On tonight’s show co-hosts Andrew DiDonato and Denny Griffin will talk with retired FBI agent Lynn Ferrin. Lynn was the Las Vegas case agent for the skim investigations called Operation Strawman. Lynn will tell us the real story about how the skim was run, by whom, and how the feds brought it down. He’ll also comment on the movie and how law enforcement was portrayed in the film. If you’re a Mob buff, a Las Vegas or Casino fan, you won’t want to miss this show.

Join us at 9 p.m. Eastern for Mob Talk    

Frank Cullotta was born in Chicago in 1938. He began his decades-long criminal career as a teenager, graduating from petty theft to burglary, armed robbery, arson and murder. While growing up he met another young tough on the streets of the Windy City: Tony Spilotro. The two boys became friends and criminal allies.

As they grew older Frank preferred to operate independent of the Mob. But Tony went on to become a made man and feared enforcer of the Chicago Outfit. And in 1971 the Outfit bosses sent him to Las Vegas to keep an eye on their casino interests.

Returning to Chicago after being released from prison in 1974, Frank was invited to join Tony in Sin City. It was an offer he initially declined. But by 1979 Frank was under intense pressure from law enforcement in Chicago and agreed to join Tony in Vegas. His role was to watch Tony’s back and apply muscle as necessary. To accomplish that, Frank formed and ran a crew of burglars, robbers, arsonists, and killers that became known as the Hole in the Wall Gang.

However, Frank and Tony had a falling out in 1982; and at Tony’s request the Chicago bosses approved a contract to have Frank killed. Facing either life in prison for his myriad crimes or death at the hands of Outfit hit men, Frank rolled and became a government witness. His subsequent testimony resulted in the convictions of several of his former associates. He was preparing to testify against Tony Spilotro in June 1986, but Spilotro himself was murdered by the Outfit just prior to the trial getting underway.

In 1995 Frank was contacted by screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi regarding the Martin Scorsese film Casino. He was hired as a technical consultant to the movie in which actor Joe Pesci played a character based on Tony Spilotro; and Frank Vincent played “Frankie,” a character based on Cullotta. In the film Frank appeared in several scenes as a killer, including one that was a fictionalized version of a murder he actually committed in Las Vegas in 1979.

Today, armed with a new government issued identity, Frank is out of the federal Witness Protection Program. He currently appears in organized crime documentaries and occasionally makes public appearances. In 2007 he wrote his biography titled CULLOTTA – The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness.

Listeners can interact with the hosts and guest through the show’s chat room or by telephone call in.

Mob Talk is presented by BEAR Media Consultants, LLC

You’ll be able to hear the show at Crime Wire Radio beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Joaquin “Jack” Garcia is considered by many of his peers and leading FBI experts, to have been the most successful undercover agent in the history of the Bureau.
         
In his 26 years of service with the FBI, and as an undercover agent in over 100 major operations, Jack is best known for his role as “Jack Falcone,” a self-described Sicilian jewel thief and drug dealer from Miami, Florida, who infiltrated New York’s Gambino crime family. After nearly three years of investigation, the case resulted in the arrest and conviction of 39 mobsters, including the top members of the Gambinos. Jack played his undercover role so convincingly that he was even proposed for membership into La Cosa Nostra.

Jack’s other successful undercover investigations included corrupt politicians in Atlantic City, New Jersey; and corrupt police officers in the Hollywood, Florida, Broward County, Florida, Boston Police Department, and the San Juan, Puerto Rico Police Department. He also worked undercover in major drug cases, including dealers and leaders of the Colombian and Mexican drug cartels.

Jack speaks Spanish fluently and is a member of the FBI Agents Association, the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the NYPD Honor Legion, and the Society of FBI Alumni. He is a guest speaker and lecturer at the FBI Academy, the FBI National Academy, and the FBI Citizens Academy on Sensitive Operations and Undercover Agent Training. He has been featured on 60 Minutes, the Investigative Discovery Channel, CBS Evening News, and the CBS Early Show, among others.

Jack’s book, Making Jack Falcone, was a New York Times bestseller.

Listeners can interact with the hosts and guest through the show’s chat room or by telephone call in.

Mob Talk is presented by BEAR Media Consultants, LLC

You’ll be able to hear the show at Crime Wire Radio

We are pleased to announce that Mob Talk will debut on Crime Wire Radio on September 21 at 9 p.m. Eastern. The debut program will feature the little-known attempt by the Gambino family to assassinate the hated Sammy “the Bull” Gravano, the government’s star witness against John Gotti in 1992.

 In December 1999, Peter Gotti—acting head of the family—dispatched two hit men toArizonato locate and kill Gravano. The pair found their target. They were finalizing their murder plans when the law thwarted them by arresting Gravano on drug charges. The story behind the plot to hit Gravano is fascinating and a must hear for any Mob enthusiast.

Of the two would-be hit men involved, one is in prison and the second will join co-hosts Andrew DiDonato and Denny Griffin to discuss how Gravano was found and what went into planning his death.

Listeners can interact with the hosts and guest through the show’s chat room or by telephone call in.

Mob Talk is presented by BEAR Media Consultants, LLC

You’ll be able to hear the show at Crime Wire Radio

We are pleased to announce that Mob Talk will debut on Crime Wire Radio on September 21 at 9 p.m. Eastern. The debut program will feature the little-known attempt by the Gambino family to assassinate the hated Sammy “the Bull” Gravano, the government’s star witness against John Gotti in 1992.

 In December 1999, Peter Gotti—acting head of the family—dispatched two hit men toArizonato locate and kill Gravano. The pair found their target. They were finalizing their murder plans when the law thwarted them by arresting Gravano on drug charges. The story behind the plot to hit Gravano is fascinating and a must hear for any Mob enthusiast.

 Of the two would-be hit men involved, one is in prison and the second will join co-hosts Andrew DiDonato and Denny Griffin to discuss how Gravano was found and what went into planning his death.

 Listeners can interact with the hosts and guest through the show’s chat room or by telephone call in.

 Mob Talk is presented by BEAR Media Consultants, LLC

 You’ll be able to hear the show at Crime Wire Radio

On some shows listeners will learn about organized crime capers prior to, during, and since the John Gotti era that went unreported or underreported. The stories will be told by those with intimate knowledge of the crimes and investigations.

Other programs will focus on what it is really like to be in “the life,” and Mob protocols and how they have changed over the years, including what lawmen preparing to work undercover learn at “mob school.” There will also be analysis of John Gotti’s true impact on organized crime by men who worked for him and against him. Was he a Mob hero, or did he in large part contribute to its downhill slide?

And from time to time, people who once earned their living as robbers and burglars will offer tips on how to protect yourself and your assets from the thieves of today.

Listeners will be able to interact with the hosts and guests through the show’s chat room.

An announcement for the debut show will be issued in early September.

Mob Talk will be sponsored by BEAR Media Consultants, LLC

You’ll be able to hear the show at Crime Wire Radio

BEAR Media Consultants, LLC

If you are an organized crime or true crime film or documentary producer, or a true crime reporter or  author, BEAR Media may be able to put you in touch with the person or persons you need for your project.

BEAR Media is acquainted with many former organized crime figures and retired FBI agents and police detectives—individuals you won’t necessarily find by looking in the phone book. We also have contact with the families of victims of suspicious death, missing person and cold homicide cases. These are all people with tremendous stories to tell.

And the people we know, all know other people. So if you need a technical consultant for your production or story, there’s a good chance we can connect you with someone who can provide what you are looking for. 

In addition to those with crime-related expertise, we also know interesting folks from the writing and entertainment fields who make excellent speakers or presenters. If you’re  in charge of scheduling speakers/entertainment for conventions, conferences or special events, we can put together a unique package for you that will make the program you set up a memorable one for your attendees.

The killings remained unsolved for over 27 years. And then this past summer Holly Hager, Paul’s one-time baby-sitter, read a former mobster’s biography in which the murders were described and the killer named. Since then McHenry County has renewed their investigation; and the story has received attention from Chicago and McHenry County media.

Paul and Holly will explain the status of efforts to have the alleged killer officially named as the murderer and the cold cases closed out.

You can catch the broadcast live at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dennisngriffin. Listeners can call in with questions or comments at 646 478-0982.

You can see the article at http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1339456,mchenry-cold-case-holly-hager-121808.article or view the video at http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Was_Small_Town_Mob_Murder_Covered_Up__Chicago.html