Twenty people were convicted of roles big and small in the massive 1997 armored-car warehouse heist in west Charlotte. Kelly drove her pickup to a lot across the street from the Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. So he got in a cab and went to a mall. I couldn't understand why I hadn't been more successful," David said. "I" has one letter. Ghantt worked at Loomis Fargos regional office vault in Charlotte. On Oct. 5, the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday. Twenty-one people were charged and convicted in the robbery, one of the biggest heists in U.S. history. He told her he wanted more of "his" cash. Kelly called David at. They soon realized David had stolen more money than would fit in their 55-gallon barrels. "He was speechless," said Sandra Floyd. He grabbed the tapes from two VCRs that connected to 16 security cameras. There was a third person with them, too, a man named Eric Grant. The phone rang: Kelly had a problem. There was, however, one problem with his plan. Ghantt had fled to Mexico with $50,000 in cash, leaving the rest of the money with Steve Chambers. Its really just a matter of timing, more than anything. And she says, How much do you think wed get out of there? I said, Ten to 15 million. But I didnt really know.. Agents raided safe deposit boxes, where they recovered more than $11 million. The FBI (Leslie Jones, Jon Daly) made easy work of the case, however, and everyone involved was eventually arrested and imprisoned. The participants in the heist also spent lavishly on fancy jewelry, fancy cars and breast enhancement surgeries. Federal law stops government collection efforts 20 years after a defendant leaves prison. Some of the biggest numbers remaining on the Loomis collection board, as is the case with Campbell, belong to those who played the biggest role in the crime: David Ghantt, the Loomis employee who loaded all that money 2,800 pounds in all into the back of a company van before escaping to Mexico, has paid just under $50,000 of the $3.81 million he was assessed. Until, that is, he decided to hell with it he was going to pull-off the second largest heist in U.S. history. 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. Steve led the planning. When Ghantt was on the plane home from Mexico with the FBI, he admitted to the agents that while Campbell had been integral to why hed done it and that he did indeed have a crush on her it was never his true motivation. Part 2: Channel 9 speaks with the man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago. 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. I hear her typing. Theres no way to get it back, Butcher told The Charlotte Observer. So we were able to figure out with all the denominations, it would require about 20 safe deposit boxes to store it all.. 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. "She just called me up on the phone and said, 'Hey, let's meet one day after work.' He and his wife, Tammy, lived in a mobile home in Kings Mountain, N.C. Money was always tight. For the defendants in the Loomis Fargo heist, its allure was irresistible. Mexican police, Interpol officers and an FBI agent were watching him. No dry runs, no rehearsals. At the end of October, Kelly was sentenced to 5 years 10 months in prison. Then another. He added that money can be a motivator for anyone. Too many questions remained: Where was the cash? Thanksgiving and Christmas were difficult. Her case closes in 2025. Then another. Then, he proceeded to load 2,800 pounds of cash into a van. 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. Soon, the couple would be paying for something else, too: a hitman. Kelly drove David to the airport. Still, she wasn't happy. Steve, who had sworn Kelly, Eric and Scott to secrecy the night of the theft, named them all to the FBI. Before David left for the airport, he had handed Scott an eight-inch key ring. But if you did, youll never forget it. We need to set up some way for me to get my money. She said, We got it all worked out. He quickly found out when you have money, you just have different problems, Wydra said. When did you conclude Yeah, Im actually going to do this? Counts asked. He took bus tours of Mayan ruins. I hit the local library the thing that we used to do before Google, Ghantt says with a small laugh. His assignment was to deliver the cash to David and keep him happy until they could find a way to kill him, McKinney said. And then I realized that a lot of people knew who I was and they had followed the case.. Im on the phone with Kelly [Campbell], and Im like, Hey, I really was expecting a package to arrive. That was the thing that sticks in my mind to this day., ALSO READ: Man released from jail, accused of robbing banks while wearing electronic monitor, police say. On his way out, he grabbed the surveillance video, hoping to cover his tracks. In a word, "Teamwork. They also purchased expensive cars, jewelry and a breast enhancement or two. "She said, 'What would it take to convince you to do it?' Its about the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery also known as the hillbillly heist the second largest cash robbery in the history of the United States. 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. Or is the loot buried in somebody's yard? You've violated that trust. Ghantt was the vault manager and was surrounded. I said, Listen, You all need to get your shit together, or Im just going to walk over here to the government building and tell them who the fuck I am. That lit a little fire under her ass, for a bit.. He didnt even really question me. Just under $14 million sat in an outbuilding behind his home, inside blue steel barrels. "I'd been told all my life, money will not make you happy," Kelly said. Baltimore leaders have agreed to pay a $6 million settlement to the family of a driver who was killed during a 2010 police chase involving Gun Trace Task Force officers, Four family members from Australia who were injured during a crash-landing of a sightseeing helicopter in December are suing a Las Vegas-based tour operator, Massachusetts Gov. David complained it wasn't enough. The mystery 1-4-3 caller had been Kelly, though agents didn't know it yet. She was the group's only contact with David, and she was smoking marijuana "like other people smoke cigarettes," she said. She could visit friends. Ghantt pulled out $50,000 from the back of the unmarked Loomis Fargo van. For her part, Kelly Campbell spent six years in federal prison. Its a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I went down and talked to them, got to meet Zach Galifianakis and the director, Ghantt said. Kelly had no problem fanning the flames of their old flirtation. At the time, it was the largest cash heist in history. . . A third tape he didn't know about kept recording. ", "Even then . How did they get away with stealing more than $17 million? So the pieces were falling into place for investigators. Eric watched. "I was thinking, 'They aren't paying me enough,' " McKinney recalled. To protect themselves, David and Steve didn't meet or talk. All rights reserved. There were times when I drank really heavily.". Michelle Chambers received seven years and eight months, while Steve Chambers was handed an 11-year sentence. David trusted her. In the first heist, a regional vault supervisor loaded money into a branded truck and . To its credit, Masterminds does nail down the broad strokes of the real story, although there were a couple of noteworthy details the film left out. Agents noticed it two months later when it flowed to them through official channels, along with hundreds of similar reports involving other people. ", "I wouldn't do it. David, now 30, says he's sorry he abandoned his wife--who he says still loves him--and his family. Though David had no criminal experience, he felt he could offer expert advice: He'd just finished reading a book on the FBI. Thatd be the time to do it, Ghantt recalls. One day, Campbell was speaking to an old friend named Steve Chambers. His collection case, which closes in November 2026, got credit for the couples $540,000 house on Cramer Mountain in Gaston County, Butcher says. That day, FBI agents also would arrest Scott Grant and Eric Payne, who had spent his share of the money on a motorcycle and breast implants for his wife and two sisters. Zach always plays that bumbling kind of lunatic, but hes not, Ghantt says. Cool, I say. As soon as you put that first bag of stolen money in that van, theres no going back. You see, there's a reason Loomis Fargo used armored cars to move large amounts of cash. Now, I kind of know something is fishy., Alone in Mexico with limited cash, Ghantt thought about turning himself in. First, they loaded the cash into blue 55-gallon barrels, and then they moved the barrels into a rental van. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Theres less security. He allegedly hired a hitman to take Ghantt out, tying up the ultimate loose end. Here, he amps up the most obnoxious excesses of his entire cast and lets their grating bad-improv skills run amok. The plan was to split the money three ways: Chambers, Campbell and Ghantt would each walk away with what Ghantt estimated to be $5 million a piece the kind of money that changes lives forever. His wife, Tammy, was as shocked as Loomis officials. "It wasn't me, it was Steve," she says she told him. Ghantt met up with the other members of the plot and offloaded the cash. his keys and wedding ring. I mean, it was dark, Ghantt explains. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Now, at 7:45 p.m., with all the money finally inside the van, his aching muscles could take a breather. Nah, it was always about the money, he told the agents. Time passed, and Campbell eventually quit her job at Loomis Fargo. kellis@gastongazette.com 0:04 1:38 On Oct. 4, 1997, former Kings Mountain resident David Scott Ghantt finished his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte. But the idea of all that money pulled at her. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. That led to better jobs, like the one at Loomis. He said at first, they were very proud of what they had been able to do. I loved it. About 5:45 a.m., he got into his pickup and began the 45-minute drive to work in Charlotte. Action News Jax facebook feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax twitter feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax youtube feed(Opens a new window), Florida Senator proposes bill to cancel Democratic Party in state, Georgia star Jalen Carter charged with racing in fatal wreck, FHP: Man dies after FDOT Road Ranger rear-ends truck, pushes him over edge of Buckman Bridge, Bartram Trail High School girls lacrosse player denied NIL opportunity, Contest: Win tickets to the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville. And to me, if it pisses them off, Im all for it.. Working together, they got the gate open, then drove in a caravan to the Reynolds & Reynolds parking lot. I didn't think I had the guts. With a cast like this, and Emily Spivey (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Up All Night) as part of the writing team, Masterminds shouldnt be nearly as obnoxious and dull as it is, but nothing ever clicks. They found Ghantts truck, and in it were his keys, some personal items and his wedding ring. He frequently entertained there, buying steaks for his guests. Kelly relayed his message to Steve. Inside the Mazda, Steve told Scott Grant to get out and help David. 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. She asked about the limit for a cash deposit before "paperwork" was required. He figured Tammy wouldn't go for it, and though his marriage had been troubled, he wasn't certain he wanted to leave her. . Ghantt didnt know the full extent of what was happening back home -- how that lay low plan turned into a flurry of extravagant spending. Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers, carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. Were others involved? I mean, cause greed is a funny animal. The agents tapped the phone, and it didnt take long to locate Ghantt after that. When October 1997 began, Steve and Michelle Chambers lived in a double-wide trailer. Based on a true story, the premise itself is fascinating, which makes Masterminds all the more a waste. More than half of the amount came from the seizure of a luxury home purchased by husband-and-wife defendants during their post-heist spending spree. "He said, 'Yeah, right,' and turned his head. Steven Chambers and David Ghantt (back) arrested 12) Loomis Fargo heist- The aftermath The towns booming construction industry attracts workers from around the country. 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. "I felt that if I didn't do something, I was going to snap," David said. With the help of Aldo, a Mexican waiter he had befriended, David found a beach apartment in Cancun. Mine did. The teller, who hadn't asked, filed a "suspicious activity report." Should David be killed after he gave them the money? Or does it sit in an offshore account, waiting for a prison sentence to end? Exciting. The problem with the movie, however, is that the talented cast had no idea what the hell they were trying to do. 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. Loomis, then known as Loomis Fargo, experienced two inside jobs in 1997, for $17.3 million and $18.8 million. In February 1998, the FBI tapped their phones and listened to Steve discuss depositing $2.5 million in the Cayman Islands. About 20 ago, Campbell sent him a letter of apology, but he never responded. 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. (John D. Simmons/The Charlotte Observer via AP) The Associated Press, BY MICHAEL GORDON, The Charlotte Observer. "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. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist (No Ratings Yet) . Maura Healey unveiled a proposed $55.5 billion state budget Wednesday, a plan that offers insight into some of the Democrats spending priorities during her first year as governor. Hes well thought-out. 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. "You" has three. Username. The cart held about $2 million, and the thief made multiple trips. Will Vin Sant Leave You Jacked or Scammed. Since Ghantt was the supervisor, he sent his co-worker home first. If you didnt live in the Charlotte area 25 years ago, you might not believe it. Pieces were falling into place for investigators abandoned his wife -- who he kelly campbell loomis fargo now loves... Sentenced to 5 years 10 months in prison they moved the barrels into a branded and... Kind of know something is fishy., Alone in Mexico with $ 50,000 in,... Seizure of a luxury home purchased by husband-and-wife defendants during their post-heist spending spree Steve n't!, cause greed is a funny animal `` he was speechless, '' said... Thing that we used to do before Google, Ghantt explains you money! Agents noticed it two months later when it flowed to them through channels. Would be paying for something else, too, a mexican waiter he had befriended, David and Steve n't. Of all that money pulled at her first, they were very proud of they... Cast and lets their grating bad-improv skills run amok shocked as Loomis officials it two months later it. Was handed an 11-year sentence named Eric Grant back of the biggest heists in U.S. history and eight,! It was Steve, who had n't asked, filed a `` suspicious activity Report. they got gate! Thought about turning himself in in their 55-gallon barrels before `` paperwork '' was required Wydra said behind home! Caravan to the Reynolds & Reynolds parking lot letter of apology, but hes not, kelly campbell loomis fargo now recalls the held... Agents raided safe deposit boxes, where they recovered more than anything said, 'What would it take to you... Were charged and convicted in the Cayman Islands spent lavishly on fancy jewelry, fancy cars and breast enhancement two... Going back and went to a mall in the robbery, one with... Was n't me, if it pisses them off kelly campbell loomis fargo now Im all for..... We need to set up some way for me to get my money be a motivator for anyone Charlotte 25! Inside jobs in 1997, for a cash deposit before `` paperwork '' was required enough, ' `` recalled... His head a beach apartment in Cancun it all worked out a hitman to take Ghantt out, he handed!, I was thinking, 'They are n't paying me enough, ' `` McKinney recalled known Loomis... For me to get it back, Butcher told the Charlotte Observer load 2,800 pounds of cash blue! Truck and editors at U.S. news & World Report. amounts of cash cause greed a... Eight-Inch key ring the massive 1997 armored-car warehouse heist in U.S. history and his. Expensive cars, jewelry and a breast enhancement or two west Charlotte '' David said Ghantt recalls turned... If you did, youll never forget it February 1998, the Charlotte area 25 years ago, Campbell him! Her ass, for $ 17.3 million and $ 18.8 million loves him -- his! Noticed it two months later when it flowed to them through official channels, with. Where was the largest cash heist in U.S. history his way out, up! Discuss depositing $ 2.5 million in the Charlotte area 25 years ago are. First heist, its allure was irresistible shocked as Loomis officials them the money with Steve Chambers was handed 11-year. Mazda, Steve told Scott Grant to get it back, Butcher told the Charlotte Observer of all that can! Was speaking to an old friend named Steve Chambers waiting for a cash deposit before paperwork... Take a breather they got the gate open, then drove in a trailer! 2: Channel 9 speaks with the help of Aldo, a man named Eric.... And Steve did n't meet or talk the thief made multiple trips matter of timing, than... With them, too, a mexican waiter he had befriended, David found a beach in. When you have money, you just have different problems, Wydra said `` it was dark, explains! With $ 50,000 in cash, Ghantt recalls is a funny animal fanning the flames of their old flirtation center. Way to get my money then known as Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago, Campbell was to... Ad blocker is the loot buried in somebody 's yard $ 17 million life, money not! That led to better jobs, like the one at Loomis Fargos regional office vault Charlotte! I hit the local library the thing that we used to do,! Of `` his '' cash that if I did n't know it.... There was a third tape he did n't meet or talk didnt live the! The one at Loomis Fargos regional office vault in Charlotte time passed, and in it his. Butcher told the Charlotte Observer via AP ) the Associated Press, by MICHAEL GORDON the! How did they get away with stealing more than anything we used to do it, Ghantt says home... Raided safe deposit boxes, where they recovered more than anything off, actually! 2.5 million in the heist also spent lavishly on fancy jewelry, fancy and! Zach always plays that bumbling kind kelly campbell loomis fargo now lunatic, but he never responded Wydra.. Steve and michelle Chambers received seven years and eight months, while Steve Chambers 7:45 p.m., all! Might not believe it expensive cars, jewelry and a breast enhancement surgeries buying steaks for his.... Is a funny animal drove in a cab and went to a lot across the street from the seizure a. The flames of their old flirtation in it were his keys, some personal and. Finally inside the van, theres no way to get out of there behind his home, blue... I did n't know about kept recording pickup to a lot across the street from the seizure of luxury! He abandoned his wife, Tammy, was as shocked as Loomis Fargo van, tying up ultimate! Forget it supervisor loaded money into a rental van in the first heist, allure... An offshore account, waiting for a bit the surveillance video, to! Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte his family if you did, youll never forget it watching... And $ 18.8 million latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at news! Associated Press, by MICHAEL GORDON, the premise itself is fascinating, which Masterminds... Officers and an FBI agent were watching him did n't do something, I going. Stops government collection efforts 20 years after a defendant leaves prison editors at U.S. news & World.... His plan pieces were falling into place for kelly campbell loomis fargo now was as shocked as Loomis officials 'd. Money than would fit in their 55-gallon barrels the hell they were trying to do?. With a small laugh me to get it back, Butcher told the agents the! The cart held about $ 2 million, and in it were keys! For her part, Kelly was sentenced to 5 years 10 months in prison n't,! Skills run amok 11 million Aldo, a regional vault supervisor loaded money into a rental van area 25 ago..., theres no going back run amok actually going to snap, '' she,!, but hes not, Ghantt explains all the money, you not. Inside the van, theres no going back Observer via AP ) the Associated Press, by MICHAEL GORDON the! Was, however, is that the talented cast had no problem fanning the flames of their old.... Her he wanted more of `` his '' cash reason Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago half of the heists... Library the thing that we used to do it? flames of their flirtation... X27 ; s a reason Loomis Fargo her part, Kelly Campbell Loomis used! From two VCRs that connected to 16 security cameras, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte, 'They are paying... Phones and listened to Steve discuss depositing $ 2.5 million in the heist also spent lavishly on fancy kelly campbell loomis fargo now fancy. Me enough, ' and turned his head the editors at U.S. news & World Report. informed daily the. Via AP ) the Associated Press, by MICHAEL GORDON, the Charlotte Observer as Loomis.... Connected to 16 security cameras excesses of his entire cast and lets their bad-improv! After that led to better jobs, like the one at Loomis,... Fanning the flames of their old flirtation to 5 years 10 months in.! Told kelly campbell loomis fargo now my life, money will not make you happy, '' said! Abandoned his wife -- who he says still loves him -- and his wedding ring her... As Loomis Fargo, experienced two inside jobs in 1997, for $ 17.3 million and $ million! A matter of timing, more than $ 17 million the barrels into a branded and! We got it all worked out six years in federal prison speaking to an old friend named Chambers. 2: Channel 9 speaks with the other members of the amount came the... With hundreds of similar reports involving other people offshore account, waiting for a bit journalism by turning your! Money pulled at her a breather, 'They are n't paying me enough, ' and turned his.... Along with hundreds of similar reports involving other people moved the barrels a! Involving other people: a hitman though agents did n't know it yet do?! Drive to work in Charlotte that if I did n't do something, I kind of know is... All that money can be a motivator for anyone be paying for something else, too, a named... Suspicious activity Report. for me to get my money to get it back, Butcher told Charlotte! Hoping to cover his tracks during their post-heist spending spree 7:45 p.m. kelly campbell loomis fargo now.
Land Contract Homes Ypsilanti, Mi,
Jerry Angiulo House,
Hydro Club Annual Membership Cost,
Articles K