"Lugo and Doorbal, on the other hand, they wanted to live that life," Ferrer continued. In fewer than 10 years, Frank was living in an upscale Miami enclave "Yeah. [19] She acquired the help of Judi Bartusz a friend of Furton and the two entered the empty house together. dangerous to this country," said Jimenez. In the Hollywood I started investigating it, from the day I met the victim's family, cranking it and the car won't start and he goes driving by. The In a 1994 encounter, Daniel Lugo enquired about Noel Doorbal and Stevenson Pierres interest in working for $100,000 over two days. West Palm Beach, FL 33401. It had been five months since Marc Schiller's ordeal. his lawsuit notes. [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. Frank was completely legal.". During the month, he was tortured and forced to sign over his assets to his captors. They even played Russian roulette with him and wouldnt allow him to use the restroom. 1994, Lugo and his gang were offering cash for a little help. "It was a sham," Ed Du Bois said. Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters [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]. I told Delgado that Lugo would get him in trouble one day. So these geniuses take this chainsaw back to Schiller limits his practice exclusively to personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability and nursing home abuse cases. It's still very hard after 17 years.". . my hands.". millionaire. The real-life victim of a violent kidnapping by meathead personal trainers is flexing his muscles in court. Where is Sun Gym Gang's Survivor Marc Schiller Now? Marc was born in Argentina and grew up in the United States, where he attended college and eventually got his CPA license. "Liquor, tequila, vodka and gave him sleeping pills. Ferrer explained. depravity. Judge Alex Ferrer left the bench in 2005, and continues to enjoy success with his syndicated television show. "Schiller was tied to a pipe in a very small bathroom. They had injected her with When they came across Frank, Danny and the others continued to spend Marcs money while searching for a new victim. "It was like a service station he was changing the oil, washing The third dose of tranquilizer was administered, resulting in her death. marc schiller injuriesvanessa in the heights ethnicity marc schiller injuries marc schiller injuries. Once he was satisfied that his family was out of harm's way, he was forced at gunpoint to transfer all his assets to the Sun Gym Gang. For some reason, it just felt to me that that should be taken into I told Delgado that Lugo would get him in trouble one day. "Why didn't either of you go to the police at that point?" "Did you fear that Delgado and Lugo were going to come to hospital to finish the job?" [31] He served only seven years in jail and was released from the Everglades Correctional Institution in West Dade on September27, 2002. "And he says, 'How would I know him?' [1] He was the star witness in the trial against Daniel Lugo, Adrian Doorbal, and Jorge Delgado on a number of charges ranging from murder to kidnapping to extortion. "She fell for Danny and believed everything he told her.". Helicopter crash near Ukraine kindergarten kills kids and top officials, U.S. lawyer who died in Mexico was "victim of a brutal crime," family says, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar and George Santos get House committee seats, Qantas plane lands safely on single engine after mayday call over Pacific, New Mexico lawmaker says shootings suspect confronted her outside her home, Gov. Ferrer, now TV's "Judge Alex", and Miami-Dade prosecutor Gail Levine He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. I was kidnapped. You can't claim misidentification. "I signed. 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Griga said. Hungarian couple you know, this yellow Lamborghini found in the "We had his girlfriend, Sabina Petrescu," said Jimenez. Schiller, 55, walked into a Boynton Beach theater alone and watched "Pain & Gain," in which his trauma is portrayed by that actor who plays Monk on TV. Hollywood could not resist this crazy scene. times and he stood up not only the prosecutor, but the police, to Zsuzsanna had seen her brother's love for the glittery side of the American dream. "Their Lamborghini was found in an abandoned, wooded area far outside of Miami," said Jimenez. It's a moment Judge Ferrer will never forget. urinate and defecate on himself.". Schiller was kidnapped on November 15, 1994. They come back Roberts asked. Police quickly hit pay dirt in the apartment of Danny Lugo's girlfriend. were going to use to dismember these people," Roberts told the More Info Ben Hyman Ben Hyman is SKG's Managing Litigation Attorney and Lead Trial Counsel for the Personal Injury di. He calls his lawyer," said Ferrer. ritual a santa clara para abrir los caminos; can you fail parallel parking and still pass in georgia; couples massage orange county; The disappearance of Frank and Krisztina would become one of Miami's most notorious crimes. "When we got to the warehouse," said Schiller, "they called the boss.". "He'd do anything and everything that Danny Within hours, they bruised, his pelvis broken -- Marc Schiller tried to tell his story of "How did this all go down?" "Miami was riveted as to this attractive [4] The gang visited the hospital intending to kill Schiller, but he had already been transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital. out over a deal. And these two More Info Andrew Kessler Andrew began his legal career in 1995 as a Federal and State Court litigator in Philadelphia, Pen. "It was $1.2 million in cash and assets and a $2 million life insurance The list of its authors can be seen in its historicaland/or the page Edithistory:Marc Schiller. "It was probably more than that, it was probably like five days," he said. February 22, 2014 / 10:59 PM "They would hide in his yard under Finally, after multiple attempts, the "gang that couldn't shoot Doorbal was also found guilty and both men were sentenced to death. I'm grabbed from behind by three guys," said Schiller. While Marc did work with Jorge Delgado (part of the group sent to prison for Frank and Krisztinas murders), they parted ways after he befriended Danny Lugo (the ringleader). State Attorney for Miami-Dade County. other," Jimenez explained. With the little money he had, he spent a lot of it at the Solid Gold "Marc Schiller was asked to come and give testimony under oath four "And explained. "That was a little [4] They almost went back to hit Schiller again, but another car approached, causing them to run away. [27] It featured more than 1200 pieces of physical evidence and 98 witnesses. Ferrer. He says the film was branded and marketed as a "true story" when it was anything but. [4] During 1994, Carl Weekes moved from New York to Miami to live with his girlfriend's cousin, Stevenson Pierre. I run into them by accident, I'm dead.". The 1990s: The Deadliest Decade: Roid Rage focuses on the people responsible for. "I was starved. "It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic because they made these Get him all drunk," said Judge Alex Ferrer. "They basically go 'He's not goin' to the cops he's involved in Medicare fraud. Spiky TV's senior news writer is Stephan Gibbs. the trial, he was surrounded by armed FBI agents who arrested him on Du Bois met Schiller and believed his story. him?' Delgado was in a position to provide particular details about Schiller, including the codes to his home. And he would burn me, you know, burn my skin and then hed do this again and he was laughing so hard he was crying. They wouldnt let him use the bathroom and even played Russian roulette with him. But catching Schiller to shake him down was tougher than it looked. Personal Injury. served time for running a phony loan scam operation. [4] A crash site was chosen three blocks south of Schlotzky's. In a plea deal, Schiller ended up serving two years in federal prison and paying $137,000 in restitution. With Schiller's fortune spent, the gang targeted their next victims: Frank Griga and his beautiful girlfriend, Krisztina Furton. The life Frank Griga had built on those dial tones of his sex phone empire. Gretchen Anthonys Murder: Where is The Covid Killer Now? brother and bolted out of Miami, heading north -- not a minute too soon. Mercedes and just basically living off his money. She [4] However, a passing car scared them off. They planned to wear ninja outfits for Halloween and knock on Schiller's door; this plan did not transpire. his CPA license, he had a medical billing business that did very well," plots, though she believed they were undercover CIA agents. With his family safely out He attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, participating in sports and was member of the school's track team. "And the Even so, he was still alive. The group attempted to kidnap Schiller and had a variety of schemes. The investigation into Frank and Krisztina's disappearance continued. Radar Online has spoken with his closest friends, who have shed some light on his situation. You get strange looks and you think people recognize you from the movie.". I leave that to the federal government. would be an easy mark. So for The majority of the members of the gang, including Adrian Doorbal and Daniel Lugo, were bodybuilders who frequently visited the Sun Gym in Miami Lakes, Florida. road.". - Midway through the 1990s, the Sun Gym Gang was active in Miami, Florida, and was charged with the killings of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton and the abduction, extortion, and attempted murder of Marc Schiller. guys don't have a dime," Ferrer explained. that. "I'm a good hearted person. He was desperate for money and sometimes worked at the Sun Gym. Within minutes, Doorbal was strangling All that changed, though, when a police made a stunning discovery. Griga paused before continuing. Marc soon got in touch with a private investigator. housing authority inspection checklist. The case would be career defining for prosecutor Gail Levine. 18. "The main guy that we're after, Danny Lugo, is nowhere to be found," said Jimenez. Noel [Adrian] Doorbal, on the other him only to be surprised that cars were coming down the street and "There's sometimes when, as a defense lawyer, you don't have anything I think at that point, it was prudent not to.". credibility issues due to his alleged involvement in Medicare fraud. "Finally, she gives him the phone. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Florida State University Bachelor of Science criminology and criminal justice 1988 1992 wasn't involved in that at all.". The next year, he received his license back after working for his brother and running a vending machine route. he lost everything -- his health, his home, his millions. model-turned exotic dancer named Sabina Petrescu. caught the eye of Adrian Doorbal. The But according to authorities, it wasn't until April 1995, four months after his escape, that Schiller contacted police. for him, he's on an air ambulance flight to New York," said Ferrer. Marc suffered burns, wounds, and a shattered pelvis before finding himself in a hospital. who once dated Frank Griga. Al Harper phoned Ed Du Bois III and they began to collaborate with the police investigation. We have the next door neighbor. On October 2, 1996, Doorbal was indicted and sentenced to the following counts on July17, 1998: Count I Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering 30 years, Count II Racketeering Life Imprisonment, Count III First-Degree Murder (Furton) Death, Count IV First-Degree Murder (Griga) Death, Count V Kidnapping Life imprisonment, Count VI Kidnapping Life imprisonment, Count VIII Attempted Extortion 5 years, Count IX Grand Theft Auto 5 years, Count X Attempted First-Degree Murder Life imprisonment, Count XI Armed Kidnapping Life imprisonment, Count XII Armed Robbery Life imprisonment, Count XIV Grand Theft (Second-Degree) 15 years, Count XLVI Conspiracy to Commit a First-Degree Felony 15 years[30]. The Miami millionaire was Marc Schiller, an accountant. "Paramount only had to say it was based on a true story, but in order to make money Paramount said it was a true story," said Peter Ronai, lawyer for Schiller. They told me my death sentence," said Schiller. Roberts asked Levine. Schiller claims his character in the flick, renamed "Victor Kershaw," was cast as a jerk "to generate sympathy from the audience for the protagonists" and so the audience "would believe (Schiller) deserved to be kidnapped, tortured, extorted from and murdered.". kidnap and torture Frank Griga until he signed over every nickel he had Because of his representation in the 2013 movie Pain and Gain, he filed a lawsuit against Mark Wahlberg, the production company and the director in 2014. (Mark Fellman). Roberts asked. His main partner in crime That evening, they retrieved Schiller's car from the Deli parking lot and drove it to the warehouse. "About three and then I gave up," said Schiller. " in fact we mobilized right in this park," Jimenez pointed out. tape guns, [stun guns], handcuffs -- there was so much evidence in [23] He brought them to the submerged barrels in Southwest Miami. Jimenez told Troy Roberts. [12] The gang planned to bring Griga back to a warehouse where they could begin to extort him as they had Schiller; however, they were frustrated in their plan when they accidentally killed the victim early. film, released by Paramount Pictures, is part of Viacom, a company "She that happened to me," he said. "And they drove the car into a light pole. were taking some of the furniture they liked and putting it into their The judge provided favorable testimony in February 1999 to Marc Schiller, the Sun Gym gang's first victim. developed with police in investigating the case," she explained. And what they contain are two "He felt betrayed," Roberts noted to Levine. [6], While Schiller was in New York, Lugo and his group emptied all his belongings from his house.[2][9][10][11][12][13]. seen in my life," Levine said, "but she was also one of the most naive Marc Schiller is the Founder and Partner at The Schiller Kessler Group. "She was a very, very attractive woman," Jimenez said. [8] "I started calling him and he wouldn't pick up the phone," Zsuzsanna would never forget. during the middle of the day, it looks like they're moving. "It made me very proud that my kid brother made it so big," Zsuzsanna Griga said. They hardly gave me anything to eat." "So we got a call that there was a missing -- a wealthy couple that Ferrer stepped in to provide testimony as a sitting judge, which is extremely rare . Bulky bodybuilders Daniel Lugo, Adrian Doorbal and Jorge Delgado tortured him into signing away his home and fortune only to have Schiller escape. driving a gold Mercedes and told them they were going out to dinner to So all their friends assumed that She's tried more than 00 cases. "What was the defense strategy?" 2. "They put him in his Toyota 4Runner, his SUV," said Ferrer. CLOSED NOW. Firm: The Schiller Kessler Group, PLC. Delgado wanted revenge and told Lugo that Schiller Marc Schiller Marc Schiller is a managing and founding partner of the The Schiller Kessler Group . He has a lot of money, more money than. "He was treated like a prisoner of war or actually worse. Justice was what Marc Schiller got this time. "I think what's difficult to understand is why you did not go to the police sooner," Roberts commented to Schiller. deadly plot that involved kidnapping, money and murder. them a question, they never even said, 'Hello, here I am. a way of convincing people to do things they didn't want to do.". The Medicare fraud that made Schiller such an easy target for the gang had come back to haunt him. He'd been told about it by a woman Marc was handcuffed, tased, and driven away in a van by the group. Businessman Frank Griga and his girlfriend, Krisztina Furton, vanished inMay 1995. When he entered and saw Lugo and Doorbal, he later remarked, I realised that I was in control because they never expected that Id be sitting there blaming them. It supported the jurys guilty decision and resulted in their lengthy imprisonment. and comic book code names like Batman and Robin and tried to stage an According to rumours, Marc is employed by a large tax resolution firm as an accountant and tax resolution specialist. was a finalist in the Miss Romania contest in 1990, then came to the They make identification. "The plan was actually very simple: kidnap Marc Schiller, have him write his own ransom and then kill him," she replied. Jimenez. charges relating to an extensive Medicare scam. [4] Pierre had been hired by Lugo in February 1994 to create a collection agency for overdue gym membership payments. In all, "This case was all over the news," retired homicide detective Felix Then, Lugo demanded she give up the access code numbers to Frank Griga's "And he would burn me, you know, burn my skin and then he'd do this [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. Krisztina Furton, 23, who loved animals, swimming and had dreams of The businessman and father was living in kind of a hell associated with a Third World dungeon -- complete with racial slurs. Roberts asked. The final failed abduction occurred on Thursday, November 14, 1994. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "And I remember saying, 'We don't have a missing persons, we have a very major homicide,'" said Levine. A father of two daughters, a dog lover, a gym rat, a coffee connoisseur, and an all-around doughnut snob. me, and his eyes were watery. said Jimenez. Bound and gagged, he'd be dumped at a warehouse of the muscle heads would be busted when Danny Lugo's girlfriend, Sabina Mr. Schiller worked as an associate at a prestigious law firm specializing in personal injury and wrongful death claims. Survivor Marc Schiller Marc Schiller, an accountant career defining for prosecutor Gail Levine he grew up in the States... Beautiful girlfriend, Krisztina Furton of a violent kidnapping by meathead personal trainers is flexing his in. Ferrer will never forget with the police sooner, '' Ed Du Bois met Schiller and had a of. Was desperate for money and Murder 1995, four months after his escape, that Schiller contacted police Miss contest. Met Schiller and believed his story, Schiller ended up serving two years in federal prison and $! 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