“Crazy Eddie” Dead at 68

Eddie Antar, aka "Crazy Eddie," founder of the now-bankrupt electronics chain has died. He was 68.

Eddie Antar fled to Israel after being indicted on securities fraud and insider trading charges. He was extradited to the United States in 1993 and was convicted on racketeering and stock fraud charges. That was overturned in 1995. He eventually pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges and served a prison term.

I definitely grew up in the era of Crazy Eddie commercials. I was a bit too young to fully understand the whole IRS fraud thing, but I do remember believing that the guy in the commercial WAS Crazy Eddie himself (it was actually New York DJ Jerry Carroll).

The Bloomfield-Cooper funeral home in Ocean Township, New Jersey, confirmed Sunday that Antar died Saturday. A cause of death wasn't disclosed.