real life kelly campbell loomis fargo

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. It was his goodbye. . You can seize property. I don't blame him.". Youre supposed to get less time for cooperating, a lesser penalty, and instead, you see what she got hit with. Gronquist said. I hit the local library the thing that we used to do before Google, Ghantt says with a small laugh. He hadnt checked ahead of time if the airport had any available flights, let alone if it would even be open. The whole town I was staying in was 98.9 percent Mexican, except for when the cruise ships were in, Ghantt recalls. The cart held about $2 million, and the thief made multiple trips. "Things I always wanted to do, but never had the time or the money," he said. In real life: False. Steven Chambers [Misc. Many of the lesser players in the conspiracy have been the most effective in paying their debts. Ghantt ultimately agreed to the plan, largely, due to a mountain of credit-card debt and in hopes of changing his life for the better. In real life: False. But after she left, she reached back out to Ghantt and brought up what theyd talked about that day in the break room. Loomis, Fargo offered a $500,000 reward after the theft. Purchases included a pool table, jewelry (including a $43,000 diamond ring), a minivan, $20,000 worth of cigars, and the 7,000-square-foot home on the side of Cramer. But Ghantt, who served as an unpaid consultant to the movie and attended the big Los Angeles premiere earlier in the week, has no such reservations. I told them, Take it, box it up, and youll be able to ship it to me in Mexico. Back in the 1990s, you couldve probably boxed up a hot pink elephant and shipped it to Mexico; no one wouldve ever noticed. In real life: Mostly true. As he and Kelly met in a field behind a shooting range to refine the plan, she allowed him to believe she was falling for him. Its kind of like that. You see, there's a reason Loomis Fargo used armored cars to move large amounts of cash. It was late in 1996. But in November, money ran low. Ghantt:It's a comedy. The robbery of some $17 million quickly became one of the wildest bank heists of the last quarter century. He longed for the middle-class lifestyle of his childhood, with its private religious-school education and Disney World vacations. Looking back at the Loomis heist - Gaston Gazette 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. Soon thereafter, he met Kelly Campbell, a co-worker at Loomis Fargo. Its in the ether. They also purchased tanning beds, a pool table, a Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle and all kinds of expensive furniture. . "For the first year, they're all over you. He took bus tours of Mayan ruins. It wasnt a big hit, but Ghantt, who was played by Galifianakis, gives it a rave review. Her case closes in 2025. Money'll turn your head, I don't care who you are. She never really worried about the moral end of it--she was focused only on getting what she wanted out of life, what so many others seemed to have in this booming part of the South. When McKinney arrived in North Carolina, the plan had changed. The last time he called me, he said, Hey Ghantt, I just saw a big Loomis Fargo truck. Ghantt:Since I still owe the federal government money I can't get paid. He partied, met women, drank, skied and hung out at the beach. Punishment needs to be fair and realistic. So he convinced a local hoodlum in Mexico to try to kill Ghantt. Campbell, a mother of two, was in the process of divorcing her. At the time, it was the largest cash heist in history. . 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. Everybody seemed stunned. In 2017, for example, Paul Burks of Lexington was ordered to pay $244 million to the victims of his worldwide Ponzi scheme, Zeek Rewards. Posted on . Now two NC men face prison. "I was trying to figure out a way to [leave my husband] and take care of my kids without having to depend on him or any other man," Kelly said. Thanksgiving and Christmas were difficult. Channel 9 speaks with the man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 In real life: False. Just head on out. And so, he did. He figured Tammy wouldn't go for it, and though his marriage had been troubled, he wasn't certain he wanted to leave her. Time passed, and Campbell eventually quit her job at Loomis Fargo. Get to me. Its that kind of excitement.. In real life: True. What made her abandon an ordinary existence to commit this spectacular, doomed crime? Find 145 people named Kelly Loomis along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. Now he offered to pay him to carry cash to David--Steve said he was a friend hiding out after a bad drug deal, McKinney recalled. On October 5, 1997, FBI agents gathered at the Loomis, Fargo & Co. warehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina, to watch a security videotape of a man loading stacks of cash into a pushcart and wheeling them from the vault. The others sat in their cars across the street and watched him struggle to open the heavy gate. More than 20 people ended up in the FBI's dragnet. As for his new wife, when the two just started dating, he was nervous about letting her know about his past, but he wanted to be honest. Where was Ghantt? real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. Kelly said she had reason to believe Steve might be able to pull off a heist. Because surprise! He flew in an ultra-light plane. David told her he'd need help moving the money, getting a new ID and leaving the country. Ghantt: My cut was supposed to be about $5 million, but that's not what I ended up with. "It wasn't me, it was Steve," she says she told him. First, in January, he tried to get someone to take some millions down to Mexico. They sweated, though the night was cool. ". real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist (No Ratings Yet) . On March 1, David Ghantt left his hotel to do some laundry. Campbell was released from federal custody in 2004 after serving five years, meaning her collection case will age out in December 2024. Question: Should people go see this movie? "I felt that if I didn't do something, I was going to snap," David said. A woman by the name of Kelly Campbell had worked there in 1996, and she and Ghantt had become friends in that time. Careers. . ". When he finished, the van was filled with $17 million. Before long, the FBI had wiretaps on the ringleader, Steve Chambers, and then they waited for the right time to make their arrests. There are multiples of thousands of these things coming every year. On Oct. 5, the Loomis heist celebrates its 25th birthday. One thing about teammates, in David's view: You could always trust them. Ghantt went on to explain that he left for his flight to Mexico with about $25,000, and that two or three deliveries of extra money was made to him by the man Chambers would pay to kill him. Its a yes: Clover teen shakes off nerves to earn American Idol golden ticket, Mail carrier cant believe his eyes after seeing NC lottery win. Scary. Its everything thats coming north.. 'Can I Keep the Velvet Elvis?': The Great Hillbilly Heist of 1997 Not a documentary. All the while, Ghantt prepared himself for the task at hand. At the sight of all that money, Scott and Eric had the same thought: They'd made the worst mistake of their lives. Everything came crashing down on an early March morning in 1998. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. She asked about the limit for a cash deposit before "paperwork" was required. The plan to rob Loomis Fargo was spawned by Campbell and her friend Steve Chambers, during a casual bonfire at Chambers' home. He rewarded Robert with $3,000 and vowed never to meet McKinney alone. "I" has one letter. Thats one of my personality flaws. "I thought he was goofing around.". . The mystery 1-4-3 caller had been Kelly, though agents didn't know it yet. His wife, Tammy, was as shocked as Loomis officials. I can take it.". I'd probably change jobs. So the last third of the movie is almost entirely fiction. All I needed was a change of pace.". Campbell, a former Loomis employee and one of the original masterminds of the caper, has paid off less than $21,000 of the $4,701,694.18 she was docked. Given the presence of the surveillance tapes and a gun belonging to Ghantt, they started with Ghantts phone and pager records and discovered a pattern they attributed to an accomplice. It wouldn't work, Kelly told him. shes now Miss USA. Now worried about both the FBI and McKinney, he spent even more time alone in his room. And then I could hear her laughing. At first, I just blended in with the tourists and picked up a few translation books, Ghantt explains. But after a year, they'll cut it down to two agents. "I wanted to be more like my mom and dad were.". The biggest restitution numbers for victims of financial crimes generally involve Ponzi schemes or sweepstakes fraud, not cash thefts. His name was Corey. 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. Steve told her to send David to Atlanta on a bus and drive back to the trailer. A couple weeks pass, and I call again, Hey, Id like to get some more money. As with many recent historic events, this one had been caught on videotape, a fact that a few dozen Charlotte FBI agents would learn in a hastily organized Sunday morning meeting. I don't want to be mean, but that's probably the dumbest thing they could do. Kelly drove her pickup to a lot across the street from the Loomis building, on Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. It changes you. and "I love money!" His collection case, which closes in November 2026, got credit for the couples $540,000 house on Cramer Mountain in Gaston County, Butcher says. The FBI, in fact, obtained the evidence they needed to bring down the major players, including Chambers, after catching them talking about the murder plot on the telephone via wiretap. He told Steve he hadn't been able to find David. Chambers, who still lives in Gaston County and operates a gym, declined to comment. At 6-1 and 220 pounds, Steve was stocky and imposing, a fast talker with a brown goatee. Ghantt says he operates a bulldozer for a small company. It was the first Saturday in October. When he said, 'I'll give you $20,000 to hold a million,' I said, 'Sure.' "You" has three. She also assured the teller her cash wasn't drug money. Back then, it was one of the hotspots for hiding money. Ghantt planned to live off the interest for the rest of his life. 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery - Strange Unexplained Mysteries In the dark, Scott inserted one key into the back door slot. "Steve said, 'I think we ought to do it that night, when he drops off the van,' " Kelly recalled. Dependent care account. Kelly told the FBI she had done drugs with David but denied knowing about the theft. By then Id figured out that Bruno was up to no good, and that Id probably never seen any more of my money. Loomis employees drive the very core of our business. At the party, Steve invited Michele's stepfather, truck driver Dennis Floyd, to the basement to play pool. If you want me to leave, Ill leave. Then, Ghantt went into another room. What purpose does that serve other than to denigrate that person into abject poverty?. Thatd probably been the best thing for me to do, really. They also left behind a life-changing fortune in small bills $3.3 million in fives and ones that they overlooked and the two videotapes that Ghantt had pulled from the security cameras at the bank. Then FBI agent Wydra watched Steve's wife, Michele, deposit about $8,000 at a Gaston County, N.C., bank. Updated: 11:31 AM EDT October 4, 2022 CHARLOTTE, N.C. Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the infamous Loomis Fargo heist in Charlotte, where a bank worker, with the help of two accomplices,. Michele tells me you're in a financial bind. Actor Owen Wilson plays him in the movie, which includes the real names of all the major players. To say nothing of their art purchases like the aforementioned velvet Elvis portrait and a painting of a bulldog dressed as General George S. Patton. 27 febrero, 2023 . What made her do it? In December, agents got the tie-in they were looking for: Kelly Campbell had bought a $30,000 Toyota minivan with cash and registered it to one of Steve Chambers's aliases. Anybody who gets caught up in the system is getting chewed up by it, the now-retired Gronquist told the Observer. Ghantt was working a late shift, and just after 6:30 p.m., his coworkers were packing up and heading for home. About 20 ago, Campbell sent him a letter of apology, but he never responded. 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.. . The plan was to split the money three ways: Chambers, Campbell and Ghantt would each walk away with what Ghantt estimated to be $5 million a piece the kind of money that changes lives forever. "He showed me a lot of money," McKinney said. David, now 30, says he's sorry he abandoned his wife--who he says still loves him--and his family. From Mexico, David usually spoke with Kelly on the phone once a week, paying with calling cards. Not until David was gone did Scott realize he didn't know which key to use. The Chambers, however, didnt fit in with the other members of the gated community. She laughed for like 45 minutes. I hope everyone has moved on. I loved it. Or is the loot buried in somebody's yard? Scott Grant said he hesitated, but agreed if no guns would be involved. In early November, Steve lured the real Mike McKinney, an ex-Marine, to North Carolina from his Illinois home. "I'm glad I've grown out of that.". Before long, the tales of high living by Chambers and his now former wife, Michelle, led the thieves to be labeled either the "Cramer Mountain Hillbillies" or "The gang that couldn't steal straight." The bash had a Cinderella theme, with a three-tiered cake that looked like a castle. All rights reserved. Charlotte hotel chef who serves with a smile recognized as outstanding ambassador, Eritrean, Ethiopian restaurant owner was a big brother and father to many in Charlotte, Home tours: This wired-up Weddington smart home has a pool big enough for the neighborhood. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist - legal-innovation.com real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist - molecularrecipes.com Kelly says she underestimated the value of her life before the heist. Thats pretty standard in restitution matters. Despite a mega-watt cast featuring Zach Galifianakis and a handful of some of Saturday Night Lives biggest current and former stars, Masterminds, the comedy about Loomis Fargo robbery completely tanked at the box office in its opening weekend, bowing in sixth place with just $6.6 million. So yeah, Im kind of proud of it.. Is he telling the truth? Cool, I say. Why had he ever believed he'd get it? Twenty people were convicted of roles big and small in the massive 1997 armored-car warehouse heist in west Charlotte. I didn't think I had the guts. A version of this story originally appeared on CharlotteObserver.com. Though he never found the right moment to carry out the hit, McKinney did find time to make a friend--a shady character named Robert, to whom he revealed more than was prudent. Hidden in it was a 3 1/2-carat diamond ring that cost $43,000. That was the most painful truth to come to. That was pretty awesome., It felt like a dream vacation until he started running out of money. When October 1997 began, Steve and Michelle Chambers lived in a double-wide trailer. He recalled that another agent, Phil King, said, "Hey, there was an article in the [Charlotte] Observer about beeper codes. About 5:45 a.m., he got into his pickup and began the 45-minute drive to work in Charlotte. Down in Jacksonville, a Loomis Fargo employee took $18 million from an armored van he was driving. The number of people involved had ballooned after Steve started asking friends and family to help him launder the stolen cash. If you want to go ahead and go, I got it. Explain? David Ghantt, who pulled off the Loomis, Fargo & Co. vault robbery in 1997 and was sentenced to seven years in prison for the crime, served as a consultant for the film (in theaters Friday). They loaded the wine cellar with Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Steve hung a velvet portrait of Elvis Presley in the basement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. So he got in a cab and went to a mall. He told her he wanted more of "his" cash. You're an idiot.'". Where I was going was right there near the Cayman Islands. He has no contact with any of those convicted with him in the crime, including his former wife, and doesn't plan to see the movie, he said. Ghantt, meanwhile, was losing his patience and starting to make threats. Loomis, Fargo offered a $500,000 reward for his arrest and conviction. So much so that one suspicious neighbor called the FBI. Nah, it was always about the money, he told the agents. That led to better jobs, like the one at Loomis. Man at the center of Loomis Fargo heist 25 years ago now a 'normal guy My love for my family is by far the most important thing in my life. . The others, though, went no farther than Cramer Mountain. No hard feelings. David had grabbed $50,000 cash, but could figure out only how to carry $25,000 with him on the plane. While the agents initiated their investigation, the Chambers spent money as quickly as they could. Yes, happy. Michele received the best gift of the night. Eventually, Steve made Kelly believe they could steal from Loomis and get away with it, she said. That October, the Chamberses' bank accounts ballooned. The FBI's final challenge is finding the remaining $2 million. He frequently entertained there, buying steaks for his guests. They heard Michele brag about her $43,000 ring. 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. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist - phnxathletica.com I was just going to get the money into the van. They entered their dogs in fights and watched them die. I'll never pay it off on my paycheck." You've violated that trust. Ghantt:I've always known that story had potential to be a comedy or a drama. Ghantt worked at Loomis Fargos regional office vault in Charlotte. Instead of lobster, the man who stole $17 million survived on home-cooked pasta and grilled cheese sandwiches. Criminals dont usually get high-paying jobs after leaving prison. She also must . Zaron Burnett is an investigative journalist and longform features writer based in Los Angeles. I had to go in there and tell her the whole story, and she was real cool about it. Question: Are you surprised that Hollywood took this on as a movie? . Ghantt was apprehended in Mexico and returned to the United States in custody. Michele told her mother she and Steve had been saving gambling winnings for the down payment. real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist. Health savings account and flexible spending account. It was one of those things everyone (at Loomis Fargo) joked about, but in time, it became serious. If you were one of the much-smaller-than-expected group of people who caught Masterminds at the theater this weekend, and are looking for a fact-check of the events depicted on screen, here are some of the highlights of our chat with Diamant. David Ghantt And The Loomis Fargo Heist: The Outrageous True Story Agents began picking up signs that David definitely had help: The abandoned Loomis van with $3.3 million in small bills still inside, and phone records showing that somebody beeped him while he stole the money, using David's own cell phone. He hated the sweet smell of the green ink, and the $8.15-an-hour salary. They decorated their 6,000-square-foot stucco house with antiques, paintings and statues, including a six-foot wooden Indian that Michele had bought for $600. He had even scheduled a follow-up appointment at the dentist. He was doing what the rest of us were doing making bad decisions. Heres what happened on Sunday nights episode. "He was in tears. He had an endearing smile, a beautiful wife and two children. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. Scott didn't want to, but then he remembered the hundred-grand payday. shaka wear graphic tees is candy digital publicly traded ellen lawson wife of ted lawson real kelly campbell loomis fargo heist 25 Feb/23 (No Ratings Yet) David complained it wasn't enough. He couldn't talk.". 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. All were convicted. He kept looking over his shoulder. At 7:45, David had finished loading. Question: Do you ever think you could have been killed? I did every touristy thing you could possibly do while I was down there. Truth was, David wanted more than help leaving, he wanted company. And youre like, Come on parachute. 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. As soon as Corey left, I pretended like I was leaving. The Loomis case is another example where the amount of restitution ordered vs. what is actually paid are two dramatically different numbers. Some received probation for money laundering, many others did hard time. Ghantt was working as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte in 1997, earning about $8 an hour and tired of his humdrum life. David thought about it. Chambers did hire McKinney to kill Ghantt, but initially McKinney was making personal cash deliveries to Ghantt in Mexico on behalf of Chambers. But what did that mean? Job Search - Career Portal - Dayforce HCM Steve bought a truck, a Rolex and a motorboat. Getting restitution, its like pulling teeth.. At one point, the hoodlum shows up and Ghantt is wearing a Jerome Bettis Pittsburgh Steelers jersey; the hoodlums favorite team is the Steelers, and he caves and tells Ghantt that McKinney wants him dead. Steve had already paid McKinney $50,000 for the use of his ID. About the same time, Kelly and McKinney received phone calls from agents who told them to open their doors. Theres less security. I was burned out and just didn't know it. David trusted her. . One of them tapped him on the back. And I was thinking about just showing up there. It wasn't known whether anyone would receive it. Was that really what it was about? Next month, Payne will back in the Charlotte federal courthouse, this time to be sentenced from weapons and methamphetamine trafficking charges. She'd heard his stories of other successful schemes, like getting refunds on phony tax returns, or operating a loan shark business. Going south, nobody really looks at what youre shipping. . . I knew it was just a matter of time. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Ghantt knew Chambers as Steve, but didnt find out that his last name was Chambers until the arrests were made. Or that hed gotten lucky gambling. The bigger the amount, however, the bigger the damages to victims that likely will never be repaid: Amy Paynes collection account was closed in 2020 with her having paid $53,000 of the $274,000 she owed. Because lets be brutally honest: Theyre not wrong, okay? First, they loaded the cash into blue 55-gallon barrels, and then they moved the barrels into a rental van. I would call us friends. 25th anniversary of the incredible Loomis Fargo bank heist | wcnc.com Ghantt simply got ready for work one morning knowing it would be his last day on the job. (The conversation was depicted as 100 percent private on screen). He was an old friend from East Gaston High School, tough and sure of himself. Its really just a matter of timing, more than anything. And she says, How much do you think wed get out of there? I said, Ten to 15 million. But I didnt really know.. Things started to go south the night of the robbery. He didnt even really question me. And that's OK with Ghantt, who's just a few weeks shy of his 47th birthday, out of federal prison for more than a decade, married with a 9-year-old daughter . Why did this Charlotte engineer leave her job? I think I always knew that, but lost my way for a while.". They planned to kill a man named David Ghantt, the guy who had made their extravagant new lifestyle a reality. Him and I still talk every now and then. They soon realized David had stolen more money than would fit in their 55-gallon barrels. Kelly's company. But few could have guessed how spectacularly the heist would go wrong after the criminals initially got away with it. You might as well take it all, Ghantt tells me. It didnt take the local police long to put the pieces together. Our success depends on our team members, and that's why it's important for us to offer an employee benefits program that is not only extremely comprehensive but also one of the best in the industry. 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. ];Kelly Jane Campbell [Misc.

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