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Undeniable power. Unbelievable stories. Unlikely origins. Kingpins follows the rise and fall of rulers of the underworld. Every Friday, we examine the leaders of organized crime rings, and how money and power corrupted and changed their communities. What makes a kingpin or queenpin, and how can we stop them? Kingpins is part of the Parcast Network, and a production of Cutler Media. New episodes release on Fridays.
66 Episodes
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4After growing up surrounded by the Sicilian mafia in the early 1900s, Carlo Gambino immigrated to America and put the knowledge to use. In an endless hail of bullets, Gambino solidified his status and reputation in the underworld.
In 1940, after the charges against Siegel were dismissed for the murder of Harry Greenberg, he reinvented himself in the deserts of Las Vegas and began his sordid affair with Virginia Hill.
They’re sport’s greatest heroes… displaying superhuman-like abilities to overcome intense pressure. But when it comes to the downfalls of fame, money, and ego—they’re far more human than super. Every Thursday, Parcast’s original series SPORTS CRIMINALS keeps score on the darker side of sports. Each episode chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of some of sport’s biggest names.Enjoy this exclusive clip from the first of two captivating episodes on disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding. To finish this episode, subscribe to SPORTS CRIMINALS free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
No man was feared in New York during the 20s and 30s more than Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. After teaming up with Meyer Lansky, Bugsy made his bones carrying out vicious murders for the mob.
Even while he was on the run, Dawood Ibrahim continued to rule Mumbai's underworld with an iron fist. But as his riches increased, so did his appetite for violence. And in 1992, his operations expanded into terrorism.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dawood Ibrahim, a young Muslim-born Indian would rise from a small time street thief to gang leader, bringing a more businesss-like—and ruthless—approach. And in the process, he would become one of the richest kingpins in history.
As the 90s approached, it was time for El Patron’s last stand. Many innocent Colombians would die in Pablo Escobar’s war against extradition before he finally reached a compromise with the government.
From multi-millionaire Colombian Congressman to political pariah—once Pablo Escobar’s criminal history was exposed, all bets were off. As his facade of legitimacy in the early 80s washed away, he vowed to take back control using the weapons he knew best: coercion, bribery and violence.
With a violent childhood and mantra of “smuggling, bribery and murder,” witness the beginnings of Pablo Escobar’s cocaine empire in Medellín in the 1970s, and how he expanded it exponentially by joining forces with other Colombian drug traffickers.
Before becoming “El Patron” and trafficking 80% of the world’s cocaine market, Pablo Escobar was nothing more than a petty criminal on the streets of Medellin.
By 2013, the DEA, FBI, DOJ, and Homeland Security were all after Ross Ulbricht, aka "The Dread Pirate Roberts." His drug website, The Silk Road, trafficked millions worth of drugs every week. So far, Ulbricht remained anonymous, thanks to Tor and the cloak of the Dark Web. Little did he know, the users he thought were his friends were federal agents in disguise.
In 2011, Ross Ulbricht created The Silk Road, aka "The Amazon of Drugs." Hosted on the dark web and financed by Bitcoin, it was an anonymous marketplace where anyone could buy or sell anything without leaving a trace. Drugs, guns, hacking software, human organs -- the free market utopia quickly made Ulbricht a millionaire. And made him a top target for the DEA.Sponsors!Bombas - Get 20% off your first purchase at Bombas.com/KINGPINS.
Thank you for being a loyal listener! We’re excited to announce all Parcast Network episodes older than 6 months are now available for free on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
After being able to hide on the lam for years, Howard Marks was finally caught and forced to answer for his crimes. However, a convincing lie about his supposed involvement with MI6 ensured Marks’ release and allowed him to continue smuggling cannabis well into the 1980s.
During the 1970s, Howard Marks became one of the biggest cannabis smugglers in Europe. Through a series of networks, which included contacts in the IRA and the Mafia, he was able to bring in upwards of 30 tons of cannabis into the UK and the United States. But after years of anonymity, a single bust in Las Vegas would put him on the DEA’s radar.
Mafia life came with plenty of rules, and Anthony Casso loved that. He was a criminal, but an honorable criminal, and his dedication to the Mafia lifestyle took him to the top of the Lucchese family hierarchy. In the mid 1990s, as he faced threats from inside and outside the family, the pressure got to him, and he started to make mistakes. He was taking his violence too far.
Anthony Casso was born in Mafia territory in South Brooklyn, and the money-making, wily intelligence, and violence that the "the life" demanded came naturally to him. It was no surprise that he started to climb the ranks of the Lucchese Family as they hit the height of their power in the 1980s. Parcasters - Watergate forever changed the way Americans look at the presidency, but could there be more to the story? Find out today on Conspiracy Theories! Subscribe to Conspiracy Theories on Spotify to listen now!
By the 1970s, the Black Tuna Gang, led by Robert Platshorn, was running the marijuana game out of Miami. But, as internal strife grew out of control and the feds closed in around them, Platshorn's life was headed for a downfall. Sponsors!Bombas - Visit Bombas.com/KINGPINS and get 20% off your first purchase.
In the late 1960s, Robert Platshorn was one of the most successful independent salespeople in the country. When a colleague offers to bring him into the marijuana business, Bobby just couldn't resist. Soon, he's off to Columbia to start his own smuggling outfit - which would become known to the FBI as "The Black Tuna gang."Parcasters - When Darwin published his thesis on human evolution, it was highly contentious. When John Scopes introduced the theory into his lesson plan, criminal charges were brought against him. Learn about this historic trial on our other podcast NOT GUILTY.
In 1984, Queenpin Jemeker Thompson lost her husband Daff, when he was shot to death while playing dice. She would successfully run her empire without him, but it would all come crashing down, thanks in part, to her own son.Sponsors!Native - For $20 off a suitcase, visit AwayTravel.com/KING and use promo code KING during checkout!
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Orkaganon of Torkaganon
the phrase "make it rain" was coined by Detroit Kingpin Maserati Rick, not Big Merch.
Orkaganon of Torkaganon
so .. crack cocaine kingpin gets unfair trial, due to an all white jury, even though he flipped multiple cities upside down... ruining his own ppl's lives. I gotta say, you guys can be absurdly pathetic. under what planet is a dope dealer that flips the world on its head deserving of sympathy? stop with your cowardly pandering.
Shelby Ross
I freaking love this podcast !!! I can't get enough!!! 😃😃
Orkaganon of Torkaganon
"3 white membrs of the KKK" that's about the most moronic pandering to modern PC culture I've heard j. a while. when's the last time you saw or heard of a Chinese or Indian klansmen? what a joke
Paul blackwood
"some of you have asked how to help us" is hilarious. no one asked how to help you. the advertising team help you. still, apart from the loose facts, these are entertaining casts if you don't take them too seriously.
John Campbell
so good love kingpins
Oscar Obians
Incredible! That's a rather unexpected turn in an already captivating story.
c s
Five stars!
Scott
sum info is wrong try reading the book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Al-Capone-Deirdre-Marie/dp/0982845103/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?keywords=al+capone+book&qid=1563530576&s=gateway&sprefix=al+capone+b&sr=8-10 written by his niece
Justin Weeter
This is by far my favorite podcast. I listen to a lot of podcasts too.😂❤️
Nate Scholl
five star for sure. and I like the voices. they give the podcast a serious feel
Teddy Wells
Why advertise the podcast we're listening to on the podcast we are listening to? I've lost count of the number of episodes of this podcast that has the advertisementfor this podcast on them.
Judi Kingsman
enjoyed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Judi Kingsman
really good ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rolanda Ross
I don't know why I've been so obsessed with Big Meech. ...
Victoria Fernandes
Amazing podcast!
Judi Kingsman
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thomas Coll
government incompetence that some may find distressing 😂😂😂
Rome Banes
*****