jorge delgado sun gym

Doorbal was also found guilty and both men were sentenced to death. On June 10, Lugo agreed to reveal the hiding place of the bodies in return for the police mentioning his helpfulness to a jury. Garafalo, also retired, worked the case for his boss, Felix Jimenez. "Well we couldn't wait for the police," Du Bois replied. "They would place a gun to his head, they would take a revolver and spin it and pull the trigger," Jimenez explained. The Sun Gym Gang had possession of all his assets, including his family's luxurious Miami home. Doorbal and Lugo approached Frank Griga with a phony, made-up business scheme and a meeting was set at the Solid Gold strip club. The investigation into Frank and Krisztina's disappearance continued. Petrescu would play a crucial role as police continued gathering more Lugo and Doorbal's attorneys chose not to put on a case. Jorge Delgado's warehouse where the Sun Gym Gang tortured their victims is now a bakery for desserts and cakes. "When we got to the warehouse," said Schiller, "they called the boss.". "It's a true rags-to-riches story," said Roberts. With the help of Jorge Delgado, Doorbal and Lugo stuffed the bodies and comic book code names like Batman and Robin and tried to stage an [19] After some time, the Golden Beach Police Department were called. "Liquor, tequila, vodka and gave him sleeping pills. "There was some damning evidence there bloody clothing belonging to Frank and Krisztina, there was the kidnap kit -- a case with duct tape guns, [stun guns], handcuffs -- there was so much evidence in that apartment," said Jimenez. . "We got information and -- as soon as we got it, we ended up going to Golden Beach," he said. The life Frank Griga had built on those dial tones of his sex phone empire. Their case was the bizarre kidnapping of another Miami millionaire. And that was their attempt to kill him. "There's sometimes when, as a defense lawyer, you don't have anything to go on. Almost four years after he was left for dead, Marc Schiller faced off again against the Sun Gym gang. to go on trial. "Sorry. that. I would imagine most CPAs in Miami have," she explained. / CBS News, Produced by Chuck Stevenson, Jamie Stolz, Tamara Weitzman and Alicia Tejada. I can't explain it," he replied. "At this point, we realized that something bad -- something bad had happened to this couple," said Sam Garafalo. co-conspirator was sentenced to two years imprisonment for his for him, he's on an air ambulance flight to New York," said Ferrer. Bingo. I leave that to the federal government. "It was like a service station he was changing the oil, washing Danny Lugo learned about Schiller from Jorge Delgado, who also worked out at Sun Gym. It was here he began an affair with a one-time Penthouse model-turned exotic dancer named Sabina Petrescu. murder in the deaths of Krisztina Furton and Frank Griga. being a professional diver, was now shot full of horse tranquilizer. Another gang member would dump Frank Griga's yellow Lamborghini on the side of the road, in the swampy Florida Everglades. [4] Noel Doorbal worked part-time at the gym alongside Lugo. was too much. Trump motion to declare mistrial in E. 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"They never went out, never read them their rights, they never asked The Sun Gym Gang were active in Miami, Florida, during the mid-1990s[1] and were responsible for the murders of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton along with the kidnapping, extortion, and attempted murder of Marc Schiller. one of the most notorious crimes in Miami history: a complicated and He described how important Schiller's testimony was in bringing down the Sun Gym gang. The Argentinian chef who operates out of there now was reportedly horrified when told of its sordid role in one of Miami's notorious crimes. We don't know where he is.". But the real plan mirrored the violent abduction of Marc Schiller: And eventually he passed out," said Jimenez. "He was They said they wanted to get the money back, and much more, to punish him. The now desperate Sun Gym gang had tracked down their former captive. [25] Sabina Petrescu and Cindy Eldridge also faced charges. " when you have a case that's that grotesque and you know people wide," Jimenez continued. plots, though she believed they were undercover CIA agents. Petrescu was another recent immigrant who made a splash in Miami. immigrant, came to this country with $10 dollars in his pocket and made Petrescu was another recent immigrant who made a splash in Miami. "he loved fast cars, beautiful girls and life," Griga said. "Were you satisfied with the verdict? "They'd been partying and going to strip clubs, and dropping thousands of dollars on strippers and it was all his money," said Judge Alex Ferrer. are out there. Hungarian couple you know, this yellow Lamborghini found in the "Oh he loved cars, yes, he loved cars," Griga said. The actual Sun Gym was shut down in August 1995 after its owner was arrested on kidnapping, money-laundering, and attempted-murder charges. Danny Lugo learned about Schiller from Jorge Delgado, who also worked out at Sun Gym. They moved into The gang used costumes "But this case really got to me.". " in the Everglades, on the Alligator Alley that goes from Ft. Lauderdale to Naples," said Ferrer. It would be months before Schiller could grasp the full horror of how He's my old boyfriend," Levine explained. Asked what did they do with the bodies, Levine told Roberts, "Well, they got creative.". "They had a dead person and another one, another person near death," said Garafalo. "And they disposed of the torsos in one part of the county in oil drums," said Ferrer. "Of all the cases I've tried this is by far the most fascinating case," said Ferrer. him?' It had been five months since Marc Schiller's ordeal. "Liquor, tequila, vodka and gave him sleeping pills. "And they told him that they were investors and that they had a way to make 20-percent return on the dollar," said Levine. [18], The morning after the disappearance of Griga and Furton, housekeeper Eszter Toth arrived at Griga's house. But "They went to Metro-Dade's top unit that handles just crimes of this actually been to the house the last time they were seen alive and they Bingo. and revealed to the gang where his assets were kept. "And he says, 'How would I know him?' And this is what these guys -- broke short. The focus of attention of the Fargo-esque crime drama, set in the 1990s, was Sun Gym in Miami Lakes, Florida. Jimenez explained. And my sister was there and my brother. Nov 2018 - Mar 20223 years 5 months. "First, I can't walk and second of all, who knows how many of these people are out there," he said. weeks, he wasn't even allowed to use the bathroom. [31] He served only seven years in jail and was released from the Everglades Correctional Institution in West Dade on September27, 2002. [4] A crash site was chosen three blocks south of Schlotzky's. "He was treated like a prisoner of war or actually worse. think of what she went through.". I guess they came at 10 to look for me, to kill us all, all three of us," said Schiller. I hadn't eaten for like three days. "He was screaming 'What do you want, what do you want with me, what are you doin? she thought he was her CIA agent.". me, and his eyes were watery. "He thought he was smarter than anybody else," Jimenez added. deserve to go to prison? and held for more than a month. He would have to house. They are now both CBS News consultants. Doorbal was driving," In an incredible twist of fate, detectives in another department at Metro-Dade police had also been looking at Danny Lugo and Adrian Doorbal. At that location now is a warehouse for Oni Essence perfume. "He felt betrayed," Roberts noted to Levine. They had injected her with enough horse tranquiller to kill four 1,000-pound horses. The co-conspirator was sentenced to two years imprisonment for his involvement in Schiller's kidnapping and Jorge Delgado got 15. "The plan was actually very simple: kidnap Marc Schiller, have him write his own ransom and then kill him," she replied. [28], Count I Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Count III First-Degree Murder (Furton), Count IV First-Degree Murder (Griga), Count X Attempted First-Degree Murder, Count XIV Grand Theft (Second-Degree), Count XVI Possession of an Identification Plate, Count XIX Money Laundering (Counts XIX XXVII), Count XXVIII Forgery (Counts XXVIII, XXXI, XXXIV, XXVII, XL, XLIII), Count XXX Uttering a Forged Instrument (Counts XXX, XXIII, XXXVI, IXL, XLII, XLV), Count XLVI Conspiracy to Commit a First-Degree Felony[28], He remains on death row for the murders of Griga and Krisztina Furton[29] and has made multiple unsuccessful appeals against his sentence.[29]. [32], Following the release of the Pain & Gain film, Raimondo spoke to the Miami New Times about the film. Bahamas the -- the-- following day. Ferrer wondered. "And they drove the car into a light pole. "As I was sentencing him, Danny Lugo was standin' there lookin' at me, and his eyes were watery. evidence connecting Lugo and Doorbal to the disappearance of Frank and "It was a sham," Ed Du Bois said. [4] After this last failed attempt, Doorbal and Weekes dropped Pierre and recruited Mario Sanchez, or "Big Mario," a former Sun Gym weightlifting instructor and licensed Florida private eye. Felix Jimenez explained. Well, at that That would be one of the last meals the Sun Gym gang intended for Schiller to have as Lugo put his final plan into action. It had been five months since Marc Schiller's ordeal. She knew all the gang's secrets and details of their plots, though she believed they were undercover CIA agents. The investigation into Frank and Krisztina's disappearance continued. Roberts asked. a way of convincing people to do things they didn't want to do.". "They waited in a van and they had their biggest gym rats come out," said Levine. they're on some secret mission for the government," he continued. "He's trying to convince the nurse to give him a phone, because he And for some inexplicable reason, none of Schiller's employees, "We have the housekeeper who was also at the home when the -- the "They turned the car off and as he's driving by they're "They, I mean this whole time they were laughing uncontrollably. Pete Collins published a three-part series in the Miami New Times in 1999 and 2000 chronicling the stories of the gang titled "Pain and Gain"[3] which was then loosely adapted into the 2013 film Pain & Gain directed by Michael Bay. everything you have we're gonna bring your wife down here and rape He'd used Schiller's sympathy to get work as his gofer and . She was only 23 years old. She says Schiller didn't come forward, because he had his own credibility issues due to his alleged involvement in Medicare fraud. Home Depot and return it," said Ferrer. But who would want to kidnap them? 45 counts. "Lugo and Doorbal, on the other hand, they wanted to live that life," Ferrer continued. Asked why, she told Roberts, "They needed Krisztina because if Frank was missing, Krisztina was going to go to the police, 'cause why wouldn't she go to the police? [4] Initially planned as a two-day abduction, the abduction went over weeks as they converted assets from Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. "It was probably more than that, it was probably like five days," he said. "Yeah, I told 'em I was kidnapped, and they go, 'No no, you were in a bad accident,'" he said. The real-life crooks, nicknamed the Sun Gym Gang for the fitness center they and Schiller used, botched six attempts to abduct the wealthy businessman before successfully kidnapping him outside. would never forget. 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. and their mother inherited his multi-million dollar estate. "He was Argentinean born, grew up in the U.S., went to school, got "We were parked right there," the man said, standing with Roberts in "'They want you to come to Miami to report it,'" Schiller said. day she arrived. a big Hollywood movie, he won't get a dime. You can't claim anything," said Ferrer. Doorbal wasn't that stupid. out at Sun Gym. lighting them up with their headlights "So then they're running through yards, screaming 'abort, abort like to respond to. Both were placed into the back of a van, and Delgado, Lugo, and Doorbal drove to Lugo's Hialeah warehouse. "They drive forward and they try to run him over, they missed. [4] The gang visited the hospital intending to kill Schiller, but he had already been transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital. "So we got a call that there was a missing -- a wealthy couple that "Adrian Doorbal was Danny Lugo's protege," said Jimenez. Everglades and that they're missing and they continue to be missing.". I think at that point, it was prudent not to.". "They were Tasing him," the co-conspirator continued. But who would want to kidnap them? "Think my final words were, probably, 'May God have mercy on your soul,'" said Ferrer. Jimenez. "His jail sentence is what he did, but the pain and suffering that he "' he owes me money' and 'I need you to come with me and help me collect.'". "I kind of knew that something really bad happened then". [4] During 1994, Carl Weekes moved from New York to Miami to live with his girlfriend's cousin, Stevenson Pierre. "Well we couldn't wait for the police," Du Bois replied. I think at that point, it was prudent not to.". "At your peak you could bench 475 pounds?" His name was Marcelo Schiller, and he was known to have a number of expensive homes and money in offshore accounts. "While they were beating you?" As he left the court after the trial, he was surrounded by armed FBI agents who arrested him on charges relating to an extensive Medicare scam. matter of time. [14] The gang began to attempt to extract information from Furton regarding the codes which would grant entry into Griga's home, whilst continuing to inject her with Rompun. So, in November 1994, as Marc was leaving his restaurant, he was abducted by a group of men. He was desperate for money and sometimes worked at the Sun Gym. To them it was just a fun game," he said. We need a dead body "At this point they told me, 'Well if you don't give us a list of claim anything," said Ferrer. He's in critical condition,'" said Schiller. [4] At another meeting a few days later, Delgado agreed to the plan to abduct Schiller and force him to sign over his assets, and potentially kill him. "I think what's difficult to understand is why you did not go to the police sooner," Roberts commented to Schiller. block away to watch the car as it was engulfed in flames. The muscle-headed gang had trashed his home and burned through his money. " and they brought that back and they end up buying an electric chainsaw," said Garafalo. "Him and Jorge Delgado started a mortgage business. Even now, with own apartments, wearing his jewelry, driving his Dodge Viper, and his Schiller and Delgado had been in business. Having forced him to sign over his assets, the Sun Gym gang, led by Danny Lugo, was partying in Marc Schiller's house. Judge Alex Ferrer left the bench in 2005, and continues to enjoy success with his syndicated television show. The Sun Gym crew took Schiller to Delgado's warehouse after kidnapping him. Jorge was a skinny guy, not quite the bodybuilding type. my hands.". [4] According to them, Marc Schiller had run into legal trouble and had been deported along with his family. "And I go, 'No, no, no, no. We show them "Schiller was tied to a pipe in a very small bathroom. Bound and gagged, he'd be dumped at a warehouse and held for more than a month. from the day I met everybody involved, from the relationship that I [4] When Lugo inspected the wreckage, Schiller was alive but unconscious. [13] After witnessing her partner murdered, she was injected with Rompun - a horse tranquilliser - by Lugo. [4] Schiller was then strapped into the driver's seat, and Lugo moved into the passenger side and stomped the gas pedal and steered the vehicle toward a concrete utility pole jumping out just before the collision. was a finalist in the Miss Romania contest in 1990, then came to the Asked if he was money hungry, Barrientos told Roberts, "Yes.". At first, the detectives hoped they could find Frank and Krisztina alive. The ordeal wasn't over for Marc Schiller. "Did Marc Schiller Frank Griga's yellow Lamborghini was legendary. were going to use to dismember these people," Roberts told the Roberts asked Levine. "I think he got greedy and started to get involved in Medicare fraud," said Jimenez. "They were living in the house. The businessman and father was living in kind of a hell associated with a Third World dungeon -- complete with racial slurs. Lugo and Doorbal continue to appeal their death penalty convictions. "She was a very, very attractive woman," Jimenez said. With his family safely out It was losing money, so he hired a conman named Daniel Lugo who immediately convinced Meese that he should be head manager. They planned to wear ninja outfits for Halloween and knock on Schiller's door; this plan did not transpire. Real-life role: Sun Gym Gang turncoat . reached their verdict: Daniel Lugo was found guilty of first-degree "Lugo's gone, we have a warrant for his arrest," Jimenez said. "Big guy intimidating," Roberts commented. Schiller's brother and sister booked an air ambulance, grabbed their brother and bolted out of Miami, heading north -- not a minute too soon. "First, I can't walk and second of all, who knows how many of these people are out there," he said. In May 1995, Danny Lugo and Adrian Doorbal would be at the center of one of the most notorious crimes in Miami history: a complicated and deadly plot that involved kidnapping, money and murder. Lugo and Doorbal hatched a scheme to kidnap Marc Schiller, who they claimed stole $200,000 from a gym member named Jorge Delgado. In a highly unusual twist, Judge Alex Ferrer stood up for Schiller during the federal fraud investigation. Krisztina Furton, 23, who loved animals, swimming and had dreams of being a professional diver, was now shot full of horse tranquilizer. times and he stood up not only the prosecutor, but the police, to he ended up half dead at Jackson Memorial, Miami's top trauma center. The Sun Gym gang left a massive, bloody trail of evidence. "I knew they weren't gonna do anything,"said Schiller. "And I remember saying, 'We don't have a missing persons, we have a very major homicide,'" said Levine. Marc was handcuffed, tased, and driven away in a van by the group. "She was very beautiful. wasn't involved in that at all.". I started investigating it, from the day I met the victim's family, his CPA license, he had a medical billing business that did very well," "What person gets kidnapped, held for a month, and when he finally Petrescu, told police that Lugo was hiding out in the Bahamas. "They handcuffed my hands behind my back.". I'll come to Miami,'" said Schiller. [4] At 2:30 am on December 15, after three days of forced drinking, Schiller was placed into the passenger seat of his car with Lugo driving while Weekes and Doorbal followed in the Camry. Garafalo came and picked me up at the airport and they explained that they just had, you know, they had the bodies. Search warrants were executed for the homes of Lugo and Doorbal and their associates. "Well, guilty, yeah, but -- I don't believe in the -- death penalty," he replied. [33], The abduction and extortion of Marc Schiller, Abduction, attempted extortion, and murders of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton, "Pain & Gain: the true story behind the movie", "Pain & Gain: Where the Real-Life Sun Gym Gang Characters Are Now | Miami New Times", "- Pain & Gain: From New Times Story to Michael Bay Film - Miami New Times", "The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly", "Pain & Gain, Part 2 - Page 10 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 2 - Page 13 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 2 - Page 11 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 2 - Page 15 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 2 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 4 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 2 - Page 7 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 2 - Page 8 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 3 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 5 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 6 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 7 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 8 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", http://fall.fsulawrc.com/flsupct/sc93988/93988ini.pdf, "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 9 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain, Part 3 - Page 10 - News - Miami - Miami New Times", "Pain & Gain: Where the Real-Life Sun Gym Gang Characters Are Now", "Sun Gym Gang Accomplice Speaks About "Pain & Gain" For First Time", https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/sun-gym-gang-accomplice-speaks-about-pain-and-gain-for-first-time-6523527, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sun_Gym_gang&oldid=1152374011, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 21:18.

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