What happened to the Loomis Fargo heist?
The Loomis Fargo heist became something of a media lightning rod. The details of the heist itself, coupled with the missteps the crew made after stealing the money, attracted the attention of writers and movie producers.
Who is the prime suspect in the Loomis Fargo Robbery?
Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. 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.
What episode of Super heists is the Loomis heist?
In 2020, the television show Super Heists portrayed the heist in Episode 3, "Van Full of Dollars". David Ghantt was portrayed by Zackary Hatfield. Rocket Science, a 1998 double-disc album by Charlotte-based radio personalities John Boy & Billy, includes a track ("Marvin: The Loomis Caper") mocking the defendants.
Is Loomis Fargo still in jail?
He completed his prison sentence in November 2006. The Loomis Fargo heist became something of a media lightning rod. The details of the heist itself, coupled with the missteps the crew made after stealing the money, attracted the attention of writers and movie producers.
Was the Loomis Fargo heist real?
Loomis, Fargo & Co. 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.
How did David ghantt get caught?
Authorities said they hired a man named Michael McKinney to meet up with Ghantt and kill him, under the guise that he was planning to give Ghantt more of the money he was owed. But before the hit could be carried out, the FBI swooped in and arrested Ghantt and the others.
Who is the real David ghantt?
David Scott Ghantt was the vault supervisor at the regional branch of Loomis, Fargo & Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before he decided to steal $17 million from the bank, Ghantt had worked for years as a relatively taciturn and compliant employee.
Was masterminds really based on a true story?
Masterminds is a 2016 American crime comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina.
Is Loomis Fargo still in business?
Currently, Loomis offers secure and comprehensive solutions for the distribution, handling, storage, and recycling of cash and other valuables for banks, retailers, and more. With revenue of SEK 20 billion in 2019 alone, Loomis operates through 400+ branches worldwide and employs around 22,000 people.
Who is David Gant?
David Gant (I) David Gant is known for Braveheart (1995), Brazil (1985) and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc...
Was the real David ghantt in masterminds?
In real life: False. Ghantt was never in Chambers's presence until he actually handed off the money to him.
Who is Heather Tallchief?
After finding work for an armored security company in Las Vegas, she stole $3.1 million from a casino — and spent the next 12 years as a fugitive. The brazen 1993 robbery made Heather Tallchief one of the most wanted women in America.
Who are the current masterminds?
Master Minds (game show)Master MindsGenreGame ShowPresented bySherri Shepherd Brooke BurnsStarringKen Jennings Muffy Marracco Jonathan Corbblah Arianna Haut Ryan Chaffee Raj Dhuwalia Susannah Brooks David Schuchinski Lakedra PamComposersVincent Ott Ian Honeyman11 more rows
What happened to masterminds?
On November 18, 2020, it was announced that the second season would premiere on December 7, 2020. Later, on March 25, 2021, GSN renewed the show for a third season.
What happened to the money from the Empire State heist?
Sentences of 15 years and fines of $35,000 were imposed on both Christos Potamitis, a former guard at Sentry, and Eddie Argitakos, a Queens accountant. They were convicted of the theft. Mr. Argitakos's father, Steve, was sentenced to four years and fined $5,000 for hiding stolen money.
Who is the suspect in the heist at Loomis Fargo?
Loomis Fargo Heist Investigation: David Ghantt, Suspect. The morning after the height, employees of Loomis Fargo realized they couldn’t open the vault. They called the police, who brought in the FBI, classifying the heist as a bank robbery. From the beginning, the FBI’s prime suspect was David Ghantt. Not only was Ghantt the only unaccounted ...
Who was involved in the Loomis Fargo heist?
The Loomis Fargo Heist. Over the next months, Ghantt , Campbell, and Chambers developed a plan. Working by himself, Ghantt would commit the robbery and then flee for Mexico, leaving the bulk of the cash with Chambers. While Ghantt waited for the heat from the robbery to die down, Chambers would send Ghantt small amounts of money.
Why did Ghantt call Chambers?
When Ghantt called Chambers to have the latter wire him more money, Cha mbers sent just a few thousand dollars. As the FBI listened in to Chambers’ calls, they discovered that he was also planning to have Ghantt assassinated, hoping to keep all the money for himself. The FBI knew they needed to make their move.
How much money did Ghantt bring to Mexico?
After meeting up with Chambers, Campbell, and some other co-conspirators, Ghantt hightailed it to Mexico with $50,000 in cash in his car. He made it across the border just as his deception was discovered.
How much money was left in the van after the heist?
Two days after the heist, the FBI found the missing van with $3.3 million of cash left in it. Ghantt and his compatriots, it turns out, had underestimated how bulky money is. They left behind the cash they couldn’t fit in their cars. The FBI quickly connected Ghantt to Campbell, who was a former Loomis Fargo employee.
What happened to Ghantt in 1988?
On March 1, 1988, Mexican police arrested Ghantt at Playa del Carmen. The next day, the Chambers’, Campbell, and some other notable parties were arrested in Charlotte. Ten days later, the group was indicted for bank larceny and money laundering.
Who did Ghantt and Campbell meet?
The jokes between Ghantt and Campbell about their disgruntlement with their jobs took on a more serious note when Campbell introduced Ghantt to an old high school classmate of hers named Steve Chambers.
When was the Loomis Fargo bank robbery?
on the evening of October 4, 1997. The robbery was committed by Loomis vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt, his married girlfriend Kelly Campbell (a former Loomis co-worker), ...
Who was the vault supervisor in the Loomis robbery?
Overcoming the mindset that led to the part David Ghantt played in the Loomis robbery and how he started on a new path was the subject of the book The Book of Dave: A New Path After a $17 Million Misstep ( ISBN 9781726492737) by David Scott Ghantt (published October 2018). David Ghantt was the vault supervisor in the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery.
What was the plan of Ghantt and Chambers?
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.
How much money did Ghantt load into his van?
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.
Why was the Hillbilly Heist called the Hillbilly Heist?
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.
What episode of America's Most Wanted did Ghantt's wife plead for her husband to
Within days of the robbery, the case was depicted on the television criminal reporting show America's Most Wanted, episode aired on October 11, 1997. Ghantt's wife ended the segment with a plea to her then-husband, "Please, if there's any way possible, call us or the FBI and let us know you are alive and well...
Who killed Ghantt in the murder for hire scheme?
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. The FBI investigation was aided by the gang's extravagant spending.
How much money did Loomis Fargo pull on his coworkers?
In Florida, a Loomis Fargo employee had pulled a gun on his coworkers and gotten away with $18 million, a move that FBI agents theorize Ghantt, Campbell and other employees all sat around talking about – and what they would do with that amount of money – for a while. Advertisement.
Who was Ghantt in the heist?
Ghantt, who had been with the bank since 1994, was promoted from driver to vault supervisor in 1997, where he earned $360 a week and befriended Kelly Campbell (Wiig), who got Ghantt mixed up in the plans for the heist after she left Loomis. It’s noteworthy to mention that although she denies an affair, FBI phone taps have proved otherwise, ...
How much money did Ghantt and Campbell give to Mexico?
The money was successfully handed off, and Ghantt and Campbell made 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.
Why couldn't Ghantt and Campbell get to Mexico?
Ghantt and Campbell couldn’t get to Mexico from Columbia, as there were no international flights being offered out of the hub, which they would have known, had they called ahead.
Who was arrested in the Chambers ring?
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 next day, the Chambers, Campbell and other members of the ring were arrested. Eight people were indicted for bank larceny and money laundering, which nine friends and relatives were also charged for, as they’d co-signed safe deposit boxes to store some of the cash. Four more people were also charged with laundering, bringing the grand total to more than twenty.
Who was the Loomis Fargo employee who was robbed?
This robbery is the largest cash robbery on U.S. soil. Ghantt had struck up a relationship with a fellow Loomis Fargo employee, Kelly Campbell; they continued to maintain contact even after Campbell left the company.
When was the Loomis Fargo bank robbery?
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 ...
How much money did Ghantt load into his van?
With the plan in place, Ghantt sent a newly hired employee he had been assigned to train home early (reportedly, at 6 p.m.) and then proceeded to load a little more than $17.3 million in cash (approximately $11 million of which was in $20 bills) into the back of a company van.
Where did Ghantt go?
Then, keeping with the plan, Ghantt took $50,000 (the maximum that could be taken across the border by law without further authorization) with him and left for Mexico, winding up at the popular Yucatan Peninsula resort of Cozumel. Loomis Fargo employees could not open the vault the next morning, and called the police.
Who was Steve Chambers?
In August 1997, Campbell informed Ghantt about an old high school friend of hers named Steve Chambers, who could assist Ghantt to execute a massive cash robbery of the Loomis Fargo vault in one night. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. The plan was for Ghantt to commit the actual robbery ...
Did Ghantt leave Mexico?
Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer. The plan was for Ghantt to commit the actual robbery and then quickly leave the country for Mexico – but to leave the bulk of the cash with Chambers.
What is the relationship between Solis and Tallchief?
Part one addresses the relationship of Tallchief and Solis and pulling off the heist itself, and part two follows their fall from grace and Tallchief's arrest after she turned herself in more than a decade after the heist was committed.
What is a heist on Netflix?
Heist is a light-hearted true crime documentary series on Netflix about three different heists pulled off by ordinary people. The first two episodes delve deep into the crimes committed by Heather Tallchief, featuring archival footage, interviews with her family and friends, re-enactments and Tallchief's side of the story, ...
What details did Heather Tallchief miss out on?
Six Details Missed Out From Heather Tallchief's Heist. 1. Heather Tallchief Left a Letter for Her Estranged Mother. Heist delves deep into Tallchief's backstory, exploring the big question of what led her to carry out the theft in the first place. She had a troubled childhood.
Why did Heather Tallchief tell her mother not to worry?
In the letter, Tallchief told her mother not to worry because "we have never been true friends.". 2. Heather Tallchief Made FBI History. Heist on Netflix made it very clear Tallchief and Solis were wanted fugitives, but it missed out on the fact that Tallchief holds a special place in FBI history.
How long was Tallchief in jail?
She pled guilty to one count of obtaining a false passport and to two counts of embezzlement, receiving a prison sentence of five years. She was released in 2010. Heist doesn't touch on the fact Tallchief also spent five years under federal supervision following her release, meaning she wasn't truly "free" until 2015.
What episode does Tallchief recall Solis?
In episode two of Heist, Tallchief recalls Solis and her purchasing a collection of firearms and Solis training her in the use of an AK-47. Nobody was harmed when the heist was carried out and no shots were fired. Nevertheless, you may be surprised to learn Tallchief was no stranger to firearms.
How long did Tallchief stay in Amsterdam?
When Tallchief and her son Emilio left Solis, they managed to get fake passports "through a friend of a friend" which allowed them to stay in Amsterdam for 10 years.
How did the FBI find out about David Ghantt?
The FBI found out Ghantt was in Mexico, by listening to phone conversations between David and Kelly, the one he had a crush on. "She hangs up and you hear the discussion about them planning to kill David Ghantt and sending a hit man down there," Wydra says.
Why did the collaborators leave behind 3 million in one's and 5's?
So much money, the collaborators actually left behind three million in one's and five's, because they had no place to stash it all. Special agent, Mark Rozzi, says identifying the primary suspect was easy. However, there were about twenty more people involved.
Overview
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. 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. An FBI criminal investi…
Company
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. Its Charlotte office would be the victim of David Scott Ghantt and his confederates later that year.
Planning
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. 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. Chambers had broached the possibility of a robbery to Campbell earlier in the summer.
Heist
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. 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.
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. …
FBI investigation
Loomis Fargo employees could not open the vault the next morning and called the police. 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.
Investigators considered Ghantt to be the prime suspect almost from the beginning. He was the only employee unaccounted for the next morning, and videotapes recovered at the Loomis Farg…
Media portrayals
• The robbery was the subject of the book Heist!: The $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft (ISBN 0895872528) by Jeff Diamant (published September 2002). Diamant was a Charlotte Observer newspaper reporter working in their Gaston County bureau when the theft took place.
• Overcoming the mindset that led to the part David Ghantt played in the Loomis robbery and how he started on a new path was the subject of the book The Book of Dave: A New Path After a $17 Million Misst…
See also
• List of large value US robberies
• Criminal conspiracy
• Dunbar Armored robbery
External links
• Ghantt and other gang members arrested in March 1998
• Ghantt pleads guilty in September 1998
• Steven Chambers released from prison; announces he is a "retired criminal"
• Review of this case and the Book Heist! by Jeff Diamant