Shadow Kingdom

Crooked Media & Campside

Roberto Calvi, a man guarding a dangerous secret about the Vatican Bank’s criminal activities, sends a threatening letter to the Pope. A week later on June 17th, 1982 he’s found dead hanging from a bridge in London. British police call it suicide, but questions and conspiracies swirl. Forty years on, lawyer Nicolo Majnoni gets a tip there might be more to the story and embarks on a quest to uncover the truth. Was Roberto Calvi, aka God’s Banker, killed? And if so, by whom? Shadow Kingdom is a new series from Crooked Media and Campside Media. Each season starts with a crime, and as the layers are peeled back to find out who or what is at the center of it, a larger system at play is revealed. Get early access to the full season by joining Crooked’s Friends of the Pod at crooked.com/friends. Hear the Italian language version of Shadow Kingdom: God’s Banker by subscribing to Il Banchiere di Dio wherever you get your podcasts.

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Episodes

God’s Banker I 8. The Train Station

Nicolo reviews trial transcripts in Rome and listens to Calvi's son, Carlo, finally making sense of a long-ignored interview. The investigation leads to the Bologna train station bombing, where the Mafia, the Vatican, and a fascist secret society intersect. The chilling truth behind Calvi’s murder emerges. Friends of the Pod get early access to the entire first season of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker before it drops for everyone else—ads included. Hear this episode in Italian by subscribing to Il...

Apr 28, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 8

God’s Banker I 7. Discovery

Calvi is found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. The British police call it suicide, but Nicolo finds Antonio Cornacchia, an Italian officer who insists it’s murder. Years later, new forensic evidence reopens the case, leading to a trial with Silvano Vittor among the accused. Friends of the Pod get early access to the entire first season of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker before it drops for everyone else—ads included. Get early access to the full season now by joining Crooked’s Friends of...

Apr 21, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 7

God’s Banker I 6. On the Run

Calvi disappears as news of the missing funds breaks. He speeds through Austria under a false name, accompanied by Silvano Vittor, the last person to see him alive. Vittor agrees to an interview, revealing Calvi’s blackmail-filled briefcase. Nicolo wonders: was Vittor a protector or a hunter? Friends of the Pod get early access to the entire first season of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker before it drops for everyone else—ads included. Get early access to the full season now by joining Crooked’s Fr...

Apr 14, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 6

God’s Banker I 5. The Fixers

Calvi is arrested on a banking technicality, but after his release, he becomes paranoid. When his deputy is shot in the street, Nicolo uncovers secret tapes revealing Calvi’s mounting fear. The Bank of Italy finds a $1.2 billion hole in Calvi’s accounts—money meant for the Vatican, the Mafia, and P2. Now, it's gone. Friends of the Pod get early access to the entire first season of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker before it drops for everyone else—ads included. Get early access to the full season now...

Apr 07, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 5

God’s Banker I 4. The Priest and the Spy

As Pope John Paul II visits communist Poland, his defiance stuns the KGB. Behind the scenes, Calvi is financing the Pope's covert war on communism. Nicolo tracks down Francesco Pazienza, a spy who collaborated with Calvi. But then, a shocking call: “They’ve just shot the Pope!” Calvi senses danger closing in—who’s next? Friends of the Pod get early access to the entire first season of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker before it drops for everyone else—ads included. Get early access to the full season...

Mar 31, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 4

God’s Banker I 3. The Grandmaster

A dawn raid on an Italian warehouse uncovers a secret far-right society, P2, just months before a planned coup. Prosecutor Giulano Turone, who led the raid, reveals how this discovery brought down Italy's government and exposed Roberto Calvi as P2's financier. Calvi, desperate to save himself, turns to God. Friends of the Pod get early access to the entire first season of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker before it drops for everyone else—ads included. Get early access to the full season now by joini...

Mar 24, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 3

God’s Banker I 2. Our Thing

Mario claims Calvi laundered Mafia money through the Vatican Bank. Nicolo contacts Mafia hitman Vincenzo Calcara, who recounts smuggling suitcases of cash from Sicily to Rome, where Calvi waited. The story is unbelievable—but it might be true. Get early access to the full season now by joining Crooked’s Friends of the Pod at crooked.com/friends. Hear this episode in Italian by subscribing to Il Banchiere di Dio wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...

Mar 17, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 2

God’s Banker I 1. Death of a Banker

In 2022, Attorney Nicolo Majnoni reconnects with an old friend, former White House reporter Mario Platero, who has been fixated for decades on the murder of Vatican banker Roberto Calvi. Mario suspects the Vatican, the Mafia, and other shadowy groups. What starts as a conversation sparks Nicolo's obsession, leading him to abandon his law firm and dive into one of history’s most notorious unsolved crimes. Get early access to the full season now by joining Crooked’s Friends of the Pod at crooked.c...

Mar 17, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing Shadow Kingdom: God’s Banker (coming March 17)

Mar 10, 2025•2 min

A Sneak Preview of Shadow Kingdom: God’s Banker

It’s been a minute since you heard from us on Crooked Minis—and, well, a lot has changed since 2022. With so much at stake in the next four years, Crooked will be here to break down the news with sharp analysis, a healthy dose of dumb jokes, and most importantly, ways to take action. But right now, we want to share our exciting new limited series made in partnership with Campside Media: Shadow Kingdom. Shadow Kingdom is a new series from Crooked Media and Campside Media. Each season starts with ...

Mar 07, 2025•5 min

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