Description

Edward McDonald didn't just prosecute the mob; he lived the stories that inspired cinema history. As the leader of the Justice Department's Organized Crime Strike Force in Brooklyn during the 1980s, McDonald helped convict top figures from four of New York's five crime families, corrupt union officials, and members of Congress. In this episode, Terry Shepherd sits down with McDonald to discuss his new memoir, Chasing Goodfellas, written with Jake Brown.

McDonald takes us behind the headlines to reveal the real mechanics of the justice system and the extraordinary personalities behind two legendary cases. 

Episode Highlights:

• McDonald's surreal experience being cast as himself in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas after a fully ad-libbed screen test.
• The brutal reality of the mafia versus their polished Hollywood myths, including the ruthless nature of Jimmy "The Gent" Burke.
• The high-stakes investigation into the Lufthansa heist, where McDonald successfully targeted inside man Lou Werner after finding Burke's crew entirely impenetrable.
• How a casual comment from mob informant Henry Hill blew the lid off the Boston College basketball point-shaving scheme involving a player and Pittsburgh gangsters.
• The daily chaos of managing Henry Hill as a cooperating witness, including rescuing him from repeated narcotics arrests while he was in the witness protection program.

Listeners looking to dive deeper into these landmark investigations can grab a copy of the book, releasing October 13th, by visiting chasinggoodfellasbook.com.

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