Former Cramerton Police Chief David Young soon got wind of the Chambers excessive spending spree and reached out to the FBI. Ghantt's spending in Mexico was extravagant at first. The connection to Chambers took more time. 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. Afterward, outside the courthouse, her parents said the length was about what she had expected. 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. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Also charged were several innocent relatives that the robbers had enlisted to help get safety deposit boxes in various banks. Ghantt was. The next day, Steve and Michelle Chambers, Kelly Campbell, and four others were arrested.[6]. By comparison, Ghantt served seven years in prison and was fined $26,000. David Scott Ghantt was the vault supervisor at the regional branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina. But even though he worked for a company that regularly moved millions of dollars, David Ghantt himself was underpaid. They had initially agreed to control their spending for a year or two, in the belief that the government would vigorously track the spending habits of any and all suspects for at least a year before relenting. Als u uw keuzes wilt aanpassen, klik dan op 'Privacyinstellingen beheren'. Ghantt, now 29, was a tall, decorated Persian Gulf War veteran whom early newspaper reports likened to Huckleberry Finn. I really don't miss that guy. Even the outtakes during the credits are bad. Her reaction seems so far away now, all these years and a Hall of Fame career later. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Ghantt believed the new employee would make a good replacement for his wife, but the feelings were not necessarily reciprocated. Philosophically, now looking back I wouldnt be who I am now if I hadnt gone through all that, said David Scott Ghantt in an interview with the Observer. Thirteen friends and family members were also charged with money laundering, as they had helped Ghantt, Chambers, Campbell, and the others deposit money illegally. They called the police, who brought in the FBI, classifying the heist as a bank robbery. He made it across the border just as his deception was discovered. Q: Do you appreciate your normal life now more than you would if you hadn't spent years in prison? Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Creative Insights. Robbing the 7-Eleven and getting $40 bucks and a pack of Marlboros was not for me. Ghantt, who had been with the bank since 1994, was promoted from driver to vault supervisor in 1997, where he earned $360 a week and befriended Kelly Campbell (Wiig), who got Ghantt mixed up in the plans for the heist after she left Loomis. Now looking back, with the life I have now, Ive got a great family, got a great kid. Kelly Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced in October. 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. what is david ghantt doing now 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 . 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist | wcnc.com Chambers promised to wire him money in Mexico until the investigation blew over and Ghantt could return to North Carolina. But after one visit, she asked a teller "How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds?" A comedy film called Masterminds, based on the Loomis Fargo heist and starring Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, and Jason Sudeikis, was released in 2016. 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. Ghantt has never explained where that money went. They kept several furnishings from the previous owners, including a painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet. [1], This robbery was the second-largest cash robbery on U.S. soil at the time, as only seven months earlier, on March 29, 1997 in Jacksonville, Florida, Philip Noel Johnson stole $18.8 million from the Loomis Fargo armored vehicle he was driving.[2]. I'll take the live one. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. . Victoria Beckham's Family Including Brooklyn and Wife Nicola 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. Campbell knew theyd need the help of the warehouses vault supervisor, who just happened to have a crush on her, and she called Ghantt to ask for his help. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Generally, the events of the film are fairly close to reality when they follow the broad details of the case. I'd probably be that infamous gringo living in Belize, kicked back on the beach, fishing and bored out of my mind. Chambers served 11 years before being released. But in addition to a wife,. If I hadnt of done that, Id probably still be in North Carolina and I would not have got to meet a lot of the interesting people that Ive got to meet. Instead, the two started hanging out on the beach together and became friends. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Ghantt, Chambers, and Campbell came up with the following plan: Ghantt would remain in the vault after his shift on the night of the heist, Oct. 4, 1997, and let his co-conspirators into the vault. [3][4] Its Charlotte office would be the victim of David Scott Ghantt and his confederates later that year. All rights reserved. We caught up with David Ghantt about life after his $17m heist, hanging out with Zach Galifianakis and the accuracy of Masterminds, a new movie based on. You can cancel at any time. Director Jared Hess Writers Chris Bowman (screenplay) Hubbel Palmer (screenplay) Emily Spivey (screenplay) Stars Zach Galifianakis Kristen Wiig Owen Wilson followed by "Don't worry, it is not drug money," the bank filled out a suspicious activity report, which ultimately reached the FBI. Question: Which do you regret more, stealing the money or getting caught? The morning after the height, employees of Loomis Fargo realized they couldnt open the vault. Masterminds (2016) - Zach Galifianakis as David Ghantt - IMDb Will California Save the Iconic Joshua Tree? Naturally, Ghantt started to run out of cash and turned to Chambers, who was annoyed by his requests for more money. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. She wondered how much she could deposit without attracting the attention of the FBI, so she decided to just ask the teller: How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds? she asked. It's the little things like that that gnaw on you. But neither of those things would matter after he met Kelly Campbell. ', He explained the glorification and glamour often associated with bank heists and bank robberies in Hollywood films is far from reality. 20 Years Later: 'Masterminds' of One of the Largest Bank Heists in U.S When I interviewed for this job about three years ago, I told (my boss) that I had some dirt in my background, and if he went digging for it, he would find it. ``This defendant was second to Steve Chambers in (benefiting) from the crime,' he said. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). David Ghantt And The Loomis Fargo Heist: The Outrageous True Story Guided by federal sentencing rules, prosecutors had requested a sentence of nine years for Michele Chambers. Youre better at planning bank heists than David Ghantt. How Did A Model Employee Manage To Steal More Than $17 Million - Yahoo! 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. When Seymour Hersh Strained to Keep Up With CounterPunch, Nichole Stephens, Administrative Assistant. A: Zach and I have a runningtext conversation going, but he's very busy. All but one of the defendants pleaded guilty. While making only eight dollars an hour in his role as supervisor, Ghantt decided it was time to do something: I was unhappy with my life. David Ghantt (@DavidGhantt) is a man that still holds the record for the second largest bank heist on American Soil. Unfortunately, he failed to disable the third camera. Campbellwho was married herselfrepresented something new and exciting. But before thehit could be carried out, the FBI swooped in and arrested Ghantt and the others. Dont worry, its not drug money.. 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. 4 million images and real time event coverage from coast to coast , ImageCollect is the only celebrity photo site you'll ever need. The thieves had simply abandoned whatever they couldnt carry away. On March 12, a Charlotte grand jury indicted the eight co-conspirators for bank larceny and money laundering; the latter offense was included because of how they spent the stolen money. Eventually, Ghantt would return to the United States and the full sum would be split up between the conspirators. A: I hate to think about what I'd be doing if I hadn't gotten caught. The Election, U.S. Foreign Policy, And Harold Pinter's 2005 Nobel Lecture, Nate Parker on Rape Allegations: 'I Don't Feel Guilty'. All rights reserved. A Comprehensive Guide. 1) David Ghantt is underpaid and unhappy. But last Oct. 4, when he still hadn't gotten home by 2:30 a.m., she called his parents in. I didnt even know about it and overlooked it, he said. March 2, 2023 - Alex Murdaugh found guilty in the murder of his wife Some people screw up big like you, some people screw up small.". Separating the Red and Blue. Retro CharlotteFBI security footage of David Ghantt in the midst of the Loomis Fargo heist. David Ghantt (@DavidGhantt) / Twitter A: When I first got in, I thought, "What in my life has led me to this?" While listening in, they uncovered another more sinister alleged plan to kill Ghantt. On Oct. 4, 1997, former Kings Mountain resident David Scott Ghantt finished his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte. I think Zachs a hell of an actor. START or Stop: Do Nuclear Weapons Treaties Matter? Not only was Ghantt the only unaccounted for employee the morning after the heist, there was also footage of Ghantt moving the cash into the back of the Loomis Fargo van. While she made small deposits at first, she became more reckless, eventually making a deposit of thousands of dollars in cash, telling the teller not to worry: Its not drug money.. Chambers was always considered the "mastermind" behind the theft, but he doesn't talkmuch about his Loomis heist days, not even when actor Owen Wilson portrayed him in the 2016comedy about the heist titled"Masterminds.". An additional tip reached the FBI when Michelle Chambers made a large deposit at a bank. 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. LRM Exclusive Interview: David Ghantt, Real Life Thief Who Inspired David Ghantt attends the after party for the Premiere Of Relativity Media's "Masterminds" on September 26, 2016 in Hollywood, California. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. American Couple Who Disappeared in Greece Found Dead Here's whatGhantt says now about the heist that madethe "Cramer Mountain Hillbillies" famous and changed him forever. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Im like, You need to understand that, that money has been missing for 20 years. "Wells Fargo and Loomis forming armored car company", Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 16:45, Learn how and when to remove this template message, painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet, "FindACase | United States of America v. Steven Eugene Chambers", "The Unperfect Crime | New Dominion Pictures", "Sunday Evening/Late Night September 9, 2001", "Loomis Fargo heist: Q&A with guy who stole $17 million", "MASTERMINDS - Movie Production NotesCinemaReview.com", Ghantt and other gang members arrested in March 1998, Steven Chambers released from prison; announces he is a "retired criminal", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=October_1997_Loomis_Fargo_robbery&oldid=1140756292, Overcoming the mindset that led to the part David Ghantt played in the Loomis robbery and how he started on a new path was the subject of the book, Within days of the robbery, the case was depicted on the television criminal reporting show, An expanded two-hour special episode of the crime documentary series. Most high schools offer a variety of history classes, so make sure youre taking the right ones for you. Als u niet wilt dat wij en onze partners cookies en persoonsgegevens voor deze aanvullende doeleinden gebruiken, klik dan op 'Alles weigeren'. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM MASTERMIND MOVIE. [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. Federal Judge Graham Mullen sentenced her to between those lengths. I didnt even have a real home life because I was never there. Wanneer u onze sites en apps gebruikt, gebruiken we, gebruikers authenticeren, veiligheidsmaatregelen toepassen en spam en misbruik voorkomen, en, gepersonaliseerde advertenties en content weergeven op basis van interesseprofielen, de effectiviteit meten van gepersonaliseerde advertenties en content, en, onze producten en services ontwikkelen en verbeteren. Having only brought $50,000 in cash, however, Ghantt soon found himself short on funds. He also took various measures to change his appearance, such as shaving, after a patron at a restaurant pointed out to him that he "looked like the man who robbed a bank of $20 million. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. Chambers promised to wire him money in Mexico until the investigation blew over and Ghantt could return to . In November 1990, David married Margaret in San Diego, California. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. I knew that if we could stay off the radar for about a year, we could basically live a vacation life, Ghantt said. David Bragg . EDITORIAL. But it was Ghantt, now 47 and living with his wife and daughter in Jacksonville, Florida,who actually took more than 2,000 pounds of cash and just drove away from his job. I was working all the time and unhappy I felt cornered and one day the joking in the break room about robbing the place suddenly didnt seem so far-fetched.. Harper Beckham Attends Paris Fashion Week & Looks So Grown Up Ghantt @ChristyGhantt Dec 7, 2022 I just entered the @clxgaming Ra PC Giveaway! Investigators also found Ghantt's pickup truck, abandoned at the warehouse. You see, theres a reason Loomis Fargo used armored cars to move large amounts of cash. My name is David Scott Ghantt. I stole $17 million, and Zach - reddit 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.