When the Navy needed to catch Nazi spies during WWII, they turned to an unlikely source of help: the mafia. How deep did their alliance go? And where else did the rumored entanglements between the mafia and the U.S. government allegedly take them?
Parcasters, we have exciting news! Our first book hits bookshelves July 12th. Don’t miss this chilling summer ... Show More
Oct 7
Panic in the Streets: The War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast
On Halloween Eve, 1938 Orson Welles' The War of the Worlds aired on CBS radio. It detailed an alien invasion so realistic that, according to legend, it caused widespread panic among listeners. People really believed aliens were invading Earth. The mass hysteria is an important pa ... Show More
47m 40s
Sep 30
Did a Psych Experiment Turn Ted Kaczynski into the Unabomber?
On April 3, 1996, Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski – better known as the Unabomber – was arrested, ending a 17-year-long bombing spree that left 3 dead and 23 injured. He promised to end his campaign of terror only after outlets published his 35,000-word manifesto; in his view, technolog ... Show More
42m 36s
Jan 2023
The US Navy Teamed Up With Mobsters, Part One: Luciano Gets Lucky
After the suspicious destruction of the USS Lafayette in Manhattan, the Navy became convinced saboteurs may be at work on American soil. There was another problem -- try as they might, they couldn't infiltrate the notoriously shady dockworker culture, which was in large part run ... Show More
55m 21s
Jan 2023
The US Navy Teamed Up With Mobsters, Part Two: The Mob Goes to War
As the Mob clamps down on possible terrorists in the New York docks, the organization looks for new ways to expand their partnership with Uncle Sam -- as it turns out, they have a lot of connections in Sicily, and their assistance just may help the Allies win some decisive battle ... Show More
42m 43s
Nov 2020
The Yakuza Part 1: The Rise and Fall of Japan's Feared Mafia
Is there an organized crime group more iconic than Japan's Yakuza? In part one of two episodes on the group-or web of groups-we plunge into their ancient history, traditions, and how the Second World War made gangs of thieves into multi-billionaire magnates. Oh, and we'll unpack ... Show More
31m 42s