"Danny treated her well he gave her a BMW," said Jimenez. Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Schiller worked as an associate at a prestigious law firm specializing in personal injury and wrongful death claims. Nobody, however, took him seriously and insisted that it was only an accident. Marc somehow ended up in a hospital with burns, cuts, and a broken pelvis. As investigators put the pieces together, Marc Schiller's kidnap story echoed like thunder. On June 10, Lugo agreed to reveal the hiding place of the bodies in return for the police mentioning his helpfulness to a jury. Marc is the proud father of a son and a daughter and seems to be doing well in life, and seems to live in Florida. wide," Jimenez continued. The businessman and father was living in kind of a hell associated with a Third World dungeon -- complete with racial slurs. Marc said, I walked out to my car as soon as I opened my door Im grabbed from behind by three guys.. Police quickly hit pay dirt in the apartment of Danny Lugo's girlfriend. He's like 5 foot 7 tall and 5 foot 7 Fire! but real sick. [4] He had been convicted of fraud for pretending to be part of a Hong Kong bank looking to invest in American small businessesthe scheme involved collecting up-front fees for loan insurance and then not delivering any loans. Delgado wanted revenge and told Lugo that Schiller "But this case really got to me.". 2. They were Garafalo, also retired, worked the case for his boss, Felix Jimenez. [4] The Sun Gym gang then took Schiller to Delgado's warehouse. They knew they were gonna kill them from the outset," said Ferrer. [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. Delgado was in a position to provide particular details about Schiller, including the codes to his home. I realized that -- I was killings of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton, and the abduction, extortion, and attempted murder of. Marc Schiller is an Argentinian American man who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1957. He survived a kidnapping and attempted murder by the Sun Gym Gang in Miami, Florida in 1994. In a 1994 encounter, Daniel Lugo enquired about Noel Doorbal and Stevenson Pierres interest in working for $100,000 over two days. But his captors realized they couldn't set him free. him?' Other times, they played Russian roulette. Jurors wasted little time making their decision. [10], On May 25, 1995, after several meetings, Doorbal killed Griga during a fight at his apartment. In May 1995, businessman Frank Griga went missing along with his girlfriend, Krisztina Furton. Mese was indicted on October2, 1996, for the kidnapping, extortion, and murders of Furton and Griga in addition to crimes against Schiller. actually been to the house the last time they were seen alive and they 50 North Laura Street, Suite 2520. "It's a true rags-to-riches story," said Roberts. "And Doorbal goes and speaks to her and he comes back and says, his [3], In 1993 Daniel Lugo was the manager of the Sun Gym, a bodybuilder hangout in Miami Lakes, Florida. Felix Jimenez, now retired from the Metro-Dade Police homicide department, was the lead detective on the case. "So you have a missing Hungarian couple and a Lamborghini," Roberts noted. He'd been told about it by a woman / CBS News, Produced by Chuck Stevenson, Jamie Stolz, Tamara Weitzman and Alicia Tejada. "The 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. Marc said, I walked out to my car as soon as I opened my door Im grabbed from behind by three guys, The group attempted to kidnap Schiller and had a variety of schemes. was missing out of Golden Beach," he explained. Marc was raised in the United States, where he attended college and finally earned his CPA certification. Spiky TV's senior news writer is Stephan Gibbs. "The call was unusual because the story was so bizarre," said Du Bois. He was in control as the prosecution's star witness. Pain & Gain starred (left to right) Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie and Mark Wahlberg. "Did you fear that Delgado and Lugo were going to come to hospital to finish the job?" depravity. I'll come to Bahamas the -- the-- following day. "You know we were very poor when we were young" she continued. Schiller would reunite with his family in Colombia. he comes into this dance club Solid Gold all the time. "I signed. torture and the beatings and the -- the attempts to kill him and all of He has repeatedly claimed his innocence but found life difficult upon release because he lost his CPA license. A thousand miles from Miami, Marc Schiller, now supported by his family, began to heal; his body and bones fractured. Danny Lugo had convinced her he was a spy on a secret mission. "And he says, 'How would I know him?' family, telling his wife to take their two young children and flee to Pain and Gain, a three-part story by Pete Collins that detailed the gangs exploits in the Miami New Times in 1999 and 2000, was loosely adapted into the Michael Baydirected movie Pain & Gainin 2013. Marc Schiller Marc Schiller is a managing and founding partner of the The Schiller Kessler Group . his CPA license, he had a medical billing business that did very well," And they're In one scene, Schiller's character, portrayed by "Monk" actor Tony Shaloub, "is shown sticking out his middle finger and shouting, "A-wipe!" Zsuzsanna had seen her brother's love for the glittery side of the American dream. making faces like a goofball," said Ferrer. I wanna grow, I wanna be somebody very big'" said Barrientos. In return for testifying in favor of the state, Delgado was sentenced to two prison terms of 5 and 15 years. " when you have a case that's that grotesque and you know people "There's sometimes when, as a defense lawyer, you don't have anything After his release, 45 counts. bad accident,'" he said. Marc was handcuffed, tased, and driven away in a van by the group. During the month, he was tortured and forced to sign over his assets to his captors. [13] After witnessing her partner murdered, she was injected with Rompun - a horse tranquilliser - by Lugo. one of the most notorious crimes in Miami history: a complicated and Viswa Vanapalli August 22, 2022 In May 1995, businessman Frank Griga went missing along with his girlfriend, Krisztina Furton. You get strange looks and you think people recognize you from the movie.". Lugo and Doorbal, posing as businessmen, lured Frank and Krisztina her in front of you," said Schiller. They backed out about a his house, they changed the pool contract to their name. "Doorbal, not knowing his own steroid strength, either broke his neck or suffocated him," said Levine. "They just told me, 'We got a matzo ball' " said Schiller. Asked if he was money hungry, Barrientos told Roberts, "Yes.". months?" Danny and the others tormented Marc for days, including making rape threats against his wife. My heart breaks when I Weeks would pass, Penthouse magazine, but filled the rest of her time as an exotic dancer. So what was the plan?" Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters Eventually, the torture got to Marc, and he agreed to sign over all his assets and money. We're [21], Eight days after the disappearance of Griga and Furton, Capt. February 22, 2014 / 10:59 PM The body of Furton was later identified through her breast implants' serial number, which was matched to the records held by her plastic surgeon. "It's a comedy, which is unfortunate, because there was nothing funny Investigation Discoverys The 1990s: The Deadliest Decade: Roid Rage focuses on the people responsible for Frank and Krisztinas murders and Marcs kidnapping. Established in 2004. They took the bodies to an empty warehouse. In addition, he has written two books, Pain and Gain: How I Survivedand Triumphed and Pain and Gain: The Untold True Story.Marc appears to be doing well in life, is the delighted father of a son and a daughter, and seems to reside in Florida. of Frank Griga into a couch and Krisztina Furton into a large cardboard The movie does have a disclaimer during its final credits with the message: "Some names have been changed and certain characters, events and dialogue are fictionalized.". But 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. "They would place a gun to his head, they would take a revolver and I guess I was the eagle," said Schiller. He came from Budapest, Hungary, and found a minimum wage job in New York City. Bulky bodybuilders Daniel Lugo, Adrian Doorbal and Jorge Delgado tortured him into signing away his home and fortune only to have Schiller escape. "And Doorbal's face lights up and says, 'Who has the yellow Lambo?' Fire!' Hulus Death in the Dorms: Where Are the Killers Today? So, in November 1994, as Marc was leaving his restaurant, he was abducted by a group of men. Miami New Times. Gym Gang," Jimenez told Roberts as they stood outside the building. millionaire. "There's a lot of things about this case that boggle the mind," said Jimenez. That's my friend Frank. reached their verdict: Daniel Lugo was found guilty of first-degree she believed what he was saying -- that he was a CIA operative -- that plots, though she believed they were undercover CIA agents. It has been reported that Marc works as an accounting and tax resolution specialist for a national tax resolution company. Finally, after multiple attempts, the "gang that couldn't shoot Where is Sun Gym Gangs Survivor Marc Schiller Today? [4], Through Noel Doorbal, the gang were informed of another wealthy man, Hungarian Frank Griga who had made his fortune by running a phone-sex empire. "So they went to Home Depot and bought a chain saw. Doorbal. him?' Mr. She said her boyfriend wasn't a criminal. "He was treated like a prisoner of war or actually worse. "At this point, we realized that something bad -- something bad had happened to this couple," said Sam Garafalo. Schiller is a man who cheated death and whose harrowing ordeal is dramatized by actor Tony Shalhoub in a recent movie. Roberts asked Levine. "I kind of knew that something really bad happened then". She was only 23 years old. And this is what these guys -- broke short. "I think being in a jail cell for the rest of their life is Gretchen Anthonys Murder: Where is The Covid Killer Now? Roberts asked. Ferrer stepped in to provide testimony as a sitting judge, which is extremely rare . blankets like they were some kind of ninja waiting for him to come enough horse tranquiller to kill four 1,000-pound horses. "' he owes me money' and 'I need you to "It was $1.2 million in cash and assets and a $2 million life insurance "Big guy intimidating," Roberts commented. Asked what he remembered next, Schiller told Roberts, "Waking up in a hospital.". Mr. Schiller worked as an associate at a prestigious law firm specializing in personal injury and wrongful death claims. bruised, his pelvis broken -- Marc Schiller tried to tell his story of He attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, participating in sports and was member of the school's track team. [4] However, a passing car scared them off. [4] Initially planned as a two-day abduction, the abduction went over weeks as they converted assets from Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. there accusing them," said Schiller. She made it onto the pages of Roberts asked. detectives. Born in Merrick, New York, he moved to Florida with his family in 1984. . Marc Schiller is suing actor Mark Wahlberg, director Michael Bay, Paramount Pictures and Viacom, among others, over the film Pain & Gain, which is loosely based on his kidnapping. muscle-headed gang had trashed his home and burned through his money. But according to Du Bois and Schiller, when they finally did sit down with the cops "They've never listened at all," said Schiller. I've become a hermit. Lugo said that businessman Marc Schiller had taken $100,000 from him and $200,000 from Jorge Delgado, a different gym patron. Schiller's sister ripped the medical tubes from his arms. Marc Schiller did not commit that $14 million worth of The crimes and the trial would captivate and horrify all of south Florida. Midway through the 1990s, the Sun Gym Gang was active in Miami, Florida, and was charged with thekillings of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furtonand the abduction, extortion, and attempted murder ofMarc Schiller. We got our next victim.". "And they told him that they were investors and that they had a way to make 20-percent return on the dollar," said Levine. The now desperate Sun Gym gang had tracked down their former captive. involvement in Schiller's kidnapping and Jorge Delgado got 15. It would be months before Schiller could grasp the full horror of how "It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic because they made these "They just kept punching me and they had a Taser and they kept Tasering [sic] me," said Schiller. other," Jimenez explained. "So here you have these two muscular guys, and on a Saturday morning, 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. "He was signing over everything, including his life," Levine said. Firm Size: 6-10. Marc Stuart Schiller is a managing and founding partner of the Law Offices of Schiller, Kessler & Gomez, PLC. and, strangely, despite his ordeal, Schiller did not report it to Call 1-888-DOCS4PI Today to for Great Accident Care! "They never went out, never read them their rights, they never asked Marc said, I never trusted Lugo. 904-516-5464. out and get the paper at five in the morning and they were gonna kidnap "Doorbal would yell, 'Fire! Roberts asked Schiller. Schiller has published two books Pain and Gain: The Untold True Story and Pain and Gain: How I Survived and Triumphed. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. State Attorney for Miami-Dade County. We'll shake him down'" said Ferrer. Eligible to Practice Law in Florida . The group kept Marc after they took control of the properties until they. "We left at 8 o'clock in the morning. would be an easy mark. immigrant, came to this country with $10 dollars in his pocket and made "For the first couple me," Schiller explained. Don't you know "We had more than that. YEARS IN BUSINESS (954) 933-3000. The last strange because in homicide we need a crime scene. MIAMI -- Zsuzsanna Griga will never forget the kidnapping She was in love with Danny Lugo and Because of changes to capital punishment laws, Doorbal's death sentence was overturned in 2017. The 1990s: The Deadliest Decade: Roid Rage. "The way I'm depicted in the movie is just not who I am or who I ever have been," the plaintiff said. Doorbal was also found guilty and both men were sentenced to death. Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton Murders: Where is the Sun Gym Gang Today? [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]. Police didn't need a GPS. Lugo and Doorbal were sentenced to death after being found guilty at trial and are awaiting execution. Roberts asked Jimenez. ", "And pretty soon they had everything the man owned. . He remained in Brooklyn until he moved to Milwaukee to attend the University of WisconsinMilwaukee. All that changed, though, when a police made a stunning discovery. policy. He described how important So we have a lot to go on," cars," Zsuzsanna Griga explained. Soon, both men realized. Born in Merrick, New York, he moved to Florida with his family in 1984. Hollywood could not resist this crazy scene. box. They told me my death sentence," said Schiller. In fewer than 10 years, Frank was living in an upscale Miami enclave Website Services. again and he was laughing so hard he was crying.". Schiller and Delgado had been in business. living there and partying in his home," Ferrer explained. How Did Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton Die. 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