The police then called the FBI because most of the money handled at the facility belonged to banks, which technically made it a bank robbery a federal offense.[5]. David Ghantt was portrayed by Zackary Hatfield. $17 Million and Change. LRM: True. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: The Beast Lays On The Charm In New TV Spot. Glad you like the movie. He made his own self miserable. Chambers had no intention of following those rules, believing the FBI would never connect him to Ghantt. Question: Which do you regret more, stealing the money or getting caught? David Ghantt: No, I havent talked to them in a very long time. She is the diamond of my soul. LRM had an exclusive phone interview with David Ghantt last week, the real-life culprit who pulled off the successful bank heist. Al momento de dar su gran golpe en 1997, un robo de ms de 17 millones de dlares, David Ghantt probablemente pens que su historia terminara en una pelcula. Masterminds was a fun movie. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- A man caught on videotape looting an armored car company vault of $17 million -- one of the biggest thefts of its kind in U.S. history -- has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in federal prison. Press J to jump to the feed. She had previously been making frequent small deposits to avert suspicion. Could you talk a little more about that? FBI agents arrived first, which marked the beginning of the end. I wouldnt want to change anything. Based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. "A former co-worker told me, "Everybody has screwed up. Heist! [1] Tips had led the FBI to begin monitoring Chambers's (and his wife's) activities, but it was not until the FBI recorded a phone call from Ghantt in Mexico that the final connection was made. As a die-hard fan of personal development books, I have to say - Ghantt hits the nail on the head with each and every chapter. Why would you want this story to be told and to enjoy this? Jandice : In any case, we got to talkin' afterwards, and I thought, well, that one's dead, this one's alive. We talked about the fiction and fact from the movie. Loomis Fargo employees could not open the vault the next morning and called the police. 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. On the non-philosophical side, it probably be much better off if I done everything by myself. 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. Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. They kept several furnishings from the previous owners, including a painting of Elvis Presley on black velvet. Everybody thinks being famous and being an actor is stupendous, and the money is fantastic, but they kind of live in afish bowl. He was released in 2006. GASTONIA - Nancy Carolyn Ghantt, 71, died September 6, 2018. 44:38. No idea. No one could just pull off the crime of the decade. 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. 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. She denied ever being romantically involved with Ghantt, although she ``expressed her love to him during their last intercepted conversation last Monday, according to the affidavit. Court documents said an informant who was not identified tipped off federal agents about the couples suspicious spending habits. My face popped up. The Book of Dave A New Path After a $17 Million Misstep, Name: David Scott GhanttBorn: October 20,1969Infamous for: When he literally drove off with $17+ Million one day after work (admit it, youve all thought about it, lol)Famous for (at time of writing): Being an inspiration for the character David Ghantt in the major motion picture comedy- Masterminds. ``Thats always something that sends up a red flag, she said. The true part is that Kelly did say, Did you try the backdoor? They were ready to set the van on fire for real. The scary one is stealing the money. In the meantime, Ghantt's wife reported him missing and the CMPD had found his . David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis), an employee of Loomis Fargo, robbed his own vault, left the $17.3 million in cash with his co-conspirators, Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) and Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and fled the country to Mexico. Yes, Carrie Underwood adopted a dog in Charlotte. Im still going through the friend requests. A: When you're locked up, you live in an 8-by-10 box and you share that with two other people. David Ghantt worked as a vault supervisor for the armoured cash vehicles at the Charlotte, North Carolina branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. Ironically even though he worked for a company that moved millions of dollars every day, he was relatively underpaid. by Jeff Diamant (left) and Steven Chambers (left) and David Scott Ghantt leave federal court. Updated: Sep 29, 2022 / 03:23 PM CDT. Charlotte radio stations labeled them the "Cramer Mountain hillbillies" and the whole crew as "the gang that couldn't steal straight.". The company reported the theft the next day, saying one of its vans was missing. 4 million images and real time event coverage from coast to coast , ImageCollect is the only celebrity photo site you'll ever need. All were convicted. Six were accused of plotting the heist and helping Ghantt flee: Steve and Michelle Chambers; Kelly Jane Campbell; Michael L. McKinney; Thomas Nathan Grant; and Eric Haley Payne. David GhanttRetweeted Iraqveteran8888 @Iraqveteran8888 Dec 9, 2022 Elect me President and I'll fire everyone, free Julian Assange, and pardon Edward Snowden. Have a good one y'all," wrote David Ghantt on his Facebook page Tuesday morning. According to court documents, federal agents began looking at the spending habits of Steven and Michelle Chambers after being tipped by a confidential informant about their "sudden wealth." Check your inbox for a confirmation email with instructions to finish signing up. Wife Lily Allen. It has a lot of things youll look for in a storya little romance, money, adventure and travel. . Heres How We Fix That. The 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, 1997, by vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt, his married girlfriend Kelly Campbell (a former Loomis co-worker), Steve Chambers, his wife Michelle Chambers, Michael Gobbies and four other co-conspirators. You can't get barbecue slaw in this hedonistic state (Florida), and there's nowhere to get real ice cream here like Tony's. When they showed the mansion scene, the great big velvet Elvis painting was for real. Well, it's 'based' on a true event, and there are accurate bits sprinkled throughout. Until it's gone, you don't appreciate it. In real life: Mostly true. Good question , Oddly most employers are very understanding as long as you are honest with them up front . I was taken back. The affidavits also alleged lavish spending by the six, including the Chambers who moved out of a trailer and paid cash for a $635,000 home shortly after the robbery. A: Zach and I have a runningtext conversation going, but he's very busy. The van used to move the money was later located a few miles from the warehouse. Michele Chambers' sentence was two months longer than that given to David Scott Ghantt, the Loomis employee who removed the money from the company vault on Oct. 4, 1997. I felt relieved, I knew that things were getting ready to come to an end and getting caught was a stress reliever even if I knew I was going to jail. LRM: When you actually pulled off this heist, was there any comedic incidents at all that was actually true? I did do a lot of diving down in Mexico, which is a great diving spot. The British spy group MI5 is interested in a safety deposit box in this highly fictionalized version of an actual London robbery. LRM: [Laughter] Now the movie portrayed that they sent someone to kill you in Mexico. I did get to spend a good amount of time on the set in North Carolina and having a movie based on my story was a bit surreal and a bit funny to be honest. In Kukulcan Plaza in Cancun, Mexico, they had a small Internet caf. Ghantt reported to Chambers that his supply of money was running low, but Chambers sent Ghantt just $8,000. Even after the tapes showing Ghantt stealing the. Ghantt had worked with the branch since 1994, and had been promoted from a driver to the vault supervisor. She was a graduate of Ashley High School and attended Gaston Co He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. After the movie [premiered in theaters], my Facebook account exploded. Kate. In real life: Yes and no. "Miscavige is a recluse now the same way Hubbard was at the end," said Mike Rinder, the former media spokesman . 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. Thats the big thing. Sixteen others who were indirectly involved were convicted and federal agents recovered most of the money. Saffron Burrows plays . Chambers declines to comment on the events that made him notorious. I might even have more these days. I did get to meet him. LRM: When you first heard the story he was there to get rid of you, what was your reaction? 1997 - David Scott Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) thought being an armored car driver would be a dream come true. Ghantt knew Chambers as Steve, but didnt find out that his last name was Chambers until the arrests were made. (Source: People) He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. He then proceeded to load about $17.3 million in cash (approximately $11 million of which was in $20 bills) into the back of a company van. 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).. 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. In real life: False. After years of working hard, the realisation hit . HOW TO ROB A BANK / S1 EP8. It's the little things like that that gnaw on you. There was no sign of forced entry into the building, but surveillance tapes and photographs showed a man believed by authorities to be Ghantt putting bags of money onto a cart in the vault at Loomis, Fargos offices in Charlotte, and then into the company van. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 'Not for lunch' (Ghantt works as a heavy machine operator in the construction industry.). Now Playing. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Eventually, federal agents found Ghantt, thanks to uncovering a plot for an assassin to hunt and kill him in Mexico. When it comes to crime news, few events have had the longevity or the notoriety of the Loomis Fargo heist, which occurred 25 years ago on Oct. 4, 1997. (The conversation was depicted as 100 percent private on screen). 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. . Ghantt and seven others eventually pleaded guilty in federal court to charges directly related to one of the largest cash heists in history while more than a dozen other family members, friends and associates of those involved in the theft were found guilty of related charges, including money laundering. The film stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Kate McKinnon and Jason Sudeikis. Ghantt's spending in Mexico was extravagant at first. David Ghantt: They did hire a guy to kill me. Like I said before, money does weird things to people. My name is David Scott Ghantt. Chambers, who made an ill-fated decision to buy a home in the gated Cramer Mountain community with his newfound wealth, now runsa gym on Lowell-Bethesda Road. David Ghantt: When I first met Zach and sat down to talk about it, he said, You realize Im going to be playing a dumber, clumsier version of you. Its all being part as a comedy and its Hollywood. [1], Steven Chambers finished serving his sentence in November 2006. Also famous for (at least with his friends and family) finally getting his first book finished.Current Life: Wooer of the Wife, Drinker of Coffee, Father, Gamer, Photographer, Fisherman, Gentleman, Mastermind of this book ;-). . 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.. When they painted the cars, they were the wrong shake. Did you really only go to Mexico with 50k? Ghantt labeled himself as a jerk who was dissatisfied with his life before stealing the money. I cut out a lot of partying and stuff that wastes my spending. Investigators also found Ghantt's pickup truck, abandoned at the warehouse. He then began loading $17 million in unmarked bills inside a company van before driving away. 121 90 1,443 Show this thread David GhanttRetweeted C.A. Following romance reports in 2019, the Stranger Things actor and vocalist married in Las Vegas in September 2020. Ghantt had a lot of help pulling off the heist. You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him [email protected]. This book spotlights all of the topics that make up a well rounded life and is presented in a voice that is down-to-earth, authentic and downright like-able. With egg prices on the rise, are more people buying chickens? Ghantt was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison. Wichita Eagle, Thursday, June 29, 1995 Bullock, David N., 63, retired Beech Aircraft Corp. sheet metal worker, died Tuesday, June 27, 1995. [15], "David Ghantt" redirects here. David Scott Ghantt, 28, was arrested Sunday at Playa del Carmen, Mexico, near the island resort of Cozumel, FBI spokesman William Perry said. Authorities found Ghantts unlocked red pickup truck near the Loomis building. I even helped them design the set, where he breaks into the vault. No idea where it is I only ever had what I took with me and what was sent to me. Spending years in prison, he said, gave him time to re-invent himself. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. Back then all I really wanted to do was just, I wanted to change my life. [3][4] Its Charlotte office would be the victim of David Scott Ghantt and his confederates later that year. Soooooo will anyfuckingbody say what the movie is called? In real life: False. The Army veteran and Hunter Huss High graduate was captured in Mexico five months later when one of the others involved in the theft, Steve Chambers, decided he needed to tie up loose ends by having Ghantt killed. You take a movie like Oceans Eleven, the whole concept of that movie is so farfetched, its not even funny. (His wife tells him to change that word to "selfish."). 'The Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts holding his young daughter Seraphina as they arrive at London Airport, October 17th 1969. He discovers that it's pretty boring stuff, and he often fantasizes about getting robbed. The Confess, Fletch co-stars are engaged after they first started . David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. Authorities say Steve. You said that was the number two question. Yep, yesterday, February 28, at the end of the TODAY show's 8 am ET hour, Sheinelle Jones offered the following update: "By the way, it has been an interesting morning for us. I got to eat my meal perfectly, but every 5 minutes, someone wanted to shoot a selfie with Zach or an autograph from Zach. David Ghantt talks to us about his part in the robbery of Loomis Fargo where he stole over 17 Million Dollars \u0026 the events that transpired soon after.Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/crimeandentertainment/Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/crimenentertainment/Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4T67Bs5kksA7HP22LoKzt4Listen on Apple Music - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crime-entertainment/id1573321645Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/crime-entertainmentListen on Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMjcxNTQzLnJzcw==Listen on Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9cdb3854-414d-4b69-8022-4479e01dad44/crime-entertainment?ref=dm_sh_OVZBcFDuxatVNE3y3mD1HHBtm He has a regular life now, but 25 years ago, David Ghantt was the mastermind behind the 3rd largest bank robbery in U. She was devastated, Diamant said. Because surprise! MASTERMINDS is based on a true story about a Loomis Fargo robbery, in which a small group successfully stole $17 millionmaking it the second largest bank heist in history back in 1997. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ After a five-month manhunt, an armored car driver suspected of stealing $17 million from his companys vault was in custody Monday after being captured at a Mexican resort. The Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery was the $17.3 million cash robbery of the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis Fargo & Company on the evening of October 4, 1997, by armored car driver and vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt.An FBI criminal investigation (which became international in scope) ultimately resulted in the arrest and conviction of eight people . In real life: False. David Ghantt: That was the first thing the FBI told me when they had arrested me. LRM: [Laughter] As for yourself, besides diving, what did you really do in Mexico? A: When I first got in, I thought, "What in my life has led me to this?" Ghantt was in fact hiding out in Mexico using McKinneys I.D., which had been sold to Chambers months earlier. His wife, they said, got breast implants and used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3 sports car. It was one of the first things they voted on. Its comedy. He is now a stepfather to her two daughters, Ethel, 10, and Marnie, 9. Some people screw up big like you, some people screw up small.". Outside the building, Ghantt met up with Campbell, Chambers, and others who were involved in the plot, and drove off to a printing business called Reynolds & Reynolds in northwest Charlotte. What was it like to have a movie based on your story? Q: North Carolina native Zach Galifianakis portrayed you in "Masterminds." $17.3 million . 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. A version of this story originally appeared on CharlotteObserver.com. DeSantis: Youre a History Grad. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. I Am A, where the mundane becomes fascinating and the outrageous suddenly seems normal. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. MASTERMINDS will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download tomorrow. Ghantt, in order to conserve this money, curtailed his spending. The name she gave the pup is apropos. Twenty-one people were charged and convicted in the . Some received probation for money laundering, many others did hard time. He was the only employee unaccounted for the next morning, and videotapes recovered at the Loomis Fargo Charlotte office showed Ghantt removing "cubes of cash" and loading it into a Loomis Fargo armored van for over an hour. Every time I meet this guy, it was always in a very public place. Chambers himself was a former FBI informant who had provided information on a then future Loomis armored car robbery that never happened, court documents stated. Why is Assange in Jail and Not Seymour Hersh? He said he put that amount of money in a storage building. Its a yes: Clover teen shakes off nerves to earn American Idol golden ticket, Deputy rapes woman at traffic stop and tells her she wont be charged, Tennessee cops say, Charlotte woman was locked in room for 5 days before police shooting, report shows. LRM: Obviously, this is comedy and not a documentary. I know your compatriots would like to keep this low key. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, was finishing his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo when he loaded $17 million into a company van and drove away. David Ghantt commits the second largest bank heist in US history . Mostly with Zach. LRM: Did you like the portrayal of yourself in the movie? David, now 30, says he's sorry he abandoned his wife--who he says still loves him--and his family. I just sat back and waited on my money. Were you really hailed as a hero? I learned that I was an a--hole. "He told me they were in the dirt business, so he didn't have to worry too much about me. From Oct. 6 through Feb. 20, the couple made 47 deposits totaling $271,500 at a Belmont bank, and at one point Michelle Chambers tried to get an official bank check with $200,000 in cash, authorities said. Quizs imagin al protagonista. David Scott Ghantt, 28, was arrested Sunday at Playa del Carmen, Mexico, near the island resort of Cozumel, FBI spokesman William Perry said. So what made you do it?
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