Founder of Crazy Eddie's dies at 68

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- The founder of New York's Crazy Eddie's retail electronics chain, famous for his TV commercials in the 1970s and 1980s has died. He was 68.

Eddie Antar, known for his commercial's tagline "Crazy Eddie's prices are insane!" founded the company with two other family members in Brooklyn in the early 1970s.

The number of stores quickly grew from New York to three other states, selling TV, stereos, VCR and electronics at bargain prices, thanks in part to the famous TV and radio commercials.

The commercials' pitchman, often thought to be Antar, was actually New York disc jockey Jerry Carroll.

Things went south for Antar in 1987, when he was indicted for a securities fraud and insider-trading scheme. He first fled to Israel, but brought back to the U.S. 1991 to stand trial.

He was eventually sentence to eight years and paid almost $150 million in fees and restitution.