We went on a mission to calculate exactly how much size-wise the money was, $11.3 million in $20 bills, and it weighed over 2,000 pounds, former FBI agent John Wydra said. Later that year, he saw a newspaper ad for a job at Loomis Fargo. 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. So that was kind of like this once-in-a-lifetime thing, Wydra said. 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 Wiig) and Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and fled the country to Mexico. Driving away, he said he felt a mix of fear, confidence and excitement that he outsmarted the FBI. That movie, Masterminds, was filmed in 2014. Twenty years ago this Wednesday, a small group of people stole $17 million in cash from the main vault of a Loomis Fargo & Co. armored-car warehouse in west Charlotte. And then I realized that a lot of people knew who I was and they had followed the case.. 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. 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. He was on a budget for clothes, even for work boots; he had recently needed to check seven stores before finding a pair in his price range. Growing up, David had been a nice kid, a decent student who was at worst a minor troublemaker and prankster. Steve had hired a bodyguard named Mike McKinney. Campbell left her job in the summer of 1997, but she would later use Ghantt's feelings for her to her own advantage to get him to agree to carry out the multi-million-dollar heist. He tried again to make the back gate rise, to no avail. They assumed that whoever was involved would keep the cash in a safe place, like a safe deposit box. Their only intimate physical contact had been kissing on a mid-September night when they had driven her pickup truck to a field behind a shooting range in Gaston County to discuss their plans and the theft's chance of success. That was taking the long view. "I'll need help moving the money, getting a new ID, and leaving the country," he told her. But with Kelly's new idea on the table, several dark realities converged on him. ", Johnson said, "Yeah, that's it. About six months before the Charlotte theft, on March 29, a total of $18.8 million was taken from Loomis, Fargo in Jacksonville, Fla., in what was believed to be the largest heist in U.S.. There was a book published in 2002 as well, by author Jeff Diamant called,Heist! It was 2:00 p.m. on October 4, 1997, and tension was building between two planners of what would rank high among the largest heists in United States history. Just after the last employees left that day, surveillance footage shows a man enter the vault, and begin to load more than 2,740 pounds in cash into a nearby van, totaling around over $17 million. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. The woman on the phone was Kelly Jane Campbell, and David had a mad crush on her. "I was unhappy with my life. They also bought aBMW Z3with cash and made several large purchases, including a $600 statue of aNative American. The figures can be astounding. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: But where will they park? But you cant get blood from a stone,, Criminals dont usually get high-paying jobs after leaving prison. The $17 million was stolen last Oct. 4 from the armored-car company's vault in Charlotte. That sounds like a lot of money until its compared to the $18,930,201.26 the group was ordered to pay. The Loomis defendants face no additional legal jeopardy for not paying off their debts. Loomis Fargo heist: 25 years later 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. She had previously been making frequent small deposits to avert suspicion. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. David told Kelly they would have to control themselves and not spend the money too quickly, because the FBI could electronically trace a suspect's recent spending activity through bank papers, credit card records, and land transactions. These cookies do not store any personal information. She sounded incredulous. As it neared its end, David stealthily left the vault door ajar. The October 4 shift was lasting longer than expected, due to delays involving pickups and deliveries. The movie was called Masterminds and stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson. Also charged with money laundering were innocent relatives and friends who had co-signed safe deposit boxes. The bag held his mobile phone and handgun. Thank you so much. He played high school football at Mays High School in Atlanta, and college football at Georgia Tech . Punishment needs to be fair and realistic. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Remember why you were elected! Over 88% of the money has been recovered since the heist. The plan was to exit through the building's electronic back gate, which consisted of horizontal metal plates that opened at the touch of a button. Have a youtube channel or website similar? Many of the lesser players in the conspiracy have been the most effective in paying their debts. Ghantt took $50,000 for himself and fled to Cozumel, Mexico. They located Steve and Shelley Chambers in their newly-purchased home at the top of a hill. 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. 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. On the evening ofOctober 4, 1997, the Loomis Fargo & Co branch in Charlotte, North Carolina was in the process of being plundered. Even with several vehicles, they underestimated how much space they would need and they had to leave $3 million behind. That was the thing that sticks in my mind to this day.. I actually loved reading through this post. Their most important conversation occurred one afternoon in August 1997 after Kelly paged him at work. The plan to. She will never get beyond the debt. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Asked the purpose of his visit, Johnson had replied, "To visit friends. He waffled on the heist idea three or four times from late August to mid-September. Ms. Campbell worked at Loomis for 11 months, leaving in November 1996, according to court papers. He also took various measures to change his appearance, such asshaving, after a patron at a restaurant pointed out to him that he looked like the man who robbed a bank of $20 million.. she asked again. Former Loomis employee David Scott Ghantt is accused of stealing the money. It just happened to fall on my desk.. There are multiples of thousands of these things coming every year. : The $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Its attracted workers like Ghantt. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]. NASCAR. However, Chambers had no intention of following those rules, believing the FBI would never connect him to Ghantt. And Kelly thought he was funny. 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. "Everything's gonna be all right," she told him. I was relieved emotionally because I knew there was a good chance my luck might run out, Ghantt said. Change). 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. Thank you! >> PHOTOS: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers, carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct.. And they could barely afford the minimum payments, given the power bills, phone bills, car insurance bills, and home payments they had to meet. Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it, the now-retired Gronquist told the Observer. Who all wanted a Rambo movie which explored his time training as a green beret and his time serving in Vietnam as a prequel to first blood WATCH Antebellum 2020 FULL MOVIE. But he wasn't finished. When Ghantt called Campbell however, the FBI was able to track his location, and arrested him with the help of the Mexican police onMarch 1, 1998. You can seize property. Library Journal "highly entertaining." An additional tip reached the FBI when Michelle Chambers made a large deposit at a bank. "I'm busy," he said. Campbell left her job in the summer of 1997, but she would later use Ghantt's feelings for her to her own advantage to get him to agree to carry out the multi-million-dollar heist. Twenty people were convicted of roles big and small in the massive 1997 armored-car warehouse heist in west Charlotte. More than 2 million dollars are still missing to this day. Theres no way to get it back, Butcher told The Charlotte Observer. Diamant, a journalist who reported on the case at the time, goes into meticulous detail on how the heist was pulled off and its aftermath. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. He loves his motorcycle and enjoys going fishing and, while hes sorry for the past, hes not ashamed to talk about it. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. 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Marine Fisheries Commission advocates for water quality, North Carolina the only state allowing unnecessary killing of sea turtles, 'Pagan' bike gang leader in N. Carolina sentenced to prison, Deputy cleared in shooting death of Gloucester woman, Beaufort amends charter to allow four-year mayoral term. The biggest restitution numbers for victims of financial crimes generally involve Ponzi schemes or sweepstakes fraud, not cash thefts. Only a nickel on every dollar have been collected so far. There are multiples of thousands of these things coming every year. The FBI began to question past and current employees of Loomis Fargo. Cool interesting stuff features everything odd, weird, bizzare, strange or unusual. A former FBI agent 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. Punishment needs to be fair and realistic. He could even be famous, perhaps joining the ranks of legendary master thieves. 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. He deserved better. How many people have walked the red carpet at a movie premiere in a case that was yours?. Im married, I got one girl, shes 15 going on 30. All but one took plea deals, including Ghantt, who was sentenced to seven years in prison. Spunk. In this outrageously entertaining book, Jeff Diamant, the Charlotte Observer's lead reporter on the case, offers the definitive inside account of this astonishing. Restitution is a familiar part of sentencing in federal court. People dont seem to understand human nature. The government does not run debtors prisons, says U.S. 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. Getting restitution, its like pulling teeth.. In David's eyes, Johnson's big mistake was that he did it alone. In one case, the restitution for a Loomis defendant may be a moving target. So the pieces were falling into place for investigators. He had since held one low-paying job after another. By then, the FBI had become greatly concerned for Ghantts personal safety; they had learned of Chambersmurder for hirescheme. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. David's vision for all of this actually derived more from books than from movies. A few of the Loomis restitution cases have already been closed either because the amount was paid in full or because the 20-year clock wound down. 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 defendants received sentences ranging from probation for several relatives to over 11 years in federal prison for Steve Chambers. The Loomis Fargo Heist Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. Money. He added that money can be a motivator for anyone. The site features a collection of unexplained, strange and odd mysteries. Well they were in some sense celebrities, Gronquist said. Spunk. The biggest restitution numbers for victims of financial crimes generally involve Ponzi schemes or sweepstakes fraud, not cash thefts. Campbell led Ghantt to think she loved him and they would flee to Mexico together, but she actually wanted to make a better life for herself in the U.S. With the plan in place, Ghantt sent a newly hired employee he had been assigned to train home early (reportedly, at 6 p.m.) and then proceeded to load a little more than $17.3 million in cash (approximately $11 million of which was in$20 bills) into the back of a company van. personal/abusive/condescending attacks on other users or goading A more immediate need was securing help to move the stolen money to safety the night of the crime. she asked. Meanwhile, Ghantt's gang spent wildly and paid their family members and friends to hide money. The trainee didn't know to check to make sure it was closed. Guller was the attorney for Steven Chambers, who came up with the original idea for the Loomis theft. Its like, me and you sat down, I have access to pie, you like pie, all I want is my share of the pie. The FBI says Chambers hired a hitman to tie up the ultimate loose end -- Ghantt. The same applies to trolling, the use of multiple aliases, or Who was she to be pressuring him? Ghantt was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. 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. His collection case, which closes in November 2026, got credit for the couples $540,000 house on Cramer Mountain in Gaston County, Butcher says. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. He stayed at it until the vault was empty. 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. 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. These (Loomis) guys, not so much.. 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. How he felt shorted by life. Human nature is a flexible part of life, Gronquist said. Inside the truck, they found Ghantts ring and surmised this as a sign of Ghantts intention to end his relationship with his wife. Prosecutors say a vault. Of course the most famous thing inside the home was a velvet Elvis portrait. He was a hard worker, smart enough, and had graduated from high school. The unsolved crime mystery of Marilyn Sheppard. She will never get beyond the debt. Oh were not going to talk to anybody, theyre not going to be able to convict us, that bravado happens in the beginning and then it often gets worn down by the reality, Gronquist said. While David Ghantt trusted Steve Chambers enough to leave his cut behind, Chambers had other plans. What kind of surprised me is how much the car smelled like money, like if you ever hold money up to your nose it has a distinct smell, Wydra said. "its a great readsuspenseful, often funny, just the thing for those wondering what it might feel like to have, as these hapless, small-town criminals did, literally too darn much cash lying around. " The walk-in vault was a fortified gray room, more wide than long, with shelves, cabinets, desks, and multiple pushcarts stocked with shrink-wrapped cash. What that says is, We will never forgive you for what youve done. And if that gives people out there a little bit of hope, then Ive served my purpose on this earth.. 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. The Loomis case is another example where the amount of restitution ordered vs. what is actually paid are two dramatically different numbers. Steve was a serious guy? But that only tells part of the story. Conversations about stealing from the company weren't rare for Loomis employees. Records show the government has garnished his Social Security checks. It wasn't how much you stole that mattered most; it was that you had stolen in the first place. The old man me would never survive that, Id have a heart attack.. Steve Chambers and his wife were living in a trailer and upgraded to what would today be a multi-million-dollar mansion at Cramer Mountain. 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. Steve Chambers would keep the rest. 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.. Another time, the day after a Christmas in the late 1980s, David and some friends planted all the discarded Christmas trees from the area in one neighbor's front yard. Ghantt met up with the other members of the plot and offloaded the cash. Loomis has received $978,983.79, according to Sally Butcher, an assistant clerk in the federal courts of the Western District of North Carolina who specializes in criminal debt. David said he needed Kelly to drive to Loomis before the theft that night to remove a duffel bag from his parked pickup truck. That first day in prison was scary, Ghantt said.