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. Tuesday marked 25 years since a group of buddies pulled off the third-largest money grab in U.S. history -- the Loomis Fargo heist. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. 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. David was thin six-foot-one, one hundred sixty-five pounds and heaving the stacks onto the cart, pushing the cart toward the vault door, and then emptying its contents into the van was exhausting. So its one thing to go from up here, thought, to action, he said. There are multiples of thousands of these things coming every year. A woman by the name of Kelly Campbell had worked there in 1996, and she and Ghantt had become friends in that time. It just happened to fall on my desk.. Campbell used to work for Loomis and continued the friendship with Ghantt, eventually hooking him up with Chambers. The case had gotten national publicity and was the subject of numerous articles, documentaries and even a movie. Burks was also ordered to serve 15 years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books. After marrying Tammy in 1992, he worked fueling airplanes at the airport in Hilton Head, South Carolina. They also purchased expensive cars, jewelry and a breast enhancement or two. He and his wife, Michele, moved from theirmobile homeinLincoln Countyto a luxury house in the wealthy Cramer Mountain section ofCramerton. The Loomis Fargo Heist Over the next months, Ghantt, Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. White-collar criminals are pretty good at hiding their money, she said. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. 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 they've ever had. Change). He realized his bosses would know he had worked that day and that he was missing, but maybe without a video they would think he'd been held at gunpoint and taken hostage, or even better, that he'd been killed. But after one visit, she asked a teller How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds? followed by Dont worry, it is notdrug money, the bank filled out asuspicious activity report, which ultimately reached the FBI. A report by the General Accounting Office found that as of budget year 2016, $110 billion in restitution ordered by the federal courts was outstanding and that more than 90% of the amount had been classified as uncollectible.. He hired a hitman to take Ghantt out, tying up the ultimate loose end. A connection between each suspect began to emerge slowly, and as the intensity of spending grew, suspicion did as well. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Lacking a college degree, he found that his army skills felt meaningless in the 1990s job market. Paying the money back has taken a lot longer, and time is running out for the U.S. government to collect. 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.. Jim Gronquist, Campbells defense attorney during the Loomis case, says the financial penalties levied against his client and her co-defendants are grossly excessive and unjust, particularly since most of the stolen Loomis money was actually recovered. David said he needed Kelly to drive to Loomis before the theft that night to remove a duffel bag from his parked pickup truck. She will never get beyond the debt. I made a joke once that was the hardest Id ever worked for Wells Fargo -- yeah, its a lot of work, Ghantt said. He stayed at it until the vault was empty. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Youre supposed to get less time for cooperating, a lesser penalty, and instead, you see what she got hit with. Gronquist said. : The .17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft . The van used to move the money was later located a few miles from the warehouse. He was on a budget for clothes, even for work boots; he had recently needed to check seven stores before finding a pair in his price range. >> 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.. Even with several vehicles, they underestimated how much space they would need and they had to leave $3 million behind. From there, the money was moved from the armored car to private vehicles. La vie de David Ghantt n'a rien de compliqu. A more immediate need was securing help to move the stolen money to safety the night of the crime. Records show the government has garnished his Social Security checks. How he felt shorted by life. LeVaughn Kelly Campbell (born July 23, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former football wide receiver. In the parking lot, David sat in his pickup truck smoking a cigarette and waving good-bye as the trainee drove home. You Save 23%. The only other employee with him on this day was a trainee. A couple by the names of Steve and Shelley Chambers also became people of interest in the investigation due to their extreme sudden increase in spending. A few of the Loomis restitution cases have already been closed either because the amount was paid in full or because the 20-year clock wound down. Before the robber left Loomis Fargo, he made a trip to the managers office to remove two surveillance tapes in order to conceal his identity. Ghantt went to Mexico leaving the money with his cohorts, thinking that he could get his share back when he needed it. 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. But you cant get blood from a stone, Johns said. But this time on the phone, Kelly wasn't joking. They hadn't slept together or even fooled around much, but he was ready to commit. 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. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. Getting that off his chest calmed him some, and the conversation returned to the plan. While Ghantt trusted Chambers enough to leave his cut behind, Chambers had other plans. It took me going to prison to realize I was a bag of worms, and it took me years of work to be somebody worthy to come back into our society, he said. He and co-worker Kelly Campbell, 27, had developed a close relationship and were spending time together outside of work. What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. CHARLOTTE (AP) During one overnight shift, a bumbling conspiracy of thieves just west of Charlotte stole more than $17 million from Loomis Fargo. He couldn't understand the gap, why he wasn't more successful, why he couldn't at least match the financial stability of his father, who earned a comfortable salary driving a truck. His eyes widened and he stopped breathing as he realized that something as mundane as a malfunctioning gate might ruin their entire plan. Getting restitution, its like pulling teeth.. Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. There was no reason to leave anything, he felt. The hillbilly outfit did more that just drop a few breadcrumbs. He had stayed in a luxury hotel and paid for expensive food and activities such asscuba divingandparasailing. He had joined the army and earned an honorable discharge, but because of defense-industry cutbacks he hadn't been able to find a good job for himself. Jim Gronquist, Campbells defense attorney during the Loomis case, says the financial penalties levied against his client and her co-defendants are grossly excessive and unjust, particularly since most of the stolen Loomis money was actually recovered. Thank you so much. CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Kelly Campbell, the woman who helped plan the $17 million robbery of armored-car company Loomis, Fargo was sentenced yesterday to nearly six years in prison and ordered to. Its in the ether. Discover the truth behind unexplained ancient mysteries, UFO mysteries, secret locations and paranormal events. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. 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 FBI says Chambers hired a hitman to tie up the ultimate loose end -- Ghantt. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) During one overnight shift, a bumbling conspiracy of thieves just west of Charlotte stole more than $17 million from Loomis Fargo. The unsolved crime mystery of Marilyn Sheppard. Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. Of course the problem was, the money belonged to someone else. He had approached her inside the chain-link fence that surrounded the building and said with a flirty smile, "If you give me a cigarette, I'll be your friend. (LogOut/ But you cant get blood from a stone,, Criminals dont usually get high-paying jobs after leaving prison. The supervisor liked him and gave him the job. So that was kind of like this once-in-a-lifetime thing, Wydra said. The movie was called Masterminds and stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson. Jim Gronquist was Campbells defense attorney. The stated plan was for her to move to Mexico to be with him after the theft. Ghantt studied how to rob his employer and advised the others not to spend the money lavishly. FBI video shows agents searching the Cramer Mountain home and finding stacks of cash. The building was configured so vans could drive inside and pull up next to the vault. In the end, the FBI was able to capture the original gang in five months, snaring 21 individuals for their participation in the crime. 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. 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. Kelly had approached David with the idea in the summer, knowing he had a crush on her and winning him over with the promise that a shady friend of hers with Mafia ties would help them. Growing up, David had been a nice kid, a decent student who was at worst a minor troublemaker and prankster. Down in Jacksonville, a Loomis Fargo employee took $18 million from an armored van he was driving. But if you did, youll never forget it. I ride motorcycles and fish -- normal guy, Ghantt told Counts. He would then have the bulk of his share sent south of the border. She'd left Loomis in November 1996 to take a job elsewhere as a security guard. They also found several stacks of money with Loomis bands still attached throughout all the homes searched. VERDICT The first edition of this work was published in 2002. You can seize property. One number is working in Campbells favor. The walk-in vault was a fortified gray room, more wide than long, with shelves, cabinets, desks, and multiple pushcarts stocked with shrink-wrapped cash. Heist! He called Kelly to say he was coming and hopped into the driver's seat of the loaded Loomis van. The towns booming construction industry attracts workers from around the country. How did they get away with stealing more than $17 million? What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. He allegedly hired a hitman to take Ghantt out, tying up the ultimate loose end. High around 65F. In one case, the restitution for a Loomis defendant may be a moving target. "So he stays behind and moving over two thousand pounds of . Who all wanted a Rambo movie which explored his time training as a green beret and his time serving in Vietnam as a prequel to first blood WATCH Antebellum 2020 FULL MOVIE. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Is this really about the needs of the poor? This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Library Journal "highly entertaining." As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to edit or This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. >> PHOTOS: The Loomis Fargo heist, 25 years later. At 2:20 p.m., the phone rang; it was Kelly again. - Jeffrey Guller, who at 81 is by far the oldest of the Loomis defendants, still owes almost $1.1 million on his original court debt of $1.14 million and will remain on the governments books for another four years. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. To visit friends.". The Loomis case is another example where the amount of restitution ordered vs. what is actually paid are two dramatically different numbers. 2023 Cox Media Group. she asked. (John D. Simmons/The Charlotte Observer via AP). Restitution is a familiar part of sentencing in federal court. When Ghantt called Campbell asking for more money, a plan was set in motion to take him out. Since Ghantt was the supervisor, he sent his co-worker home first. That was the thing that sticks in my mind to this day.. The participants in the heist also spent lavishly on fancy jewelry, fancy cars and breast enhancement surgeries. Michelle Chambers paid off only $27,000. Copyright The Nashua Telegraph | https://www.nashuatelegraph.com | 110 Main St, Ste 1, Nashua, NH 03060 | 603-882-2741, Loomis Fargo defendants owe as much as they stole in 1997, Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. Later, they also arrested Nathans older brother. "I don't have time to mess with you. In addition, he also rented Mike his own apartment, paid him $400/weekly and bought him a gun. But he wasn't finished. The robbery was committed by David Scott Ghantt who was the vault supervisor and accomplices Kelly Campbell, Steve Chambers, Michelle Chambers, Michael Gobies, and other four members. 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. The case resurfaced in the federal courts on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte posted a public reminder in the case file of Loomis defendant Kelly Campbell that she had fallen behind in her restitution. Clerk of Court Frank Johns of Charlotte. The unsolved mystery of the Van Meter Visitor a winged creature! Driving away, he said he felt a mix of fear, confidence and excitement that he outsmarted the FBI. Asked the purpose of his visit, Johnson had replied, "To visit friends. 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. We are happy to work with other website publishers. personal/abusive/condescending attacks on other users or goading Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. Jeffrey Guller, who at 81 is by far the oldest of the Loomis defendants, still owes almost $1.1 million on his original court debt of $1.14 million and will remain on the governments books for another four years. Loomis has received $978,983.79, according to Sally Butcher, an assistant clerk in the federal courts of the Western District of North Carolina who specializes in criminal debt. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Campbell used part of her share of the money to buy aToyota Siennaminivanin two cash installments. In 1994, they moved to Gastonia, North Carolina, where they had grown up, and David took a job driving a forklift. These cookies do not store any personal information. Well she was a pretty happy-go-lucky person, he said. 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. 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. Pink, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blonde. There was a book published in 2002 as well, by author Jeff Diamant called,Heist! They knew Steve Chambers had worked as an informant in the past, and were nervous he would smell out an undercover. They involve Loomis armored car driver David Scott Ghantt. The FBI heard about the plot and agents knew they could no longer wait. The woman on the phone was Kelly Jane Campbell, and David had a mad crush on her. Loomis Fargo, the nation's largest privately held armored- car company, used vans to transport hundreds of millions of dollars a day belonging to banks and other businesses, stocking automated teller machines and storing money in the Loomis vault between deliveries. He said at first, they were very proud of what they had been able to do. First, they tapped the Chambers phone, and began listening in on February 11th, 1998. Money. Friends of Campbell had also begun spending large amounts of cash. Kelly called, using David's own cell phone, to ask where he was already, because she and the others were waiting outside for him. In preparation for what lay ahead, David had backed an unmarked company Ford Econoline van near the vault entrance and opened the van's back door. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Ghantt was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. "But you can still have a cigarette.". Its in the ether. She had attitude. 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. One night in a small North Carolina town, a down-on-his-luck guard at Loomis Fargo manages to steal $17 millionliterally more than one ton of cash. He says the Loomis case shows how the criminal justice system and the courts treat lower-income people differently. Each cart, holding about $2 million, was taking David seven or eight minutes to stack, push, and empty into the van, and there were about eight cartloads' worth in the vault.
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