Empire State (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Chris was rejected from the police academy because of a prior marijuana conviction on his record. This setback forced him to take a low-wage job as a security guard instead of pursuing his dream career in law enforcement.

Foreshadowing: Earlier context shows Chris's father losing his job, adding financial pressure that makes Chris's need for employment more urgent.

• police academy rejection
• marijuana conviction
• chris potamitis

After Chris's partner was killed during a robbery, the company offered the family only $5,000 in compensation despite owing them $50,000. Chris was demoted to night watchman and, feeling both anger at the injustice and desperation, he stole one money bag and gave some cash to his partner's widow.

Foreshadowing: The summary mentions the company's poor security and sloppy record-keeping, making theft seem like a low-risk option for Chris.

• chris theft
• empire armored
• partner death
• compensation

Eddie entered the Empire Armored Car Company facility through the roof on December 12, 1982, in the middle of the night. He then pressured Chris, who was working as night watchman, to open the vault before knocking him unconscious to steal the cash.

Foreshadowing: Chris had previously shown Eddie the money and revealed the lax security at the facility, giving Eddie the information he needed to plan the break-in.

• eddie heist
• roof break-in
• vault opening
• december 1982

Eddie gave Chris $3 million of the $11 million stolen cash, partially as payment for Chris's role in enabling the heist, but also to keep him entangled in the crime. By sharing the loot, Eddie made Chris an accomplice and ensured his silence about the robbery.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Eddie's eagerness to prove himself and impress others, suggesting he wanted loyal partners who would share his fate.

• 3 million
• eddie share
• loot distribution
• chris money

The $11 million was never fully recovered. Eddie kept most of the money and attempted to exchange $8 million for Colombian drugs in 1983, but that deal went bad in a violent shootout. The remaining money was hidden in a statue Chris and Eddie had given to Chris's mother, though much of it was lost or scattered throughout the years of hiding.

Foreshadowing: The failed drug deal and the revelation about the statue hint that the money would become a source of constant conflict and最终 leads to the confrontation.

• 11 million
• missing money
• statue hidden
• unrecovered loot

Eddie and his associate Michael tried to exchange $8 million of the stolen cash for Colombian drugs to launder and expand their operation. The deal collapsed when violence erupted between Michael and the Colombian dealers, resulting in a chaotic shootout that exposed how loosely controlled the stolen money had become.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows the FBI shifting focus to the Five Families of organized crime, indicating that loose criminal networks were already drawing attention.

• drug deal
• colombian dealers
• michael shootout
• money laundering

Spiro, the gangster who originally orchestrated the earlier foiled robbery, pressed Chris to hand over his share of the money. This demand escalated tensions between the criminal network and Chris, adding another layer of pressure beyond the FBI investigation.

Foreshadowing: Spiro was introduced as the criminal figure who used Eddie's information to stage the initial robbery, showing his persistent interest in large scores.

• spiro demand
• criminal pressure
• chris threat

Eddie confronted Chris at his family home with a gun, demanding the hidden money. During the struggle, Chris's father shot and wounded Eddie. Police arrived immediately after and arrested all three men, ending their criminal scheme.

Foreshadowing: The money being hidden in the statue given to Chris's mother tied the criminal element directly to the family home, making this location inevitable for confrontation.

• eddie confrontation
• chris father shooting
• arrest
• family home

Chris and Eddie were both convicted and served time in federal prison. They were released on October 10, 1991, but the vast majority of the $11 million stolen money was never recovered, leaving them with prison records but no fortune to show for their crime.

Foreshadowing: The repeated mentions of the money's location and the various parties seeking it set up the inevitable disappointment of its complete loss.

• prison release
• 1991
• federal prison
• chris eddie fate

When Chris's partner was killed during a robbery, the company offered only $5,000 in compensation despite being legally obligated to pay around $50,000. This stark injustice, combined with Chris's demotion to night watchman, motivated his decision to steal money from the company.

Foreshadowing: This corporate greed and lack of loyalty to their employees directly contrasts with Chris's later moral compromise, showing how the company's actions seeded his criminal path.

• 5000 compensation
• company injustice
• partner death
• guard family