Geraldo Rivera uncovered ‘The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults’ on live television 40 years ago
On April 21, 1986, television reporter Geraldo Rivera completed his final on-air shot in a live broadcast from the Chicago hotel where Prohibition-era Mob boss Al Capone supposedly had an underground vault. With 30 million viewers watching, the vault contained not much more than a couple of decades-old bottles and a cloud of dust. Afterward, sensing that critics would pounce, Rivera went on a bender, convinced his career was over. “He said he got tequila drunk across the street,” William Elliott Hazelgrove told The Mob Museum. Hazelgrove is the author of the newly released book, Capone’s Vault: The Real Story of the Biggest ...
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Killing of cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ triggers violent backlash across Mexico
One by one, Mexico’s most notorious drug lords are being brought to justice. In each case, Mexican and U.S. law…
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Los Angeles kingpin Jack Dragna was no ‘Mickey Mouse’ boss
In 1984, when Los Angeles Mob boss Peter Milano was arrested along with 19 others, LAPD Chief Daryl Gates announced…
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Planned Netflix drama series to focus on ‘dangerous version’ of modern Las Vegas
A Las Vegas-centered drama series is in production for Netflix, focusing on “a dangerous version” of the city and an…
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Recent NBA, NCAA point-shaving scandals follow the Mob’s playbook
When Antonio Blakeney ventured into international basketball, he became a star. He had been Louisiana State University’s top scorer in…
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Eighty years ago, Lucky Luciano traded prison for exile
When New York Governor Thomas Dewey commuted the sentence of imprisoned Mafia boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano 80 years ago, it was widely…
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Manhunt underway for Ryan Wedding, former Olympian turned accused drug kingpin
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder accused of cocaine trafficking and murder has landed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives…
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Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano murdered outside Manhattan steakhouse 40 years ago
Forty years ago, a faction of Gambino crime family members orchestrated and executed a brazen coup to permanently remove their…
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