Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime

Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime

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Mafia

The Life of "Joe Bananas": A Tale of Greed, Manipulation, and Murder
He is the namesake of one of New York City's five mafia families. A shrewd and cunning mobster, his 1983 autobiography caught many off guard and ended…
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Timothy Reynolds
Escaping "The Rock?": Five Men Who Challenged Alactraz's Reputation As Escape Proof
Two separate escapes in 1937 and 1962 captured the public's imagination, as these men had seemingly done the impossible: Escape from Alcatraz
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Timothy Reynolds
The Daring Escapes of "Gentleman" Bank Robber "Slick" Willie Sutton
Known as much for his daring prison escapes as his intricate bank robberies, "Slick" Willie Sutton was nothing if not resourceful. His infamous…
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Timothy Reynolds
"The King of Aspromonte": The Remarkable Tale of Giuseppe Musolino's Bloody Vendetta
In 1898, Calabrian peasant Giuseppe Musolino was convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison in what he believed was a sham trial. Later, he would…
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Kates Lara
"Old Blue Eyes" and the Mob: Investigating Frank Sinatra's Organized Crime Ties
For years, rumors have persisted that iconic American singer and actor Frank Sinatra was connected to underworld figures. In fact, the FBI kept a file…
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Timothy Reynolds
The Shelton Brothers
The Forgotten Depression Era Gang That Battled the Law, the KKK, and the Chicago Outfit
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Timothy Reynolds
 and 
Sha Cabral
7:14
The Shelton Brothers: The Forgotten Depression Era Gang That Battled the Law, the KKK, and the Chicago Outfit
From the early 1920s through the late 1940s, the Shelton Gang controlled much of the illegal vice trade in southern Illinois. Their reign was…
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Timothy Reynolds
The Rise, Fall, and Sudden Disappearance of Brooklyn's "Black Caesar" Frank Matthews
When the Italian mafia refused to do business with aspiring drug trafficker Frank Matthews, he found a way to become a kingpin while cutting out the mob…
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Timothy Reynolds
2
Master Manipulator: The Rise and Fall of Mobster Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo
Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo was incredibly conniving even by mafia standards. In April 1962, after one too many betrayals, he disappeared forever
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Timothy Reynolds
Kidnapping the Mob: How "Crazy Joe" Gallo and His Brothers Abducted Their Bosses
In early 1961, Colombo family mobsters "Crazy Joe" Gallo and his two brothers did the unthinkable. Dissatisfied with the family's leadership, the…
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Timothy Reynolds
The 1971 Film "The French Connection" Depicts the Story of Legendary Narcotics Detective Eddie "Popeye" Egan
In one of his most critically acclaimed roles to date, iconic actor Gene Hackman portrayed the role of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle who was based on…
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Mike Dickson
Black Mass Brought the Whitey Bulger Saga to the Big Screen
The 2015 film starring Johnny Depp brings the story of James "Whitey" Bulger's rise to the top of Boston's underworld through the help of fellow…
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