Frank Matthews (drug trafficker)
Encyclopedia
Frank "Black Caesar" Matthews (born February 13, 1944 in Durham, North Carolina) is a major heroin and cocaine trafficker who operated throughout the eastern seaboard during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the peak of his career he operated in 21 states and supplied major dealers throughout every region of the country. Although there is more attention paid to other drug kingpins of the era, Frank Matthews is said by the DEA
to be one of the most significant traffickers of the time. He led a flamboyant lifestyle, with large sable mink
coats, prime seats at major sporting events, luxury vehicles, and regular trips to Las Vegas
where he was treated like a king. Matthews would also become known for hosting a major African-American drug dealers "summit" in Atlanta in 1971. The attendee list, gathered by DEA surveillance, was a who's who of most major African-American and Hispanic dealers throughout the country; they were all there to discuss how to break the Italian Mafia's control of heroin import
ation so that blacks could not have to rely on them for survival in the future.
in Durham, NC, a poor segregated town in the tobacco country. His mother died when he was 4 years old and he was raised by his aunt, Marcella Steel, the wife of a Durham police lieutenant. Nicknamed "Pee Wee", Matthews was described as bright and curious; nevertheless, he dropped out of school in the 7th grade. He served a year for assault in the juvenile reformatory at Raleigh. On his release, he moved to Philadelphia, where he worked as a numbers writer. He was arrested in 1963 and avoided conviction by agreeing to leave Philadelphia. He moved to the Bedford Stuyvesant area of New York City
and became a barber, collecting numbers as he had in Philadelphia. Matthews was now large and muscular; he became both a collector and an enforcer. This gained him the experience and cash he needed to enter illegal drug dealing.
; Frank knew he would have to gain favor with someone connected to get a steady, reliable connection from which to base his drug empire. Matthews was able to not only approach but gain an audience before the Gambino family
and Bonanno family
, both part of the "Five Families
" that have controlled organized crime in New York City since the 1930s. However, both turned the young Matthews down. From his days in the numbers game he knew of legendary "Spanish Raymond" Márquez
, a prolific Harlem numbers operator. Márquez put him in contact with "El Padrino" the New York Cuban Mafia godfather Rolando Gonzalez Nuñez, a major Cuba
n cocaine
supplier, shortly before Gonzalez fled to Venezeula because of a coming indictment in the United States. Before fleeing, Gonzalez sold Matthews his first kilo of cocaine for $20,000, with a promise to supply more in the future.
This relationship would expand into a very lucrative and expansive drug trafficking network, eventually covering 21 states throughout the United States. Gonzalez began sending the young drug dealer large loads of cocaine and heroin from South America at fair prices. Matthews expanded on this and within a year was one of the major players in the New York drug business. Realizing the need for diversifying, Matthews would continually seek out new sources of supply for narcotics, willing to do business with anyone as long as the product was of good purity.
By the early 1970s, the Matthews organization was handling multi-million dollar loads of heroin in over 21 states. According to the DEA, "Matthews controlled the cutting, packaging, and sale of heroin in every major East Coast city." For example, in New York he operated two massive drug mills in Brooklyn; one located at 925 Prospect Place, nicknamed the "Ponderosa", and the other at 106 East 56th Street. Both locations were heavily fortified and secured, with walls reinforced with steel and concrete and protected by guards with machine guns. Besides controlling the retail sale of heroin, the organization also supplied other major dealers throughout the East Coast with multi-kilo shipments for up to $26,000 a kilogram.
and also possibly Cubans. In addition, they all agreed to diversify their product to include cocaine, which was now becoming available in massive quantities.
This meeting is significant not only because of the gathering of major drug traffickers throughout the United States, but also because it represented the changing nature of the drug business. Whereas before the Italians
controlled the importation and wholesaling of narcotics, therefore controlling who could and could not advance past them, now others were establishing pipelines of their own. Before, the Mafia asserted behind-the-scenes control of the business while African-Americans did the retailing and using of the drugs in their cities; now the black dealers were able to establish their own connections and take control of their neighborhoods from some unknown Italian who had likely never stepped foot in the neighborhood. This would evolve even further later on to include not just the blacks controlling the business, but local gangs of blacks eliminating out-of-town black suppliers trying to control their neighborhoods from a distance.
Matthews would learn this lesson the hard way in Philadelphia. In Atlantic City, the Philadelphia Black Mafia
would assassinate Tyrone "Mr. Millionaire" Palmer, Matthews main dealer in Philadelphia, at a packed "Club Harlem" of 800 people. No one was ever prosecuted for the crime and of the 800 potential witnesses, none came forward. He would further lose 3 more of his top lieutenants in the city, murdered by the Black Mafia, illustrating the changing game of local gangs taking back control of their cities from out-of-town drug rings.
In 1973 the DEA was set to arrest Matthews. Nobody knows what really happened some say he was arrested and paid bail then disappeared others say he fled the scene before the arrest. Rumor was that Matthews took 15-20 million dollars with him and fled the country, and was never seen again.
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
to be one of the most significant traffickers of the time. He led a flamboyant lifestyle, with large sable mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
coats, prime seats at major sporting events, luxury vehicles, and regular trips to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
where he was treated like a king. Matthews would also become known for hosting a major African-American drug dealers "summit" in Atlanta in 1971. The attendee list, gathered by DEA surveillance, was a who's who of most major African-American and Hispanic dealers throughout the country; they were all there to discuss how to break the Italian Mafia's control of heroin import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
ation so that blacks could not have to rely on them for survival in the future.
Early life
Matthews was born towards the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Durham, NC, a poor segregated town in the tobacco country. His mother died when he was 4 years old and he was raised by his aunt, Marcella Steel, the wife of a Durham police lieutenant. Nicknamed "Pee Wee", Matthews was described as bright and curious; nevertheless, he dropped out of school in the 7th grade. He served a year for assault in the juvenile reformatory at Raleigh. On his release, he moved to Philadelphia, where he worked as a numbers writer. He was arrested in 1963 and avoided conviction by agreeing to leave Philadelphia. He moved to the Bedford Stuyvesant area of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and became a barber, collecting numbers as he had in Philadelphia. Matthews was now large and muscular; he became both a collector and an enforcer. This gained him the experience and cash he needed to enter illegal drug dealing.
Drug empire
Matthews quickly grew tired of the numbers game after realizing what he made in a year could be made in weeks in the drug business. He began making plans to transition into the heroin business. In the early 1960s the main supply of wholesale heroin was the Italian MafiaMafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
; Frank knew he would have to gain favor with someone connected to get a steady, reliable connection from which to base his drug empire. Matthews was able to not only approach but gain an audience before the Gambino family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
and Bonanno family
Bonanno crime family
The Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
, both part of the "Five Families
Five Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
" that have controlled organized crime in New York City since the 1930s. However, both turned the young Matthews down. From his days in the numbers game he knew of legendary "Spanish Raymond" Márquez
Raymond Márquez
Raymond Márquez , a.k.a. "Spanish Raymond" is a reputed American gangster of Puerto Rican descent who was considered the "king" of the illegal numbers racket in Harlem from the 1950s until his retirement in 2001.-Early years:...
, a prolific Harlem numbers operator. Márquez put him in contact with "El Padrino" the New York Cuban Mafia godfather Rolando Gonzalez Nuñez, a major Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
supplier, shortly before Gonzalez fled to Venezeula because of a coming indictment in the United States. Before fleeing, Gonzalez sold Matthews his first kilo of cocaine for $20,000, with a promise to supply more in the future.
This relationship would expand into a very lucrative and expansive drug trafficking network, eventually covering 21 states throughout the United States. Gonzalez began sending the young drug dealer large loads of cocaine and heroin from South America at fair prices. Matthews expanded on this and within a year was one of the major players in the New York drug business. Realizing the need for diversifying, Matthews would continually seek out new sources of supply for narcotics, willing to do business with anyone as long as the product was of good purity.
By the early 1970s, the Matthews organization was handling multi-million dollar loads of heroin in over 21 states. According to the DEA, "Matthews controlled the cutting, packaging, and sale of heroin in every major East Coast city." For example, in New York he operated two massive drug mills in Brooklyn; one located at 925 Prospect Place, nicknamed the "Ponderosa", and the other at 106 East 56th Street. Both locations were heavily fortified and secured, with walls reinforced with steel and concrete and protected by guards with machine guns. Besides controlling the retail sale of heroin, the organization also supplied other major dealers throughout the East Coast with multi-kilo shipments for up to $26,000 a kilogram.
Atlanta summit and disappearance
In 1971 Matthews invited major African-American and Hispanic drug traffickers from throughout the country to come to Atlanta for a meeting. The DEA got wind of this and subsequently monitored who was coming and going. It ended up being a "Who's Who" of major drug traffickers, a testament to the respect that Matthews commanded because of his vast drug empire. The topic of the meeting was ways to streamline the importation of heroin by going around the Mafia and not having to rely on them. Those present decided they should attempt to build stronger independent relationships with the CorsicansFrench Connection
The French Connection was a scheme through which heroin was smuggled from Turkey to France and then to the United States. The operation reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it provided the vast majority of the illicit heroin used in the United States...
and also possibly Cubans. In addition, they all agreed to diversify their product to include cocaine, which was now becoming available in massive quantities.
This meeting is significant not only because of the gathering of major drug traffickers throughout the United States, but also because it represented the changing nature of the drug business. Whereas before the Italians
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
controlled the importation and wholesaling of narcotics, therefore controlling who could and could not advance past them, now others were establishing pipelines of their own. Before, the Mafia asserted behind-the-scenes control of the business while African-Americans did the retailing and using of the drugs in their cities; now the black dealers were able to establish their own connections and take control of their neighborhoods from some unknown Italian who had likely never stepped foot in the neighborhood. This would evolve even further later on to include not just the blacks controlling the business, but local gangs of blacks eliminating out-of-town black suppliers trying to control their neighborhoods from a distance.
Matthews would learn this lesson the hard way in Philadelphia. In Atlantic City, the Philadelphia Black Mafia
Black Mafia
The Black Mafia, a Philadelphia-based organized crime syndicate whose small beginnings started from holding up crap games and dealing in the illegal drug business, was formed in September 1968 by Samuel Christian, who later adopted the name Suleiman Bey under the Nation of Islam, and was at its...
would assassinate Tyrone "Mr. Millionaire" Palmer, Matthews main dealer in Philadelphia, at a packed "Club Harlem" of 800 people. No one was ever prosecuted for the crime and of the 800 potential witnesses, none came forward. He would further lose 3 more of his top lieutenants in the city, murdered by the Black Mafia, illustrating the changing game of local gangs taking back control of their cities from out-of-town drug rings.
In 1973 the DEA was set to arrest Matthews. Nobody knows what really happened some say he was arrested and paid bail then disappeared others say he fled the scene before the arrest. Rumor was that Matthews took 15-20 million dollars with him and fled the country, and was never seen again.
See also
- Leroy "Nicky" BarnesLeroy BarnesLeroy Nicholas "Nicky" Barnes is a government informant, former drug lord and crime boss, who led the notorious African-American criminal organization known as The Council, which controlled the heroin trade in Harlem, New York during the 1970s. In 2007 he released a book, “Mr...
- Frank Lucas (drug lord)Frank Lucas (drug lord)Frank Lucas is a former U.S. heroin dealer and organized crime boss who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle...
- Philadelphia Black MafiaBlack MafiaThe Black Mafia, a Philadelphia-based organized crime syndicate whose small beginnings started from holding up crap games and dealing in the illegal drug business, was formed in September 1968 by Samuel Christian, who later adopted the name Suleiman Bey under the Nation of Islam, and was at its...