Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Don’t forget to buy me a cup of coffee on your venmo app at ganglandwire. In this show we talk with our British friend, David Breakspear. He spent a large part of his life “under care” as they say in Great Britain. This means he was incarcerated because of life on the wrong side of […]
David Breakspear on Cops Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
This is a possible title for my upcoming documentary about the Kansas City mob war of the 1970s. This is the story of the ruling Civella brothers, Nick and Cork Civella and the upstart young Turks, Nick Spero and his brothers, Mike, Joe and Carl Spero. A quick overview if you don’t remember the multi-episode
Last Brother Standing Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
John “Pudgy” Matassa, Jr is reportedly connected to the Outfit’s Northside/Rush Street crew. He is the son of retired Chicago Police officer.  Northside/Rush Street crew history Covered Rush Street, which was the entertainment district of Chicago, and the rest of the Northside of Chicago, extorting porn shops (Red Wemette), night clubs, bars, as well
John “Pudge” Matassa Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
This is a short bonus episode containing the opinion of a Wiretapper who is a member of the Chicago Laborers’ District Council LiUNA. This is a real deal strong Chicago union who looks out for 20,000 members. Give this a listen and then go onto my next episode in which myself and Cam Robinson examine
Bonus John “Pudge” Matassa – One Man’s Opinion Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Louis “Lepke” Buchalter was a 1930s New York City racketeer. Authorities believed Albert Anastasia appointed him to run his Murder, Inc., enforcement squad. Crime buster Thomas Dewey will set his sights in Lepke as an example of Mob violence and will eventually prosecute him for murder and obtain a death sentence. Eventually, Lepke will appeal
The execution of Louis Lepke Buchalter Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Holleeder challenges the Hells Angels In Part 2, David Amoruso continues the story of Dutch master criminal Willem Holleeder and how he became the leader of a major Dutch motorcycle gang called the No Surrender. and eventually challenged the American based Hells Angels. It will be during this time he starts extorting money from a
Willem Holleeder Part 2 Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Willem Holleeder In this story about Willem Holleeder, I interview a Netherlands based crime writer David Amaruso about the John Gotti of the Netherlands. He was a young guy from the middle class with all the advantages of a nice family until his father’s alcoholism caused the Heineken Brewery to fire him. Holleeder gets back
Willem Holleeder Part 1 Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Scarpelli made several attempts to “go legitimate,” first by investing several thousand into a jewelry boutique, and when that failed, he worked at a shipping company owned by his brother. He ultimately wanted to own an auto salvage yard, but as a felon, licensing would have been difficult to obtain in Illinois. To make ends
Gerald Scarpelli and the Wild Bunch Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
Don’t forget to buy me a coffee on Venmo at ganglandwire. This week, Chicago writer and Outfit historian, Camillius “Cam” Robinson and I talk about Butch Petrocelli and the Wild Bunch. As a special bonus in the sho0w notes, Cam has written a short piece with additional facts and stories about Butch and this feared
Butch Petrocelli and the Wild Bunch Read More »
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
In this special bonus episode, I thank our generous contributors with an extra episode in which our most faithful fan, Chicago resident and mob historian Ben Ellickson does a dramatic read of an in-depth article about the upper echelon of the Chicago Outfit published on August 18, 1963, and written by one of their best
Bonus episode The Chicago Tribune and the Outfit Read More »
