[RJL]

Lewis said that Sinatra was going through customs with a briefcase containing "three and a half million in fifties" and that customs officials opened the case.

While I don't doubt that Frank was mobbed up, $3.5 million is 70,000 $50 bills. It must have been quite a "briefcase".

[Dinsdale]

70,000 bills, about 150lbs.

[bigsigh]

If you doubt that Sinatra was mobbed up you need to read The Last Mafioso by Jimmy The Weasel Fratiane. It describes Frank's connection to Giancana and how he would give concerts in certain cities where the mob could skim money off the top from the gate receipts supposedly going to various charities.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Okay. It was 50's. Somehow this story has suddenly become mythical in proportion. But then, so is Sinatra.

[Ghengis]

While I don't doubt that Frank was mobbed up, $3.5 million is 70,000 $50 bills. It must have been quite a "briefcase".

That jumped out at me also. When I hear people talk about folks carrying millions of dollars in a duffel bag or suitcase, I try to get them to understand how many bills that would have to be. When they're talking denominations of $20s, its easy to calculate out how it would have to be a truck and not a duffel bag.