mattered most; it was that you had stolen in the first place. them. For the defendants in the Loomis Fargo heist, its allure was irresistible. He wanted to leave his wife for her, and Kelly, who also was married, let him think she wanted the same. 12) Loomis Fargo heist- The aftermath Ultimately, eight co-conspirators were indicted for the Loomis Fargo bank heist. The case resurfaced in the federal courts on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte posted a public reminder in the case file of Loomis defendant Kelly Campbell that she had fallen behind in her restitution. Ghantt met up with the other members of the plot and offloaded the cash. Criminals dont usually get high-paying jobs after leaving prison. "What would it take to convince you to do it?" Enabling JavaScript in your browser will allow you to experience all the features of our site. uncanny, eerie, unnatural, preternatural, supernatural, unearthly, other-worldly, unreal, ghostly, mysterious, mystifying, strange, abnormal, unusual. But after one visit, she asked a teller How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds? followed by Dont worry, it is notdrug money, the bank filled out asuspicious activity report, which ultimately reached the FBI. Kelly Campbell - Wikipedia Who was she to be pressuring him? remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats He hated his job and his bosses, he'd lost hope in his marriage, he wasn't going to advance at Loomis, and he couldn't afford to quit to enroll in college. The movie was called Masterminds and stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson. He allegedly hired a hitman to take Ghantt out, tying up the ultimate loose end. RELATED: When you have money, you just have different problems: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later, How I held it together is beyond me, Ghantt said. The property has changed hands several times since then. But things didnt quite work out that way. Heist!: The $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft - amazon.com They had to be extremely careful not to tip off the group, as they could lose potential conspirators or more information important to a conviction. Human nature is a flexible part of life, Gronquist said. >> PHOTOS: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later. He had joined the army and earned an honorable discharge, but because of defense-industry cutbacks he hadn't been able to find a good job for himself. 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist | wcnc.com Kristen Wiig plays Kelly, who really wasn't that into David, but convinced him to take a fortune from Loomis Fargo in the fall of '97. Its in the ether. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) During one overnight shift, a bumbling conspiracy of thieves just west of Charlotte stole more than $17 million from Loomis Fargo. That way, outsiders couldn't see money being loaded. This website uses cookies and some data tracking to improve your experience and serve adverts, We assume you're ok with this, you can opt-out if you wish. 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. Though Wydra is retired, 25 years ago, he was an agent with the FBI. And after two years, the case is just a file. He knew his mother would be traumatized, shocked, and appalled. He and co-worker Kelly Campbell, 27, had developed a close relationship and were spending time together outside of work. Its attracted workers like Ghantt. Then, he proceeded to load 2,800 pounds of cash into a van. The phone calls began to get more intense when Steve and Eric got suspicious of a man who was running hismouth about them and the vault job over in Charlotte. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. La vie de David Ghantt n'a rien de compliqu. FILE - Kelly Campbell, one of the 21 people convicted for their involvement in the $17 million Loomis Fargo heist, awaits sentencing for her part in the theft at her mobile home near Mount Holly, N.C. on Aug 16, 1999. You can garnish wages. The $17 million Loomis Fargo heist in Charlotte, North Carolina, was the second largest armored car robbery in U.S. history. Former Loomis employee David Scott Ghantt is accused of stealing the money. Was the temptation too much? Steve decided to send his cousin, Nathan with money down to Mexico as a ruse, while Mike the bodyguard would follow behind to take care of Ghantt. They didnt expect it.. David knew this was important from having followed the recent news about a Florida man who had brazenly committed the biggest heist from an armored-car company in United States history, a loner named Philip Noel Johnson, who also had worked for Loomis. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. The same applies to trolling, the use of multiple aliases, or Heist: The Oddball Crew Behind the $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft ", "I don't need any more friends," she'd shot back. shaka wear graphic tees is candy digital publicly traded ellen lawson wife of ted lawson real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist 25 Feb/23 (No Ratings Yet) How he and his wife had trouble communicating. Former FBI agent John Wydra, who helped crack the case, sat down with Channel 9 Reporter Glenn Counts to talk about the clues that led to solving the crime, and how the group got caught. Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. To visit friends.". Current price is $11.49, Original price is $14.99. My knee-jerk reaction was to be angry, and then the sarcastic ass side of me started laughing about it, Ghantt said. 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. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. she asked again. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. personal/abusive/condescending attacks on other users or goading The trainee didn't yet know how the place worked, a fact David planned to use to his advantage. He loves his motorcycle and enjoys going fishing and, while hes sorry for the past, hes not ashamed to talk about it. be blocked or permanently banned without warning. Husband and wife Steven and Michelle Chambers, whose conspicuous consumption of a luxury home, a BMW convertible, breast implants and a $600 wooden Indian, among other purchases, helped the FBI solve the crime, were assessed $3.81 million and $4.8 million, respectively. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Since then, there have been numerous articles, books, documentaries and even a movie about this gang -- the gang that couldnt shoot straight. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards.