How's Kollintzas?

freetime · **Posted:** Tue May 18, 2010 8:20 am

Recent news about Greece going after its many tax cheats in light of its grave financial troubles got me thinking about Frank Kollintzas.
If you remember, Kollintzas reportedly fled to Greece after he was convicted in the $24 million sidewalk scandal in East Chicago.
A quote attributed to Bobby Cantrell in one of the local papers said Kollintzas was doing well in Greece, running a successful business.
Well, isn't that nice for him?
Have US officials ever looked for Kollintzas? I know we don't have an extradition treaty with Greece so I'm not sure they could force him to return, but it makes me mad that a convicted felon like Cantrell canm apparently be in contact with Kollintzas and no one does anything about it.
Kollintzas should be occupying a cell right next to his buddy Cantrell if you ask me.
Wouldn't it be ironic if Kollintzas was nabbed in the tax crackdown in Greece? Has he paid his fair share of taxes on his ill-gotten gains?

freetime · **Posted:** Tue May 18, 2010 8:55 am

I've got to quit reading the Times archives! I've got myself ticked off again!
I was happy to read that the government had prevailed in its court fight with Kollintzas's wife over the half-million dollars in assets he left behind when he high tailed it to Greece.
But then I read his wife and daughter collected $325,000 from the good people of EC when attorney Carmen Fernandez, representing the city, settled their political firing lawsuit.
In addition to his City Council pay and the many dollars he swiped, Kollintzas made a fortune from the School City. He had 3 family members working there too, according to the Times:

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/arti ... 4ce4b.html

Geez Louise, give me a break!

mattlap · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:24 am **Posts:** 2529

Free,

There is nothing the US Govt can do to get Kolintzas back from Greece. They do not have a an extradition treaty and will not deport greek citizens. Israel does the same with those that hold an Israeli passport, even if they are dual citizenship.

I remember stories of a few years ago that Frankie actually called WJOB from Greece to discuss the local elections.

Unless he steps back into the United States or we have information that he is in a country with an extradition treaty, he is as free as can be.

bigdog · **Joined:** Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:49 am **Posts:** 334

Don't even get me started on the corruption in the former East Chicago. I say former because that is when the corruption was blatant. I mean envelopes picked up at the bars. Gambling joints that opened up at 3 in the morning. Two thousand dollars to get a guaranteed job with police or fire. Cops telling you how crowded the after hour joints were. Which they were not supposed to know about HA HA!!! Don't tell me some of the local greeks do not have contact with Frankie in Greece. I do not believe it for one minute.

freetime · **Posted:** Tue May 18, 2010 5:58 pm

Ain't that the truth.
There was a City Councilman in EC in the late 80's-early 90's who also had a city job as some sort of inspector and he told me every day he went around to bars and picked up and paid off the bets on the numbers.
I was a reporter at the time but he didn't even seem to realize there was something wrong with that.

I also visited a few of those after hours joints back then. Wide open big time gambling, live bands and partying all night long. Funny thing, you could be milling around those joints (in the Harbor) at 3 in the morning, and it was the safest place in the world to be.

newsflashkid · **Joined:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 12:20 pm **Posts:** 1011

I have never heard one word about this from anyone outside the well informed persons of the area. At Easter time, Frankie Kollintzas sent Easter greetings via email to many many friends here in the region. Along with the greetings were pictures of himself (getting fat). It appeared he may have a business over there. His email address was very plain. His name at yahoo.com.
I noticed in all the pictures he had a big smile on his face. I know the Times knew about this and not one word was mentioned. Maybe there feature article reporter was to busy working at his other job at the liquor store.

freetime · **Posted:** Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:45 am

Anyone else think it's ironic that I saw a big Copeland for mayor sign in the window of Kollintzas's old store at Chicago and Indy?
I haven't been by there in the last few weeks. Is that Copeland's headquarters?

mattlap · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:24 am **Posts:** 2529

freetime wrote:

Anyone else think it's ironic that I saw a big Copeland for mayor sign in the window of Kollintzas's old store at Chicago and Indy?
I haven't been by there in the last few weeks. Is that Copeland's headquarters?

Free,

That store used to be part of the McCrory Chain. Before that it was a Walgreens. After McCrory's closed it was empty for many years and then was a fireworks store for a few years seasonally and then a cheap furniture store for the last few years.

The store that Kolintzas owned (actually it was owned by his mother originally) was the other side of Indianapolis for a number of years. And then moved to Highland. The name of the store escapes me though.

freetime · **Posted:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:48 am

Yes I know that was McCrory's. After that Kollintzas had a dollar type store there for a period of time.

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