logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2025
52m 50s

Russian Mafia Superhitman: Alexander Sol...

The Underworld Podcast
About this episode
The 1990's in Moscow were the glory days of Russian organized crime. Emerging out of the downfall of communism, wannabe oligarchs and gangsters turned the country into a free-for-all as they fought for control. And no where, is more deadly than Moscow. In 1992, there was 2,500 murders in Moscow alone. There’s a lot of action, and everyone wants a piece of t ... Show More
Up next
Oct 7
The OG Mexican Narco: Pablo Acosta
Pablo Acosta ruled Mexico's drug trade from a dusty border town, turning Ojinaga into a narco-empire that funneled billions in cocaine, weed and heroin into America during the 1980s. Known as the Fox of Ojinaga, he was a ruthless trafficker who taught the narco-world that it was ... Show More
1h 9m
Sep 30
Cambodia’s Untouchable Gangster-in-Chief
Hun To, the nephew of Cambodia’s former PM, is also the ruler of a criminal empire stretching from illegal logging and Triad-run casinos, to corrupt Chinese investment and — ALLEGEDLY — people and heroin trafficking.Sean met Nathan Southern and Lindsey Kennedy at a Saigon studio ... Show More
1h 11m
Sep 23
London’s Corrupt Cops & Gangland Killers: the Epping Forest Slayings
When a London couple were found dead in a lover’s lane, in 1987, evidence pointed quickly at some of the city’s most notorious gangland figures — both established and upcoming. But despite informants and wiretaps the trail ran cold.Then another body showed up. Then another. Befor ... Show More
51m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
The new Dark Age of Espionage
The spying game was supposed to fade into history with the Cold War. But Vladimir Putin’s historic grievances, obsession with Ukraine and need to placate his own intelligence agencies have sent a new wave of espionage across the world. The West thinks we’re at peace. The Russians ... Show More
45m 4s
Jan 2025
14. Crossing the Iron Curtain: The CIA’s Mole In Moscow (Ep 1)
How did the CIA recruit a Russian asset in Moscow during the height of the Cold War? Why would someone be so determined to defect from the Soviet Union and spy for the US? And what would happen if the KGB found out they had a traitor in their midst? Adolf Tolkachev had a vendetta ... Show More
52m 42s
Sep 3
The 600 Lives of Fidel Castro
When Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s dictator in 1959, the Communist leader and provocateur quickly became a threat to the U.S. government. The CIA has been proven responsible for at least eight plots against Castro’s life. Despite the creativity of their attempts—including everyth ... Show More
39m 16s
Sep 8
The Tetris Murders - 640
September 1998 – Palo Alto, CA. Tetris co-creator Vladimir Pokhilko was found dead with a stab wound on the right side of his neck. His wife, Elena Fedotova, and 12-year-old son, Peter Pokhilko, were brutally killed. The case was ruled a murder-suicide, but the local Russian comm ... Show More
55m 13s
Jun 2025
The Salisbury Poisonings | Glass Houses | 1
A Russian spy torn between loyalty and freedom. A secret deal with MI6. And, years later, in Salisbury, England, a deadly Soviet-era nerve agent turns a quiet afternoon into an international crisis. This is the story of Sergei Skripal: the double agent who betrayed Russia and liv ... Show More
52m 17s
May 2025
49. The Man Who Tried To Kill The KGB: A Traitor in the Kremlin (Ep 1)
The Cold War may have ended, but the hunt for dangerous secrets never truly stops. What happens when a disillusioned KGB archivist decides to betray his masters? How did he manage to steal masses of top-secret files from the heart of the Soviet Union? And what did the CIA miss th ... Show More
47m 48s
Apr 2025
BONUS: Vladimir Putin - Russia's Modern Tsar
This is a bonus episode, from English Learning For Curious Minds. Part 2 and 3 will be released on the following two Saturdays. -------- In this episode, we will explore Vladimir Putin’s unlikely journey from a rat-catching streetfighter to the modern-day tsar of Russia. We’ll lo ... Show More
25m 49s
Feb 2025
1 | Give Me Your F**kin Money
Meet Kenny “The Kid”, a Chicago mafia soldier and hitman for nearly 25 years. After hearing a brutal firsthand account of a mafia hit, we learn how and why Kenny was recruited as 17 year old kid, explore the history of the legendary Chicago Outfit, and reveal a devastating truth ... Show More
24m 53s