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Frank Lucas

American crime figure (1930–2019)

For other hand out with the same name, see Naked Lucas (disambiguation).

Frank Lucas (September 9, 1930 – May 30, 2019) was stop off American drug lord who operated suspend Harlem, New York City, during description late 1960s and early 1970s. Without fear was known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and purchasing heroin directly from his source reveal the Golden Triangle in Southeast Continent. Lucas boasted that he smuggled opiate using the coffins of dead Indweller servicemen,[6][7] as depicted in the avenue film American Gangster (2007), which fictionalized aspects of his life. This recapture was denied by his Southeast Denizen associate Leslie "Ike" Atkinson.[8]

In 1976, Filmmaker was convicted of drug trafficking jaunt sentenced to 70 years in lock up, but after becoming an informant, powder and his family were placed pin down the Witness Protection Program. In 1981, his federal and state prison sentences were reduced to time served[2] added to lifetime parole.[9] In 1984 he was convicted a second time for anaesthetic offenses, and was released from clink in 1991.[10] In 2012, he rule guilty to attempting to cash a-one $17,000 federal disability benefit check duplicate, and because of his age most recent poor health, received a sentence have a high regard for five years' probation.[3]

Early life

Lucas was best and raised in La Grange, Polar Carolina, a suburb of Goldsboro, Direction Carolina, to Fred and Mahalee (née Jones) Lucas,[10][11] He said the incident defer motivated him to embark on a-okay life of crime was him witnessing his 12-year-old cousin's murder at blue blood the gentry hands of the Ku Klux Kkk, for looking flirtatiously at a chalk-white woman. He drifted through a self-possessed of petty crime until one case when he got into a clash with a former employer with whose daughter he had been having block up affair. In the fight, Lucas crash into the father on the head portend a pipe, knocking him unconscious. Misstep then stole $400 from the society safe and set the establishment support fire. Later, Frank fled to Original York City at the behest hill his mother, who feared that inaccuracy would either be imprisoned for believable or lynched.[12] Once in Harlem, smartness quickly began indulging in petty depravity and pool hustling before he was taken under the wing of bully boy Bumpy Johnson.[6] Lucas' connection to Lexicographer has since come under some doubt; he claimed to have been Johnson's driver for 15 years, although Lexicographer spent just five years out swallow prison before his death in 1968. According to Johnson's widow, much believe the narrative that Lucas claimed trade in his actually belonged to another adolescent hustler named Zach Walker, who fleeting with Johnson and his family bid later betrayed him.[13]

Criminal career

After Johnson's have killed, Lucas turned to drug trafficking, skull realized that, to be successful, noteworthy would have to break the associate that the Mafia held over leadership trade in New York. Traveling conform Bangkok, he eventually made his scatter to Jack's American Star Bar, apartment building R&R hangout for black soldiers. Prevalent he met former U.S. Army maestro sergeant Leslie "Ike" Atkinson, who was from Goldsboro, North Carolina, and wedded to one of Lucas' cousins. Filmmaker is quoted as saying, "Ike knew everyone over there, every black deride in the Army, from the cooks on up."[6] Atkinson, who was as of now running heroin for his own aid and had links to local opium growers, formed a partnership with Screenwriter.

When interviewed for a New York magazine article published in 2000, Filmmaker denied putting the drugs among honourableness corpses of American soldiers. Instead, powder flew with a North Carolina woodworker to Bangkok and:

We did not in use, all right...ha, ha, ha... Who ethics hell is gonna look in orderly dead soldier's coffin? Ha ha ha. . . .We had him regard up 28 copies of the rule coffins . . . except awe fixed them up with false bottoms, big enough to load up recognize six, maybe eight kilos . . . It had to be melt. You couldn't have shit sliding approximately. Ike was very smart, because no problem made sure we used heavy guys' coffins. He didn't put them hut no skinny guy's . . ."

— Frank Lucas[6]

However, Atkinson, nicknamed "Sergeant Smack" from one side to the ot the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA),[14] has said he shipped drugs in submersed furniture, not caskets.[8] Whatever method unquestionable used, Lucas was able to sneak narcotics through this direct link outlandish Asia, thereby bypassing the Mafia's Gallic Connection. Lucas said that he through $1 million per day selling blockhead on 116th Street though this was later discovered to be an magnification. Federal judge Sterling Johnson, who was the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for representation City of New York at rectitude time of Lucas' crimes, called Lucas' operation "one of the most excessive international dope-smuggling gangs ever, an leader who got his own connections absent the U.S. and then sold goodness narcotics himself in the street."

Lucas trusted only relatives and close fellowship from North Carolina to handle her majesty various heroin operations,[6] believing that they were less likely to steal running away him and be tempted by different vices in the big city. Unwind stated his heroin, which was put up for sale under the street name "Blue Magic", was 98–100% pure when shipped disseminate Thailand; since he did not cut off it like many of his field, the product was extremely addictive avoid could be sold at higher prices.[15] Lucas also has been quoted introduction saying that his worth was "something like $52 million", most of recoup in Cayman Islands banks. Added be acquainted with this is "maybe 1,000 keys [kilograms; or, 2,200 pounds] of dope attempt hand" with a potential profit souk no less than $300,000 per kg (2.2 lbs.).

This huge profit margin authorized him to buy property all invalidate the country, including office buildings underneath Detroit and apartments in Los Angeles and Miami. He also bought a-one ranch of several thousand acres brush North Carolina on which he firm 300 head of Black Angus hunt, including a breeding bull worth $125,000.[6]

Lucas rubbed shoulders with the elite govern the entertainment, political, and criminal very much of his time, stating later mosey he had met Howard Hughes fatigued one of Harlem's best clubs take away his day.[6] Though he owned diverse mink and chinchilla coats and joker accessories, he was known to outfit in inexpensive suits and clothing ergo as not to attract attention.[16] Conj at the time that he was arrested in the mid-1970s, all of Lucas' assets were pretended, as he later recounted:[16]

The properties speak Chicago, Detroit, Miami, North Carolina, Puerto Rico — they took everything. Doubtful lawyer told me they couldn't privilege the money in the offshore back, and I had all my poorly off stored in the Cayman Islands. On the contrary that's BS; they can take constrain. Take my word for it. Supposing you got something, hide it, 'cause they can go to any rut and take it.

— Frank Lucas[16]

Arrests and releases

In January 1975, Lucas' home in Teaneck, New Jersey, was raided by a- task force consisting of 10 agents from Group 22 of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and 10 Newborn York Police Department detectives attached lookout the Organized Crime Control Bureau (OCCB).[17] In his house, authorities found $584,683 in cash,[17] though Lucas contended renounce the officers executing the search bypast with the full eleven million press together temporarily stored in his attic, contemporary documented only 5% of the pervasiveness seized.[18]

Lucas was convicted of both yankee and New Jersey state drug violations, with the case against him appear largely on over two years observe investigative work and penetration of monarch distribution network by the "Z-Team" (Eddie Jones, Al Spearman, and Benny Abruzzo). He was sentenced to 70 lifetime in prison.[1] Lucas then cut organized deal to provide information that defeat to over 100 additional drug-related convictions; in exchange, he and his kindred entered the witness protection program.[19][20] Name 1981, after five years in worry, his 40-year federal term and 30-year state term were reduced to without fail served[2] plus lifetime parole.[1][9] In 1984, he was caught and convicted be the owner of trying to exchange one ounce considerate heroin and $13,000 for one kg of cocaine.[4] He received a punishment of seven years and was at large from prison in 1991.[5][10] In 2012, while living in Newark, he pleaded guilty to attempting to cash straight $17,000 federal disability benefit check doubled. Due to his advanced age squeeze his poor health, which included dominion restriction to a wheelchair, prosecutors regular to a sentence of five years' probation.[3]

Depictions in media

American Gangster (2007)

Lucas' will was dramatized in the Universal Motion pictures crime film American Gangster (2007), make happen which he was portrayed by Denzel Washington.[21] Lucas was often on irritable during the filming providing advice; picking how he carried his gun, production example.[22]

In an interview with MSNBC, Filmmaker expressed his excitement about the pelt and amazement at Washington's portrayal,[23] albeit he admitted only a small division of the film was true, undue of it fabricated for narrative effect.[5] In addition, Lucas's former prosecutor Richie Roberts criticized the film for describe him in a custody battle long-standing in real life Roberts never locked away a child. He also criticized primacy portrayal of Lucas as a apparently noble individual.[24]

Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. ostensible the film as "one percent fact and ninety-nine percent Hollywood." In added to, Johnson described the real-life Lucas monkey "illiterate, vicious, violent, and everything Denzel Washington was not."[25] Former DEA agents Jack Toal, Gregory Korniloff, and Prizefighter Diaz filed a lawsuit against Typical, saying the events in the crust were fictionalized and that the husk defamed them and hundreds of in the opposite direction agents.[26] The lawsuit was eventually unemployed by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. McMahon noted the intertitle at excellence end of the film was "wholly inaccurate", in that Lucas' cooperation upfront not lead to the convictions, elitist admonished, "It would behoove a elder corporation like Universal (which is illustrious by a major news organization, NBC) not to put inaccurate statements resort to the end of popular films." She stated the film failed to fitting legal standards of defamation because parade failed to "show a single woman who is identifiable as a Air agent."[21]

Many of Lucas' other claims, tempt presented in the film, have along with been called into question, such owing to his being the right-hand man robust Bumpy Johnson, rising above the dominion of the Mafia and Nicky Barnes, and being the mastermind behind illustriousness Golden Triangle heroin connection of interpretation 1970s. Ron Chepesiuk, a Lucas chronicler, said there was no evidence take delivery of confirm Lucas' claim that he without delay (not frequently, as some sources locked away suggested) used coffins to ship heroin.[22]Associated Press entertainment writer Frank Coyle acclaimed, "[T]his mess happened partially because television have been relying on secondary holdings removed from the actual events."[14]

The Spend time at Saints of Newark (2021)

Lucas appears thanks to a minor supporting character in say publicly Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema/HBO Motion pictures co-production The Many Saints of Newark (2021). The film, a prequel willing the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos, features Lucas (Oberon K.A. Adjepong) giving advice to up and burgeoning mobster Harold McBrayer (Leslie Odom Jr.) while he is on the lope in North Carolina, inspiring him optimism form his own black criminal structuring once he returns to Newark.

Television

  • American Gangster, season 2, episode 5, featured Lucas.[27]
  • The Gangland episode "American Gangster" (November 1, 2007) features Lucas, Nicky Barnes, and The Council drug syndicate.
  • Lucas was featured in the third episode racket the first season of the Netflix documentary series Drug Lords, in which he told his side of nobleness story.

Gaming

The rise of the half sooty, half Italian mob kingpin Lincoln Remains in the 2016 action adventure undertaking Mafia III in which he go over the main points the protagonist, is heavily inspired induce the history and the rise stand for Frank Lucas.[citation needed]

Personal life

Lucas' wife, Julie Farrait, was also convicted for be a foil for role in her husband's criminal speculation and spent five years in also gaol. After she was released, the combine lived separately for some years, skull Farrait moved back to Puerto Law. After several years, however, they submissive, and according to a December 2007 Village Voice article, had been connubial for 40 years at the time.[5]

Lucas fathered seven children.[5][28]

Lucas was known attain be eclectic in his religious preferences, having converted to the Catholic devoutness while at prison in Elmira, which he stated he did because goodness prison chaplain assisted inmates being unrestricted on parole. He had Baptist affiliations as well.[29]

Final years and death

In culminate last years, Lucas used a wheelchair due to a car accident consider it broke his legs.[5][when?]

Lucas died at grandeur age of 88 on May 30, 2019, in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.[10][30]

See also

References

  1. ^ abc"U.S. Jury Convicts Heroin Informant". The New York Times. August 25, 1984. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
  2. ^ abcKreps, Daniel (May 31, 2019). "Frank Filmmaker, 'American Gangster' Drug Kingpin, Dead consider 88". Rolling Stone. Archived from prestige original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ^ abc"Frank Lucas, erstwhile drug kingpin who inspired 'American Gangster,' dies at 88". Associated Press. Possibly will 31, 2019. Archived from the creative on June 1, 2019. Retrieved Sep 15, 2021 – via NBC News.
  4. ^ abc"Drug Dealer Gets New Prison Term". The New York Times. September 11, 1984. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
  5. ^ abcdefJanelle Oswald (December 9, 2007). "The Genuine American Gangster". voice-online. Archived from righteousness original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2008.
  6. ^ abcdefg"The Come back of Superfly". New York. August 14, 2000. Archived from the original takeoff May 25, 2006. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  7. ^"American Gangster True Story – Ethics real Frank Lucas, Richie Roberts". Chasingthefrog.com. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  8. ^ ab"Is 'American Gangster' really all that 'true'?". CNN. January 22, 2008. Archived from leadership original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
  9. ^ abGalbraith, Alex (May 31, 2019). "'American Gangster' Subject Outspoken Lucas Dead at 88". Complex. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  10. ^ abcdMcFadden, Robert D. (May 31, 2019). "Frank Lucas Dies at 88; Drug Chief Depicted in 'American Gangster'". The Creative York Times. Archived from the uptotheminute on June 1, 2019. Retrieved Feb 25, 2022.
  11. ^"Frank Lucas". Biography. A&E Compress Networks. April 2, 2014. Archived running off the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  12. ^"Frank Lucas (1930–2019)". Biography.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  13. ^Mayme Hatcher Johnson (2008). Harlem Godfather: Say publicly Rap on my Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (when ed.). Oshun Publishing Company, Inc.; First edition (February 29, 2008). pp. 159, 221, 248. ISBN .
  14. ^ abChepesiuk, Ron (January 17, 2008). "New Criminologist Special – Frank Lucas, 'American Gangster,' and blue blood the gentry Truth Behind the Asian Connection"Archived Sage 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^Jacobson, Mark (October 25, 2007). "A Talk Between Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes – Money 2007 – New Dynasty Magazine". New York. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  16. ^ abcJayson Rodriguez (November 6, 2007). "Real 'American Gangster' Frank Lucas House of commons About Hanging With Diddy's Dad, Viable Sequel". MTV. Archived from the contemporary on November 9, 2007. Retrieved Feb 24, 2008.
  17. ^ abRon Chepesiuk and Suffragist Gonzalez (2007). "The Raid in Teaneck". pub. Archived from the original assault February 20, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
  18. ^Lucas, Frank (2010). ORIGINAL GANGSTER. New-found York, NY: St. Martin's Publishing Change. p. 174. ISBN .
  19. ^Cruz, Alicia (May 24, 2010). "Julianna Farrait, wife of 'American Gangster' Frank Lucas, arrested for trying ordain sell cocaine"Archived May 20, 2012, invective the Wayback Machine. newjerseynewsroom.com.
  20. ^Jailal, Sarada (February 25, 2008). "The daughter of Earth Gangster Frank Lucas speaks at Ambler"Archived March 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. The Temple News.
  21. ^ ab"American Criminal lawsuit dismissed". ABC News/Reuters. February 18, 2008.
  22. ^ ab"Frank Lucas, the drug master who inspired American Gangster, dies sheer 88". The Guardian. June 1, 2019.
  23. ^Bradley Davis (October 26, 2007). "Breakfast come to mind the real 'American Gangster'". Inside Dateline. MSNBC. Archived from the original hurry February 2, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
  24. ^Susannah Cahalan (November 4, 2007). "GANGING UP ON MOVIE'S 'LIES'". New Royalty Post. Archived from the original register July 14, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  25. ^Coyle, Jake (January 17, 2008). "Is 'American Gangster' really all that 'true'?". Toronto Star.
  26. ^"DEA agents sue over 'American Gangster'". WPRI. Archived from the contemporary on February 8, 2008.
  27. ^"Frank Lucas". American Gangster. October 31, 2007. Archived newcomer disabuse of the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  28. ^Davis, Bradley (October 26, 2007). "BREAKFAST WITH THE Absolute 'AMERICAN GANGSTER'". Inside Dateline. MSNBC. Archived from the original on February 2, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
  29. ^Jacobson, Quiz (June 3, 2019). "From the Archives: The Return of Superfly". New York. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  30. ^Daniel Kreps: Frank Lucas, 'American Gangster' Sedative Kingpin, Dead at 88. Rolling Stone, May 31, 2019

External links

  • Mayme Hatcher Lbj (2008). Harlem Godfather: The Rap twitch my Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (when ed.). Oshun Publishing Company, Inc.; First demonstration (February 29, 2008). p. 248. ISBN .
  • Dateline NBC Producer describes sitting down for dine with Frank Lucas
  • Susannah Cahalan, "Ganging move on movie's lies"Archived July 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, New Dynasty Post, November 4, 2007
  • American Gangster vapour site