Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

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Introducing Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas. Season 2 Jun 13, 2021

Show notes

Season 2 of “Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas,” an eight-part, true-crime series, takes you to the late 1970s and early 1980s, an unforgettable era in the battle against organized crime in Las Vegas. Mafia families wielded hidden control over more than a third of the Strip's casinos, and federal and state agents were waking up to the enormous task of pushing them out. This series is produced by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in partnership with The Mob Museum. For more information visit, www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup.

BONUS: Mobbed Up (Almost) Live Aug 07, 2020

Show notes

This week, Mobbed Up host Reed Redmond and Mob Museum VP of Exhibits of Programs Geoff Schumacher hosted 'Mobbed Up Live,' which aired on the Las Vegas Review-Journal website and Facebook page. The livestream included panel discussions with voices from the podcast, as well as a follow-up interview with Sen. Harry Reid about his time on the Nevada Gaming Commission.

Full video of 'Mobbed Up Live' is available at www.reviewjournal.com or on the Las Vegas Review-Journal Facebook page.

Implosion | S1E11 Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

"I'm probably the only guy standing right now."

Decades after it was at the center of a federal racketeering case, the aging Stardust hotel-casino is imploded to make way for a new resort project. Meanwhile, Frank Cullotta has returned to living under his own name in Las Vegas.

Join us for Mobbed Up LIVE on Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. Pacific on the Las Vegas Review-Journal Facebook page. Send your questions in advance to rredmond@reviewjournal.com.

For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. For more on the Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

BONUS: Stories from the Steer Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

"They didn't care if you were a mobster or a corporate executive or a politician or a federal agent."

When Frank Cullotta arrived in Las Vegas in 1978, one of his first stops was The Golden Steer Steakhouse, where he and Tony Spilotro sat down to discuss their plans for the future over dinner. The restaurant's current owner, Dr. Michael J. Signorelli, shares a few tales from the Steer's storied past.

To learn more about The Golden Steer, or to order online, visit www.goldensteerlasvegas.com.

Family Secrets | S1E10 Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

“He always said if you pull a gun on somebody, you finish it.”

Tony Spilotro goes missing in June of 1986, last seen driving away from his brother's home in suburban Illinois. Over two decades later, a racketeering trial in Chicago reveals what happened after that.
For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

Dirty Laundry | S1E9 Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

"You never become a rat."

Following their arrests for attempted robbery of a home furnishings store in Las Vegas, Frank Cullotta and five other members of the "Hole in the Wall Gang" face steep prison sentences. Loyalty wears thin, and the FBI sees an opportunity.

For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

Strawman | S1E8 Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

"Las Vegas was the last thing on our mind."

In the spring of 1978, the FBI’s Organized Crime Squad in Kansas City placed microphones in a restaurant, hoping to pick up information about local mob activity. Instead, they picked up on something far bigger: casino skimming operations in Las Vegas.

For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

Hole in the Wall | S1E7 Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

“This was the end of organized crime in Las Vegas.”

In 1978, mob-connected thief Frank Cullotta moves from Chicago to Las Vegas to work alongside his childhood friend, reputed Las Vegas mob enforcer Tony Spilotro. When he arrives, Frank says his first assignment was to put together a crew of guys⁠—a crew that would soon earn a reputation as one of the most prolific burglary outfits in the country.

For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

Cleanface | S1E6 Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

"Now I’m getting this directly from, you know, Cleanface. You follow me?"

In 1977, future Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was appointed chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Before long, Reid would find himself battling bribery accusations, working with the FBI on a sting operation and going toe-to-toe with Chicago mob associate Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal at licensing hearings.

For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

The Argent Empire | S1E5 Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

"You don’t buy Mr. Spilotro drinks. He buys you drinks."
In 1971, Tony Spilotro moves from Chicago to Las Vegas to look after the mob's interests, alongside a longtime oddsmaker named Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. A few years later, a mob-connected holding company, the Argent Corporation, begins buying up casinos using loans from the Teamsters Union Central States Pension Fund.

For more information on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

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