Donald George Frankos (AKA ‘Tony the Greek’) was born on November 10, 1938, in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was of Greek-Italian heritage – his father was born on the Greek Island of Chios, and his mother was from Syracuse, Sicily.
Frankos became an associate of the Lucchese crime family, and ultimately, a government witness
By far the most interesting and infamous part of his story is the fact that an intriguing myth concerning Jimmy Hoffa started with Frankos.
In 1974, Frankos killed another Lucchese family associate, Richard Bilello. During his time in prison, he made some sensational claims that he took part in several mob murders whilst given leave of absence by corrupt prison officials.
He claimed he was involved in the murder of former Teamsters boss, Jimmy Hoffa (yes, another one for the list!), in 1975. Frankos said the hit team consisted of himself, Jimmy Coonan, and John Sullivan, and that Hoffa was lured by his friend, Chuckie O’Brien to a house owned by a Detroit mobster, Anthony Giacalone. At the house, Hoffa was shot and killed by Coonan and Frankos, then the body was dismembered by Coonan, Frankos and Sullivan. Frankos stated that they left the body in a meat locker in the basement of the house for a time, as they debated on how to get rid of it. It was later picked up by Joseph ‘Mad Dog’ Sullivan, and it’s said he sealed the dismembered body in an oil drum and it was buried under Section 107 at Giants Stadium – however, Frankos didn’t elaborate on how or why Hoffa’s body was transported over 600 miles from Detroit to New Jersey.
Donald Frankos died on March 30, 2011.
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