Kingpins artwork

Kingpins

175 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2.9K ratings

Undeniable power. Unbelievable stories. Unlikely origins. Kingpins follows the rise and fall of rulers of the underworld. Every Friday, we examine the leaders of organized crime rings, and how money and power corrupted and changed their communities. What makes a kingpin or queenpin, and how can we stop them? Kingpins is a Spotify Original from Parcast.

True Crime History
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Episodes

Alastair and Naomi’s Love Story - A Valentine’s Special

February 15, 2021 08:01 - 23 minutes

Parcasters, your favorite hosts are getting personal in a heart-warming special from Our Love Story. Listen here to Alastair Murden tag-team with his wife Naomi as they tell their swoon-worthy tale of falling in love. Then search “Our Love Story” to hear real-life couples — including the hosts of your favorite Parcast series — prove that true love exists. Our Love Story is a Spotify Original from Parcast. New episodes every Tuesday. Listen free on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. V...

New Limited Series: Criminal Couples

February 01, 2021 08:01 - 1 minute

This season, “L” stands for love… and lawless… and lethal. Beginning February 1st, uncover history’s most infamous couples in this collection of episodes from across Parcast Network. Follow the misdeeds of married mafiosos. Enter the transgressions of casanova cult leaders. And demystify the lives of coupled kingpins, pirates, and spies… Because in this limited series, romance takes a sharp turn into the radical.  Get a preview of Criminal Couples right here, then search “Criminal Couples” t...

Welcome to the Family: The Kennedys

January 19, 2021 08:01 - 1 minute

They’re a powerful political dynasty with no shortage of tragedies, scandals and controversies. Ahead of the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, revisit the most shocking moments in the Kennedy family history — from conspiracies and cover-ups to assassinations and affairs — in this Parcast limited series.  All 12 episodes are available January 19th. Listen free, only on Spotify. 

Superstitions Special: New Year’s Eve Festivities

December 31, 2020 08:01 - 35 minutes

The clock’s winding down on the final moments of the year and people around the world are putting their charms and traditions to work, shoring up good fortune for the future. But it’s not always our own personal luck that’s on the line… In this story, a night of superstitions weaves together the fates of merrymakers eager for fresh starts.  This episode is presented by Superstitions, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Follow Superstitions free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

LA County Sheriff’s Gangs Pt. 5: The East LA Banditos

December 24, 2020 08:01 - 42 minutes

In East LA, a group of deputies named the Banditos stand accused of running the sheriff’s substation like a gang, institutionalizing a culture of fear and retaliation. And while they’re intimidating civilians and colleagues alike, they may be protected by the very top of the department.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LA County Sheriff’s Gangs Pt. 4: The Compton Executioners

December 17, 2020 08:01 - 43 minutes

The Compton Executioners allegedly control every aspect of life at the LASD Compton substation. Gang members have been accused of assaulting fellow deputies and even killing civilians, claiming, often without evidence, that they were acting in self-defense. And although they’ve faced several lawsuits, somehow, the Executioners have evaded prosecution — and any accountability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LA County Sheriff’s Gangs Pt. 3: Wild West Roots/Jump Out Boys

December 10, 2020 08:01 - 40 minutes

By the 1850s, Los Angeles was one of the most dangerous places to live in the West. Extrajudicial killings, unchecked racial violence, and vigilante groups like the Los Angeles Rangers prevailed. This “Wild West” culture seeped into and was propagated by the Sheriff’s Department — and it hasn't gone away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LA County Sheriff’s Gangs Pt. 2: The Lennox Grim Reapers

December 03, 2020 08:01 - 43 minutes

The community of Lennox in Los Angeles is just one square mile, but it has an enormous problem. Alongside violent gang activity, there’s a secret organization adding terror to the neighborhood. Their symbol? The Grim Reaper. Their ranks? Los Angeles sheriff's deputies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LA County Sheriff’s Gangs Pt. 1: Little Devils & Lynwood Vikings

November 26, 2020 08:01 - 45 minutes

Deputy gangs have been embedded in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department since 1971. In the first of our five-part collaboration with Parcast series Secret Societies, we delve into the earliest of these violent gangs that shaped the current culture within the LASD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unsolved Murders Crossover: Agents Dale Kearney & Ray Sutton Pt. 2

November 20, 2020 08:05 - 41 minutes

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unsolved Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!  In 1930, two prohibition agents were murdered in Colorado. Despite strong leads in both cases, a series of missteps and the end of Prohibition brought their investigations to ruin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unsolved Murders Crossover: Agents Dale Kearney & Ray Sutton Pt. 1

November 20, 2020 08:01 - 38 minutes

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unsolved Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!  In 1930, two prohibition agents were murdered in Colorado. Despite strong leads in both cases, a series of missteps and the end of Prohibition brought their investigations to ruin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dictators: The Rise & Fall of a Roman Emperor

November 16, 2020 08:01 - 13 minutes

They’re natural-born leaders, hungry for absolute power. Every week on Dictators, delve into the minds and motives of history’s most infamous rulers — people who rose through the ranks toward radicalism, eliminating anyone who stood in their way. This week, track the rise and fall of Nero, an emperor who led Rome to destruction. Hear a clip from Part 1 here, then head to Dictators for the rest of the episode. Dictators is free to listen on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

“Granny Evil” Pt. 2: Kath Pettingill

November 13, 2020 08:01 - 49 minutes

After two Melbourne constables were gunned down in 1988, police identified the Pettingills as prime suspects. The case against the notorious crime family grew, but changing testimonies, family betrayals, and the idea of a police vendetta complicated the trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Granny Evil” Pt. 1: Kath Pettingill

November 06, 2020 08:01 - 45 minutes

She was a young barmaid who rose to be the ruthless matriarch of a Melbourne crime family in the 1980s.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The Acid King” Pt. 2: William Pickard

October 30, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes

After the 1988 bust of his Mountain View LSD lab, William Pickard turned to academics and convinced his colleagues he was done cooking acid. In truth, he set up a new lab in a retrofitted Cold War silo and started making LSD by the kilo — becoming the drug’s largest producer in the history of the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The Acid King” Pt. 1: William Pickard

October 23, 2020 07:01 - 49 minutes

What happens when a chemistry genius meets 1960s counterculture? After wunderkind William Pickard began taking psychedelics, he became convinced it was his duty to share his experience with the masses… and he started cooking acid.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

True Horror: Top 10 Haunted Crime Scenes

October 21, 2020 07:01 - 41 minutes

Parcast Network is spinning a web of new shows and special programming to celebrate our favorite season. Follow us into the darkest depths of history, mystery, and the human mind — starting with this episode of Crime Countdown! Hosts Ash and Alaina are ranking the top 10 haunted crime scenes, including an Irish castle with a deadly trap door and the home of a ghostly bride.  If you enjoy this episode, search Crime Countdown to find more passionate takes on top-ten rankings. Listen free on Sp...

“Whitey” Pt. 2: James Bulger

October 16, 2020 07:01 - 48 minutes

Racketeering, gun running, contract killing… For two decades, “Whitey” Bulger was the crime king of Boston. But when the walls started to close in around him in the 1990s, he fled — leading to one of the longest manhunts in FBI history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Whitey” Pt. 1: James Bulger

October 09, 2020 07:01 - 48 minutes

On the brutal streets of South Boston, James "Whitey" Bulger knew that survival meant leaving nothing off the table. After doing time for bank robbery in 1956, Whitey didn't plan on rejoining the underworld. But a bloody Irish gang war put Whitey on the path to Boston gangland supremacy. And he would do anything to hold onto that power... even ratting to the FBI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Merchant of Death” Pt. 2: Viktor Bout

October 02, 2020 07:01 - 37 minutes

By the end of the 1990s, Bout’s fingerprints were on almost every conflict in Africa. After 9/11, he saw an opportunity to capitalize on the turmoil in the Middle East—and earned another nickname: The Lord of War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solved Murders: The Story of Helen Potts

September 26, 2020 07:01 - 35 minutes

Listeners, we’re excited to bring you an episode from one of our favorite podcasts, Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries. Every Wednesday on Solved Murders, we explore the days, months, and even years leading up to the closure of a seemingly uncrackable case. This is part 1 of our episode on Helen Potts, a young girl who gets tangled up with a playboy medical student, with deadly consequences—but not for the reasons you might first suspect.  If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out p...

“Merchant of Death” Pt. 1: Viktor Bout

September 25, 2020 07:01 - 43 minutes

When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, there was a surplus of weapons and cargo planes collecting dust. One Russian government worker, Viktor Bout, saw the potential of all that discarded equipment. Within a few short years, Bout became one of the most infamous arms dealers in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Lord High Executioner” Pt. 2: Albert Anastasia

September 18, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes

During the 1930s, Albert Anastasia was the leader of Murder Inc., the mafia’s crew of contract killers. But after World War II, he shot his way to the top to become the boss of one of New York’s Five Families. Unfortunately for him, the Feds were more determined than ever to keep the notorious killer in prison for good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New! Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins

September 14, 2020 07:01 - 5 minutes

Humanity’s most daring achievements are coming together in the new Spotify Original from Parcast! Every weekday, Incredible Feats introduces you to a new story of jaw-dropping physical strength, mental focus, and bizarre behavior. Join comedian Dan Cummins as he profiles the people who turned the impossible into the incredible, breaking records and making history along the way.  Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode, and stay tuned for episodes on daredevils, ultramarathoners, per...

“Lord High Executioner” Pt. 1: Albert Anastasia

September 11, 2020 07:01 - 43 minutes

By the time he immigrated to America just after World War I, Albert Anastasia knew that if he wanted to climb the ranks of New York's underworld, he would have to get his hands dirty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Prince Prosperous” Pt. 3: Khun Sa

September 04, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes

Forced out of Thailand by his Thai benefactors and the Americans, Khun Sa retreated back to Burma. Once again, he wasted no time in rebuilding his empire and making deals with the Burmese military dictatorship. But in the early 1990s, the various Southeast Asian countries decided that they had had enough of Khun Sa, forcing him to make one final deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Prince Prosperous” Pt. 2: Khun Sa

August 28, 2020 07:01 - 36 minutes

Suddenly under arrest, Khun Sa was forced to rebuild his empire from behind prison walls in Manderlay. He solidified his position as one of the leading drug lords in the Golden Triangle with a daring escape, rebranding himself in the process as a Shan nationalist fighting for separation from Burma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Parcast Original: Medical Murders

August 26, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

We all know that medical professionals are trained to give exceptional care. But in the new Parcast Original, Medical Murders, you’ll discover a disturbing diagnosis… that not every doctor wants to extend your life. Every Wednesday, meet the men and women who used their expertise to develop sinister specialties. Host Alastair Murden examines the formative years and motives of history’s most infamous killer doctors, dissecting their medical backgrounds with expert analysis provided by practici...

“Prince Prosperous” Pt. 1: Khun Sa

August 21, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes

By the early 1950s, the teenaged Khun Sa was already a militia leader in war-torn northeast Burma (present-day Myanmar). Over the next decade, his power as a warlord only increased. When the Burmese government came to him with an offer of allyship, he set himself up to become the “Opium King” of the Golden Triangle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The Cocky Watchman” Pt. 2: Curtis Warren

August 14, 2020 07:01 - 42 minutes

In 1993, Warren handily beat a drug trafficking charge brought against him by British authorities. He spent the next three years rebuilding—and expanding—his empire, importing and exporting drugs all over the world, until Dutch authorities helped bring him down.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers!

August 11, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

Uncover the dirty dealings of history’s most badly behaved presidents in the NEW Spotify Original from Parcast, Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers. Every Tuesday through the 2020 election, Ashley shines a light on the darker side of the American presidency… From secret love affairs and all-night ragers to blackmail schemes and excessive drug use, she’ll expose the personal and professional controversies you may never knew existed.  Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode of Very ...

“The Cocky Watchman” Pt. 1: Curtis Warren

August 07, 2020 07:01 - 42 minutes

After a five-year stint in prison, Curtis Warren emerged stronger, sharper, and more connected. By 1989, he was selling cocaine and ecstasy in Liverpool, and building a network that included the biggest names in the Turkish mafia, Moroccan cartel, even the Triads…  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“El Chapo” Pt. 3: Joaquín Guzmán

July 31, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes

With the Federation dissolved, his son murdered, and law enforcement closing in, El Chapo fled to where he knew he’d be protected: the mountains of Sinaloa. When he finally decided to re-enter society, a special forces unit was ready.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“El Chapo” Pt. 2: Joaquín Guzmán

July 24, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes

From inside prison, with his partners on the outside running logistics, El Chapo turned the Sinaloa Cartel into one of the most successful drug cartels of the 1990s and 2000s. And when he made a daring escape, he only added to his growing folklore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“El Chapo” Pt. 1: Joaquín Guzmán

July 17, 2020 07:01 - 40 minutes

Before he became the most powerful drug cartel leader in the world, building tunnels to evade authorities and growing his power even from inside prison, Joaquín Guzmán Loera was a small-town marijuana farmer in Sinaloa, Mexico. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing Crime Countdown, A Parcast Original Series!

July 13, 2020 07:01 - 13 minutes

True crime fans: There’s a new Parcast original on the roster, and it’s packed with passionate opinions on the worst serial killers, creepiest cults, coldest cold cases, and all things criminal… Every Monday, co-hosts Ash and Alaina from the hit podcast Morbid rank ten true crime stories centered around a common theme—debating each case and their rankings with a hint of humor to lighten the mood. Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode of Crime Countdown! Then search Crime Countdown ...

“Sammy the Bull” Pt. 2: Salvatore Gravano

July 10, 2020 07:01 - 43 minutes

Now a made man, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano believed he was destined for success. But as the 1980s rolled around, he became disenchanted with the leadership of the Gambino crime family. And after throwing his support toward the more media-happy John Gotti, he had a crisis of faith that led him to make the ultimate betrayal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Sammy the Bull” Pt. 1: Salvatore Gravano

July 03, 2020 07:01 - 43 minutes

A fierce fighter, Salvatore Gravano proved to members of the Colombo family and the Gambino family throughout the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s that if there was ever someone fully dedicated to La Cosa Nostra, it was him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Chicago’s Finest?” Pt. 2: Richard Cain

June 26, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes

He saw himself as an enigmatic spy and went so far as to try to play both sides of the FBI and the CIA. Richard Cain’s later career in international espionage in the 1960s nearly crossed paths with Fidel Castro before once again returning to the mayhem of Chicago—and the mob.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Chicago’s Finest?” Pt. 1: Richard Cain

June 19, 2020 07:01 - 41 minutes

He was an infamous Chicago police officer and mobster in the 1950s and 60s. The mean streets of Chicago shaped a young Richard Cain during the Great Depression, and landed him on the radar of mob boss Sam Giancana.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The Aryan Brotherhood” Pt. 2: Barry Mills

June 12, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes

At the start of the 1980s, Barry Mills wanted to turn the Aryan Brotherhood into more than just a prison gang; he envisioned a nation-wide criminal syndicate that trafficked in drugs. Little did he realize that as his empire was booming, the Federal government was monitoring his every move. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing SOLVED MURDERS: TRUE CRIME MYSTERIES, A Parcast Original Series!

June 10, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

To commemorate its fourth anniversary, Parcast and the team behind Unsolved Murders are taking a closer look at what it takes to catch a killer. In the new series Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries, you'll follow the clues and uncover the missing pieces to some of history's most gripping cases. Every Wednesday, join hosts Carter and Wenndy as they explore the days, months, and even years leading up to a killer being caught. Each episode plays out like a classic murder mystery—where the fina...

“The Aryan Brotherhood” Pt. 1: Barry Mills

June 05, 2020 07:01 - 47 minutes

In the mid-1960s, as prisons throughout Southern California were in the midst of desegregation, prison gangs began to form as means for protection across racial lines. One of the gangs was the white nationalist Aryan Brotherhood. And it would go on to be co-lead by a man who very few people knew named Barry Mills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kingpins Daily: El Chapo

May 31, 2020 07:01 - 7 minutes

Today, we’re taking a look at a quote from Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The once-leader of the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, Guzmán used his crime syndicate to sell billions of dollars worth of drugs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kingpins Daily: Karen Gravano

May 30, 2020 07:01 - 7 minutes

Today’s quote comes from Karen Gravano, daughter of gangster Sammy “The Bull” Gravano. Gravano was an underboss in the Gambino crime family, helping John Gotti consolidate power in mid-1980s New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Before the Medellín Cartel” Pt. 4: Jung & Rivas

May 29, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes

Greed and ambition would end up getting the better of both George Jung and Carlos Lehder Rivas, turning them from brothers into enemies. Despite their perceived invincibility, it was this rivalry that would ultimately bring them down in 1987. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kingpins Daily: Joe Profaci

May 28, 2020 07:01 - 5 minutes

Today’s quote comes from Salvatore Profaci, an influential captain in the famous Colombo crime family, based in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kingpins Daily: Jimmy Hoffa

May 27, 2020 07:01 - 5 minutes

Today’s quote is from union organizer Jimmy Hoffa. When mafia hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran was looking for work, an associate arranged a phone call with the infamous union man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kingpins Daily: John Dillinger

May 26, 2020 07:01 - 6 minutes

Today’s quote is from notorious bank robber John Dillinger. Dillinger had no illusions of righteousness. He knew that robbing banks was not only a crime, but a very public one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kingpins Daily: Benjamin Ruggiero

May 25, 2020 07:01 - 6 minutes

Today’s quote is from Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero. Ruggiero was a notorious thug, and is thought to have murdered 26 people during his 30 years working for the New York Mafia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guests

Ashley Flowers
2 Episodes
Eliot Ness
2 Episodes