Francisco “Frankie” Vazquez Jr.’s career didn’t work out, despite the fact that he could only have been classified as faithful given how he supposedly assisted Lou Pearlman with his companies.
In reality, he and thousands of other people were conned by the man he thought was his close friend, as detailed in Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam.
Pearlman was a cunning businessman who oversaw a Ponzi scam for more than thirty years, but his charm and promises of success concealed a darker side. In addition to rich investors, this scam defrauded friends, coworkers, and family members out of almost $300 million.
Vazquez was dealt more than just a financial setback by the treachery; it broke his confidence and had him face the hard reality of loyalty in a society where lies abound.
Who is Frankie Vazquez?
Frankie was one of Julia and Francisco Vazquez Sr.’s two children, born in Queens, New York, in 1961. From an early age, Frankie was taught the value of perseverance and hard work.
This is because, despite the fact that his mother was a teacher and his father was reportedly a blue-collar worker, they did everything in their power to support him, his sister Jeanette Ramirez-Vazquez, and their aspirations.
He understood that in order to pursue a career in aviation, he had to always give it his best, which he eventually accomplished with the assistance of Lou Pearlman, a fellow building renter.
In the documentary, it is stated that Frankie was invited to Orlando, Florida, by Lou, the owner of Airship International, virtually immediately after Frankie’s graduation from aviation high school.
After that, Lou gave him permission to study blimps at a friend’s or business partner’s private facility in Germany, giving the pilot the opportunity to practice and improve his abilities.
It turns out that Lou and Frankie’s trust increased over time, to the point where the latter supported Lou at every turn and even saw him make his big screen debut.
Thus, upon witnessing the ascent of the Trans Continental Companies, he resolved to allocate approximately $100,000 throughout the years, concurrently motivating his mother to follow suit with the expectation that they would ultimately attain substantial profits in the shape of dividends.
Frankie Vazquez Was a Multifaceted Individual
After moving to Florida, Frankie worked for his reliable friend Lou in aviation, leading to a steady profession, but in reality, he also steadily served as a company executive.
In the early 1990s, he not only held the position of Crew Chief at the latter’s airship company, but he also went on to become Operations Manager and eventually obtain a commercial pilot license.
Frankie was then appointed Vice President of Operations as soon as Lou started his Trans Continental firm. He then worked as Property Manager at Lou’s historic Church Street Station entertainment complex.
He really did so much for the latter that, at one point in time, he was referred to as its “Un-Official Mayor,” particularly because part of his daily responsibilities included direct supervision of security, logistics, and all other administrative matters.
As if that weren’t enough, he went on to become the Managing Member of his friend’s Exchange News Café, Exchange Lounge, Cigar & Wine Club, and Pearl Steakhouse in the following years.
Frankie Vazquez Sadly Passed Away in 2006
Unfortunately, Frankie’s life flipped upside down in 2006 when he allegedly asked his friend, employer, and lifelong confidant if he could take out a portion of his invested money or receive a return on it.
After all, according to accounts, Lou had informed him that he “was on his own” since the money had already been lost and there was no way to get it back without even making an effort to find out why or offering any assistance.
This broke his heart to pieces, especially since he had devoted the last ten or so years of his life to himself and his multiple businesses in an effort to guarantee success without interference from any kind of trickery.
Francisco “Frankie” Vazquez Jr. was ultimately found dead in the garage of his Orlando, Florida, house a few days later. After hearing the purr of a running automobile in his garage for several hours, a neighbor had called 911. When the 45-year-old was discovered in his white 1987 Porsche with a T-shirt wrapped around his head, the neighbor was relieved.
On November 12, 2006, it was announced that he had committed suicide; many of Frankie’s friends think this was the result of treachery.
For more details on the tragic story of Francisco “Frankie” Vazquez Jr. and the murky history of Lou Pearlman’s con games, visit Investrecords. We offer in-depth reviews and updates on documentaries that uncover the true story behind the headlines, such as Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, in addition to other gripping narratives.