Fox Nation reveals how Rudy Giuliani broke the Mafia's grip on New York
Before he was "America's Mayor," Rudy Giuliani was a U.S. attorney on the hunt for some of the nation's most notorious Mafia leaders. The newest season of the hit Fox Nation series is peeling back the curtain behind those brave efforts to bring some of the most dangerous men of the 20th century to justice.
During the third season of 'Stories of the American Mafia,' narrated by Eric Shawn, the episode "Rudy and the RICO Act" chronicles Giuliani's rise from little-known lawyer to prosecuting some of the country's most feared crime bosses. The show reveals how during the 1980s, soaring crime rates in Manhattan created a perfect breeding ground for the Mafia to tighten their grip on the city.
"When you have a vacuum like that, you're gonna have this shadow government step in," former NYPD inspector Paul Mauro explained in a new episode.
But Giuliani had a plan to fight back against the rising tide of organized crime syndicates.
Former New York City Mayor and U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani was instrumental in convicting some of the top leaders of New York's organized crime families. (Bruce Boyajian)
The former NYC mayor established the Mafia Commission Trial in 1985 and indicted 11 people, including the heads of the infamous 'Five Families.' The indictments were made using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), using charges such as murder for hire, extortion, and labor racketeering. In short, New York City prosecutors could target entire Mafia organizations rather than specific individuals, making it easier to hold criminals accountable.
"Previously, you had to make these cases based essentially on conspiracies," Mauro said. "What RICO did is change that paradigm. All you had to do is to have agreed to act on behalf of an organization, and then having done something on behalf of that organization. And what it meant was that guys would flip."
U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani and FBI Director William Webster look at chart of "The Commission" of La Cosa Nostra during a press conference. (Bettmann/Getty Images)
Former Gambino associate Louis Ferrante described Giuliani's prosecution strategy as cutting "the head off the Hydra," praising his top-down efforts to take down the Mafia groups.
"That's not going to be able to repair itself," he said. "Not because they couldn't replace the bosses, but they couldn't replace the boss with the talent that they once had. And that's what led to the beginning of the end for the Mafia. And realistically, I would argue that they've never recovered from that."
Gambino crime family boss Paul "Big Paul" Castellano was indicted in the Mafia Commission Trial. (Bettmann/Getty Images)
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In other riveting episodes of "Stories of the American Mafia" Season 3, viewers can witness the short rise and fall of Murder, Inc., the brutal murder of William "Billy Batts" Bentvena, FBI agent Joe Pistone's undercover takedown of the Bonanno crime family, and more shocking true stories of the American Mafia.
Former FBI undercover operative Giovanni Rocco joins Mauro and Ferrante throughout the season, adding in-depth analysis to these stunning but true mob stories.
All five episodes are now available for streaming exclusively on the Fox Nation platform.
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Benji Ferraro is a recent University of Maryland grad and new digital production assistant, with a focus on channel coverage and culture stories. He can be reached at benji.ferraro@fox.com for any story tips.
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