Gangland Wire Crime Stories

A place to put my podcasts

Milwaukee Mob Story – Part 2

In part 2, Aaron and I talk about the crime that our friend Schlecter, aka Joe Sharpino, did to get himself in witness protection.  A woman named Sally Papia came from Chicago to Milwaukee and opened a nice club called Sally’s Steak House. She was the girl friend of a Chicago Outfit guy named Frank […]

Milwaukee Mob Story – Part 2 Read More »

Milwaukee Mob Story – Part 1

I met retired F.B.I. Agent Gary Magnesun in Las Vegas- he had been assigned to the Milwaukee Organized Crime Squad and then transferred to Las Vegas. In Milwaukee, he was assigned to the first Organized Crime squad. In Las Vegas, he was assigned to the investigation of Lefty Rosenthal and Tony Spilotro and the Stardust skim.

Milwaukee Mob Story – Part 1 Read More »

Illegal Gambling before Las Vegas – Part 2

In his 30 Illegal Years to the Strip Bill Friedman explains how Al Capone, Frank Nitti, Charles Luciano, John Torrio, Moe Dalitz, Meyer Lansky and Joe Adonis and Frank Costello created the modern criminal gambling Syndicate that ruled organized crime in the United States. He wrote “The seven leaders of the three dominating Prohibition gangs

Illegal Gambling before Las Vegas – Part 2 Read More »

Illegal Gambling before Las Vegas Part 1

In his 30 Illegal Years to the Strip Bill Friedman explains how the early Mob bosses created illegal gambling empires after prohibition. Some of these men went on to help create modern Las Vegas. Al Capone, Frank Nitti, Charles Luciano, John Torrio, Moe Dalitz, Meyer Lansky and Joe Adonis and Frank Costello created the modern

Illegal Gambling before Las Vegas Part 1 Read More »

Murder in McHenry – Paul Scharff – Part 3

In Part 3, Paul Scharff tells about his struggle to help clean up the McHenry County Sheriff’s office and elect a new sheriff. Paul runs into reluctance on the part of the sitting sheriff and he embarks on his own investigation into why the McHenry county authorities do not want to verify Frank Culotta’s claim

Murder in McHenry – Paul Scharff – Part 3 Read More »

Murder in McHenry – Paul Scharff – Part 2

In Part 2, our special guest, Paul Scharff tells about his first contact with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Investigator. Paul learns they have never looked at Larry “Lurch” Neumann. When Paul first contacts the Sheriff’s investigator, they try to discourage him by intimating he may learn information about his father that he does not want to

Murder in McHenry – Paul Scharff – Part 2 Read More »

Murder in McHenry – Paul Scharff – Part 1

In 1981, 10 year old Paul Scharff was awakened and told the news that his father, Ron Scharff, was killed by unknown persons at his McHenry County neighborhood tavern. Twenty-eight years later, Paul receives a call telling him who killed his father. In this story, we learn that sometimes the bad guys are the good

Murder in McHenry – Paul Scharff – Part 1 Read More »

Chicago Mob Diamond Theft -Segment 2

In the second episode, Aaron and I discuss the mystery of what happened to the Marlborough Diamond. The listener will learn about the subsequent investigation and arrest of The Monk and The Brain in another audacious scheme long after the Marlborough Diamond caper. In what may be their last crime outside of prison, the 72

Chicago Mob Diamond Theft -Segment 2 Read More »

Chicago Mob Diamond Theft – Segment 1

In this new two part series, I tell about Chicago Mob associates Jerome “Jerry” “The Monk” Scalise and Arthur “The Brain” Rachel. These two guys were master criminals of the Chicago Underworld. Some claim that in the Michael Mann film Thief, the James Caan character, known only as Frank, was modeled on Scalise and the

Chicago Mob Diamond Theft – Segment 1 Read More »

Joseph “Joey Doves” Aiuppa – Segment 3

For this third segment on Joey Doves, I have gone back to my Freedom of Information Act documents on his criminal history. Aaron and I discuss raids on two clubs he owned.  The Frolics and the Magic Lounge were in the 4800 block of Cermak Road, Cicero, Illinois. From the F.B.I. documents, I learned they

Joseph “Joey Doves” Aiuppa – Segment 3 Read More »

Scroll to Top