In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the chaotic true story of the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery, which was the second-largest cash heist on U.S. soil at the time. We explore how vault supervisor David Ghantt conspired with his girlfriend Kelly Campbell and her friend, Steve Chambers, to load a company van with $17.3 million in cash before Ghantt fled to Cozumel, Mexico. You’ll hear about the gang’s immediate and extravagant spending, including the purchase of a luxury home, a BMW Z3, a $600 cigar store Indian, and a velvet painting of Elvis Presley, which led locals to nickname the crime "the hillbilly heist".
We also discuss the dark turn the plot took when the FBI discovered Chambers had hired a hitman to kill Ghantt while he was in hiding. Tune in to learn how a traced phone call finally brought down the group, leading to the conviction of 24 people and the recovery of 88% of the stolen money. Finally, we touch on the crime's legacy in pop culture, including the 2016 comedy film Masterminds starring Zach Galifianakis.
