Frank Lucas was an American gangster, drug trafficker, and media personality. His area of operation was Harlem, New York City. He used the coffins of dead soldiers during the Vietnam War to smuggle her0in into the United States. Lucas was sentenced to 70 years in jail in 1976. However, he died on 30th May 2019.
There have been a ton of questions regarding Frank Lucas and his corresponding drug trafficking activities. Among these questions, “What is Frank Lucas Net Worth?” has gained special attention. No one beyond Frank Lucas really knows, however, let’s go through with our research.
What is Frank Lucas’s net worth?
Frank Lucas aka the drug kingpin had an estimated net worth of $500 Thousand at the time of his death.
Though Frank Lucas’s actualized net worth is not publicly known, this article references government reports, charges, and his drug trafficking amount to estimate his net worth. Besides, this article also includes Frank’s television appearances and the worldwide grossing of these television series and films.
How much was Frank Lucas’s net worth in his prime?
Frank Lucas was reported to have an estimated net worth of $52 million at the peak of his empire.
Frank Lucas used a typical method in drug dealing. Lucas was used to selling $1 million a day of her0in at the mammoth position of his business. At that time, he was reported to store $52 million in Cayman Island Banks that would be as much as $541 million today. Lucas was selling per kilo her0in for $300k.
How much did Frank Lucas make from drug trafficking?
Frank Lucas was making more than $300k per kilogram of her0in. At the peak time of his drug dealing, Lucas stockpiled $300 million worth of her0in.
Using the coffins of dead soldiers, Frank Lucas was used to smuggling at the Vietnam War. Besides, he used returning soldiers at that time to smuggle more her0in. Lucas paid $200k per week to the corrupt officers intending to promote his drug dealing. He was a crime boss in Harlem.
Frank Lucas bought 132 kilos or 290 pounds of her0in for $4,300 a kilo for business phenomena and would sell it for $50,000 a kilo. He would sell it for $300,000 a kilo on the street. Furthermore, he was reported to sell one ounce of cocaine for $13k. Hence, he was making a huge amount of profit from his drug trade.
Real Estate & Properties
Frank Lucas owned a cattle ranch in North Carolina, office buildings in Detroit, and numerous apartments in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico.
Typically, Frank Lucas purchased numerous properties all over the country. In North Carolina, he purchased a ranch of several thousand acres. In this property, Lucas ranged 300 head of Black Angus cattle. Besides, he ranged a breeding bull in this property that is worth $125k.
Furthermore, Frank Lucas purchased a coat for his wife that is worth $125k. In 1970, he again bought a hat for his wife that cost him $40k.
Car Collection
Frank Lucas owned a lot of cars. Among these, his featured car collection includes —
- A Rolls Royce
- A Mercedes-Benz
- A 427 Muscle Job
- A Corvette Sting Ray
A typical gangster owns numerous cars in his or her collection. In this regard, the then Harlem’s crime boss Frank Lucas also owned numerous cars. He spent multi-million in purchasing these cars.
Television Appearances
In television, Frank Lucas is known for:
- American Gangster (2007)
- America’s Book of Secrets (2013)
- Mobsters (2008)
- The Making of American Gangster (2008)
The film, American Gangster, dramatized Frank Lucas’s life. Besides, he spent a lot of money on film production regarding his life.
Let’s have an overview of the American Gangster’s Box Office statistics:
| Budget | $100,000,000 |
| Domestic Opening | $43,565,135 |
| Domestic Earnings | $130,164,645 |
| Worldwide Earnings | $269,755,430 |
| Release Date | 2 November 2007 |
In the television series, Frank Lucas appeared in season 2, episode 5, of the documentary series — American Gangster. Besides, he appeared in Netflix’s documentary — Drug Lords.
Thus, Frank Lucas became a widely known personality throughout his film and television appearances.
Frank Lucas: At a Glance
| Full Name | Frank Lucas |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 9 September 1930 |
| Birth Place | La Grange, North Carolina, United States |
| Died | 30th May 2019 |
| Height | 1.78 m |
| Weight | 82 kg |
| Spouse | Julianna Farrait-Rodriguez |
| Children | 7 |
| Occupation | Drug Trafficker, Gangster |
| Nationality | American |
| Net Worth | $500 Thousand |
Arrests and Releases
In 1975, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration raided Lucas’s house. He was caught with $584,683 in cash and drugs. Hence, according to New Jersey State Drug Violence and other criminal offenses, Frank Lucas was sentenced to 70 years in jail in the following year.
While staying in jail, Lucas cooperated with the authorities that made him free from jail in 1982. Two years later, Frank was arrested again due to new drug charges. Hence, he had to survive additional five years in jail.
FAQs
According to the American Gangster film, Frank Lucas really shot Tango. The plot was related to the Blue Magic business. In that film, Tango had been given Blue Magic to sell. Lucas would receive a percentage from Tango’s sales. But, Tango refused to pay that amount. Hence, Lucas shot Tango in that film.
As mentioned, Frank was prisoned in 1975. Then, his wife lived separately from her husband. In 1982, Lucas was released from prison. In 2005, this couple got back together. After Lucas’s death, his wife Julianna Farrait-Rodriguez is living in New Jersey with her seven children.
Denzel Washington portrayed Frank Lucas in the 2007 film American Gangster. In that film, it was shown that Lucas’s Blue Magic was 100% pure. But, in reality, Lucas’s her0in was 98% pure after its arrival from Southeast Asia. Hence, American Gangster is not exactly true but it revealed a shadow of Frank Lucas’s life.
Sources
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0998978/ — Frank Lucas IMDB.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/31/obituaries/frank-lucas-dead.html — New York Times Report on Frank Lucas’s drug trafficking.
- https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0765429/ — Box Office summary of American Gangster.
