Frank Monte

Greek shipping tycoon, the late Aristotle Onassis, was plotting to overthrow Prince Rainier and Princess Grace shortly before his death. It was a bitter feud between the peasant Greek billionaire and the then impoverished royal rulers of the tiny European principality. But Onassis died before exacting his revenge - though his secret scheme has finally been exposed by the Golden Greek's one-time bodyguard, Australia's best known private eye, flamboyant Frank Monte. "He was going to ruin them financially because they had insulted him and his background - that's something you never did to Ari Onassis," says Frank. Breaking an 18-year vow of silence in a soon-to-be-released autobiography Tough Guy Spy, he also reveals how Onassis was obsessed with the afterlife and with black magic. "He'd arrange seances to coincide with the full moon," Frank tells New Idea in an exclusive interview. "Onassis was desperate to get in touch with the spirit of his only son and heir Alexander, who'd died in a plane crash, and he would summon clairvoyants late at night to help him. Sometimes he'd go into such a deep trance during these spiritual excursions that he could not be disturbed." According to Frank, Onassis was introduced to the occult years earlier by his one-time lover, Greek opera star Maria Callas. "She was into witchcraft - the full-on black magic thing with the witches' coven. His obsession was more with ceremonial magic, but he believed in certain aspects of the occult." Frank smiles wryly as he describes the almost nightly rituals Onassis would perform. "He had a room in his Rome penthouse done up in different colors with an altar - it was virtually a temple. Painted on the floor was a circle within a circle; there were purple candles, a triangle and ancient symbols. "He'd wear garments like a priest and a special ring. Then he'd chant to conjure up one of the 72 spirits of Solomon, which he believed would give him magical powers." And Frank claims he unwittingly became involved in some of the rituals. "Sometimes Onassis would need some objects shifted or a bell rung, but he couldn't do it himself because he had to protect himself from evil spirits by remaining within the inner circle. "He believed this magic protected him from dangerous demons and gave him his daily powers. He believed it so much that it did, in fact, give him extraordinary powers."