Charlie Webster, renowned journalist and host of the successful Surviving El Chapo series, joins the show to discuss the Flores Twins. She spent years interviewing them and getting deep insight to the two brothers that became some of the largest kingpins in the world and then making the shocking decision to work with American feds to take down one of the most wanted men on the globe. Go Support Charlie! Surviving El Chapo Podcast: https://lionsgatesound.com/shows/surviving-el-chapo IG: https://w...
Nov 04, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast Larry Rolla started out as a young kid in Queens surrounded by the tough life of 1950s NYC youth gangs and wise guys. He went from stickups to finding a passion and calling in horse training and racing. After a corrupt racetrack owner sent him into the grips of poverty his legitimate, reformed life quickly turned into fixing races for the mob and a gripping gambling addiction. Larry joins the show to tell us all about his odyssey. Go Support Larry! Book: amazon.com/Against-All-Odds-Larry-Rolla/d...
Oct 28, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast Crip Mac is a member of the dangerous 55th Street Crips in Los Angeles. He has spent his life in and out of county jail and state prisons. Mac joins the show to describe how life works in the Crips organization, on the deadly streets of South Central, and the violent rules of gangs in prison. Check Out Crip Mac! IG: https://www.instagram.com/55thstreet_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealcripmac YouTube: @55thstreet_ and @macventures This Episode Is Brought To You By The Following Sponsors:...
Oct 21, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast Mike Dowd, a former NYPD officer, explains how shortly after becoming a cop in Brooklyn’s 75th Precinct, he started taking dirty money and eventually became a drug dealer himself. He was taken down in one of the most notorious federal cases against police corruption in American history and served time in federal prison. Mike tells us his entire story from young hopeful police officer to reformed criminal. Check Out Mike On Social Media! IG: https://www.instagram.com/themikedowd/ X: https://twitt...
Oct 14, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast As a teenager from Yonkers, Lillo Brancato was discovered by Robert De Niro to shot to fame starring in the critically acclaimed A Bronx Tale. A decade later he found himself addicted to drugs, struggling to work, and facing a second degree murder charge in the fatal shooting of a police officer. He joins us to talk about his road from actor, to inmate, to community leader. Check Out Lillo's Recovery Work And IG! More Life Recovery Center: https://moreliferecoverycenter.com/ IG: https://www.inst...
Oct 07, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast As a young immigrant child in New York City's Chinatown, Jimmy "Bighead" Tsui quickly became immersed in the gang world of the Lower East Side. He quickly rose the ranks and soon became an associate of the Chinese Mafia in Hong Kong moving drugs in and out of the country. He joins the show to breakdown exactly how Chinese gangs operated in the US and Hong Kong before he left the life of crime, became a volunteer police officer, and started being a positive influence on the youth in the neighborh...
Sep 30, 2023•2 hr 35 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast David "Chicky" Cicchetelli was a young man in Springfield, Massachusetts when joined a mafia boss from the infamous Genovese Crime Family. What started as petty loan sharking quickly turned into a multimillion dollar illegal bookie business for Chicky. Years after doing time for that, he ended up getting rolled up in the biggest indictment in East Coast history... Follow Chicky! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickycecchetelli_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Chicky-Cecchetelli/...
Sep 23, 2023•2 hr 53 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Cristina Cruz grew up in a notorious gang territory of Northeast Los Angeles. At a young age she was jumped into the gang and slipped into a life of crime and drug addiction. It wasn't until she was indicted in a RICO case with over 70 other individuals that she got sober, turned her life around, and became a successful podcast host. Her story is one of loss and redemption. Support Cristina's Podcast And Teeth Whitening Business! YouTube Channel: @IndictedTV Spotify: http://bit.ly/IndictedTvSpot...
Sep 16, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast Brandon Novak became a household name in the early 2000s after becoming a fixture on the hit shows Jacka$$ and Viva La Bam. But despite the success of fame and professional skateboarding he lived a dark life full of crime and drug addiction. After two decades he's gotten clean and found his calling in life; helping others. Brandon joins the show to tell us all about his life and road to recovery. Support Brandon's Work and Recovery Homes! Website: https://brandonnovak.com/ Novak's House: https:/...
Sep 09, 2023•2 hr 38 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast Cookie Hood grew up in both the US and Nicaragua. At a young age she was a socialite and became close with the people that would not only fight in Nicaragua's revolution, but also traffic drugs to help the CIA fund a proxy war that ended in one of the biggest scandals in American history. When she became a journalist for CBS during the Iran-Contra conflict, those old contacts came in handy to help expose secrets of both the American and the Nicaraguan governments! Subscribe to Cookie's Platforms...
Sep 02, 2023•2 hr 20 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast Salvatore Polisi was a young kid in New York City when we started doing jobs for the Colombo mafia. He came up with guys like John Gotti and ACTUAL characters from the classic film GoodFellas. He went from loan sharking to dope dealing before really taking off planning heists. He tells us all about his time in the mob, the moment he knew he wanted out, and how he was able to take down a corrupt judge as a state witness. Check out Sal's book: https://a.co/d/5RttFuQ Support our sponsors! Mood: hel...
Aug 26, 2023•2 hr 5 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast This is a full release of a previously Patreon exclusive episode! Roger Reaves grew up as a small town farm boy in the south. After discovering a passion for flying and a need for money he quickly fell into the world of international drug smuggling, leading him to work directly with Pablo Escobar. His life story is a wild one, including being shot out of the air twice and several prison escapes! Support our sponsors! Manscaped: https://www.manscaped.com/ Promo Code: CONNECT20 Mood: hellomood.co ...
Aug 19, 2023•2 hr 57 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Before he was a standup comedian, Richard Villa grew up in Compton where at the age of 8 years old he worked his dad as a drug dealer. Richard joins The Connect to talk about his upbringing in Los Angeles, the trauma of being involved in crime at such a young age, and how he turned his life around and became a successful comedian. Support our sponsors! Mood: hellomood.co Promo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREE Support the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod...
Aug 12, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Explore the mysteries of humanity's origins, the construction of the pyramids, the influence of the occult, and the fascination with extraterrestrial life in this deep-dive with Esoteric Eddie. Tracing the path of human evolution, societal control, and the role of consciousness, this video challenges commonly held beliefs, sharing thought-provoking theories from ancient civilizations to modern times. Eddie, a multifaceted artist, and mystic historian share his views on aliens, inter-dimensional ...
Aug 05, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast As a young man in college, Eric Canori, quickly built an empire that landed him directly in the belly of the smuggling underworld. He devised a sophisticated network that brought thousands of pounds of bud from Canada into upstate New York. Despite having hubs all across the eastern seaboard and making millions of dollars a month, he remained anonymous to almost everyone he worked with, allowing him to operate for over a decade. His downfall involved famous athletes, paying the feds in gold bars...
Jul 29, 2023•2 hr 41 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Chad Marks shares his incredible journey from a 40 year prison sentence to becoming a jailhouse lawyer and running a successful paralegal business that helps inmates reduce their sentences. Chad discusses the need for rehabilitation in the prison system and his contributions to federal prison reform. He delves into the challenges Chad faced before and after his imprisonment, including his strained relationship with his drug-addicted father and the poverty and crime in his neighborhood. He also d...
Jul 22, 2023•2 hr 45 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast In this captivating video, we hear from Fernando Puente, a former member of the Tijuana Cartel who turned his life around to become a music producer for narco corridos. Fernando shares his experiences, giving us a firsthand account of the cartel wars in Tijuana. From growing up in the 90s when crossing the border was easy, to witnessing the militarization of the streets during the cartel wars, Fernando provides valuable insights into the world of cartels. Follow Fernando! IG: https://www.instagr...
Jul 15, 2023•2 hr 43 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Tim McBride, a man out of South West Florida, went from working odd jobs and crab fishing, to leading the largest pot smuggling business on American soil from for a decade. He joins the show talk about his humble beginnings, his rise to the top of a criminal empire, and how he turned his life around after his eventual fall. Support our sponsors! SURFSHARK: Get an exclusive Surfshark deal! Enter promo code CONNECT for an extra 3 months free at https://surfshark.deals/CONNECT Join The Patreon For ...
Jul 08, 2023•2 hr 3 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast Gil Carrillo, the homicide detective that solved the Night Stalker case, talks about his love for hunting murderers, the effects it had on his mental wellbeing, his relationships, and how dark his investigation got. He breaks down the life of a murder cop and how the force has changed since he has retired. Support our sponsors! FREEZE PIPE: https://thefreezepipe.com/ Promo Code: CONNECT for 10% OFF!! Mood CBD: hellomood.co Promo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREE Support The Patreon: https://www.patre...
Jul 01, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Transcript available on Metacast The world’s top expert on narcos in Latin America, Luis Chaparro, drops in to give some of the biggest news in organized crime that NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT. From the current state of Mexican Cartels and the most active war zones throughout to country, to a potential all out fracture of Sinaloa, and shocking news about mega cartels taking over in Colombia and Spain (and it’s not who you think it is)! Follow Luis! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luiskuryaki/ YouTube: Website: https://www.lcha...
Jun 17, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast A California surfer bro tells Johnny about his days running a cocaine smuggling operation from Southern California to Australia. Starting off as a small-time pot dealer, he graduated to selling cocaine on college campuses and the finally, to smuggling whole kilos to Australia, where he made millions of dollars and eventually, got caught in a federal sting and spent 4 years in an Australian prison. Support our sponsors! Mood CBD: hellomood.co Promo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREE Support the Patreon...
Jun 10, 2023•2 hr 53 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast Former hustler and drug dealer Coss Marte comes on the podcast to tell his epic story of going from small-time corner boy to making $5 million a year delivering high-end cocaine all over Manhattan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 03, 2023•2 hr 45 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast Al Lindbloom comes on the show to talk about his years as an associate of a Detroit mafia family. He breaks down all of his rackets from selling weed to heroin to steroids, boat theft, burglary , and extortion, and finally- robbing a bank and taking Detroit PD on a wild high speed chase that landed him in prison for 13 years. SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR- "HELLO MOOD" : https://hellomood.co/ Promo code: CONNECT, CONNECTFREE Support the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices....
May 27, 2023•2 hr 41 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Johnny interviews JC of the @wrongtostrong network on YouTube about growing up as a gangbanger in Chicago, trafficking pot for a Mexican Cartel and spending 4 years in a brutal Mexican prison, getting released and starting his own interstate pot empire, serving time in the Feds in America, and finally-- changing his life and becoming a legitimate businessman. Subscribe to JC's page! https://www.youtube.com/@UC-oR-qYEcpN1LocXRm0dHSQ FB: https://www.facebook.com/wrongtostrong Support our sponsors!...
May 19, 2023•2 hr 51 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Johnny interviews Hector Bravo, a former California prison guard. He describes life working on a level 4 prison yard in one of the most dangerous and corrupt prison systems in the country. He talks about witnessing stabbings, riots, and administrative cover-ups, and reveals the reason that he had to walk away and speak out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 11, 2023•2 hr 57 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Johnny visits the Haitian communities of Overtown and Allapattah, interviewing local rappers and documenting the history of the Zo Pound and their influence on the Miami Drug Trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 04, 2023•16 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Johnny interviews Apache, a Cuban-American who moved tons of kilos for the Colombians from the late 80's to the mid-90's. He talks about going from small-time dealer to major middleman, and working with Raul Castro and the Cuban government to help him smuggle his cocaine loads to Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 20, 2023•28 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Alex Montenez talks about what it was like growing up as narco royalty in Miami, getting into the game himself and then going to prison, and finally-- becoming the first legitimate millionaire in his family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 14, 2023•40 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Johnny interviews Alex Montenez, the nephew of Rafa Salazr, the top general for the Medellin Cartel in Miami in the 1970's and 80's. He talks about what it was like to grow up in cocaine royalty, and tells the true story of being an insider during Miami's coke boom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 07, 2023•35 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Johnny visits the Polo Grounds, east Harlem's most notorious housing projects, and gives a history of the violence of the crack era along with Unique Mecca, the former drug kingpin who was responsible for much of that violence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 30, 2023•28 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast 
