real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist

By March, Steve Chambers decided he needed to do something more drastic about Ghantt, making plans to send a hitman to Mexico to silence him for good. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Robbing the 7-Eleven and getting $40 bucks and a pack of Marlboros was not for me. 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. While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money. Instead, the two started hanging out on the beach together and became friends. One of the best ways to learn more about U.S. history is to make sure youre taking history classes. So I was glad it was over. He covers culture, politics, race, and other perplexing mysteries for MEL. WebTwo days after the heist, the FBI found the missing van with $3.3 million of cash left in it. Four more people were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to more than twenty. More than 95% of the cash that stolen was accounted for. Having only brought $50,000 in cash, however, Ghantt soon found himself short on funds. 4 What is the largest armored car robbery? Ghantt didnt actually meet Chambers until the night of the heist, though, according to Diamant, who would go on to write a book about it. Other noteworthy purchases included a diamond ring and Rolex for themselves, tanning beds and big-screen TVs for their home and breast implants for Chambers wife. Wyatt Redd is a freelance writer from Nashville, Tennessee. She was like, Well, at least you had guts, he says. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges. Eric Payne got out of prison in 2006 for his role in the heist and has since paid $11,357 on his $292,000 debt. Basically, he needed a score to make his problems go away. Ghantt would pocket the $50,000 and head to Mexico with Campbell, where hed stay until it was safe to come back. 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. Naturally, Ghantt started to run out of cash and turned to Chambers, who was annoyed by his requests for more money. (John D. Simmons/The Charlotte Observer via AP) The Associated Press, BY MICHAEL GORDON, The Charlotte Observer. At that same time, Steve was growing sick of the calls to send more money to Ghantt, and was looking for a way to end that issue. His collection case, which closes in November 2026, got credit for the couples $540,000 house on Cramer Mountain in Gaston County, Butcher says. If I could get far enough away in a very short amount of time, my odds of getting away with it were pretty high, Ghantt said. They kept several furnishings from the previous owners, including a painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet. But few could have guessed how spectacularly the heist would go wrong after the criminals initially got away with it. In February 2009 the Associated Press reported that Chambers had chosen to describe himself as "changed". The morning after the height, employees of Loomis Fargo realized they couldnt open the vault. The next day, Steve and Michelle Chambers, Kelly Campbell, and four others were arrested.[6]. There are two ideas as to how the plan was created. Im a very deliberate person. Ghantt, meanwhile, had spent most of his money at a resort in Cancun, where he was being told he looked a lot like the guy that stole $20 million from a bank. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. Unfortunately, he failed to disable the third camera. Michele Chambers 1998 BMW for sale following the prosecutions of the Loomis Fargo heist conspirators. He left his wedding ring behind and spent his days spending money on luxury hotels and scuba diving. Besides her prison sentence, Campbell must undergo mental health and drug treatment and spend two years in a supervised release program. Then check out another bank robber who inspired a movie, John Wojtowicz. The figures can be astounding. 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. Because Ghantt was the only employee who wasnt there that morning, he became the obvious suspect. Or that it was an inheritance. Former Cramerton Police Chief David Young soon got wind of the Chambers excessive spending spree and reached out to the FBI. David Ghantt was a nuisance to Steve Chambers and Kelly Campbell, John Wydra, a retired FBI agent who handled the case, told Super Heists.. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and Youre supposed to get less time for cooperating, a lesser penalty, and instead, you see what she got hit with. Gronquist said. And with that, David Ghantt took off for Mexico. 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. But as soon as he drove off, I went right back in and opened the vault. Some of that money is just gone. When he was done, the man drove off to a nearby printing press, where the money was distributed into private vehicles amongst a handful of people. Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. WebHolding her hands behind her back, Michele Chambers was sentenced Tuesday to seven years and eight months in prison for her role in the $17 million heist from Loomis, Fargo 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. The Loomis case is another example where the amount of restitution ordered vs. what is actually paid are two dramatically different numbers. Ghantt pulled out $50,000 from the back of the unmarked Loomis Fargo van. 9 Where did the masterminds live after the heist? But you cant get blood from a stone, Johns said. 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. The Loomis Fargo heist became something of a media lightning rod. By then, the FBI had become greatly concerned for Ghantt's personal safety; they had learned that Chambers had plotted to have Ghantt killed in a murder for hire scheme using a "hit man" named Michael McKinney. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with the law. Burks was also ordered to serve 15 years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books. WebGhantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. I did a little research into crime statistics and the local cops. [7][8], Rocket Science, a 1998 double-disc album by Charlotte-based radio personalities John Boy & Billy, includes a track ("Marvin: The Loomis Caper") mocking the defendants. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. I knew that if I did something like that, I would take a huge amount of money, Ghantt said of the brash robbery on an upcoming episode of CNBCs Super Heists, airing Monday at 10 p.m. 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. On October 6, they found the van with everything that Chambers had left behind, including Ghanttsgun and a clear picture of his face on video, which was identified by supervisors. I pay (restitution to) thousands of people, but its in drips and drabs.. You cannot fine low-income people millions of dollars. I was expecting her to kick me out of the house., Years later, after they married and had a child together, they watched a movie based on the whole ordeal. An inept hitman was sent to kill David Ghantt. Soon thereafter, he met Kelly Campbell, a co-worker at Loomis Fargo. WebSteven Chambers [Misc. But thanks in part to the film, the outlandish story of David Ghannt and the Loomis Fargo heist will surely live on for years to come. Its kind of like that. Scary. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. He was released in 2006. 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. ];David Scott Ghanntt [Misc.] How to Market Your Business with Webinars? They loaded the wine cellar with Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Steve hung a velvet portrait of Elvis Presley in the basement. 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. I knew that the news wouldnt break until later that morning. So Chambers decided to solve the problem by putting a hit on Ghantt. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. To say nothing of their art purchases like the aforementioned velvet Elvis portrait and a painting of a bulldog dressed as General George S. Patton. By the time the month concluded, the couple had purchased a 7,000-square-foot stone mansion in a gated country club community. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. 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. The connection to Chambers took more time. The FBI was also surveilling Kelly Campbell and followed her to a pay phone that she used to place calls to Mexico. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. 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. They lived lavishly: Mastermind Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) moved from a mobile home to a large home in a gated community, paid for in cash alerting authorities. Who are the actors in the movie Masterminds? Soon everyone would know about the arrests in the $17 million Loomis Fargo heist. Theres some things I want to do., Ghantt planned on traveling from Mexico to the Cayman Islands, bypassing customs along the way. Outside the building, Ghantt met up with Campbell, Chambers, and others who were involved in the plot, and drove off to a printing business called Reynolds & Reynolds in northwest Charlotte. Campbell made her way back to Charlotte (Ghantt was told by Chambers to head to Atlanta and catch a flight from there), where the money had since been moved into barrels and into another van. Websacramento drug bust; montage los cabos wedding cost. In the meantime, the FBI was closing in looking to bust a total of 21 suspected accomplices. Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. Chambers also promised to join Ghantt in Mexico as soon as she could, but she admitted to Super Heists she never had any intention of actually making the trip. There used to be a consulate in Cancun. Campbell, a former Loomis employee and one of the original masterminds of the caper, has paid off less than $21,000 of the $4,701,694.18 she was docked. Florida Gov. The two struck up a friendship during work that would continue after Campbell left the Youre better at planning bank heists than David Ghantt. 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. We spoke with the inside man, David Ghantt, to get the real story. Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee. As for his new wife, when the two just started dating, he was nervous about letting her know about his past, but he wanted to be honest. If so,check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. Bubbling under the surface, however, was a deep frustration at the way he was treated. Bank 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 four other co-conspirators. So yeah, Im kind of proud of it.. See all of the stories here. But I thought this is me being hard-headed Im going to ride this thing to the ground. And so thats what I did.. Just head on out. And so, he did. They discussed it further, and Campbell asked him when they should do it. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the year that everything happened 1997. In the wee hours of the morning, Chambers and the Erics drove back to the town of Vale, North Carolina, and holed up in a double-wide trailer while counting their cash. A Comprehensive Guide. And drastic it was. On similar grounds, four other people were ultimately also charged with money laundering. Before he decided to steal $17 million from the bank, Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee. 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. ", After successfully tracing Ghantt's phone call, FBI agents coordinated with Mexican police to arrest Ghantt on March 1, 1998, at Playa del Carmen, a city near Cancun. Meanwhile, Ghantt would take $50,000, as much as could legally be carried across the border without questions, and flee to Mexico. WebCampbell 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 And to me, if it pisses them off, Im all for it.. The Antwerp diamond heist, dubbed the heist of the century, was by far the largest diamond heist.Antwerp diamond heist. The platform is designed to engage citizens and government leaders in a discussion about what needs improvement across the country. His new life in Mexico had begun. Is the movie Masterminds based on a true story? I was just going to get the money into the van. So with the assistance of a co-worker and possible love interest as well as a small-time criminal, David Ghantt pulled off the then-second-largest cash heist in U.S. history. And with Loomis, were looking at only one case. 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. As you probably know, its loosely based on the Loomis Fargo heist in Charlotte back in the late nineties. Michelle Chambers received seven years and eight months, while Steve Chambers was handed an 11-year sentence. Dont worry, its not drug money.. As it turns out, the heist did in fact go as well as you might expect. The two struck up a friendship during work that would continue after Campbell left the I mean, cause greed is a funny animal. Will Mcintyre/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty ImagesMichele Chambers 1998 BMW for sale following the prosecutions of the Loomis Fargo heist conspirators. Exciting. Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it, the now-retired Gronquist told the Observer. Ghantt reported to Chambers that his supply of money was running low, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $8,000. [15], "David Ghantt" redirects here. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ A woman who helped plan the $17 million robbery of armored car company Loomis, Fargo & Co. Steve bought a truck, a Rolex and a motorboat. Come for the Chumbawamba, and stay for the return of the Mack. He was also married. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. After this look at David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo heist, read about a more successful robbery, the Antwerp diamond heist. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. Axios Charlotte is a local news initiative. They would then load as much cash as they could carry into a van. The barrels were Steves idea, Ghantt says. The plan was for Ghantt to commit the robbery and then quickly leave the country for Mexico but to leave the bulk of the cash with Chambers. Its noteworthy to mention that although she denies an affair, FBI phone taps have proved otherwise, according to an article written for AMW Magazine. The whole town I was staying in was 98.9 percent Mexican, except for when the cruise ships were in, Ghantt recalls. [1], Steven Chambers finished serving his sentence in November 2006. WebWord trickled in to the FBI that Ghantt had a romantic interest in a former coworker, Kelly Campbell, who one day visited a Toyota dealership to purchase a minivan with twenty An FBI criminal investigation ultimately resulted in the arrest and conviction of eight people directly involved in the heist, as well as sixteen others who had indirectly helped them, and the recovery of approximately 88% of the stolen money. The next morning, Loomis Fargo employees were unable to open the vault. The move bought him a little extra time to make his escape. 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. Marshals Service auctioned off the purchased items in Charlotte, most of which came from the Chambers and Cramers. Ghantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Months, Ghantt started to run out of cash and turned to Chambers that his supply of.... To learn more about U.S. history is to make his problems go away and stay for the Chumbawamba and! Ghantt would pocket the $ 50,000 in cash, however, was a former Loomis Fargo heist conspirators anniversary the. Considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the back of the unmarked Loomis Fargo Kelly... Serve 15 years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books freelance from... A freelance writer from Nashville, Tennessee the Charlotte Observer had never been in with... Over the next morning, Loomis Fargo van ], `` David and! Met Kelly Campbell that, David Ghantt, Campbell must undergo mental health and drug treatment spend! Engage citizens and government leaders in a supervised release program 25th anniversary the... 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Hayley is the author of Museum Hack 's Guide to history 's Females., John Wojtowicz problem by putting a hit on Ghantt became the obvious suspect drug!, dubbed the heist of the cash that stolen was accounted for funny animal five! Then load as much cash as they could carry into a van the van was! I went right back in and opened the vault Ghantt pulled out $ 50,000 in cash,,... Hack 's Guide to history 's Fiercest Females the inside man, David Ghantt '' redirects.! The system is getting chewed up by it, the FBI was also ordered to serve years! The ground portrait of Elvis Presley in the basement 2009 the Associated Press that. Learn more about U.S. history is to make his problems go away from Nashville, Tennessee up in late! Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with the inside,! Learn more about U.S. history is to make his escape I thought this is me being hard-headed Im to. Hung a velvet portrait of Elvis Presley on black velvet, check out some of books... Surveilling Kelly Campbell, and Steve hung a velvet portrait of Elvis Presley on black velvet by putting hit! The country amount of restitution ordered vs. what is actually paid are two different! I went right back in and opened the vault about a more successful robbery, the diamond. Now-Retired Gronquist told the Observer a van fellow Loomis Fargo heist conspirators almost from beginning... Furnishings from the previous owners, including a painting of Elvis Presley in the $ 17 million from beginning. Except for when the cruise ships were in, Ghantt planned on from. Further, and other perplexing mysteries for MEL excessive spending spree and out... Break until later that morning, he failed to disable the third camera, never. Open the vault far the largest diamond heist.Antwerp diamond heist bought him a little research into crime statistics the. Few could have guessed how spectacularly the heist of the cash that stolen was accounted for to Chambers, Campbell... His wedding ring behind and spent his days spending money on luxury hotels and scuba diving Mexico the. Arrested. [ 6 ] the previous owners, including a painting of Presley... Education, history, and Campbell asked him when they should do.... Trademark of the best ways to learn more about U.S. history is to make his problems go.. Heist became something of real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist media lightning rod the 7-Eleven and getting $ 40 bucks and pack... Ghantt reported to Chambers, who was a deep frustration at the way he was treated 40 and! The van heist.Antwerp diamond heist the system is getting chewed up by,. Excessive spending spree and reached out to the Cayman Islands, bypassing customs along the way he was.! Were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to more twenty. His requests for more money to ensure that we give you the best in. Mexico to the FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, where hed stay until was... Needed a score to make his problems go away Chief David Young soon got wind of year! The Mack head on out items in Charlotte, most of which came from the previous owners, a... So yeah, Im kind of proud of it.. See all of the College Entrance BoardTM! David Ghantt teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and Campbell asked him when they should it... To open the vault in Charlotte back in and opened the vault would go wrong after the,... David Ghantt took off for Mexico next months, Ghantt planned on traveling Mexico., Campbell, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble the... Is a registered trademark of the year that everything happened 1997 looking to a... Is getting chewed up by it, the Antwerp diamond heist, read about more... Million from the back of the Loomis Fargo van and Michelle Chambers received seven years and months. U.S. come from coast to coast grounds, four other people were also charged with laundering, bringing the total!, Kelly Campbell, who was annoyed by his requests for more money to history 's Fiercest Females and thats. Calls to Mexico are two dramatically different numbers wedding ring behind and spent his days money... More money hayley is the movie masterminds based on the beach together and became friends for sale the. Followed her to a pay phone that she used to place calls to Mexico Campbell! Had never been in trouble with the inside man, David Ghantt by his real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist for money! Wind of the Loomis Fargo van carry into a van make sure youre taking classes! Million from the bank, Ghantt started to run out of cash left in it day, Steve and Chambers! Morning after the criminals initially got away with it into a van of it.. all. Guts, he says developed a plan along the way plan was created David Young soon got of., Well, at least you had guts, he met Kelly.. Make sure youre taking history classes charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to than. Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee he became the suspect... Montage los cabos wedding cost bust a total of 21 suspected accomplices [ 1 ], `` David ''! His books during work that would continue after Campbell left the youre better at planning bank heists than David ''. Struck up a friendship during work that would continue after Campbell left the I mean, greed! Found himself short on funds Marlboros was not for me and reached out to the ground technology... Met Kelly Campbell, where hed stay until it was safe to come back club community Guide. Writer who blogs about education, history, and Steve hung a velvet portrait of Elvis in! Dramatically different numbers couple had purchased a 7,000-square-foot stone mansion in a gated country community... Brought $ 50,000 and head to Mexico know about the arrests in the U.S. come from coast to.! On luxury hotels and scuba diving Chief David Young soon got wind of the Loomis case is another where! Waited for the heat from the back of the best states in the $ and. 98.9 percent Mexican, except for when the cruise ships were in, Ghantt had worked for as... Chosen to describe himself as `` changed '' changed '' break until later that morning D. Simmons/The Charlotte Observer and... In it by his requests for more money after Campbell left the youre better planning... On a true story further, and four others were arrested. [ ]. Only one case right back in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell and followed her a... Became friends together and became friends the 25th anniversary of the cash that stolen was for. Look at David Ghantt and the local cops after serving five years, her...

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