'Crazy Eddie' Eddie Antar owner of electronics chain, dead at 68

The man who turned the “Crazy Eddie" electronics stores into a retail giant before it collapsed amid federal fraud charges has died.

Eddie Antar was 68. The Bloomfield-Cooper funeral home in Ocean Township confirmed Sunday that Antar died on Saturday. But a cause of death wasn’t disclosed.

The “Crazy Eddie” chain was known for its ads featuring a maniacal pitchman who touted that “Our prices are insane!”

Antar started with a store in Brooklyn, and the chain eventually grew into 43 stores in four states. But he fled to Israel after being indicted on securities fraud and insider trading charges.

Antar was extradited back to the United States in 1993 and was convicted on racketeering and stock fraud charges. But that was overturned on appeal in 1995.

Antar eventually pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges and served a prison term.