The Mob & The Pizza Connection Blueprint
July 17th, 2017 
CEO 
By Marla Eggar
Heroin has always been a profitable business whether it’s organized or not. A person can invest a simple $1500 (I’m told) and have a turnaround profit of over $15,000 in less than two weeks, again the streets are talking not me. With that hypothetical assumption lingering, one can see the enticement for the average street pharmacist to take a chance. The best example of how profitable the heroin trafficking business can be one only needs to examine the layout of The Pizza Connection.
Now in summary, the pizza connection was a mob hustle to sell a mass amount of heroin and cocaine (mainly heroin) in the U.S. The reality is this adventure was so much more sophisticated and clever that till this day it sets the standard for elaborate schemes and should’ve received an award for absolute brilliance! Strategically, the operation got its roots from Carmine Galante. Galante was not the first mobster to deal with drugs, however, I feel he was the one who laid the foundation of how to make it a profitable empire (in regards to the Pizza Connection).
Destination America Investigates The Country’s Most Haunted Towns in All New Series
July 17th, 2017 CEO 
The Tennessee Wraith Chasers (TWC) ghost hunting team is getting their spooky on in an all-new series as they travel across the country investigating America’s most haunted towns. From infamous hotbeds like Gettysburg and Salem to small towns with turbulent pasts that fueled generations of ghost stories, HAUNTED TOWNS explores places that played key roles in the darker chapters of American history, where battle, disaster, and injustice have condemned unsettled spirits to every street corner. Follow TWC – consisting of Chris, Doogie, Porter, and Brannon – as they interview witnesses, investigate hotspots using the latest ghost-hunting technology, and follow new leads until they can pinpoint who is haunting the town and why. But the team isn’t just about collecting evidence. Their m.o. is to find truth – if any – in the legends that have shaped each town’s paranormal notoriety. The eight-episode first season of HAUNTED TOWNS premieres Tuesday, August 15 at 10/9c on Destination America.
The Mafia Chronicles: Kansas City Mob Boss Nick Civella, Smart But Violent
July 15th, 2017 CEO 
By Larry Henry
What was he?
A deep thinker who read Shakespeare and craved good cooking? A violent thug?
What’s the best way to describe Kansas City crime boss Nick Civella?
It depends on who’s telling the story.
To mob lawyer Oscar Goodman, Civella was a “favorite” client who loved Las Vegas, but really just because of the pork necks in vinegar served at an Italian restaurant in town, the Venetian. (It since has closed. It was not associated with The Venetian hotel-casino.)
Wasted Talent: From the Film Classic A Bronx Tale to a Prison Cell & Parole… A Closer Look at Actor Lillo Brancato
July 13th, 2017 CEO 
By Marla Eggar
Lillo Brancato better known for his role as Calogero in A Bronx Tale got his big break in “93” when he was discovered at Jones Beach State Park by a casting agent looking to recruit talent for an upcoming film written by and starring actor Chazz Palminteri. A Bronx Tale was a film based partial on Palminteri’s childhood and was Robert DeNiro’s debut as a director. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which Lillo seized, took him from ambiguity and propelled him into instant celebrity status. In the film, Lillo impressed audiences with his performance and his colleagues with his natural ability to act with very little previous experience.
The Mob and Their Dealings With Certain Famous Celebrities
July 12th, 2017 CEO 
By Marla Eggar
Hollywood is known as the cinema of the world. It’s home to some of the most famous celebrities and iconic landmarks in the nation. Millions flock each year to explore this world renowned city and it’s breathtaking attractions. However, among those millions are icons of a different breed. They don’t walk down the red carpet or pose for the paparazzi, but their reputations certainly precede their presence. Mobsters are like the dark stars of Hollywood and when big name celebrities acknowledge their notoriety their prestige goes through the roof. Nevertheless, what happens when celebrities are extorted or terrorized by these underworld figures, what happens when their caught at the wrong place at the wrong time or end up on a mobster’s shit list? Listed below are 5 celebrities who crossed paths with the mob and while the encounters were at times, harmless for others it left a lasting impression.
Investigation Discovery Turns Up the Heat This Summer with Five All-New Series
July 11th, 2017 CEO 
Investigation Discovery (ID), America’s leading mystery and suspense network, announced today the premiere of five sensational new series and the return of two sophomore series just in time for viewers to enjoy the lazy days of summer. The number one cable network for women, ID’s electrifying mid-summer programming slate kicks off with the premiere of MURDER BY NUMBERS (Wednesday, July 12 at 10/9c), a suspenseful new series that follows police on a wild investigation into one shocking crime with multiple victims. Next on ID’s summer docket is GONE (Monday, July 24 at 9/8c), featuring true stories of individuals who disappear without a trace, leaving their loved ones a trail of secrets they must uncover to discover the missing persons’ whereabouts.
Frank Sinatra: Musical Icon, Tommy Dorsey, The Godfather & More…
July 10th, 2017 CEO 
By Marla Eggar
In an earlier article, I wrote about Frank Sinatra and his underworld connections. Fascinated by Sinatra’s charisma and an admirer of his work I bought J. Randy Taraborrelli’s book Sinatra Behind the Legend. Despite the fact that I’m only midway through I have to admit Sinatra lived an inspiring life. Placing the mob aspect on hold for now, Sinatra himself was brazen in a lot of ways. He stood up for injustices when there was no benefit in doing so, took charge of his career all while making bold strides along the way. The fact is, with every step Sinatra could’ve been risking more than his reputation, but his career.
For example “The House I Lived In” a short film made in 1945 starring Sinatra was a valiant move on his behalf against racism and while it may be corny by today’s standards, I thought it was courageous! The Rat Pack is another example of Sinatra’s gutsy personality. I first became a fan of The Rat Pack back in 2000 BC (before children) and actually I was attracted to the groups moxie more than anything.
The Mafia Chronicles: From Al Capone to Barry Seal – Hoodlums in Central Arkansas
July 10th, 2017 CEO 
By Larry Henry
A crime spree in Little Rock, Arkansas, this month included several drive-by shootings followed by gunfire at a nightclub a mile from the state Capitol building. Twenty-eight people were injured in the overnight shooting at the Power Ultra Lounge.
After the nightclub shooting, the governor expressed concern over the intensifying “crime problem” in Little Rock, the largest city in Arkansas, located in the center of the state. In response, the governor formed a multiagency law enforcement task force to address the issue.
Those familiar with the Natural State’s history will tell you that this is far from the first time that Central Arkansas has made news for its “crime problem.”
Selwyn Raab Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Empires – NewzBreaker Book Review
July 2nd, 2017 CEO 
By Marla Eggar
The basis of my understanding about mob life originated with Selwyn Raab. Growing up I originally like watching documentaries where he gave commentary to particular mob events or life. When I read his book Five Families: The Rise, Decline and Resurgence of Americas Most Powerful Mafia Families I have to admit I was pretty impressed. The way Raab recounted the history of the Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Colombo and Bonanno family in such massive detail the reader is given a full understanding of what the mob truly represents… from Raab’s point of view at least. The positives about this book is its knowledge. It’s extremely informative! Everything you will ever want to know about the mob from its roots back in Sicily to its takeover in New York is included. Raab gives you the complete back story of all the headlines and all the documentaries about the American mob.
The Mafia Chronicles: Jimmy Hoffa On Trial
June 30th, 2017 CEO 
By Larry Henry
Every July, the same two mob-related questions pop up:
Who killed Jimmy Hoffa?
Where is he buried?
Though there is plenty of speculation, no one has uncovered the definitive answer to either question.
A lot of people you come across on a day-to-day basis know the basics of the Hoffa saga, that he was a corrupt, mobbed-up ex-Teamsters head who disappeared in the summer of 1975, presumably killed by underworld figures.
After serving time in prison, and already into his early 60s, Hoffa was trying to regain power in the union when he vanished.
For 40-plus years the national running joke has been that Hoffa’s remains were buried in Giants Stadium in New Jersey just west of New York City.
From time to time, you’ll still hear late-night comedians joke about that, even though the stadium was demolished seven years ago, and nothing ever turned up.
