The Gangland History Podcast: An Organized Crime & Mafia History Podcast

In Part Two of our deep-dive biography on Paul "The Waiter" Ricca, we chronicle his ascent to the top of the Chicago Outfit from the late 1940s through the early 1970s — a reign that cemented his legacy as one of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American history.Listen to Part One: https://youtu.be/D2S-22pslCAThis episode picks up with Ricca serving time in Atlanta Federal Penitentiary following his conviction in the infamous Hollywood extortion case — a racket that siphoned millions from the motion picture industry during the 1930s and 1940s. We explore Ricca's brutal prison experience under Warden Joseph Sanford, a notorious white supremacist who cracked down on Italian inmates, and how Ricca's allies on the outside — including Tony Accardo and Murray "The Camel" Humphreys — pulled political strings and greased palms to orchestrate his early transfer to Leavenworth and eventual release after serving only three years.Once back in Chicago, Ricca quietly shared power with Tony Accardo in one of the most successful power-sharing arrangements in Mafia history. While Accardo handled day-to-day operations, Ricca became the Outfit's elder statesman — making high-level decisions, approving hits, and shaping the organization's future from behind the scenes. The two men orchestrated the Outfit's expansion into Las Vegas, using Teamsters pension loans and alliances with Meyer Lansky to finance casinos like The Stardust, Desert Inn, and Riviera — creating a multimillion-dollar pipeline of skimmed cash that flowed directly into Chicago's coffers for decades.Despite his low profile, Ricca remained a prime target for law enforcement. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he fought off tax evasion charges, perjury indictments, and a relentless deportation campaign that sought to return him to Italy — where he had been convicted of two murders in his youth. His decade-long legal battle to avoid deportation became one of the longest-running immigration cases in American history, with Ricca outmaneuvering authorities at every turn.As law enforcement pressure mounted, Ricca and Accardo made the strategic decision to promote Sam "Momo" Giancana as front boss of the Chicago Outfit in the mid-1950s — allowing the brash and flashy Giancana to become the lightning rod for law enforcement while Ricca and Accardo continued pulling the strings from the shadows. But Giancana's high-profile lifestyle, affairs with celebrities, and erratic leadership style caused turmoil within the Outfit. By the mid-1960s, Ricca and Accardo had seen enough, orchestrating Giancana's ouster and restoring order to the organization.During this era, Ricca rubbed shoulders with and mentored some of the Outfit's most notorious figures, including Murray Humphreys, Gus Alex, Ralph Pierce, Sam Battaglia, Willie Daddano, and Felix "Milwaukee Phil" Alderisio. He also played a pivotal role in grooming the next generation of Chicago gangsters — including the fearsome enforcer Marshall Caifano and the psychopathic loan shark Sam "Mad Sam" DeStefano.Even into his 70s, Ricca's influence never waned. He remained the ultimate consigliere of the Chicago Outfit — a man whose word was law and whose wisdom guided the Outfit's rackets from Chicago to Las Vegas. This episode breaks down how Ricca's strategic brilliance, political connections, and ruthless pragmatism helped him outlast nearly all of his contemporaries and solidified his place as one of the most underrated and powerful mobsters in American history.00:00:00 Start00:00:42 Opening Remarks00:01:37 Cliff-Notes of Part One00:07:24 The Waiter's Time in Prison (Mid-to-Late 1940's)00:28:15 Co-Boss of The Outfit (Late 1940's and 1950's)01:17:20 Running the Chicago Outfit (Keeping Control in the 1960's)02:13:56 Late Career & Legacy (The 1970's)02:23:16 Closing Remarks

We’re diving deep into the life and legacy of one of the most notorious figures in the history of the Genovese Crime Family—Thomas “Tommy Ryan” Eboli. And who better to tell that story than his own son, Xavier Eboli?Xavier Eboli, a Marine Corps veteran and author ofThe Boss in the Shadows: The Life and Death of Thomas ‘Tommy Ryan’ Eboli, joins me for an incredible two-hour conversation.Together, we explore what it was like growing up as the son of a powerful mob boss, tracing his father’s journey from a young boxer and as a boxing manager to a feared underworld leader whose career ultimately ended in a hail of bullets in 1972.We’ll also discuss Xavier’s own life—his time in the Marines, his evolving relationship with his father, and the lasting impact of his father’s murder.Along the way, we touch on key figures like Vito Genovese, Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Vincent ‘The Chin’ Gigante, Philip ‘Benny Squint’ Lombardo, and even Hollywood connections to Al Pacino and Al Lettieri.So grab a drink, settle in, and get ready for an intimate, firsthand look at the life and death of one of the mob’s most infamous figures.This is Xavier Eboli’s story, in his own words.***We discuss many topics including:Xavier's upbringing and relationship with his fatherThe early life of Thomas “Tommy Ryan” Eboli in Chicago and then New YorkThomas Eboli's relationship with his father and eventual introduction to his Cosa Nostra mentor, Vito GenoveseEboli's boxing career as “Tommy Ryan”Eboli's introduction to the underworld in the 1920's and 1930's during ProhibitionThomas “Tommy Ryan” Eboli's career as a boxing manager and some of the fighters he managed including Tony Pellone and Rocky CastellaniEboli's 1952 ban from boxing due to the assault of a referee and promoter after a particularly heated boutXavier's life growing up as Tommy Eboli's son and his entrance into the Marine Corps. in the early 1960'sXavier's chance meeting with Charles “Lucky” LucianoStories from the infamous Copacobana nightclubXavier's memories of notable mob figures including Vito Genovese, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, Philip “Benny Squint” Lombardo, and othersThe circumstances of assassination of his father in 1972, the false Carlo Gambino drug rumor, and the aftermathWe also touch on his uncle, Pasquale “Patsy Ryan” Eboli, their relationship, and his connections to the restaurant scene from The GodfatherHis uncle Pat's demotion and disappearance in 1976The last chilling conversation Xavier had with Vincent “The Chin” GiganteWe cover Xavier's long life and career after the murders of his father and uncleWe talk about his book, “Boss in the Shadows: The Life and Death of Thomas ‘Tommy Ryan’ Eboli”Buy Xavier's book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Boss-Shadows-Death-Thomas-Tommy/dp/B0DQM34JDM

We talk with Nicholas "Nick" Parisi, award-winning author and Springfield, Massachusetts mob expert. Nick has written two books on the Springfield mob including: City of Betrayal: The Genovese Family's Springfield Crew Mafia Confession: King of Bootleggers Murder Why should you trust Nick? First, Nick is the grandson of a man named Giuseppe "Joseph" Parisi, who was deeply involved in one of the most infamous events that became a cornerstone of how the Springfield Mafia came to be Second, Nick grew up around the mob in West Springfield, Massachusetts. He was childhood friends with notable figures such as Ty and Freddy Geas, Anthony "Bingy" Arillotta, and others. He is widely considered to be a local subject matter expert when it comes to the Springfield mob. 100 Years of Springfield mob history This episode covers over a century of mob history in Springfield including the early formation of the mob and the eventual alignment with the Genovese Crime Family in New York. How immigration in the early 1900's led to a rise in Springfield's Italian population The rise of Italian street gangs and the Black Hand The rise of the city's first boss, Carlo Siniscalchi The rise of Nick's grandfather, Joseph Parisi The eventual dispute between Siniscalchi and Parisi that ultimately led to Carlo Siniscalchi's assassination at the hands of Nick's grandfather The murder trial of Joseph Parisi The rise and untimely demise of Antonio Miranda, successor to Siniscalchi and brother of Genovese legend Mike Miranda, and the alignment with the Genovese Crime Family (which still exists today) The subsequent rise and assassinations of Pasqualina (Albano Siniscalchi) Miranda as well as Michael Fiore We then cover the golden era of the Springfield mob between the 1930's into the 1990's: The four decade long career of Salvatore "Big Nose Sam" Cufari, long-time boss of Springfield and Capo within the Genovese Crime Family Cufari's successor, Francesco "Frankie Skyball" Scibelli in the 1980's and early 1990's as Springfield's boss and Capo Scibelli's successor, Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno in the 1990's as the new boss of Springfield We then shift gears to cover the rise of a new generation of Springfield mobsters, who would ultimately be responsible for the downfall of the Springfield Mafia: The rise of the "Young Turks" including Anthony "Bingy" Arillotta, Ty and Freddy Geas, as well as Emilio Fusco The coup against Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno that ultimately led to his assassination in 2003 The rise of Anthony Arillotta as Springfield's boss and Genovese Crime Family Capo after the death of Al Bruno The downfall of the Springfield mob after several key players decide to testify including Frankie Roche (Bruno's assassin), Felix Tranghese (long-time Springfield made member), and John Bologna (New York mobster and right-hand man to Artie Nigro, Acting Boss of the Genovese Crime Family) The ultimate decision by Anthony Arillotta to flip and the men cooperated against including Ty and Freddy Geas, Arthur "Artie" Nigro, and others. We close the episode by discussing: The book writing and publishing process The 2018 murder of James "Whitey" Bulger by Nick's childhood friend, Freddy Geas Nick's perspective on making judgements about government cooperators This was an epic discussion that I hope you enjoy and share! If you want more exclusive content like this, please sign up for my Patreon channel at https://www.patreon.com/GanglandHistoryPodcast

In this episode, we talk with Ray Franze author of ‘The Heights.’ The Heights is a historical mob fiction novel based upon the early days a very real and powerful crew of Italians in Chicago Heights, Illinois that became one of the most powerful, but least well-known, crews in the Chicago Outfit (as well as nationally). Fox News Chicago has called The Heights “A masterful dive into mob history.” Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Heights-Ray-Franze/dp/1955058083 Blue Handle Publishing: https://www.bluehandlepublishing.com/ray-franze Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theheightsnovel/ Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@writerrayfranze Here is a brief synopsis of the book: “FALL IN LINE, OR FALL IN A GRAVE After 30 years of research and scouring 5,000 pages of FBI files, The Heights was born. Inspired by true events and racketeers who ruthlessly fought their way into Al Capone's inner circle and expanded organized crime across the American West. It's hard to believe Sal Liparello has survived long enough to enjoy a midday scotch on his California tomato farm. The sixty-something crime boss from Chicago Heights helped take out Sicilian gangs, advised Al Capone on some of his biggest moves, and rubbed elbows with the Kennedys, Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe - all while avoiding the likes of Eliot Ness and J. Edgar Hoover. But as he surveys the fruits of his labor, Sal also remembers the cost of staying above ground and out of prison. And all those decisions are about to catch up with him.” In the episode, we dive deep into the book and talk about: The characters and their backgrounds The process of mixing real history within a fictional novel following a single character The question of historical fiction versus non-fiction writing The writing process and getting published Weaving in real characters such as Al Capone, Tony Accardo, and even Eliot Ness Additionally, we dig deep into the real history behind ‘The Heights’ to discuss the real-life counterparts of some of the characters within the books. We discuss the origins of the Chicago Heights crew and how they eventually joined forces with Al Capone to become a part of the larger Chicago Outfit in the 1920's and beyond. We also discuss their exploits and their potential part in planning the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Mentioned in this episode are: Francesco Lipperatti (also known by the name “Frank LaPorte”) Vincenzo Ameratti (also known by the name “Jimmy Emery”) Dominico Roberto (also known by the name “Dominic Roberto”) These three men were the core leaders of the Chicago Heights crew in the 1920's that murdered their way to the top of Chicago Heights, formed partnerships with Al Capone and eventually were brought into the Chicago Outfit under Capone. They ran bootlegging in what Eliot Ness dubbed “the second wettest city in America” behind Cicero, Illinois, and provided shooters and brains whenever Capone needed them. These three men ran Chicago Heights for the Outfit from the 1920's into the early 1970's before the crew was taken over by younger (and more violent) elements of the family. Yet, their history and relative importance in the national crime syndicate is relatively unknown. Additional source: https://www.myalcaponemuseum.com/id193.htm

In this episode, we continue the “State of the Mafia (1967)” series. If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you to go back and watch ‘The State of the Mafia: Part One’ “The rules that hold us together” as it will be a very good primer for this episode’s content. I’m calling this show ‘The State of the Mafia (1967): Part Two’ “Life or Death Obligations.” Like the first part of this series, this report will jump around a lot, but in the end I think you’ll still enjoy it, and hopefully it teaches you “a couple of three things.” Okay, so let’s reset the stage here.  This 1967 FBI report, which we began to cover in Part One (again, go watch or listen to it first if you haven’t), is a veritable gold-mine of information. The aim at the time of creation was focused on providing an overall picture of LCN membership and activities throughout the United States as things stood in 1967. The report was declassified in 1996. The originator of the report was a man named Robert G. O’Neil, and the report itself was submitted to the FBI Director at the time, one J. Edgar Hoover. Sometimes in the course of historical research, you just find things that are simply too good not to share. In this case, I found this report by accident, got to reading it, and was very much enthralled by it. And based on the responses in the first episode (a 96% approval rating on YouTube), I think it’s worth continuing.  In Part One, I covered the following topics: The historical background of the Mafia and where it came from The ‘Commission,’ its members and purpose Organizational structure, terminology, qualifications and admission to membership Initiation rites and the differences between regions and families in ‘making’ ceremonies In this episode, we’re going to continue along that track and get into: Membership obligations Advantages of La Cosa Nostra membership Security measures Transfers of Members For the sake of time, we’ll stop this episode after transfers of members. The report in its entirety will likely require four parts in total to fully cover, and will be linked in the description of the episode. Again, it contains references to 50+ cities and 196 informants in total. So, it’s a massive dossier and treasure trove of information on the Mafia. Link to full report: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=113324#relPageId=21 There are many different families, individual mobsters, and stories referenced in this episode. The episode bounces from the "who's who" of the American Mafia, to several lesser known characters, citing informant reports that were geared on teaching the FBI about the Mafia back in the 1960's. And now, I'm bringing this information to your doorstep.

We talk with Giovanni Rocco, a former deep cover agent for the FBI, is responsible for taking down the American Mob organization commonly referred to by the media as “The Real Sopranos.” During Operation Charlie Horse, Giovanni infiltrated the DeCavalcante crime family based in New Jersey and personally gathered enough evidence to prosecute and convict several high-ranking members and associates of the crime family. This action, while bolstering his legend in the undercover world, ultimately led to early retirement and the relocation of his family.  During his decades-long career as an undercover for the federal government, he successfully infiltrated outlaw motorcycle gangs, domestic and international terror organizations and the Mafia. Drawing from his service in law enforcement in various positions, Giovanni now shares his expertise with law enforcement, military and intelligence units worldwide. More recently, he has become the host of the show, “Inside the Life” along with co-host Dutch McAlpin, produced by The Mob Museum, where they give listeners a one-of-a-kind look into the inner world of organized crime, featuring guests who have lived on both sides of the law. In addition to his work as a subject matter expert and host of a successful YouTube show, Giovanni is also an author. He released his autobiography entitled, “Giovanni’s Ring: My Life Inside the Real Sopranos” released in February of 2021. I’ll leave the link in the description of the episode, and if you’d like, you can get a signed copy from Giovanni himself. Definitely a must have book for your collection. Giovanni’s experiences have been featured in The Washington Times, the New York Post, and more.  This is his story in his own words. Episode chapters and timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:27 Opening Remarks 03:36 Interview Begins 04:38 Growing up in Bayonne, New Jersey 06:40 Influence of the Mafia in Bayonne 08:32 Giovanni's family and upbringing 12:09 The influence of violence and the draw of the streets 16:03 Going from "Black Sheep" to becoming a police officer 18:28 The importance of the law enforcement oath 21:06 Giovanni's early law enforcement career 24:09 Working in extremely violent areas of New Jersey 27:35 Dealing with fear on the job 29:56 Were neighborhoods safer when the mob was in control? 31:47 Becoming an undercover operative 33:26 Undercover work and the element of truth 37:10 Physical tells and how they may betray an undercover operative 39:38 Balancing relationships and family life with undercover work 45:55 Introducing Giovanni Gatto (the alter ego) 48:50 The art of evasiveness 50:45 'Operation Charlie Horse' begins 55:19 Meeting Luigi 'Lui the Dog' Oliveri, alleged made member of the DeCavalcante Crime Family 55:52 Getting an introduction to Charlie 'The Hat' Stango, Capo in the DeCavalcante Crime Family 57:08 Getting to know Charlie 'The Hat' Stango 59:06 How 'Operation Charlie Horse' progressed 01:00:00 The Mafia's approach to vetting Giovanni 01:04:35 Walking the legal line as an undercover 01:06:09 Facing dangerous situations as an undercover 01:08:20 Nearly getting caught by The DeCav's 01:13:10 Nearly getting caught, the infamous bridge story 01:16: 15 Nearly getting caught, the soccer game 01:17:12 The end of 'Operation Charlie Horse' 01:18:41 Giovanni gets a contract to kill 01:20:40 The leadership of the DeCavalcante Family during Giovanni's undercover work 01:21:58 The possibility of faking a 'hit' 01:24:40 Early retirement and beginning work with training and development for law enforcement and military personnel 01:32:45 Doing the 'Inside the Life' podcast for The Mob Museum 01:39:25 Closing remarks

In this episode, special guest Tony Taouk and myself discuss the career of infamous Philadelphia mob lawyer, Robert "Bobby" Simone (1933 - 2007). Robert F. Simone was known for winning a string of difficult cases for clients that included members of Philadelphia's organized-crime family such as Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo, Philip "Crazy" Phil Leonetti, Frank "The Baracuda" Sindone, union boss John McCullough, and many more. We discuss many topics surrounding the life and times of Simone including: His law studies at Temple University The Pottsville Heist: His first big criminal defense case of Lillian "Tiger Lil" Reis How he began defending mobsters like Frank "The Barracuda" Sindone Meeting and beginning to defend Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo The 1980 defense of Scarfo, Philip "Crazy Phil" Leonetti, and Lawrence "Yogi" Merlino in the Vincent Falcone murder case Simone's defense and association with the Philly mob in the 1980's and 1990's Simone's defense of himself in his 1984 tax evasion case Simone's ability to tear down government informants such as Nick "The Crow" Caramandi The Martorano drug conviction in the mid-to-late 1980's Simone's conviction of racketeering in the early 1990's and his disbarrment from being a lawyer Simone's retirement, autobiography, and ultimate legacy Link to Simone's book, "The Last Mouthpiece: The Man Who Dared to Defend the Mob" https://www.amazon.com/Last-Mouthpiece-Man-Dared-Defend/dp/0940159694 Link to "MOUTHPIECE: VOICE FOR THE ACCUSED" (2002)" * PRODUCED BY THE HISTORY CHANNEL (Used in this video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7hDUNfyRJc

In this episode, the first of a two-part series, we discuss the life and times of Paul "The Waiter" Ricca, who was born Felice De Lucia in Apricena, Italy in 1898. Paul Ricca was one of the most powerful underworld figures in the history of Cosa Nostra in this country, his career spanning from the Capone Era into the 1970's. For over 30 years, Ricca co-ran The Chicago Outfit with his friend and contemporary, Anthony "Tony" Accardo. In Part One, we cover: (1) De Lucia's birth in Apricena, Italy in 1898 and the mystery surrounding both his real birthdate as well as the true names of his parents (2) De Lucia's involvement and conviction of multiple murders in Italy as part of an ongoing family feud, and his immigration to the United States in 1920 (while still a fugitive in Italy) (3) His original connections with key underworld players including Joseph "Diamond Joe" Esposito and Johnny "The Fox" Torrio, which led to his arrival in Chicago in the early 1920's (4) His introduction to major Chicago underworld figures including Frank Nitti and Al Capone as a manager at the Bella Napoli Restaurant (where he got his nickname) (5) His admission to the Al Capone organization and his subsequent rise through the ranks (6) His ascension to leadership of The Chicago Outfit after Capone was convicted of tax evasion in 1931 (7) Ricca's many arrests in the early 1930's with famous national syndicate figures including Meyer Lansky and Charles "Lucky" Luciano (8) Ricca's involvement in labor racketeering and his extortion of local Chicago unions (9) The infamous 1943 Hollywood Extortion trial, which led to Ricca's first major conviction and prison time (10) Ricca and The Outfit's possible involvement in the Frank Nitti suicide I hope you enjoy this episode!

"To the rules that hold us together" In this episode, we discuss a comprehensive 1967 FBI Intelligence Report distributed across all FBI field offices within the United States. This report provided an overall picture of the American Cosa Nostra across the entire country and provided reports, taken from the accounts of 190+ informants, around the following: The Existence of the Organization Historical Background & Origins The Purpose and Role of the "Commission" Communication Between Families Organizational Structure & Terminology Qualifications and Admission to Membership Initiation Rites & Induction Ceremonies The report is comprehensive and touches upon many interesting points such as: Chicago's Role in Communicating "Commission" Orders Los Angeles' Role in Relaying "Commission" Orders The lines of leadership succession in Philadelphia The ways in which each family refers to itself The estimated number of "made" members across the country The vetting process for new members Accounts of 5+ "making" ceremonies As part of this episode, we discuss some myths and facts related to many of the accounts contained within the report from various informants.

In this episode, the third of this series, we cover several mob hits that occurred in and around Philadelphia's Bruno Crime Family of LCN during the 1960's. This video focuses on the battle that occurred for control of Philadelphia's Teamsters Local 107, between the Mafia and law-abiding members of the union. Our goal of these episodes is to dispel the myth that Angelo Bruno—"The Docile Don"—was a non-violent Boss. In fact, evidence will show that he likely handed down many hit contracts, which we will go over in detail over the course of Volumes I and beyond. For Cosa Nostra Bosses in this era, ordering hits was standard operating procedure and could not be avoided. While we will cover many slayings during the "Hits" episodes, in this particular video we talk about the following gangland murders, related specifically to Teamsters Local 107: 1) John Gorey & Rita Yanda (1966) 2) Robert DeGeorge (1967) The murders of the three individuals above were among the most heinous and saddest that I've covered as part of this series, and shows the level of influence and control that the mob had in Local 107 at the time.

In this episode, the second of this series, we cover several mob hits that occurred in and around Philadelphia's Bruno Crime Family of LCN during the 1960's. Our goal of these episodes is to dispel the myth that Angelo Bruno—"The Docile Don"—was a non-violent Boss. In fact, evidence will show that he likely handed down many hit contracts, which we will go over in detail over the course of Volumes I and beyond. For Cosa Nostra Bosses in this era, ordering hits was standard operating procedure and could not be avoided. While we will cover many during the "Hits" episodes, in this particular video we talk about the following gangland murders: 1) "Whispers" DiTullio prior to 1966 (from the movie "The Irishman" (2019) and the book "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt) 2) Alberto Galante in 1964 3) William "Willie" Sears in 1964 4) Robert "Bobby" Bennett in 1964 The next episode will detail two hits that took place during the 1960's over control of Teamsters Local 107 in what was considered to be the Philadelphia mob's "Golden Era."

In this episode, we cover several mob hits that occurred in and around Philadelphia's Bruno Crime Family of LCN during the 1960's. Our goal of these episodes is to dispel the myth that Angelo Bruno—"The Docile Don"—was a non-violent Boss. In fact, evidence will show that he likely handed down many hit contracts, which we will go over in detail over the course of Volumes I and beyond. For Cosa Nostra Bosses in this era, ordering hits was standard operating procedure and could not be avoided. While we will cover many during the "Hits" episodes, in this particular video we talk about the following gangland murders: 1 & 2) Vincent and Richie Blaney in 1960 and 1961 3) Dominick "Reds" Caruso in 1962 4) Ferdinand “Blackie” Iacono in 1963 Future episodes will detail at least 7 additional hits that took place during the 1960's in what was considered to be the Philadelphia mob's "Golden Era."

In this episode, featuring myself and Australian lawyer Tony Taouk, we discuss the life and times of George Remus who was famously dubbed, "The King of the Bootleggers" in the 1920's. George Remus, born in 1878, was a German-born American lawyer who was probably most famously well-known as a bootlegger during the early days of Prohibition, and who later became even more infamous for the murder his wife Imogene, for which he was acquitted. In popular culture, many believed that George Remus served as the inspiration for The Great Gatsby, and he was even famously portrayed on the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire. In this episode, we discuss: Remus birth in Landsberg, Germany in the 1870's and his arrival in the United States in the 1880's The Remus family's beginnings in Chicago, Illinois Remus' early experience working at his uncle's pharmacy, as well as his attendance of the Chicago College of Pharmacy, where he became a certified pharmacist George Remus' collegiate attendance of the Illinois College of Law in which he gained admittance to the Illinois Bar, specializing as a defense attorney Remus' involvement in the 1914 murder trial of William Cheny Ellis, and the first successful use of the "transitory insanity" defense in the history of the United States Remus' beginnings as a bootlegger after he was able to exploit a loophole in the Volstead Act, allowing him to grow his bootlegging business on a technicality Remus' move from Chicago, Illinois to Cincinnati, Ohio and the growth of his bootlegging empire in the 1920's, run from his sprawling property on the west side of Cincinnati, dubbed "Death Valley" Remus' divorce from his first wife, and marriage to socialite Imogene Holmes (later Remus), as well as the extravagant mansion, "The Marble Palace" The eventual arrest of Remus for violations of the Volstead Act and his prison sentence The collapse of Remus' marriage to Imogene after a cheating scandal with a Bureau of Investigation agent, Franklin Dodge The murder of his wife Imogene in October of 1927, the subsequent trial in which Remus again pleaded "temporary insanity," and his acquittal after just 19 minutes of jury deliberations The remainder of Remus' life and his ultimate legacy in the annals of the underworld The truth of Remus' peculiar tendency to talk about himself in the third-person Remus' death in 1952 of natural causes in Covington, Kentucky

In this episode, we again discuss Joseph Barbara Sr., the mobster who famously hosted the ill-fated Apalachin Mob Meeting in Apalachin, New York. Part Three covers the events leading up to the disastrous Apalachin meeting in 1957 and the fallout. Part One: https://youtu.be/NGHgoGlYOgw Part Two: https://youtu.be/2h1ERPB0sCU In this final installment of a three-part series, we discuss: 00:00 Start 01:27 Opening Remarks 05:38 Events directly preceding the Apalachin meeting 13:12 Who ordered the Apalachin meeting 13:58 The Apalachin meeting gets raided by police 19:27 Law enforcement's previous suspicions of Barbara 26:32 The history behind Edgar Croswell's initial interest in Barbara 34:09 The "sick friend" excuse and real reasons for the meeting 38:18 Barbara's ill health and becoming a recluse 40:12 The law catches up with Barbara and his company 41:15 Barbara sells Canada Dry Bottling Company 41:55 Barbara sells famous estate 42:50 Barbara subpoenaed to testify in front of grand jury 43:40 Barbara indicted for tax evasion 44:34 Barbara's last public appearance 45:32 Barbara's death and funeral 51:10 Joseph Barbara's mob legacy 54:27 Closing remarks

We sat down to talk with Gary Jenkins, who is a retired Kansas City Police Detective, lawyer, as well as the host of the extremely popular mob podcast, Gangland Wire. In this episode, we discuss the following topics: His early years, family, and upbringing What made him want to join the Kansas City Police Department His promotion to Detective within the KCPD The composition of the Kansas City Mafia in the 1970's The key players in the Kansas City Mafia including Nick Civella, Carl "Cork" Civella, and Carl "Tuffy" De Luna His many stories of surveilling the Kansas City Cosa Nostra family Kansas City's involvement in the Las Vegas skim His work surveilling and the wiretaps related to the Las Vegas skim Comparisons of real life versus the movie Casino Bringing down the Kansas City mob The Spero-Civella war in the late 1970's and early 1980's Retiring and becoming a lawyer for 20 years Starting and running his popular podcast, Gangland Wire Links to Gary's documentaries, podcast, website, and YouTube channel: 1) Brothers Against Brothers: The Spero-Civella War: https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-against-Civella-Spero-War/dp/B081ZHB17X 2) Gary's Website: https://ganglandwire.com/ 3) Gary's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gangland-wire/id984020877 https://open.spotify.com/show/1kGMUAUanWOv3UAbW4RVPk 4) Gary's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdoYdPBGwXdsQGkvX4yovvQ

In this episode, we again discuss Joseph Barbara Sr., the mobster who famously hosted the ill-fated Apalachin Mob Meeting in Apalachin, New York. In this second of a three-part series, we discuss: Barbara's move towards legitimate business and establishment of several bottling companies including the Endicott Beverage Company, the Mission Beverage Company, and the Canada Dry Bottling Company Barbara's ascension within the Northeaster Pennsylvania and Southern New York mob The changes in leadership of what would become the Bufalino Crime Family Barbara's relationship to top Pittston mob leaders Santo Volpe, Russell Bufalino, Anthony F. Guarnieri, Emanuel Zicari, as well Pat and Sam Monachino Barbara's issues with the State Liquor Authority (SLA) that nearly drove him out of business in the early 1950's The 1956 meeting between Barbara, Joe Bonanno, Frank Garofolo, John Bonventre, and Carmine Galante in Binghamton, New York Part Three will cover the events leading up to the disastrous Apalachin meeting in 1957 and the fallout. Part One: https://youtu.be/NGHgoGlYOgw

In this episode, we discuss Roy Marcus Cohn (1927-1986) with professional attorney, Tony Taouk of Magna Carta Lawyers in Sydney, Australia. Tony and I walk through Roy Cohn's history, and Tony brings an attorney's perspective to some of Cohn's vicious tactics, personal life, as well as areas where he displayed both pure brilliance and borderline diabolical evil. We cover: Cohn's upbringing and early life Cohn's involvement in the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg trial in the early 1950's Cohn's involvement in the McCarthy investigations of the 1950's during the Cold War and Communism scares Cohn's eventual fall from grace after his misconduct was discovered and re-emergence as a private practice attorney Cohn's legal representation of various mobsters including John Gotti, Tony Salerno, and Carmine Galante Cohn's representation of various celebrities including Donald Trump Some of Cohn's brilliant and vicious tactics We debate Cohn's legacy and a top mob lawyer

In this episode, we discuss Joseph Barbara Sr., the mobster who famously hosted the ill-fated Apalachin Mob Meeting in Apalachin, New York. In this first of a two-part series, we discuss the beginning of Barbara's mob career including: His birth in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Italy His immigration to the United States in 1921 His first jobs in and around Endicott, New York as well as Old Forge, Pennsylvania His introduction to the Pittston mob of Northeastern Pennsylvania (more famously called the Bufalino Crime Family) How we gets started in the rackets during the 1920s His relationship to top Pittston mob leaders Santo Volpe, Charles Bufalino (the uncle of Russell Bufalino), Angelo Polizzi, and more His involvement in up to four murders in the Northeastern Pennsylvania area in the early 1930s Additionally, we located a long-buried photo of a young Barbara that we do not believe has been widely surfaced. Part Two will cover his ascension to leadership within the Northeastern Pennsylvania & Southern New York Mafia, and of course the events leading up to and after the Apalachin meeting in 1957.

Join me as a make a significant announcement about the future of this show and discuss my plans for 2024 and beyond.

In this episode, we finish the series on the Cerrito Crime Family of the American Cosa Nostra who operated in and around San Jose, California, and who were a significant entity controlling organized crime in the San Jose area for many decades beginning around the 1940’s and were in existence until at least the 1990’s or early 2000’s. While we covered the family's first two bosses, Onofrio Sciortino and Joe Cerrito in Part One, in this episode we'll focus the majority of our time on the man who allegedly became Boss after Joseph Cerrito's death in 1978, that being Angelo Marino. We discuss: Recap of Cerrito era Angelo Marino's early years Salvatore Marino, Angelo's father The Marino's connection to the Pittsburgh LCN (John LaRocca) The Marino's connection to the Philadelphia LCN (The Maggio family) Angelo Marino's entry into the LCN and rise to Capo The founding of the California Cheese Company Angelo Marino's dissatisfaction with Joe Cerrito's leadership Angelo Marino's supposed rise to Boss The Marino vs. Figlia as Boss theory The 1977 Murder of Peter Catelli and the fallout Salvatore Marino Jr.'s involvement in the Catelli murder Angelo Marino's death in the early 1980's The decline of the Cerrito Crime Family Part One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMtMn1NTK3A