Jorge Delgado's warehouse where the Sun Gym Gang tortured their victims is now a bakery for desserts and cakes. Roberts asked Du Bois. That's where I "he loved fast cars, beautiful girls and life," Griga said. He calls his lawyer," said Ferrer. Doorbal wasn't that stupid. They told me my death sentence," said Schiller. Penthouse magazine, but filled the rest of her time as an exotic dancer. "Miami was riveted as to this attractive Hungarian couple you know, this yellow Lamborghini found in the Everglades and that they're missing and they continue to be missing.". "They give him alcohol to drink. He hired Doorbal, a gym rat and steroids abuser, as a part-time employee and cut him in on a lucrative Medicare fraud scheme. straight" enlisted some serious muscle and planned to take Schiller down "And the message that he -- he had out there was you can do whatever you want. By Becca van Sambeck "He's just vanished. "It made me very proud that my kid brother made it so big," Zsuzsanna Griga said. They're few and far between when there's actually a missing person that we would respond. The gang planned to get Schiller drunk over a few days and send him out in his car in a fatal crash. The last money transfer was made on December 10. I realized that -- I was in the driver's seat because they never imagined that I'd be sitting there accusing them," said Schiller. With the little money he had, he spent a lot of it at the Solid Gold Strip Club. But business went badly, and later Schiller and Delgado had a falling out over a deal. Jorge Delgado, another associate, helped them find their first victim. "What he accomplished should make Delgado was also in possession of the entry code to one of Schiller's houses. kidnap and torture Frank Griga until he signed over every nickel he had Roberts asked Schiller. "Him and Jorge Delgado started a mortgage business. The ordeal wasn't over for Marc Schiller. the reason they weren't home was because they were in the Bahamas," said "Money was there for him to make other people happy and to play, to buy toys," she said. With 100 witnesses and thousands of pieces of evidence, the case would be an easy mark. It's a moment Judge Ferrer will never forget. Delgado, one of Lugo's clients at the gym, had once worked for. involvement in Schiller's kidnapping and Jorge Delgado got 15. [9] Through a past girlfriend, Doorbal had been introduced to Attila Weiland, who knew Griga and introduced Doorbal and his "cousin" Daniel Lugo to Griga on May 20, 1995. Search warrants were executed for the homes of Lugo and Doorbal and their associates. "But this case really got to me.". It was here he began an affair with a one-time Penthouse exact words were, 'The bitch is cold.' ", "The problem is, they don't buckle him in," Ferrer explained. Another gang member would dump Frank Griga's yellow Lamborghini on the side of the road, in the swampy Florida Everglades. "He was signing over everything, including his life," Levine said. "Liquor, tequila, vodka and gave him sleeping pills. Roberts asked Du Bois. Roberts asked Levine. "They would hide in his yard under Prosecutor Levine would eventually lead the investigation and try the case. I guess they came at 10 to look for me, to kill us all, all three of us," said Schiller. Mese was indicted on October2, 1996, for the kidnapping, extortion, and murders of Furton and Griga in addition to crimes against Schiller. You can't claim misidentification. [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. urinate and defecate on himself.". would drag on for 10 weeks, overseen by Katherine Fernandez Rundle, the Jimenez explained. Danny Lugo had convinced her he was a spy on a secret mission. out over a deal. "He'd do anything and everything that Danny Lugo told him to do.". "Their Lamborghini was found in an abandoned, wooded area far outside of Miami," said Jimenez. me," Schiller explained. That's my friend Frank. He called his In May 1995, Danny Lugo and Adrian Doorbal would be at the center of "If the police had listened to him and investigated, Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton would probably be alive today," said Ferrer. And for some inexplicable reason, none of Schiller's employees, "These were inept, incompetent people, but they were at the same time malicious and cold-blooded murderers.". They knew they were gonna kill them from the outset," said Ferrer. Danny Lugo learned about Schiller from Jorge Delgado, who also worked out at Sun Gym. Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters and petty thieves who hung out at the Sun Gym. "She fell for Danny and believed everything he told her.". And they just blew it off.". message that he -- he had out there was you can do whatever you "Danny treated her well he gave her a BMW," said Jimenez. "I have never passed that mile marker without saying a little prayer for Frank and Krisztina," said Levine. "Sabina Petrescu's probably one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in my life," Levine said, "but she was also one of the most naive women I have ever met in my life. [25], The trials of Daniel Lugo, Noel "Adrian" Doorbal and John Mese occurred simultaneously with two juries picked - one listening to the evidence against Lugo and a second to listen to the evidence against Doorbal and Mese. "And they said, 'I think we got another case just like yours Weeks would pass, and, strangely, despite his ordeal, Schiller did not report it to police. Griga paused before continuing. The house was now confiscated and became government property. Colombia. The Almost four years after he was left for dead, Marc Schiller faced off again against the Sun Gym gang. his CPA license, he had a medical billing business that did very well," And this is what these guys -- broke short. "Yeah. He brought me a can of a - canned ravioli, which I had to eat with "It's a comedy, which is unfortunate, because there was nothing funny charges relating to an extensive Medicare scam. Justice was what Marc Schiller got this time. View the profiles of people named Jorge Delgado. "Yeah. Lugo had a criminal record, and Schiller says at one point he told Delgado not to trust him. Where is Sun Gym Gang's Survivor Marc Schiller Today? And she just keeps going, 'No you weren't kidnapped, you were drunk, you hit a pole," said Ferrer. Schiller believed Lugo to be an unsavory character, and expressed his concern to Delgado. Daniel Lugo Florida Death Row - My Crime Library out and get the paper at five in the morning and they were gonna kidnap Bingo. [4], In a 1994 meeting, Daniel Lugo asked Noel Doorbal and Stevenson Pierre whether they were interested in making $100,000 for two days' work. "Liquor, tequila, vodka and gave him sleeping pills. "I think he got greedy and started to get involved in Medicare fraud," said Jimenez. Strip Club. her in front of you," said Schiller. "Oh he loved cars, yes, he loved cars," Griga said. We got our next victim.". The third dose of tranquilizer was administered, resulting in her death. The Miami millionaire was Marc Schiller, an accountant. Roberts asked Levine. Odessa's Best Group Gym. [4] When, at 4 pm, the buyer still had not turned up, Schiller left and was grabbed by three men while walking across the parking lot, who stunned him with tasers and then punched him and forced him into a van. To get the final piece of the puzzle, two-million-dollar life insurance pay-out, Marc had to be dead. Ferrer explained. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The disappearance of Frank and Krisztina would become one of Miami's most notorious crimes. Jimenez told Troy Roberts. "Why didn't either of you go to the police at that point?" Pain and Gain: The real-life story behind Miami's murderous Sun Gym 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. With the little money he had, he spent a lot of it at the Solid Gold making faces like a goofball," said Ferrer. "They were living in the house. "And they told him that they were investors and that they had a way to make 20-percent return on the dollar," said Levine. So for now, she wouldn't tell detectives where Lugo was. "I signed. [5] own apartments, wearing his jewelry, driving his Dodge Viper, and his ", "The problem is, they don't buckle him in," Ferrer explained. The neighbor would tell police she'd met the driver of the gold Mercedes and knew his name: Danny Lugo. . I was kidnapped. "So you had your .45 with you?" [19] After some time, the Golden Beach Police Department were called. Krisztina Furton, 23, who loved animals, swimming and had dreams of being a professional diver, was now shot full of horse tranquilizer. Fire!' "He was screaming 'What do you want, what do you want with me, what are you doin? [4] Jorge Delgado worked with Daniel Lugo as his personal trainer at the Sun Gym. was a CIA agent. She was shocked to find their dog barking unattended, sparking her suspicions. "They also needed Krisztina," said Levine. Despite his cooperation, Schiller still remained chained like an animal in the Miami warehouse. 'Oh, he comes into this dance club Solid Gold all the time. "That was a little strange because in homicide we need a crime scene. You can't claim anything," said Ferrer. In the frenetic haze of the intensive care unit -- burned and bruised, his pelvis broken -- Marc Schiller tried to tell his story of abduction and torture to nurses, doctors -- anyone who might listen. [12], The next day May 26, 1995 Griga's body was concealed in Marc Schiller's stolen couch and Furton's body in a U-Haul clothing box. family, telling his wife to take their two young children and flee to It's still very hard after 17 years.". "Did any of your captors show you any kindness? The Sun Gym Gang inspiration for Pain & Gain - Tribute At the same time, he remained in Colombia. And these two "Mark Schiller was the perfect victim because he was involved in something that was illegal," said Levine. Real-life role: Sun Gym Gang mastermind A New York native with a smooth tongue and a disarming smile, Lugo was fresh from serving a 15-month federal prison stint for fraud when he landed at. The View Details Bizapedia.com Fitness View More Gym Near You In Miami Lakes, FL | SWEAT440 It was Delgado's relationship with Lugo that caused a rift between Delgado and the Sun Gym Gang's first victim: Marc Schiller. [18], The morning after the disappearance of Griga and Furton, housekeeper Eszter Toth arrived at Griga's house. Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters Sabina Petrescu, the magazine model-turned stripper, had quite a Schiller's brother and sister booked an air ambulance, grabbed their It was losing money, so he hired a conman named Daniel Lugo who immediately convinced Meese that he should be head manager. "I mean we had so many cops it wasn't even funny," said Garafalo. [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]. ", "And pretty soon they had everything the man owned. them," said Ferrer. seven members of the gang would do time. [30] He died of a stroke in 2004. "I kind of knew that something really bad happened then". Hollywood could not resist this crazy scene. The now desperate Sun Gym gang had tracked down their former captive. Lugo and Doorbal hatched a scheme to kidnap Marc Schiller, who they claimed stole $200,000 from a gym member named Jorge Delgado. So it's like the Keystone Cops gone bad.". 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Within minutes, Doorbal was strangling Today, while Schiller refuses to talk about the charges, he does say Short of bringing him back? Marc Schiller has just released his tell-all tale, "Pain and Gain - The Untold True Story". he was reaching for the skies, " Griga continued. "So you have a missing Hungarian couple and a Lamborghini," Roberts noted. [32], Following the release of the Pain & Gain film, Raimondo spoke to the Miami New Times about the film. Schiller can't forget the sick soundtrack that came with his daily beatings. I told Delgado that Lugo would get him in trouble one day. Schiller can't forget the sick soundtrack that came with his daily beatings. "Doorbal, not knowing his own steroid strength, either broke his neck or suffocated him," said Levine. I'll come to Miami,'" said Schiller. Well, at that point, you can't let the guy live so they decide he's gotta go.". [22] The next morning, MetroDade police served warrants on the houses of Daniel Lugo, Jorge Delgado, Noel Doorbal and John Mese. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but served only seven. "The victim comes from Colombia. The movie captures what Lugo was about in real life: his infatuation with getting rich, says Patty Barrientos, who worked alongside him at a gym. for him, he's on an air ambulance flight to New York," said Ferrer. But even Ed Du Bois, with 50 years of experience as a private investigator, had never heard anything quite like Schiller's story. Video: Ferrer on his early life, career in Miami. We'll shake him down'" said Ferrer. Therefore, they only made minor inquiries into the case. Krisztina. "It was so encompassing from the day I got the call, from the day I started investigating it, from the day I met the victim's family, from the day I met everybody involved, from the relationship that I developed with police in investigating the case," she explained. Frank was completely legal.". "Doorbal would yell, 'Fire! San Francisco Bay Area. ", "Yeah, the guy that was at night there, because they stopped feeding You just don't. In a plea deal, Schiller ended up serving two years in federal prison and paying $137,000 in restitution. I leave that to the federal government. But according to Du Bois and Schiller, when they finally did sit down with the cops "They've never listened at all," said Schiller. Roberts asked Jimenez. "This case was all over the news," retired homicide detective Felix "They drive forward and they try to run him over, they missed. She's tried more than 00 cases. "As they're walking the halls of Jackson Memorial Hospital looking for him, he's on an air ambulance flight to New York," said Ferrer. "We have the housekeeper who was also at the home when the -- the musclemen were there. was very beautiful. Griga said. [4] When Lugo inspected the wreckage, Schiller was alive but unconscious. My heart breaks when I boyfriend," Levine explained. Yes." to respond to. They said they wanted to get the money back, and much more, to punish him. I wanna grow, I wanna be somebody very big'" said Barrientos. For some reason, it just felt to me that that should be taken into consideration," said Ferrer. Schiller was tortured endlessly. [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. I just made a mistake," he told Roberts. And these two guys don't have a dime," Ferrer explained. January 9, 2021, 7:00 PM ET Murders A-Z The 'Sun Gym Gang' Of Miami 'Meatheads' Murdered A Wealthy Couple In A Botched Theft The so-called Sun Gym Gang first kidnapped and tortured a wealthy man into signing over all his assets to them before they set their sights on Frank Griga and his girlfriend, Krisztina Furton. "It was like a service station he was changing the oil, washing "I knew they weren't gonna do anything,"said Schiller. "So here you have these two muscular guys, and on a Saturday morning, during the middle of the day, it looks like they're moving. "He's trying to convince the nurse to give him a phone, because he says he was kidnapped. "Very handsome couple, they looked like they were made for each So it's like The last of the muscle heads would be busted when Danny Lugo's girlfriend, Sabina Petrescu, told police that Lugo was hiding out in the Bahamas. "First, I can't walk and second of all, who knows how many of these people are out there," he said. "These were inept, incompetent people, Asked what he remembered next, Schiller told Roberts, "Waking up in a hospital.". "She was very beautiful. I hadn't eaten for like three On June 10, Lugo agreed to reveal the hiding place of the bodies in return for the police mentioning his helpfulness to a jury. We're The horror was just beginning. [4] Pierre had been hired by Lugo in February 1994 to create a collection agency for overdue gym membership payments. "It was $1.2 million in cash and assets and a $2 million life insurance other," Jimenez explained. "Yeah, I told 'em I was kidnapped, and they go, 'No no, you were in a bad accident,'" he said. "He felt betrayed," Roberts noted to Levine. "Why are you alive?" "The victim comes from Colombia. And that was their attempt to kill him. Within minutes, Doorbal was strangling Frank in the bedroom. they're on some secret mission for the government," he continued. She said her boyfriend wasn't a criminal. "Danny was a big muscular guy," said Jimenez. State Attorney for Miami-Dade County. Bound and gagged, he'd be dumped at a warehouse Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 29 individuals--24 who face federal and five who face state charges--in connection with an Odessa-based methamphetamine distribution operation announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist. policy. After his release, he became the manager of a suburban Miami health club called Sun Gym. [10] Doorbal convinced Lugo to form a plan to kidnap and extort the couple. Miami,'" said Schiller. Roberts asked Levine. up helping the federal government make their case. And this is what these guys -- broke short. They discovered that Schiller was at South Miami Hospital and in a critical but stable condition. Transcript: 19. Miami's Murderous Muscleheads (Part 2) - The Sun Gym "He told me, 'Look, I gotta talk to you about something,'" the "Marc Schiller was asked to come and give testimony under oath four They come back Doorbal and Lugo approached Frank Griga with a phony, made-up Crossfit, Gym - OdessaFit - Odessa, Texas road.". I guess they came at 10 to look for me, to kill us all, all three of us," said Schiller. Danny Lugo learned about Schiller from Jorge Delgado, who also worked out at Sun Gym. Roberts asked. He brought me a can of a - canned ravioli, which I had to eat with my hands.". The surprised Sun Gym gang moved in to finish off Marc Schiller. " in the Everglades, on the Alligator Alley that goes from Ft. Lauderdale to Naples," said Ferrer. "For the first couple weeks, he wasn't even allowed to use the bathroom. "Think my final words were, probably, 'May God have mercy on your soul,'" said Ferrer. again and he was laughing so hard he was crying.". While there, Lugo looked for victims and found others who he'd trust to help with his upcoming crimes. Episode 486: Sun Gym Gang: Bungling Murder - Sofa King Podcast He's like 5 foot 7 tall and 5 foot 7 wide," Jimenez continued. "At your peak you could bench 475 pounds?" "Think my final words were, probably, 'May God have mercy on your soul,'" said Ferrer. They are now both CBS News consultants. police. "You must have been terrified," Roberts commented. "And I said, 'The easy answer is for you to get out of the hospital," said Du Bois. "Sergeant Jimenez and Sgt. " and they see this guy that they just lit on fire standing by the "And he says, 'How would I know him?' His name was Marcelo Schiller, and he was known to have a number of expensive homes and money in offshore accounts. Roberts asked Levine. Doorbal was also found guilty and both men were sentenced to death. That's when Doorbal and Lugo reached for an ax. [13] After witnessing her partner murdered, she was injected with Rompun - a horse tranquilliser - by Lugo. The Medicare fraud that made Schiller such an easy target for the gang had come back to haunt him. brother and bolted out of Miami, heading north -- not a minute too soon. [2] What happened to the Sun Gym in Miami? out at Sun Gym. box. The Sun Gym gang left a massive, bloody trail of evidence. [23] Lugo had already fled to the Bahamas, but was arrested five days later in Nassau by a multi-agency task force, who brought him back on a commercial flight to Miami.[23]. Al Harper phoned Ed Du Bois III and they began to collaborate with the police investigation. were going to use to dismember these people," Roberts told the The Sun Gym crew took Schiller to Delgado's warehouse after kidnapping him. was another muscle head, Adrian Doorbal. His main partner in crime "They handcuffed my hands behind my back.". [21], Eight days after the disappearance of Griga and Furton, Capt. "Did any of your captors show you any kindness? [4] A crash site was chosen three blocks south of Schlotzky's. "I have never passed that mile marker without saying a little prayer for Frank and Krisztina," said Levine. As investigators put the pieces together, Marc Schiller's kidnap story echoed like thunder. Mercedes and just basically living off his money. "He was Argentinean born, grew up in the U.S., went to school, got his CPA license, he had a medical billing business that did very well," Jimenez explained. he was reaching for the skies, " Griga continued. "The plan was actually very simple: kidnap Marc Schiller, have him write his own ransom and then kill him," she replied. The film, released by Paramount Pictures, is part of Viacom, a company affiliated with CBS. " in fact we mobilized right in this park," Jimenez pointed out. Lugo's girlfriend, Sabina Petrescu, was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony. "They waited in a van and they had their biggest gym rats come out," said Levine. [29], Raimondo was indicted on one count each of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, First-degree Murder (Furton), Kidnapping (Furton) and attempted extortion. [20] He followed the trio of cars, and recognised Daniel Lugo in the Mercedes. Authorities Make Arrests In Connection With Odessa-Based He's in critical condition,'" said Schiller. during the middle of the day, it looks like they're moving. "His wealth did afford him certain luxury items," Roberts noted. "Sorry. "The bodies were found that day," Zsuzsanna Griga told Roberts of the day she arrived. "This is a warehouse that was rented by one of the members of the Sun Gym Gang," Jimenez told Roberts as they stood outside the building. Petrescu would play a crucial role as police continued gathering more evidence connecting Lugo and Doorbal to the disappearance of Frank and Krisztina. actually been to the house the last time they were seen alive and they gets free, leaves the country and doesn't call the police for four The co-conspirator was sentenced to two years imprisonment for his involvement in Schiller's kidnapping and Jorge Delgado got 15. co-conspirator was sentenced to two years imprisonment for his "They basically go 'He's not goin' to the cops he's involved in Medicare fraud. "When I left Schiller was sitting in the chair he was taped Police quickly hit pay dirt in the apartment of Danny Lugo's girlfriend. "And Police didn't need a GPS. "Danny Lugo was a Puerto Rican-Cuban kid from the Bronx," added Garafalo. [30] On 15January2003, Mese was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering. "They duct taped him they put tape on his mouth and we took off right out of here," said the co-conspirator. "Big guy intimidating," Roberts commented. "So after a while, you and Marc decided to go to the police?" "It's a true rags-to-riches story," said Roberts. Schiller would reunite with his family in Colombia. "I guess its divine intervention. suffered what do we do to bring justice to the victims of this case, "I'm a good hearted person. and revealed to the gang where his assets were kept. [8] However, this plan never transpired. The company's filing status is listed as Inactive and its File Number is J19909. Schiller would eventually tell police a wild story -- that five months before the murders of Frank and Krisztina, Schiller himself had been grabbed by a gang. Asked why she didn't she call police, Schiller told Roberts, "I don't know. deserve to go to prison? We have the next door neighbor. "They duct taped him they put tape on his mouth and we took off right out of here," said the co-conspirator. And they just didn't believe him," They knew they were gonna kill them from the outset," said Ferrer. Soon, Frank's big sister was on a flight to Miami. Judge Alex Ferrer left the bench in 2005, and continues to enjoy success with his syndicated television show. him?' story to tell. "Doorbal, not knowing his own steroid strength, either broke his neck or suffocated him," said Levine. explained. Pain & Gain - the Real-Life Sun Gym Gang Muscle and Mayhem "This is a warehouse that was rented by one of the members of the Sun Trump motion to declare mistrial in E. 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