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. 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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. "What would it take to make you do it?". Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. Since Ghantt was the supervisor, he sent his co-worker home first. For example, Steve Chambers and his wife were living in a. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. The Star-Ledger, 06/15/2015On October 4, 1997, an amateurish gang robbed Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte, NC of $17 million, the second largest heist in U.S. history. The police almost immediately called theFBI, since 95% of the money handled at the facility was owned by banks. Campbell and her husband had always been just scraping by, however in the weeks following the robbery, the two seemed to have more money than theyve ever had. Pink, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blonde. In fact, he had recently finished a book about the FBI and felt it provided insight into the agency's investigative techniques, insight he thought could help the little gang succeed. Meanwhile, Ghantt's gang spent wildly and paid their family members and friends to hide money. You cannot fine low-income people millions of dollars. The woman on the phone was Kelly Jane Campbell, and David had a mad crush on her. The Charlotte area's economy was booming all around him, and he felt passed over. : The $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft. All but one of the defendants pleaded guilty. Though much of the cash was already stacked on pushcarts in the vault, other stacks were on shelves or the floor, and they were heavy. This technically made it abank robbery afederal offense. He played high school football at Mays High School in Atlanta, and college football at Georgia Tech . Human nature is a flexible part of life, Gronquist said. But if you did, youll never forget it. Sure to be in demand as the book has been made into a movie, Masterminds, to be released in August.Michael Sawyer, Pine Bluff, AR. Even with several vehicles, they underestimated how much space they would need and they had to leave $3 million behind. Javascript is not enabled in your browser. But you cant get blood from a stone, Johns said. 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. What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. You should definitely start your own blog, I highly recommend it. Ghantt had worked with the branch since 1994, and had been promoted from a driver to the vault supervisor. Heist! Former Loomis employee David Scott Ghantt is accused of stealing the money. He hired a hitman to take Ghantt out, tying up the ultimate loose end. >> 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.. He realized his life wouldn't improve unless he did something drastic. In Reservoir Dogs, released just five years earlier, the pawns in a robbery knew each other only by assigned colors: Mr. Fourteen defendants were ordered to make restitution payments to Loomis Fargo totaling almost $19 million. When you have money, you just have different problems: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The woman on the phone was Kelly Jane Campbell, and David had a mad crush on her. In order to receive more evidence, the FBI decided to listen. 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. Getting restitution, its like pulling teeth., White-collar criminals are pretty good at hiding their money,, Youre supposed to get less time for cooperating, a lesser penalty, and instead, you see what she got hit with., She will never get beyond the debt. "Just remind Steve," he said, "that I might be trouble my own self." They didnt expect it.. For the defendants in the Loomis Fargo heist, its allure was irresistible. And they hit the jackpot -- FBI video shows agents recovering most of the stolen cash. A woman by the name of Kelly Campbell had worked there in 1996, and she and Ghantt had become friends in that time. Seven Charged In $17M Heist - CBS News Steve's a serious guy.". But on Oct. 4, 1997, that no longer mattered and Ghantt took off with $17.3 million. Curiously, Payne had recently paid of his Visa in one payment and had been driving around new and rented vehicles for the past weeks. The theft at the time the second-largest cash robbery in U.S. history has been the brunt of mocking movies and books, mostly on how the thieves, who had little money to begin with, could not control their spending habits once they did. 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. White-collar criminals are pretty good at hiding their money, she said. Besides her prison sentence, Campbell must undergo mental health and drug treatment and spend two years in a supervised release program. Ms. Campbell worked at Loomis for 11 months, leaving in November 1996, according to court papers. They kept several furnishings from the previous owners, including avelvet Elvis. TWO TO ENTER GUILTY PLEAS IN ARMORED-CAR ROBBERY - Greensboro News and >> PHOTOS: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). Fact check: Is there much truth to the new 'Masterminds' movie? Loomis Fargo Heist of 1997 - History and Other Things Eric Payne got out of prison in 2006 for his role in the heist and has since paid $11,357 on his $292,000 debt. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. A parrot tattoo on her right ankle. After marrying Tammy in 1992, he worked fueling airplanes at the airport in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Most people are going to forgive you. Seven p.m. came and went, and so did 7:20. That movie, Masterminds, was filmed in 2014. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. LeVaughn Kelly Campbell (born July 23, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former football wide receiver. 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. In March 1997, after Loomis Fargo & Company has been robbed of $18.8 million in Jacksonville by company security guard Philip Noel Johnson, Steve Eugene Chambers and Kelly Campbell, a former employee of Loomis, decides to rob the company. They succeeded in removing $17 million from the safe. Hes a family man with a wife and daughter. 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. Johnson had stolen $18.8 million earlier in the year, on March 19, 1997, only to be caught five months later, in late August, while crossing into Texas from Mexico to retrieve some of the money, which he'd hidden in a shed in mountainous western North Carolina. Burks was also ordered to serve 15 years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books. The $17 million Loomis Fargo heist in Charlotte, North Carolina, was the second largest armored car robbery in U.S. history. America's Dumbest Heist! (True Crime Documentary) | Real Stories The van used to move the money was later located a few miles from the warehouse. Hed never really been in trouble, he wasnt a career criminal, said retired FBI agent John Wydra. Man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago now a 'normal guy 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist | wcnc.com If it didn't work out, he could return to the United States later with a new identity. Well they were in some sense celebrities, Gronquist said. There are many robberies registered in the history of America, but the Loomis Fargo Robbery is known to be the second largest robbery in the United States. Stealing from Loomis Fargo could make him rich, if he got away with it. The unsolved crime mystery of Marilyn Sheppard. They involve Loomis armored car driver David Scott Ghantt. The money weighed as much as a compact car and he did it all by himself. But with Kelly's new idea on the table, several dark realities converged on him. I gotta go.". We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In addition, he also rented Mike his own apartment, paid him $400/weekly and bought him a gun. FBI video shows the agency searching that home and finding drawers full of cash. 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. Ghantt was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Nathan, Steves cousin, was found in a mobile home the Chambers had abandoned. 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. The building was configured so vans could drive inside and pull up next to the vault. Feet Security Officer Bo Foot's Incident In Happy Town | ipl.org In David's eyes, Johnson's big mistake was that he did it alone. The unfairness gnawed at him, stirred by Kelly's questions. In Campbells case, Gronquist says his client was buried in court-ordered debt despite the fact that she took responsibility for what she had done and cooperated with prosecutors and the FBI. 'Can I Keep the Velvet Elvis?': The Great Hillbilly Heist of 1997 Two days later, when the FBI found the Loomis Fargo armored van, they discovered almost $3.3 million in cash left in the back of the van; it was later discovered that the thieves had miscalculated the sheer bulk of the small denomination currency, and that they simply left the cash that they could not take with them in the back of the van. He knew they were nervous outside waiting for him, but he also knew he wouldn't stop stealing until he had taken everything. A woman by the name of Kelly Campbell had worked there in 1996, and she and Ghantt had become friends in that time. The plan was for Ghantt to commit the actual robbery and then quickly leave the country forMexico but to leave the bulk of the cash with Chambers. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The $17 million was stolen last Oct. 4 from the armored-car company's vault in Charlotte. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Only a nickel on every dollar have been collected so far. The Loomis Fargo heist: 25 years later 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. The site features a collection of unexplained, strange and odd mysteries. Loomis Fargo defendants owe as much as they stole in 1997 People dont seem to understand human nature. David and Kelly had driven to Rock Hill, South Carolina, and used the documents to obtain a fake ID that David would also rely on after the theft. In the parking lot, David sat in his pickup truck smoking a cigarette and waving good-bye as the trainee drove home. David said he needed Kelly to drive to Loomis before the theft that night to remove a duffel bag from his parked pickup truck. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser. He wanted to leave his wife for her, and Kelly, who also was married, let him think she wanted the same. At about 6:40 p.m., he went back inside. He and his wife, Michele, moved from theirmobile homeinLincoln Countyto a luxury house in the wealthy Cramer Mountain section ofCramerton. To be brutally honest, it was that morning, Ghantt replied. of violence, racism, anti-Semitism, or About the worst he had done as a teenager was stealing a construction company's Porta-Jon with a friend, tying it to the back of a pickup truck, and driving around for about fifteen minutes. While Ghantt trusted Chambers enough to leave his cut behind, Chambers had other plans. So we were able to figure out with all the denominations, it would require about 20 safe deposit boxes to store it all., WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), Part 2: Channel 9 speaks with the man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago, ALSO READ: 14-year-old boy robbed at gunpoint while waiting for bus in east Charlotte, mom says, ALSO READ: Leader of $3M check theft, bank fraud scheme in Charlotte area sentenced to prison, ALSO READ: Man released from jail, accused of robbing banks while wearing electronic monitor, police say, ALSO READ: Suspect from south Charlotte bank robbery found, CMPD says, NCSHP arrest driver accused of nearly hitting 2 students at bus stop in Statesville, CMS delays opening of new school meant to ease overcrowding, Mooresville orders removal of memorial at park after teens death, Chick-fil-A announces app data breach, tells customers how to protect personal information, Charlotte woman celebrates $1 million scratch-off prize, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. The FBI was inadvertently aided by the gang members extravagant spending. He loves his motorcycle and enjoys going fishing and, while hes sorry for the past, hes not ashamed to talk about 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.. We are happy to work with other website publishers. He deserved better. In the first couple of weeks, they had heard both Steve and Shelley bragging about their new-found fortune, and spending remarkable amounts of money. "I'll need help moving the money, getting a new ID, and leaving the country," he told her. This website uses cookies and some data tracking to improve your experience and serve adverts, We assume you're ok with this, you can opt-out if you wish. Discover some of the worlds strangest ancient places. In Campbells case, Gronquist says his client was buried in court-ordered debt despite the fact that she took responsibility for what she had done and cooperated with prosecutors and the FBI. Loomis Fargo defendants owe as much as they stole in 1997 It should have been easy, but for some reason the gate didn't open for him. Then, keeping with the plan, Ghantt took $50,000 (the maximum that could be taken across the border by law without further authorization) with him and left for Mexico, winding up at the popularYucatan Peninsularesort ofCozumel. He'd already done enough, he realized, to get himself fired and arrested, even if the gate prevented him from moving the money outside the building. Channel 9 speaks with the man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 : The .17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft [Jeff Diamant] on Amazon.com. The unsolved mystery of the Van Meter Visitor a winged creature! 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. But things didnt quite work out that way. Also charged with money laundering were innocent relatives and friends who had co-signed safe deposit boxes. 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. Despite being caught on camera wheeling the money from the vault to the getaway van, David Ghantt makes off to Mexico before the FBI can blink. All but one took plea deals, including Ghantt, who was sentenced to seven years in prison. Twenty people were convicted of roles big and small in the massive 1997 armored-car warehouse heist in west Charlotte. The Loomis Fargo Heist Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. David's share would be sent to Mexico, where he planned to hide and where he expected Kelly to join him. David and Steve had never met, but Steve had already secured somebody else's birth certificate and social security card for him and given it to Kelly to pass along. On Oct. 5, the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday. So its one thing to go from up here, thought, to action, he said. Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it, the now-retired Gronquist told the Observer. 'When you have money, you just have different problems': The Loomis They assumed that whoever was involved would keep the cash in a safe place, like a safe deposit box. "What would it take to convince you to do it?" David would simply empty the vault and deliver the money to the others. There was a book published in 2002 as well, by author Jeff Diamant called,Heist! Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it, the now-retired Gronquist told the Observer. These (Loomis) guys, not so much.. You can seize property. But after a year, they cut it down to two agents. He says the Loomis case shows how the criminal justice system and the courts treat lower-income people differently. It was David who was hours away from committing the most daring act of his life, and she was going off about Steve being a serious guy? 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.