Frank Matthews: The Kingpin Who Vanished With $20 Million

Harlem, 1971. Snow fell on 125th Street as some of America’s most powerful figures in the underground economy gathered for a meeting that would quietly change history. At the head of the table sat a 27‑year‑old whose influence rivaled the Mafia itself: Frank Matthews. Within just two years, he would walk away with $20 million and vanish forever. This video explores the extraordinary rise—and even more extraordinary disappearance—of a man who defied every expectation. From growing up in Durham, North Carolina, during segregation, to building a multi‑million‑dollar empire stretching from Baltimore to Boston, Matthews operated with discipline, precision, and a vision to create something independent. He was ambitious, strategic, and determined to play by his own rules. But what makes Frank Matthews’ story legendary isn’t just the scale of his success—it’s what happened next. In 1973, facing serious federal attention, he simply disappeared. No confirmed sightings. No trace of his fortune. Just a perfectly executed exit that has baffled investigators for fifty years. How did one man accomplish what no other American kingpin ever managed? Did Frank Matthews spend the last decades of his life quietly enjoying the wealth he carried away, or did his trail end in total anonymity? And why is his name not as well‑known as others, despite pulling off the most successful disappearing act in U.S. criminal history? 💬 Share your theory in the comments—do you believe Frank Matthews is still out there? 🔥 Don’t miss our next story: subscribe, hit the bell, and explore the True Crime Legends playlist for more untold mysteries. Timestamps for “Frank Matthews: The Kingpin Who Vanished With $20 Million” 00:00 – Harlem, 1971: The Meeting That Changed Everything 00:55 – Act 1: The Making of a Ghost 01:18 – Childhood in Durham: From Loss to Hustle 03:03 – Philadelphia: The First Taste of the Streets 04:15 – Brooklyn, 1964: Entering the Mafia’s Backyard 05:05 – Shut Out by the Italians, Saved by the Cubans 06:23 – Courage in Miami: Frank’s First Big Deal 06:56 – Building Loyalty and Discipline in Brooklyn