SUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts||Spotify||Stitcher||TuneIn||Google Podcasts. Charlotte radio stations labeled them the "Cramer Mountain hillbillies" and the whole crew as "the gang that couldn't steal straight.". David Ghantt: Oh, yeah. No. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Here's whatGhantt says now about the heist that madethe "Cramer Mountain Hillbillies" famous and changed him forever. That just added to the comedic element. On Monday, he was returned to Charlotte, where he is charged with stealing a van stuffed with cash from the vault at Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte. I just wanted to restart. 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. 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. Eventually, the money had to run out. 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. Few who were around then will forget the theft of $17 million in unmarked bills from the armored car company's vault in Charlotte, pulled off by a group of residents of Gaston and Cleveland counties, who were subsequently caught five months later. 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, stole almost $17 million before being captured in Mexico. A: I hate to think about what I'd be doing if I hadn't gotten caught. I did do a lot of diving down in Mexico, which is a great diving spot. Just living day-to-day. I'd probably be that infamous gringo living in Belize, kicked back on the beach, fishing and bored out of my mind. I know your compatriots would like to keep this low key. 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 Mountain. LRM: You were a movie consultant on this project. Loomis Fargo employees could not open the vault the next morning and called the police. Were just getting started on that. All but one of the defendants pleaded guilty. Chambers finished serving his prison sentence in November 2006 and told the Associated Press in 2009 he was "changed.". Dont come to me for a treasure map, Ill put it to you that way., Michael Sainatos writing has appeared in the Guardian, Miami Herald, Baltimore Sun, Denver Post, Buffalo News, the Hill, Alternet, and several other publications . Im like, You need to understand that, that money has been missing for 20 years. Unfortunately, no one explained that to David Ghantt before he used his position as vault supervisor with Charlotte, N.C.'s Loomis, Fargo & Co. to rob the company of $17 million in 1997. They took a lot of liberty with the story here and there. Heres my last question for younot all of the stolen money was accounted forwhat do you think actually happened to the last few million dollars? 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. He made his own self miserable. Sixteen others who were indirectly involved were convicted and federal agents recovered most of the money. BOSTON (AP) A former eBay Inc. executive was sentenced on Thursday to almost five years in prison for leading a scheme to terrorize the creators of an . You take a movie like Oceans Eleven, the whole concept of that movie is so farfetched, its not even funny. Will California Save the Iconic Joshua Tree? David Ghantt: In my way of thinking, you are part of the story and people will talk about you regardless. He said he put that amount of money in a storage building. Hes a great person. Zach Galifianakis played David Scott Ghantt, with other roles played byOwen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Ghantt was apprehended in Mexico and returned to the United States in custody. The van was later found with $3 million in it, but the rest of the money is still missing. LRM: If you had to relive that heist againwhat would you do differently? 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. At the time it was thesecond largest bank heistin U.S. history. She was devastated, Diamant said. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. It's the little things like that that gnaw on you. David Ghantt: That is the like the number two question that everyone asks me. Director Jared Hess Writers Chris Bowman (screenplay) Hubbel Palmer (screenplay) Emily Spivey (screenplay) Stars Zach Galifianakis Kristen Wiig Owen Wilson I was taken back. 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).. Every time I meet this guy, it was always in a very public place. LRM: [Laughter] As for yourself, besides diving, what did you really do in Mexico? On Oct. 4, 1997, former Kings Mountain resident David Scott Ghantt finished his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo in Charlotte. Ghantt was. I realized a lot of things that were wrong with me as a person. In February 2009 the Associated Press reported that Chambers had chosen to describe himself as "changed". An FBI criminal investigation ultimately resulted in the arrest and conviction of eight people directly involved in the heist, as well as sixteen others who had indirectly helped them, and the recovery of approximately 88% of the stolen money. I ended up buying a small sailboat and go out to catch lunch. One of my compatriots, Steve Chambers was in charge of the money. A Dangerous Fishing Expedition: The Select Committee on China, Spying on Muslims, Good; Spying on Christians, Bad, Climate Code Red Analysis and Sea Level Warnings, Nichole Stephens, Administrative Assistant. 44:28. Im still going through the friend requests. A guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history. Chambers never held Campbell hostage by locking her in a shed on his property. Chambers declines to comment on the events that made him notorious. David Ghantt : [voice-over] Steve was a petty thief, mostly known for stealing tiny wheelchairs from pediatric hospitals. When McKinney realized Ghantt was wanted for the Loomis Fargo robbery, he backed off personally because he didnt want to be anywhere near a federal investigation. 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, which opens in theatres . There are also a bit of comedy and some tragedy. Chambers and his wife decorated their new home with a "Velvet Elvis" painting, which came to represent the crime. If you're trying to make yourself better today, that's all most people care about. FBI agents pulled stolen cash out of barrels they had stashed around their home. I cut out a lot of partying and stuff that wastes my spending. They received sentences and probation ranging from several years to 11 years and three months in federal prison for Steve Chambers, who was also fined more than $3,500,000. People still laugh when they think of the "velvet Elvis" Chambershad in his Cramer Mountain mansion, or how his former wife showed upat a local bankto deposit wads of cash that she assured the teller was not "drug money.". February 28, 2023. In October of 1997, I was a vault supervisor for armored truck company Loomis Fargo, when I made off with $17.3 million. Check your inbox for a confirmation email with instructions to finish signing up. Glad you like the movie. When they showed the mansion scene, the great big velvet Elvis painting was for real. 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. "Miscavige is a recluse now the same way Hubbard was at the end," said Mike Rinder, the former media spokesman . There were things in real life that my compatriots did that was pretty comedic and stupid. Money does weird things to people. It wasa painful process, but I learned to be happy with me and with what I've got. But it was Ghantt, now 47 and living with his wife and daughter in Jacksonville, Florida,who actually took more than 2,000 pounds of cash and just drove away from his job. I stole $17 million, and Zach Galifianakis played me in a movie. Some people screw up big like you, some people screw up small.". Mostly with Zach. HOW TO ROB A BANK / S1 EP6. David Harbour with Lily Allen. 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. David Scott Ghantt Ghantt, his former co-worker Kelly Campbell and her friends Steve and Michelle Chambers carried out the Loomis Fargo heist on Oct. 4, 1997. All of us will be looking forward to your story by watching the movie on Blu-ray or DVD. Ghantt was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison. You can't get barbecue slaw in this hedonistic state (Florida), and there's nowhere to get real ice cream here like Tony's. I live down here in Jacksonville, Florida. The plan was for Ghantt to commit the robbery and then quickly leave the country for Mexico but to leave the bulk of the cash with Chambers. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Question: Which do you regret more, stealing the money or getting caught? One time, he knocked on my door when I was getting ready to go scuba diving. The movie is hilarious. My face popped up. A: I'm in dire need for some RO's barbecue and some Tony's Ice Cream. Gov. HOW TO ROB A BANK / S1 EP5 . 1) David Ghantt is underpaid and unhappy. Ghantt knew Chambers as Steve, but didnt find out that his last name was Chambers until the arrests were made. (His wife tells him to change that word to "selfish."). Then, keeping with the plan, Ghantt took $50,000 (the maximum that could by law be taken across the border without further authorization) with him and left for Mexico, winding up at the popular Yucatan Peninsula resort-island of Cozumel. 2023 www.gastongazette.com. Back in 1997, David Ghantt, a resident of Kings Mountain and Gulf War veteran, was finishing up his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo when he started to load nearly $17 million into a company van and drove away. DeSantis: Youre a History Grad. The company reported the theft the next day, saying one of its vans was missing. I might be a little biased. David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. When they painted the cars, they were the wrong shake. David Ghantt: At first, I had a pretty good party. And, with the help of several others David made off with $17.3 million dollars, 11 million of which was in 20's. David Ghantt: I would be really philosophical about this. 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. David Ghantt: Since the movie came out, I probably say I would have more now. Heres How We Fix That. 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. In real life: Yes and no. LRM: Im curious. Mrs. 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 . The couple was married for 22 years before her untimely death in 2012. He just never had the opportunity. Two New Featurettes For CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR Are HERE! We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. 20 years ago,on the night ofOctober 4, 1997, David Scott Ghantt loaded $17.3 million of cash from the bank vault in Charlotte, North Carolina he was employed to supervise into a van. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney, and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most. Where ever it was, it is long gone now. After two years of dating, Jon Hamm and Anna Osceola are ready to spend the rest of their lives together. They not only moved from a trailer into an expensive house just miles away from where the theft took place, but also paid for cosmetic surgery, bought a BMW convertible, Rolex watches and other signs of excess. I thought he did a really good job. My wife and I are starting a microbusiness. Why is Assange in Jail and Not Seymour Hersh? David Ghantt normally came home between 6 and 8 p.m., and often he was late, his wife said. 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. Could you talk a little more about that? The Bank Job (2008) Image via Lionsgate. 44:23. The painful part is that when you get caught, that the part of your brain that was trying to talk to you when you first started the robbery was right, and that's like a dump truck running over you. I Am A, where the mundane becomes fascinating and the outrageous suddenly seems normal. David Ghantt: I think its a great story. Yes, Carrie Underwood adopted a dog in Charlotte. Send me book discovery news, tips, & tricks. The next day, Steve and Michelle Chambers, Kelly Campbell, and four others were arrested.[6]. Like I said before, money does weird things to people. Until it's gone, you don't appreciate it. You said that was the number two question. Ghantt labeled himself as a jerk who was dissatisfied with his life before stealing the money. Follow him on twitter: @MSainat1, 20 Years Later: Masterminds of One of the Largest Bank Heists in U.S. History, The CIAs Changing Take on the Climate Emergency, Emancipation, Hollywoods Best Civil War Film Ever. What was the number one question? Everybody thinks being famous and being an actor is stupendous, and the money is fantastic, but they kind of live in afish bowl. 121 90 1,443 Show this thread David GhanttRetweeted C.A. Themansion party is real. You'd be amazed at how much stress you can relieve yourself from in your life by just taking 20 or so minutes a day for yourself and just letting the world go. And it would take a lot more than that to offend me, I thought it was funny. I pretty much let them have their way with it, as you say. LRM: You did serve time in Federal prison and it was a very well-known bank robbery. Tell us on what was actually real from that movie. He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. With the bandits blowing millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. 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. I'll take the live one. LRM: When you actually pulled off this heist, was there any comedic incidents at all that was actually true? Tony Mendez, long an on-air fixture handling the cue cards for David Letterman on The Late Show, took the wrong cue this week, assaulting staff writer Bill Scheft, a 15-time Emmy nominee, and getti Ghantt's spending in Mexico was extravagant at first. I think Zachs a hell of an actor. 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. Hes scheduled to be sentenced in May. Authorities said a Loomis employee pulled a gun on two co-workers. 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.. HOW TO ROB A BANK / S1 EP7. He was angry a lot. In November 1990, David married Margaret in San Diego, California. Q: You say your time in federal prison changed you. I got to eat my meal perfectly, but every 5 minutes, someone wanted to shoot a selfie with Zach or an autograph from Zach. This website is using Google Analytics. Ghantt was charged in connection with the . David Ray Camm (born March 23, 1964) is a former trooper of the Indiana State Police (ISP) who spent 13 years in prison after twice being convicted of the murders of his wife, Kimberly, and his two young children at their home in Georgetown, Indiana, on September 28, 2000.He was released from custody in 2013 after his third trial resulted in an acquittal. On the non-philosophical side, it probably be much better off if I done everything by myself. While Ghantt spent more than 6 1/2 years in federal prison, he said he usedthat time to"re-invent" himself. David Ghantt: I was very sure they [were looking for me]. Ghantt was already married when he took part in the heist, to a woman named Tammy - who author Diamant described as "very nice." It is true, however, that she had no idea about the plot and that. After the movie [premiered in theaters], my Facebook account exploded. I figured it had to be me. 33. Cathy Biles, who handled the purchase of the Chambers house in Cramerton, told WSOC-TV in Charlotte that the cash deal aroused her suspicions. [Chuckles]. Get ready for less sleep in Charlotte. She also must . [citation needed], It was later confirmed by the FBI that more than 88% of the stolen cash had been located or otherwise accounted for. All ofWCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. An additional tip reached the FBI when Michelle Chambers made a large deposit at a bank. On Monday, he was returned to Charlotte, where he is charged with stealing a van stuffed with cash from the vault at Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte. LRM: Oh, that is an interesting question. . They even made a movie about it, with North Carolina native Zach Galifianakis playing the role of Ghantt in the comedy "Masterminds.". David Ghantt: The number one question is usually, What made you do it?. When to set your clocks for daylight saving time, Novant to take over two hospital systems near Charlotte in a $320 million deal. 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. When I interviewed for this job about three years ago, I told (my boss) that I had some dirt in my background, and if he went digging for it, he would find it. Masterminds follows the [] It was one of the first things they voted on. Masterminds is a 2016 American crime comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina. Ghantt labeled himself as a jerk who was dissatisfied with his life before stealing the money. So he hatched a plan to rob his employers. Soooooo will anyfuckingbody say what the movie is called? 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. The Internet was still new at the time. All David Ghantt ever really wanted was adventure, and he takes the audience along with him for an hour-and-a-half of side-splitting comedy in Masterminds. So what exactly did you do for this production? 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. Any truth to that? David Ghantt was the vault supervisor for Loomis, Fargo & Co. armored cars, which managed the transportation of large sums of cash between banks in North Carolina. Now, here we are, two years later. 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. I've read that once the FBI actually closed in on you, you were relieved because you were fearing for your life at that point. So the last third of the movie is almost entirely fiction. David Ghantt, a Gulf War veteran, was finishing his shift as a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo when he loaded $17 million into a . He is now a stepfather to her two daughters, Ethel, 10, and Marnie, 9. You've decided to give up on a part of your life. The company reported the theft Oct. 5. Also famous for (at least with his friends and family) finally getting his first book . Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. They also bought a BMW Z3 with cash and made several large purchases, including a $600 cigar store Indian. Growing Backlash to Montanas GOP-Controlled Legislature, Gee Its Nice Your State is Blue, the War on Abortions Still Coming for You. He now has a wife, a construction job, and a child. The company reported the theft Oct. 5. 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. Philip Noel Johnson, 33, was arrested in August while crossing into the United States from Mexico. Drummer Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones with his wife Shirley and daughter Seraphina at the Grammy Awards at Kensington Roof gardens, London,. However, it's a Hollywood comedy. If I hadnt of done that, Id probably still be in North Carolina and I would not have got to meet a lot of the interesting people that Ive got to meet. LRM: True. Some people screw up big like you, some people screw up small. 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 ;-). Jandice : In any case, we got to talkin' afterwards, and I thought, well, that one's dead, this one's alive. "Twenty-five years ago today. Chambers was always considered the "mastermind" behind the theft, but he doesn't talkmuch about his Loomis heist days, not even when actor Owen Wilson portrayed him in the 2016comedy about the heist titled"Masterminds.". As a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo, David had access to the vaults and all the cash within. She had previously been making frequent small deposits to avert suspicion. David Ghantt : I had a hard time liftin' it up. With the plan in place, Ghantt sent a newly employed co-worker home early (reportedly at 6 p.m) who had been assigned to train with him. by Jeff Diamant (left) and Steven Chambers (left) and David Scott Ghantt leave federal court. He told me they were in the dirt business, so he didn't have to worry too much about me. Answer: The painful one is getting caught. Kate. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. Did you get to spend much time on set? 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. Lessons Not Learned From the Pentagon Papers, The US Navy is More Than Just Broken, Careerism is Tearing It Apart, Sensitivity Rewrites: The Cultural Purging of Roald Dahl, The Biden National Security Team Must Get SmarterSooner, Building Direct Democracy in an Atlanta Forest, Truth, No Matter What: Why Watering Down Palestinian Reality is a Crime, How Howard Schultz Made Starbucks the Poster Child of Corporate Abuse, Letter from London: Meeting at Maison Bertaux, Why Much of the Global South Isnt Automatically Supporting the West in Ukraine. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM MASTERMIND MOVIE. 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. David Bowie 's widow recently took to Instagram to post selfies, while promoting both her makeup brand and fashion line. Its gone! Other FBI agents, who had wiretaps on Chambers' after being tipped off much earlier about his free-spending ways, were soon searching the expensive Cramer Mountain home he had bought with the proceeds. 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. 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], 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, Philip Noel Johnson stole $18.8 million from the Loomis Fargo armored vehicle he was driving.[2]. Q: North Carolina native Zach Galifianakis portrayed you in "Masterminds." Fried chicken, cornbread and cake what brings you back to this Charlotte restaurant. Updated: Sep 29, 2022 / 03:23 PM CDT. Anyways, David, I appreciate this conversation. shes now Miss USA. But after one visit, she asked a teller "How much can I deposit before you have to report it to the feds?" Authorities found Ghantts unlocked red pickup truck near the Loomis building. Congratulations Dave - very well done. Name: David Scott Ghantt Born: October 20,1969 Infamous for: When he literally drove off with $17+ Million one day after work (admit it, you've 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. Chambers did more than 11 years. 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. Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash..only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. In real life: False. Sign up now to get updates whenever we release new features! David Ghantt: Mostly, it concerned for Zach [Galifianakis] to have the right shirt and carrying the right pistol. Five years he told how he explains his past like this: "People are very forgiving if you're open and honest right from the start.
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