Mafia Pt. 1: The Rise of La Cosa Nostra

In 1958, movie star Lana Turner was trapped in an abusive relationship with mafia bodyguard Johnny Stompanato. Until her teenage daughter Cheryl Crane ended the couple’s last argument by fatally stabbing Johnny. But many wondered: how did a teenager overpower a gangster? Or was C ...  Show more

When Juan Borgia died in 1497, his father, Pope Alexander VI, swore he’d find the killer. But just two weeks later, the Pope suddenly closed the case – without naming or punishing the murderer. The Pope might have covered up the killer’s identity for political reasons… or because ...  Show more

In the mid-1800s, criminal gangs sprang up in Sicily, using violence to extort farmers in the island's lucrative citrus trade. By the end of the century, the gangs organized into the Cosa Nostra: the all-powerful Sicilian mafia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi ...  Show more

As Prohibition and unsustainable economic growth spread across America in the early 1920s, a new wave of organized crime rose to meet the growing demand for illegal liquor. Among the many young immigrants enticed by a life of crime was Alphonse Gabriel Capone, a smart and violent ...  Show more

The "Maxi Trial" pitted two fearless Palermo prosecutors and turncoat "Pentiti" against the Cosa Nostra, its thuggish leader Toto Riina, and a whole host of corrupt cops, politicians and businessmen. But when the judge handed down 344 guilty verdicts, the real chaos was just begi ...  Show more

In the early 1800s, a secret society of criminals known as the Camorra formed in the jails of Naples. Once released, they became pivotal players in the Italian struggle for independence from the Bourbon Regime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices