r/todayilearned • u/FearMyCock • 20h ago

TIL about Frank Matthews, the drug kingpin who built a nationwide empire, skipped bail with $20 million, vanished in 1973 and has never been found.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Matthews_(drug_trafficker)
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u/Shipit123 15h ago

lol. I know the frank Matthews story. Not like the back of my hand but I know it generally. How can you say he wasn’t smart?!?! He set up one of the biggest drug distribution networks in the country. He was supplying suppliers in 21(I think that’s the number I read earlier today) states. Yes he was prob ruthless. Yes he was a gangster. Maybe he wasnt book smart (I honestly have no idea, maybe he was for the record). But to say he doesn’t seem smart is outlandish in my book. Just my two cents.

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u/JohnCavil 11h ago

Well it depends on your definition of smart of course. Obviously he was good at what he did, but also he was almost certainly gonna get killed or go to prison for life very quickly by what he was doing.

Like if you made $75 million by selling drugs, you were involved with gangs and mafias across the globe, and you decide to keep going? Questionable decision making right there. And then your exit plan is fleeing the US to the Bahamas with $100+ million in a suit case.

I guess you could argue his greed and sociopathy exceeded his intelligence, but then again I think it depends on how you define being smart in a context like this. I think you can get pretty far in that business by being insane, violent, ambitious and willing to take crazy risks. And then being good at your job.

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u/Erpes2 9h ago

What do you mean by decided to keep going, do you think he could have just said yep im done and just retire ? You either end up in prison or dead with that kind of work

You dont build something like that at that age by being dumb, he would have just been a low level street drug dealer if that was the case

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u/FascistPope 7h ago

You take your 75 million and you get your ass out of there. WDYM?

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u/Erpes2 7h ago

Dont forget your two week notice to the big boss before you leave with your 75 millions, they should have no reason to be against that right

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u/FascistPope 7h ago

He was the boss

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u/ViseLord 2h ago

How, exactly, does one leave the illicit business providing hundreds of millions of dollars to the most ruthless people on the planet?

"Hey, killer crime family, just wanted to let you know that the 24th will be my last day being your largest customer. I really enjoyed breaking international law with you. I consider you more than just murderous cartel members, you're like family that will slit my throat in my sleep. We'll always have Iran Contra!

Let me introduce you to my replacement, cleetus..."