The Black Hand: An Organized Crime History Podcast

The Black Hand: An Organized Crime History Podcast

A podcast that delves into the lives and history of some of the most powerful people and organizations in the history of organized crime, we talk about the history and members of the Italian-American Mafia, Cartels, or street gangs, and everyone/everything in between

Episodes

September 18, 2025 51 mins

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On part 2 of Episode 63 we finish up our look into Frank Hague. Last week, we talked about Hague's rise to power, that saw him literally change the political landscape of not only Jersey City, but the region of Jersey that it occupied as whole. As Hague cemented a nearly autocratic regime as Mayor in the city. But this week, we'll talk about what he did with that power during his 32 years in power, and how h...

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On part 1 of Episode 63, we delve into the story of Frank Hague. The former mayor of Jersey City, who would form one of the most powerful and corrupt local government regimes in the entire United States. Including how he started out as a constable, with backing from a local political boss, and using his cunning and treachery to rise through the ranks of government. From being the Chief custodian at city hall, to a sea...

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On part 2 of Episode 62, we finish up our look into the history of Organized Crime in Papua New Guinea. By talking about 4 main topics that feed the country's crime problem today. Including human trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal logging, and the proliferation or foreign organized crime groups. all of which seem to really feed into each other, causing a cycle of crime. As drug trafficking establishes the smu...

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On part 1 of Episode 62 we delve into the history of organized crime in Papua New Guinea. A country that, since gaining it's independence in 1975 has fallen victim to almost all forms of criminality. Becoming one of the most dangerous places in the world at the same time. Specifically, on today's show, we'll talk about the background of the country that led to the criminal element. The Rascal gangs that...

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August 6, 2025 36 mins

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On Episode 61, We delve into the story of Bobby Shmurda and GS9. A crew born out of strife in the local underworld, following the death of a gang member who was a close friend of many future GS9 members. Which forced local youths to come together for protection, leading to the formation of GS9. Which would house G Stone 90 crips, 823 G Stone crips, members of 1090, and sets of the Bloods and Brims. But really the gang...

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July 29, 2025 47 mins

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On Episode 60, We delve into the story of the so called Banana War. A conflict that arose in the Bonanno crime family from 1965 until 1969, and would see the murders of at least 14 mobsters, as well as numerous unsuccessful attempts. It split the family into two factions, one led by the incumbent Joe Bonnano and his son Bill. And the other, led by a former top Capo in the Bonnano regime named Gaspare DiGregorio. Which...

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July 22, 2025 41 mins

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On Episode 59 we delve into the life of Waxey Gordon, one of the biggest and most influential bootleggers of the prohibition era in America. He made his bones as a union buster and racketeer under New York heavyweights like Benny Fein and Jack Zelig. Before he met his mentor, Arnold Rothstein, who would end up giving him and Max Greenburg the loan that put them in business. Giving rise to a bootlegging enterprise that...

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On Part 9 of Episode 57, we finish up our look into deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Last week, we talked about the complete history of the Compton Executioners. But on today's show we'll be talking about a couple different things. We'll talk about some lesser known groups in the LASD that I haven't touched on so far, due to the fact that there's not a ton of informat...

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On Part 8 of Episode 57, we continue our look into deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Last week, we finished up our look into the Banditos, which is likely the most pervasive deputy gang still active today. But on today's show, we'll talk about the complete history of the Compton Executioners, which is one of, if not the biggest deputy gang still operating on the streets today. And ea...

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On Part 7 of Episode 57, we continue our look into deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Last week, we talked about the rise of the Banditos in the East L.A. Station , their take over of the station, and how it allowed them to abuse their co-workers. But on today's show, we'll talk about their reign of terror over the communities of East Los Angeles, as well as their continued control ov...

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On Part 6 of Episode 57, we continue our look into deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Last time, we talked about the run of 2 incredibly violent gangs, in the Spartans and Jump Out Boys. But on today's show, we once again have to go back to the East Los Angeles Station, the home of the Banditos, the most recent gang to operate out of the station, and easily one of the gangs most closely re...

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On Part 5 of Episode 57, we continue our look into deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, last time, we talked about the takeover of Deputy Gangs within the L.A. County jail system by the 2000 and 3000 Boys. But on today's show, we'll be talking about what i like to call the 3rd generation of deputy gangs, that would succeed the 2nd generation gangs, like the Century Station Regulators an...

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January 24, 2024 37 mins

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On Episode 58, I Interview Aiden Gabor, a former associate of the New Jersey Based DeCavalcante Crime Family, police officer, and informant for the Department of Justice, who would bring down numerous corrupt public officials, including a head of detectives, a police commissioner, and even a mayor, but more then that, his story is one of redemption thats incredibly unique. and while we'll talk about a lot of his ...

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On Part 4 of Episode 57, we continue or look into deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, last week we talked about the rise of the Century Station Regulators, and how they led a new generation of deputy gangs that preceded the fist generation gangs, like the Lynwood Vikings. But on today's show, we're gonna be talking  about an entirely different breed of deputy gang altogether, those tha...

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On Part 3 of Episode 57, we continue our look into the history of deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, last week we talked about Franky Carrillo's fight for justice against the Lynwood Vikings, as well as their deep deeded corruption, that allowed them to abuse and harass department members all the way up and down the chain of command, But this week, we'll be talking about one of the ne...

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On Part 2 of Episode 57, we continue our look into the history of Deputy gangs in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, last week we talked about the rise of the first deputy gangs in the department, the culture that this created in the department, and how the Lynwood Vikings rose to prominence and carried it on, leading to a multi million dollar lawsuit being filed by the victims, but on today's show, we&ap...

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On Part 1 of Episode 57, we delve into the formation and early history of deputy gangs in the L.A County Sheriff's Department, including the culture within the Sheriff's department that allowed the formation of these groups to start, the very first deputy gangs to form up in the 1970's, like the Little Devils and Cavemen, who crafted the idea of what a deputy gang was, and finally, the rise of the Lynwo...

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On Episode 56, we delve into the story of gangland involvement in the lives and murders of both Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., we'll talk about their backgrounds, and how they both were put in a position to headline the most notorious rap feud of all time, their rise to the top, that would see Tupac turn into somewhat of a wannabe gangster, catching charges left and right, while hanging with well known Ne...

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November 29, 2023 29 mins

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On Episode 55, we delve into the life of infamous Colombian drug lord, Griselda Blanco, she came up hard on the streets of Medellin, running away from home and allegedly committing her first murder at just 11 years old, eventually moving to Queens New York, where she started building her drug empire, currying favor in what would eventually become the Medellin Cartel, but following an attempted DEA takedown, and short ...

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November 22, 2023 25 mins

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On Episode 54, We delve into the history of the Giannini Crew, a mob farm team closely connected to the Bonnano family that ran the streets of Queens throughout the 70's, 80's, and to a lesser extent, the 90's, they were a group of young, rough and tumble, Sicilian American youths, most of whom were the sons and nephews of older mobsters who made their name through heroin trafficking, namely that connec...

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