All were convicted, and while some received probation for money laundering, many others did a hard time. 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. After this, he began loading $17 million in unmarked bills inside a company van before driving away. I wanted to make a drastic change and I went for it," Ghantt said. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { The plot revolves around Ghantt who teamed up with his former loomis co-worker Kelly Campbell. Meanwhile, Chambers would hold on to most of the cash and send Ghantt small amounts of money as and when required. Robbing the 7-Eleven and getting $40 bucks and a pack of Marlboros was not for me. A series of snapshots published in the Observer on March 8, 1998, just as the FBI and everyone else was getting a grip on just how strange the heist had been. Few who were living in the area at the time can forget the "Velvet Elvis" painting Chambers had hanging in his mansion or the tales of cosmetic surgery, BMW convertibles and other signs of excess. My knee-jerk reaction was to be angry, and then the sarcastic ass side of me started laughing about it, Ghantt said. WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), Part 1: When you have money, you just have different problems: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later, ALSO READ: Trio charged following takeover-style bank robbery in South End, sources say, ALSO READ: Police: Suspect arrested in Rock Hill following bank robbery in northwest Charlotte, ALSO READ: Business owner says more than $100K in checks stolen, then forged and deposited, 13-year-old girl killed in crash involving tractor-trailer on I-485 in west Charlotte, police say, Tattooed arm of missing man found inside shark caught by fishermen, Shanquella Robinson case needing high-level diplomatic intervention, attorney says, Wells Fargo to close Charlotte-area branch, two others in NC in consolidation move, Murdaugh Trial, Day 27: Jury visits crime scene before closings at trial, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. Kelly : Oh, it's a real magical place. 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. David Ghantt struck up a friendship with Kelly Campbell, a coworker who saw eye to eye with him. Friends of Campbell had also begun spending large amounts of cash. Steve had hired a bodyguard named Mike McKinney. Campbell, 29, had pleaded guilty to charges of bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder. It was here that the money was moved from the armored car to private vehicles. David's crush and former co-worker, Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig), approaches David about robbing the very company that he works for.Despite the lack of intelligence, Ghantt somehow pulls off the heist . Before long, the tales of high living by Chambers and his now former wife, Michelle, led the thieves to be labeled either the "Cramer Mountain Hillbillies" or "The gang that couldn't steal straight." 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 . $17.3 million . Campbell was receptive and brought the idea to Ghantt. Now they only had to track down Ghantt and his accomplices. The plan was to maintain a low profile and wait for things to cool off, allowing Ghantt to return to the states and collect his cut. Loomis Fargo & Company was established in 1997 by the consolidation of Wells Fargo Armored Service and Loomis Armored Inc. Answer It is based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina, which was the subject of the 2016 American comedy film Masterminds. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect The plan was to maintain a low profile and wait for things to cool off, allowing Ghantt to return to the states and collect his cut. I made a joke once that was the hardest Id ever worked for Wells Fargo -- yeah, its a lot of work, Ghantt said. Galifianakis can pull off broad comedy effortlessly, a skill which catapulted him to . But when he's convinced by his work crush, Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) and her accomplices to join in a far-fetched plan to rob a bank vault, David soon throws everything on the line for love, money, and a . display: none; The plan of the Loomis Fargo heist was for Ghantt to commit an actual robbery and then flee to Mexico City, where he would stay until enough time passed to enter the United States. The Chambers traded in their trailer for a $635,000 mansion in Cramer Mountain - bought with mostly $20 . It was over. 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. In October 1997, David Ghantt walked into the vault at Loomis Fargo. When to set your clocks for daylight saving time, A raw bar, Asian restaurant, ice cream shop and arcade debut at Concord food hall. Former Cramerton Police Chief David Young soon got wind of the Chambers excessive spending spree and reached out to the FBI. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters is delivering the closing argument for the state, followed by defense attorney Jim Griffin who will deliver the closing argument for the defense. One day, David's girlfriend Campbell was talking to an old friend named Steve Chambers. Day 27 live updates: Murdaugh family weapons killed victims, SC prosecutor says in closing, Woman who caused death of Charlotte athlete takes plea deal + NC police depts. Ghantt:I've always known that story had potential to be a comedy or a drama. Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. ", GREENSBORO Jurors found TikTok star Jessica Middlebrook, known as towtruckjess on social media, not guilty of involuntary manslaughter Thu. Everything came crashing down on an early March morning in 1998. Robbing the 7-Eleven and getting $40 bucks and a pack of Marlboros was not for me. All Rights Reserved. The next day, before Mike was able to leave the country, the FBI arrested him in his hotel room. Chambers, who still lives in Gaston County and operates a gym, declined to comment. The towns booming construction industry attracts workers from around the country. As Ghantt was fed up with his underpaying job, he was receptive to the idea and the three started planning a heist. Ghantt went on to explain that he left for his flight to Mexico with about $25,000, and that two or three deliveries of extra money was made to him by the man Chambers would pay to kill him. You have to remember that it's Hollywood and they'll take what was a minor event and they'll blow it up and make it as funny as they can.". First, they tapped the Chambers phone, and began listening in on February 11th, 1998. The Legend of the Green Man: Raymond Robinson, The Incredible Dunkirk Evacuation- in rare pictures, Elizabethan Food and Drink- Brief History & Key Facts, 10 Famous Female Warriors Who Made Their Mark On History, 15 Intriguing Facts About The Middle Ages. If I hadn't done what I did the, the life I have now with my wife and child, I wouldn't have. David Ghantt was a nuisance to Steve Chambers and Kelly Campbell, John Wydra, a retired FBI agent who handled the case, told Super Heists.. Well, we bring to you a bank heist so ridiculous and poorly planned, that you will think I can plan a better heist!. From my standpoint it was just a business deal, Ghantt said. They didnt stop there, they then proceeded to buy luxury cars, big-screen TVs and other extravagant items. Ghantt would then take a bulk of the cash, as much as could legally be carried across the border without questions, and flee to Mexico. Within a few months, they were arrested. Inside the truck, they found Ghantt's wedding ring. Looking back at the Loomis heist. He was eventually approached to be a consultant for the 2016 movie Masterminds, which is based on the Loomis Fargo heist. 2023 Cox Media Group. However, he had not perceived the weight of a large sum of money. Question: How much of 'Masterminds' is true? David Ghantt: Oh, God! David Ghantt: Yeah, it feels like it just grazed my biscuits right there betwixt them. One of them was a former Loomis employee. Further stating that it was not drug money. I don't want to be mean, but that's probably the dumbest thing they could do. The FBI investigation was able to connect Ghantt to Campbell quickly. Kelly : No, Rio. Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated. Its easy to get somebody to do something if you know that they are that infatuated with you.. A third surveillance tape was carelessly left behind, and the company was able to identify the man who robbed the vault as David Ghantt. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, . Ghantt was the vault manager and was surrounded daily . "I'm glad I've grown out of that.". Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial Guided by federal sentencing rules, prosecutors had requested a sentence of nine years for Michele Chambers. Ghantt: My cut was supposed to be about $5 million, but that's not what I ended up with. David Scott Ghantt, 28, was arrested Sunday on an island off the Mexican coast, near the resort city of Cozumel, FBI spokesman William Perry said today. The FBI says Chambers hired a hit man to tie up the ultimate loose end -- Ghantt. In real-life, Ghantt, then 27, used his access to swipe $17 million, later fleeing to Mexico with $25,000 of it stashed into the legs of pantyhose that he wore as a money belt; while he waited . That was the most painful truth to come to. This story was originally published October 1, 2017, 6:44 PM. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ While the FBI spent five months looking for David Scott Ghantt, authorities say his accomplices in a $17 million heist were living the high life _ a new car, a new home, even breast implants for one. 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