In the mesmerizing world of gangsters, bullets fly, tensions rise, and fedoras never go out of style. This week, we bring you three true-life mob stories told through the eyes of FBI G-Men and mafia dons. We’ve also compiled our Top 25 list of must-stream mob movies and series, and we shine a spotlight on Hollywood's female crime bosses and mob mistresses, each with their own potent and stylish strut.
The Lufthansa Heist
As the clock struck 3 am, six armed men infiltrated the Lufthansa cargo terminal at JFK Airport and left with $6m in untraceable bills and jewels without firing a shot. It was December 11, 1978 and they’d pulled off the largest heist in US history at the time. Martin Scorsese dramatized the heist in Goodfellas but was it really the mob? An arrest decades later sheds new light on this extraordinary tale of wiseguys, missing gems, and a trail of bodies.
In the crime-infested world of the mafia, blood intertwines with treachery to forge unbreakable alliances and secret vendettas. This week, we’ve compiled the ultimate collection of 25 top mob movies and crime series from Gangster Squad to Peaky Blinders and The Godfather. Piesano, it’s an offer you can’t refuse.
SPYGAMES is the thrilling new experience where you’ll jump, climb, throw and dodge in fun immersive challenges developed with CIA experts to stretch your physical and mental agility. Click the link below to get early access as a beta tester.
SPYGAMES is coming to SPYSCAPE in Manhattan, Summer 2023
FBI G-man Joseph Pistone left his identity behind for six years to become jewel thief Donnie Brasco (later played by Johnny Depp in the film). He forged an uneasy friendship with hitman ‘Lefty’ Ruggiero and burrowed into the world of godfathers and mafia soldiers. Pistone even went to school to learn about precious gems but nobody taught him how to deal with the $500,000 mafia bounty on his head.
To join the Cosa Nostra you need to be of Italian descent - to talk the talk, walk the walk, and know your way around a menu. That didn't stop undercover FBI agent Joaquin ‘Jack’ Garcia who spent 20 years in disguise as drug dealers, gangbangers, and baddies. With little more than his wits, a wire, and an encyclopedic knowledge of Italian food, the Cuban-American infiltrated New York's Gambino crime family.
Hollywood’s spotlight is on mafia women and mob bosses including Godfather of Harlem star Ilfenesh Hadera (Mayme Johnson) and Queen of the South's Alice Braga (Teresa Mendoza). Join SPYSCAPE as we uncover the style secrets, classic looks, and even a few fashion crimes of gangster divas and gumars (girlfriends).
Undercover FBI Special Agent Giovanni Rocco grew up playing in the backyards of New Jersey's mafia bosses, the same goodfellas that inspired HBO's hit series The Sopranos. As an adult, he worked undercover to take them down but his descent into their violent world endangered his life and his family.
