Frank Matthews' Search Officially Ends

Federal authorities have officially ended their decades-long search for Frank Matthews, the notorious New York drug kingpin who vanished just before his 1973 trial. Matthews, also known as "Black Caesar," was one of America's most legendary fugitives. 

Details of the Case

• Disappearance: In June 1973, after being released on $325,000 bail, Matthews disappeared the night before his federal drug trafficking and tax evasion trial was set to begin.

• Missing Money: He reportedly fled with an estimated $20 million in cash, taking his mistress with him, and was never seen or heard from again.

• Manhunt: The DEA launched one of its largest manhunts, offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest (at the time, one of the biggest rewards since the John Dillinger case in 1931).

• Status: Despite extensive efforts and decades of searching, no confirmed trace of him, or confirmed communication with his family, ever surfaced. He has been missing for over 52 years.

• Wife's Involvement: His wife, Barbara Hinton, never remarried and reportedly never gave authorities any information about Matthews, allegedly still claiming she doesn't recall a "Frank Matthews" when approached. 

The official closure of the search marks the end of one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in U.S. crime history.

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