Frank Lucas was an American gangster and drug kingpin who operated mainly from Harlem and built a significant drug empire from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Born into a financially struggling family in North Carolina, Frank faced a difficult upbringing. He became involved in petty crimes during his childhood. In his late teens, he moved to New York City and continued a life of minor criminal activities. He was introduced to the lucrative illegal drug trade and began working alongside the notorious gangster Bumpy Johnson, whom Frank considered his mentor. After Johnson’s death in 1968, Frank took over his drug empire. To break the Italian Mafia’s monopoly on the drug trade, he began trafficking pure heroin from Southeast Asia to New York. His wealth grew rapidly, making him one of the richest and most feared gangsters in the city. However, authorities raided his home in 1975, marking the end of his reign after one of his nephews, who worked for him, cooperated with law enforcement. Frank was sentenced to 70 years in prison but was released after 5 years due to his cooperation with authorities in subsequent trials. He was arrested twice later on drug-related charges and eventually passed away in 2019.