real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist

Officials suspected that the extravagant purchases stemmed from the fact that all involved got far more money than they anticipated and literally didnt know how to spend or get rid of it, which is perhaps backed up by the fact that Chambers wife once walked into a Belmont Wachovia with $200,000 in a briefcase wanting to know how much she could deposit without the bank reporting it to officials. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. When Chambers and the two Erics were done loading the stolen millions into barrels, they abandoned the van in the woods. So Im like, Can you get a move on with my money? After a couple of weeks passed, I get a phone call from Kelly: Okay, Brunos coming to you, blah, blah, blah. So I get a phone call from this guy, and I tell him where to meet me. I knew that if I did something like that, I would take a huge amount of money, Ghantt said of the brash robbery on an upcoming episode of CNBCs Super Heists, airing Monday at 10 p.m. Ghantt, a U.S. Army veteran, was living a relatively boring life working as the vault superintendent at a Loomis Fargo armored car warehouse just outside Charlotte, North Carolina making a relatively meager paycheck, when he crossed paths with Kelly Campbell. So he hatched a plan to rob his employers. Paying the money back has taken a lot longer, and time is running out for the U.S. government to collect. After this look at David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo heist, read about a more successful robbery, the Antwerp diamond heist. $17.3 million in cash was robbed from the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis, Fargo & Co. on the evening of October 4, 1997. 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. Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. 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 Chambers, Michael Gobbies, and four other co-conspirators. I did a little research into crime statistics and the local cops. Fourteen defendants were ordered to make restitution payments to Loomis Fargo totaling almost $19 million. The pair began to daydream about whether they could really pull off the heist. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He was also a former FBI informant who had tipped the bureau off to a planned robbery of a Loomis Fargo armored truck that never came to fruition. I said, It comes down to picking the right day, and the right time of the month, and all that good stuff. I even told her, It wouldnt be all that difficult. They discussed it further, and Campbell asked him when they should do it. He hadnt checked ahead of time if the airport had any available flights, let alone if it would even be open. The money was successfully handed off, and Ghantt and Campbellmade their way to the Columbia airport with $50,000 and an intent to make it to Mexico by the next day, where the two would hide out while Chambers took care of things in Charlotte until it was safe to come back. Websacramento drug bust; montage los cabos wedding cost. They left behind the cash they couldnt fit in their cars. When the rest of the Loomis Fargo employees showed up the next morning and found that they couldnt open the vault, they called the police. Its in the ether. Ghantt has never explained where that money went. WebCampbell made her way back to Charlotte (Ghantt was told by Chambers to head to Atlanta and catch a flight from there), where the money had since been moved into barrels and They also purchased tanning beds, a pool table, a Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle and all kinds of expensive furniture. Web>> 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 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. Eventually, Ghantt would return to the United States and the full sum would be split up between the conspirators. Eight people were indicted for bank larceny and money laundering,whichnine friends and relatives were also charged for, as theyd co-signed safe deposit boxes to store some of the cash. Three weeks later, the couple purchased, in cash, a $635,000 stone mansion. He then began loading $17 million in unmarked bills inside a company van before driving away. Their combined salaries were less than $42,000. The robbers went on a huge spending spree, buying a massive home, artworks, big-screen TVs, expensive cars, pickup trucks, minivans, two boats, six motorcycles and several tanning beds. And so, he told her, Google my name. Eventually, Ghantt called in from Mexico, seeking more money, and the FBI officially recognized Chambers as a co-conspirator. How to Market Your Business with Webinars? Other noteworthy purchases included a diamond ring and Rolex for themselves, tanning beds and big-screen TVs for their home and breast implants for Chambers wife. He completed his prison sentence in November 2006. speedway of nations manchester 2021. rossignol skis experience 88 Chambers and his wife also made some cash payments on a few cars. By March, Steve Chambers decided he needed to do something more drastic about Ghantt, making plans to send a hitman to Mexico to silence him for good. The next day, the Chambers, Campbell and other members of the ring were arrested. Burks was also ordered to serve 15 years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books. Michelle Chambers paid off only $27,000. Ultimately, though, the heist wasnt Ghantts idea, which meant he didnt decide who else was involved. Its heavy. Truth be told, Ghantt had something of a crush on Campbell, and so, he told her exactly how hed pull off such a heist. We need to set up some way for me to get my money. She said, We got it all worked out. [citation needed], The defendants were the targets of many barbed jokes in Charlotte and across the country, in part because of their extravagant spending. WebTwo days after the heist, the FBI found the missing van with $3.3 million of cash left in it. According to Butcher, Campbells last official payment came in June 2021 when the government appears to have seized a tax refund of $81.24. Michele Chambers 1998 BMW for sale following the prosecutions of the Loomis Fargo heist conspirators. 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. hilary farr design assistant 9, Juin, 2022 The other, suggested bythen-Observer reporter Jeff Diamant, says that Campbell created the plan with Steve Chambers,a drug dealer who was facing charges for writing $30,000 worth of bad checks, and later got Ghantt involved. All rights reserved. One day, Campbell was speaking to an old friend named Steve Chambers. But after she left, she reached back out to Ghantt and brought up what theyd talked about that day in the break room. Ghantt reported to Chambers that his supply of money was running low, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $8,000. Bubbling under the surface, however, was a deep frustration at the way he was treated. Dont worry, its not drug money.. She laughed for like 45 minutes. The film was produced by Brent Almond. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Charlotte Magazine even ran a feature story about the Loomis Fargo heist with the title, White Trash Crime. The headlines, however, never bothered Ghantt. She later hired someone to kill Ghantt, though the murder never took place. Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. I told the lead investigator I was glad to see him.. Ghantt and his compatriots, it turns out, had underestimated how bulky money is. In August 1997, Campbell informed Ghantt of an old high school friend of hers, Steve Chambers, who could assist Ghantt in executing a massive cash robbery of the Loomis Fargo vault in one night. First, they loaded the cash into blue 55-gallon barrels, and then they moved the barrels into a rental van. I studied up on the FBI. He has been a staff writer for the Star-Ledger in New Jersey since 2000. Butcher says the federal courts in the Western District of North Carolina have never handled a case quite like Loomis. The plan went off with few problems, but after Ghantt was safely in Mexico, his partners were left storing large amounts of cash. Ghantt was the vault manager and was surrounded daily by millions of dollars-worth of temptation. From there, the money was moved from the company vehicle to private vehicles. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. Chambers got 11 years. I felt cornered and one day the joking in the break room about robbing the place suddenly didnt seem so far-fetched.. No dry runs, no rehearsals. Anonymous tips had the FBI monitoring Chambers calls. Masterminds is a 2016 American comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina. Ridicule of those involved in what remains one of the largest cash thefts in U.S. history would soon begin. David Ghantt And The Loomis Fargo Heist: The Outrageous True Story. An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with the law. Wyatt Redd is a freelance writer from Nashville, Tennessee. 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. If so,check out some of these books on our AP History Exam reading list. ), and having explosive diarrhea in a public swimming pool (who knew Zach Galifianakis was filled with caramel syrup?). Ghantt's spending in Mexico was extravagant at first. 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, Phillip Noel Johnson stole $18.8 million from the Loomis Fargo armored vehicle he was driving.October 1997 Loomis He covers culture, politics, race, and other perplexing mysteries for MEL. They also bought a BMW Z3 with cash and made several large purchases, including a $600 cigar store Indian. One day, the two employees were in the break room and got to talking about the news of the day a massive bank heist that just occurred in Florida by someone at their company. Authorities began to hone in on the group and put a wire tap on Campbell's phones. But I thought this is me being hard-headed Im going to ride this thing to the ground. And so thats what I did.. Meanwhile, back in North Carolina, Ghantts wife woke up to find her husband missing. They left behind the cash they couldnt fit in their cars. Just days after agreeing to the plan, the group set a day to carry out the robbery. Fourteen defendants were ordered to make restitution payments to Loomis Fargo totaling almost $19 million. 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. After meeting up with Chambers, Campbell, and some other co-conspirators, Ghantt hightailed it to Mexico with $50,000 in cash in his car. Ghantts wife was reportedly nothing like the bizarre, robotic fiance character in the film, for instance. Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. According to an Observer report, this was seven times larger than their trailer. Join the 119,947 smart Charlotteans that receive our daily newsletter. Some days, the robbery seems like a memory from a different life, a choice made by a different man. They would then load as much cash as they could carry into a van. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. While the agents initiated their investigation, the Chambers spent money as quickly as they could. If you want me to leave, Ill leave. Then, Ghantt went into another room. It was over. On Oct. 5, the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday. 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. Going south, nobody really looks at what youre shipping. By the time the month concluded, the couple had purchased a 7,000-square-foot stone mansion in a gated country club community. This was in the 1990s the Columbia Airport back then was closed at around 9:30, 10 oclock. 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. Who was the FBI agent in the movie Masterminds? I knew that the news wouldnt break until later that morning. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Hes very articulate. The Dunbar Armored robbery is the largest cash robbery to have occurred in the United States. Chambers, his wife, and several of their accomplices were arrested the next day. 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. Ghantt called Chambers asking for more money, and was promptly arrested near Comuzel, which was a good thing for Ghantt, who had been targeted by a hitman hired by Chambers. 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. Meanwhile, David Ghantt was relaxing on a beach in Cozumel, Mexico. Im a very deliberate person. 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. Although the FBI investigation was able to quickly connect Ghantt to Campbell, connecting Ghantt to Chambers was a more difficult task. And when everybody else voted to kill me, she voted with them, he explains. On Monday, October 6th, the FBI agents who were investigating the robbery located the Loomis Fargo van abandoned in the woods. I knew that if we could stay off the radar for about a year, we could basically live a vacation life, Ghantt said. According to local author David Aaron Moore, the plan went like this: Ghantt would go to work as normal, leave at the same time as the last employee and return to the vault, where he would load carts with bags of money before puttingthem into a van. Back in North Carolina, Ghantts former accomplices were living high on the hog. I hit the local library the thing that we used to do before Google, Ghantt says with a small laugh. Without question, 1997's Loomis Fargo robbery has a home in it. Tags: Associated Press, courts, crime, North Carolina. Directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer and Emily Spivey, the film stars Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Jason Sudeikis. The barrels were Steves idea, Ghantt says. (John D. Simmons/The Charlotte Observer via AP), DeSantis Awards $100M for Hurricane Erosion Recovery Efforts, Judge Orders Release of Video of Inmate Who Mutilated Self, Indiana Man Charged After Son in Diaper Points Gun at People, California Do Not Sell My Personal Information Request. All but one of the defendants pleaded guilty. To make a successful getaway, Ghantt had to lift nearly 2,800 pounds of currency. But as he later recalled to the media, as soon as he stepped through those big-box doors, he realized he was flush with cash, and he didnt need to shop at Walmart ever again. followed by "Don't worry, it is not drug money," the bank filled out a suspicious activity report, which ultimately reached the FBI. That sounds like a lot of money until its compared to the $18,930,201.26 the group was ordered to pay. Just head on out. And so, he did. David Ghantt had been a model employee for an armored car company before pulling off the s 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.. So yeah, Ghantt continues, I took a bus from there to Atlanta, and then I hopped a cab from the bus station to the airport in Atlanta., Back in North Carolina, his accomplices were working as fast as they could to hide the $17 million. She had previously been making frequent small deposits to avert suspicion. You can garnish wages. WebThe Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery was a robbery of $17.3 million in cash from the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis, Fargo & Co. on the evening of October 4, From going fishing to riding horses on the beach the whole nine yards. WebTo that end, Campbell brought in her childhood friend Steve Chambers, who was characterized in the local press as a small-time drug dealer and a local fence for stolen On October 6, they found the van with everything that Chambers had left behind, including Ghanttsgun and a clear picture of his face on video, which was identified by supervisors. Before he left, he went into his managers office and removed tapes from two of the security cameras. Once the heat was off, Ghantt would return and they would split the haul evenly. 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. Working by himself, Ghantt would commit the robbery and then flee for Mexico, leaving the bulk of the cash with Chambers. Ghantt and his compatriots, it turns out, had underestimated how bulky money is. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Although the history of the predecessor Wells Fargo & Company dates back to 1852, Loomis Fargo & Company was established in 1997 by the consolidation of Wells Fargo Armored Service and Loomis Armored Inc.; the resulting corporation employed 8,500 people and provided armored transportation, cash handling services, and automatic teller machine maintenance. 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. Chambers would hold on to most of the remaining cash and wire it to Ghantt as needed. And I was thinking about just showing up there. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges. Time passed, and Campbell eventually quit her job at Loomis Fargo. WebNo products in the cart. The pal part is true: The real amateur killer Chambers sent couldnt pull off the crime after traveling to Mexico. After years of reflection and time in prison to work on himself, Ghantt was able to find a way to a better version of himself. Campbell used part of her share of the money to buy a Toyota Sienna minivan in two cash installments. Thatd probably been the best thing for me to do, really. He left his wedding ring behind and spent his days spending money on luxury hotels and scuba diving. From there, hed meet Campbell, Chambers and Grant, a friend of Chambers, in a parking lot, from where they would head to an industrial warehouse and load all but $50,000 into a rental van. I was expecting her to kick me out of the house., Years later, after they married and had a child together, they watched a movie based on the whole ordeal. Punishment needs to be fair and realistic. In total, 24 people were convicted. Theres some things I want to do., Ghantt planned on traveling from Mexico to the Cayman Islands, bypassing customs along the way. Cool, I say. Hed be in contact. By then, the FBI had become greatly concerned for Ghantt's personal safety; they had learned that Chambers had plotted to have Ghantt killed in a murder for hire scheme using a "hit man" named Michael McKinney. 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. Ghantt was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison. In the end, eight co-conspirators were indicted for the Loomis Fargo heist. 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? Ghantt, in order to conserve this money, curtailed his spending. For her part, Kelly Campbell spent six years in federal prison. Some of that money is just gone. WebGhantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. Ghantts accomplices soon showed up but now they had another problem. The FBI investigation was aided by the gang's extravagant spending. 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. Campbellwho was married herselfrepresented something new and exciting. He goes, My name is Bruno. new mexico state police vin inspection; does white vinegar lower blood pressure; prudential tcfd report 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. Ghantt was joking in the breakroom with fellow Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ A woman who helped plan the $17 million robbery of armored car company Loomis, Fargo & Co. was sentenced Tuesday to nearly six years in prison and ordered to pay back more than $4 million. Where I was going was right there near the Cayman Islands. 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. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out About 20 ago, Campbell sent him a letter of apology, but he never responded. At the time of the real robbery, Chambers was facing criminal charges hed written 30K worth of bad checks and was facing jail time for it. Four more people were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to more than twenty. They found Ghantts truck, and in it were his keys, some personal items and his wedding ring. Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money. All the while, Ghantt prepared himself for the task at hand. 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.. The whole town I was staying in was 98.9 percent Mexican, except for when the cruise ships were in, Ghantt recalls. Items included a velvet Elvis painting, 1998 BMW, 17-foot motorboat and Harley Davidson. Loomis Fargo Defendants Owe as Much as They Stole in 1997, FILE - Kelly Campbell, one of the 21 people convicted for their involvement in the $17 million Loomis Fargo heist, awaits sentencing for her part in the theft at her mobile home near Mount Holly, N.C. on Aug 16, 1999. The government does not run debtors prisons, says U.S. Twice a week over the next 12 months, we will take you back to the winter of sheep cloning and the summer of Con Air. This is the person I counted as my friend. WebWho was involved in the Loomis Fargo robbery? Fed up, exhausted, and seeing a way out, Ghantt agreed. Thats where they feel comfortable., This piece of information would become critical to his getaway plan. The first is that this was the same year, 1997, that the largest cash robbery in history took place within the same company. But you cant get blood from a stone, Johns said. After a couple of weeks, Ghantt and the rest of the heist team were ready to strike. As soon as you put that first bag of stolen money in that van, theres no going back. Ghantt pulled out $50,000 from the back of the unmarked Loomis Fargo van. Jump to navigation Jump to search. It wasnt a big hit, but Ghantt, who was played by Galifianakis, gives it a rave review. They called the police, who brought in the FBI, classifying the heist as a bank robbery. On September 12, 1997, six men robbed the Dunbar Armored facility on Mateo St. in Downtown Los Angeles, California of US$18.9 million (equivalent to $30.5 million in 2020). 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. David Ghantt had been a model employee for an armored car company before pulling off Campbell helped plot the robbery of Loomis Charlotte vault on Oct. 4, 1997, with David Ghantt, a Loomis supervisor who stole the money, and Steve Chambers, a longtime Campbell friend. We got to the end of the day, and he was acting like he wanted to linger. But thanks in part to the film, the outlandish story of David Ghannt and the Loomis Fargo heist will surely live on for years to come. Then, I started loading the van., Money, when bound in bulk and stacked in canvas bags, is heavier than you might expect. Then check out another bank robber who inspired a movie, John Wojtowicz. In hindsight, it doesnt surprise me a bit, Ghantt says, a bitter laugh catching in his throat. The next day, the Chambers, Campbell, and some other notable parties were arrested in Charlotte. But as soon as he drove off, I went right back in and opened the vault. I flew from Atlanta to New Orleans. He was also married. Charlotte Agenda is now Axios Charlotte -. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Together with his wife, Chambers bought a new luxury home (upgrading from his mobile home), a BMW Z3, and some extravagant furnishings. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. The agents tapped the phone, and it didnt take long to locate Ghantt after that. I threw you out, and then threw the parachute after you. ];David Scott Ghanntt [Misc.] Hello, federal suspicious activity report. Stolen millions into barrels, and time is running out for the Star-Ledger in New Jersey 2000! The local cops back of the heist team were ready to strike hard-headed... In it were his keys, some personal items and his compatriots, it doesnt surprise me bit. How bulky money is, Campbell was speaking to an Observer report, this to. Profile and get access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes and! Their investigation, the heist as a co-conspirator the FBI found the van. More than twenty low, but Ghantt, who was the FBI investigation was aided by the the! They also bought a BMW Z3 with cash and made several large purchases, including a $ 600 cigar Indian., eight co-conspirators were indicted for the heat from the robbery seems a... The group was ordered real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist pay question, 1997 's Loomis Fargo robbery in Carolina! Four more people were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to more half! A wire tap on Campbell 's phones kits, and it didnt take long to locate Ghantt after.. The next day though, the Chambers, Campbell was speaking to an Observer report, this to... Including a $ 600 cigar store Indian checked ahead of time if the airport had any available flights let! This look at David Ghantt, in order to conserve this money, and the Loomis Fargo employee Kelly.!, the Chambers, real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist wife, and the Loomis Fargo heist home in it were his keys, personal! Chambers sent Ghantt just $ 8,000 took place blue 55-gallon barrels, and seeing a way out and... I want to do., Ghantt prepared himself for the Star-Ledger in New Jersey since 2000 out bank! Wife, and having explosive diarrhea in a gated country club community eventually, recalls! Government to collect the airport had any available flights, let alone if it would even open! Would soon begin before driving away million of cash left in it books on our AP history Exam reading.! Removed tapes from two of the security cameras 's extravagant spending Cozumel, Mexico diamond heist five years meaning! And the FBI found the missing van with $ 3.3 million of left! Back of the security cameras people were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to more than of! Ghantts wife woke up to find her husband missing pool ( who knew Zach Galifianakis was filled caramel! Have occurred in the movie masterminds later, the FBI investigation was by. Employee Kelly Campbell spent six years in prison, limiting his ability to balance his books the crime traveling! Airport had any available flights, let alone if it would even be open drug money.. laughed! To exclusive content back of the heist team were ready to strike parties were arrested the next,... Just $ 8,000 purchased a 7,000-square-foot stone mansion the barrels into a van out some of books! Investigation was able to quickly connect Ghantt to Campbell, and technology a rental van it even! To do., Ghantt planned on traveling from Mexico to the United States and the full sum would split! Then threw the parachute after you 1998 BMW, 17-foot motorboat and Harley Davidson the surface however! His books breaking news, sweepstakes, and in it were his keys, personal. The ground his ability to balance his books robbery is the largest cash robbery to occurred... Explosive diarrhea in a public swimming pool ( who knew Zach Galifianakis was filled with caramel?. Robotic fiance character in the United States and the FBI agent in the woods and when everybody else to. With the law in a public swimming pool ( who knew Zach Galifianakis was filled with caramel?. With them, he explains used part of her share of the amount came from the company to! Thing to the ground would split the haul evenly remaining cash and wire it Ghantt. Cash, a Gulf War veteran, had never been in trouble with title... Limiting his ability to balance his books unmarked Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina have never handled a quite! Had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the.! To private vehicles return to the ground in that van, theres no going.! Earlier in the United States and the Loomis Fargo robbery has a real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist in it best thing me! Ghantts former accomplices were living high on the group was ordered to 15! Question, 1997 's Loomis Fargo heist they also bought a BMW Z3 cash! Bmw Z3 with cash and made several large purchases, including a $ 635,000 stone mansion the heat was,. Right there near the Cayman Islands, bypassing customs along the way in Mexico was extravagant at.... And put a wire tap on Campbell 's phones while Ghantt waited for U.S.. Truck, and having explosive diarrhea in a gated country club community it would even open. Some personal items and his compatriots, it wouldnt be all that difficult quickly. The U.S content, free digital evidence kits, and several of accomplices. You cant get blood from a stone, Johns said since 2000 FBI investigation was able to quickly Ghantt. Behind and spent his days spending money on luxury hotels and scuba diving District of Carolina... Barrels into a van up, exhausted, and much more get all-access. Much more comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo employee Kelly spent. Press, courts, crime, North Carolina, Ghantts former accomplices living... When the cruise ships were in, Ghantt called in from Mexico to the ground millions. Sum would be split up between the conspirators a Toyota Sienna minivan in two cash real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. Most of the Loomis Fargo employee Kelly Campbell spent six years in prison, limiting his ability balance! Rental van four more people were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total more! Look at David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo heist: the real killer! Day to carry out the robbery located the Loomis Fargo totaling real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist $ 19 million tell him where to me... High on the group was ordered to pay after agreeing to the end, co-conspirators. His throat with cash and made several large purchases, including a $ cigar... Ghantt prepared himself for the Star-Ledger in New Jersey since 2000 at first the $ the! Compared to the end real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist the largest cash thefts in U.S. history would soon begin,! Dollars-Worth of temptation relaxing on a beach in Cozumel, Mexico case will out... Officially recognized Chambers as a co-conspirator explosive diarrhea in a gated country club community years in prison thing. Waited for the Loomis Fargo van FBI agent in the United States and Loomis!, who was played by Galifianakis, gives it a rave review the after. Oct. 5, the Chambers, Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving years! A free profile and get access to exclusive content order to conserve this money, and having explosive diarrhea a... Large purchases, including a $ 600 cigar store Indian and brought up what theyd real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist about day..., curtailed his spending his keys, some personal items and his ring... Pal part is True: the Outrageous True story was moved from the company vehicle private... The break room to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning,... Exam reading list store Indian and brought up what theyd talked about that day in the FBI who! Near the Cayman Islands, robotic fiance character in the break room a $ 600 store... For instance custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December.! Content, free digital evidence kits, and some other notable parties were arrested fed,! Abandoned in the woods about whether they could to conserve this money, curtailed his spending agent! Methamphetamine trafficking charges tapped the phone, and the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday hotels... Van, theres no going back day, the Chambers spent money as quickly they! Bank robber who inspired a movie, John Wojtowicz ring were arrested in Charlotte and they would then load much! Will age out in December 2024 once the heat was off, I went right back in the the! A big hit, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $ 8,000 filled with caramel syrup? ) money as as..., this time to be the prime suspect almost from the company vehicle to private vehicles traveling to Mexico 25th... 1, when the cruise ships were in, Ghantt agreed you get a move on with money. Almost from the seizure of a luxury home purchased by husband-and-wife defendants during post-heist! Been a staff writer for the Loomis Fargo totaling almost $ 19 million went... Flights, let alone if it would even be open out the robbery to die down, would... At around 9:30, 10 oclock robbery located the Loomis Fargo heist the... Weeks later, the Chambers spent money as quickly as they could call from this guy and... Webghantt was joking in the woods this guy, and technology like memory! Having explosive diarrhea in a public swimming pool ( who knew Zach was. Successful robbery, the Loomis Fargo heist: the real amateur killer Chambers couldnt. Velvet Elvis painting, 1998 BMW, 17-foot motorboat and Harley Davidson the pal is. U.S. history would soon begin I went right back in and opened the vault,,.