Because the money in the vault was largely from banks, the crime was technically a bank robbery and thus a federal offense. [1] Tips had led the FBI to begin monitoring Chambers's (and his wife's) activities, but it was not until the FBI recorded a phone call from Ghantt in Mexico that the final connection was made. Kate. Its a farce that never farces; a comedy without jokes. People still laugh when they think of the "velvet Elvis" Chambershad in his Cramer Mountain mansion, or how his former wife showed upat a local bankto deposit wads of cash that she assured the teller was not "drug money.". The Book of Dave: A New Path After a $17 Million Misstep by David But his partners soon began to get greedy and were spending large amountswith Chambers and his wife, Michelle, even buying an exclusive mansion in cash. (His wife tells him to change that word to "selfish."). Robbing the 7-Eleven and getting $40 bucks and a pack of Marlboros was not for me. Follow him on twitter: @MSainat1, 20 Years Later: Masterminds of One of the Largest Bank Heists in U.S. History, The CIAs Changing Take on the Climate Emergency, Emancipation, Hollywoods Best Civil War Film Ever. Kevin McCarthy is No Edward Snowden, But He Should Find the Comparison Flattering, Assessing Nicaraguas Long Haul toward Liberation and Economic Democracy, A National Divorce? Custom Content. We caught up with David Ghantt about - The Gaston Gazette | Facebook During the hearing, Culler recounted his client's difficult personal life: her parents' divorce when she was 2 or 3 years old; a teenage stay in a Baptist Children's home; a teenage pregnancy; and various medical conditions. Q: Do you appreciate your normal life now more than you would if you hadn't spent years in prison? Fact check: Is there much truth to the new 'Masterminds' movie David Ghantt And The Ridiculous Loomis Fargo Heist From there, the money was moved from the company vehicle to private vehicles. David Ghantt struck up a relationship with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell, and they continued to maintain contact even after Campbell left the company. Chambers would then occasionally wire Ghantt money and see to his basic financial needs; when "the heat was off," Ghantt was to re-enter the U.S. and the money would be split up among all of the co-conspirators. October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery - Wikipedia Campbell 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 otherwise, and one that continued after she left the company. Memorial services for Bishop David O'Connell began Wednesday night at As Predators' David Poile braces for retirement, wife reveals love story 2023 www.gastongazette.com. 29 David Ghantt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. 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. Culler acknowledged that she had overheard her husband and co-defendant Kelly Campbell talk about the plan, ``but she thought it was fantasy world.'. Ghantt added, I really enjoyed the movie. But Ghantt has been open about what he did and how he believes it changed him for the better. I didnt even know about it and overlooked it, he said. As it turns out, the heist did in fact go as well as you might expect. Michele Chambers' sentence was two months longer than that given to David Scott Ghantt, the Loomis employee who removed the money from the company vault on Oct. 4, 1997. Also charged were several innocent relatives that the robbers had enlisted to help get safety deposit boxes in various banks. A: I'm in dire need for some RO's barbecue and some Tony's Ice Cream. Just days after agreeing to the plan, the group set a day to carry out the robbery. He was insecure. 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist | wcnc.com Before he decided to steal $17 million from the bank, Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. So he hatched a plan to rob his employers. Having only brought $50,000 in cash, however, Ghantt soon found himself short on funds. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Inside the truck, they found Ghantt's ring and surmised this was a sign of Ghantt's intention to end his relationship with his wife. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. American Couple Who Disappeared in Greece Found Dead Dont worry, its not drug money.. David Scott Ghantt was the vault supervisor at the regional branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina. David Scott Ghantt: Vault Supervisor David Scott Ghantt was the vault supervisor at the regional branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina. This article will teach you more about the SAT subject tests. On Oct. 4, 1997, former Kings Mountain resident David Scott Ghantt finished his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte. 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. Project #ShowUs. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Ghantt plead guilty to his charges andserved six years in prison, along with21 other defendantswho received chargesrangingfrom money laundering to bank larceny. Thats the big thing. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. All of the cash from the Loomis Fargo heist was recovered or accounted for, except for $2 million. Masterminds which opens nationwide today (though youd be hard pressed to know that given the decided lack of promotion) is proof again that all the talent in the world cannot salvage a bad script, and not even a good screenwriter can make up for terrible performances. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Als u uw keuzes wilt aanpassen, klik dan op 'Privacyinstellingen beheren'. Ghantts wife was reportedly nothing like the bizarre, robotic fiance character in the film, for instance. Its heavy. All of the defendants except for one pleaded guilty and accepted their sentences. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? David Ghantt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Q: You came to the North Carolina mountains during Hurricane Irma, but what do you miss about Gastonia? However, the FBI knew immediately who robbed the vault (Ghant was seen on video camera), and it didnt take long for the FBI to loop in Kelly Campbell. 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C hristopher David Ghantt Phone Numbers (704) 678-8911. Channel 9 speaks with the man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 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. Everybody thinks being famous and being an actor is stupendous, and the money is fantastic, but they kind of live in afish bowl. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Holding 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 & Co. She was also ordered to pay $4.8 million in restitution.It was the fourth-most severe sentence given in the case, which has 21 defendants. They left behind the cash they couldnt fit in their cars. But after one visit, she asked a teller "How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds?" This Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of the notorious Loomis Fargo heist. Zach Galifianakis played David Scott Ghantt, with other roles played byOwen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon. I felt cornered and one day the joking in the break room about robbing the place suddenly didnt seem so far-fetched.. Once the heat was off, Ghantt would return and they would split the haul evenly. On March 1, 1988, Mexican police arrested Ghantt at Playa del Carmen. The former star . dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. Now looking back, with the life I have now, Ive got a great family, got a great kid. David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. Naturally, Ghantt started to run out of cash and turned to Chambers, who was annoyed by his requests for more money. Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. He then proceeded to load about $17.3 million in cash (approximately $11 million of which was in $20 bills) into the back of a company van. Campbell was receptive and brought the idea up to Ghantt. Whisler told the judge that the couple had searched for a new house before the theft, and that Michele Chambers bought rubber bands from Wal-Mart to count the money the night of the crime. Ghantt was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, though he was released on parole after five. How Did A Model Employee Manage To Steal More Than $17 Million - Yahoo! But there was just one thing the group hadnt been counting on: the massive weight of that amount of cash. They would then load as much cash as they could carry into a van. 121 90 1,443 Show this thread David GhanttRetweeted C.A. From the beginning, the FBIs prime suspect was David Ghantt. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. Authorities began to hone in on the group and put a wire tap on Campbell's phones. The next day, the Chambers, Campbell, and some other notable parties were arrested in Charlotte. The FBI continues to search for a missing $2 million from the theft. If you can see the obvious flaw in this plan, namely that Chambers would have no reason whatsoever to actually wire Ghantt any money, then congratulations. Looking back at the Loomis heist - Gaston Gazette The judge said he doubted she would be able to pay the $4.8 million restitution, but said federal law required him to impose it. Ghantt was. If so,check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. Please subscribe to keep reading. For a time, it was nicknamed "the hillbilly heist" because nearly all of the major players in the case came from small towns around Charlotte. By now, you probably know the names -- David Ghantt, Steve Chambers and his wife Michelle, and Kelly Campbell. On Oct. 4, Ghantt sent home the employee he was training and disabled two security cameras near the vault in preparation for the heist. The details of the heist itself, coupled with the missteps the crew made after stealing the money, attracted the attention of writers and movie producers. Even though they drove away with less than they had initially intended, they still had more than $17 million in hand.