Frank Matthews: The One That Got Away

Frank Matthews was destined for a life of crime at an early age. By the time he was 14, he had dropped out of school and was leading a gang of teenagers that stole chickens from local farms. He then moved to Philadelphia where he was involved in the illegal gambling rackets, making important connections that would serve him later in life. By 1965, Frank was in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn, working as a barber, loan shark and enforcer for the Black Mafia. He attempted to partner with the Gambino and Bonanno crime families but they declined, so he met with Cuban Mafia members, with whom he brought his first kilo of cocaine. By the early 70’s, Frank was running a multi-million dollar operation, supplying many major dealers throughout the East Coast. In 1973, Frank was arrested by federal agents on tax evasion and drug trafficking charges. After bailing out and realizing that he was facing 50 years in prison, he took $20 million and fled the country with his girlfriend, never to be seen again.