Underworlds with Mark Shaw

About Underworlds with Mark Shaw

Welcome to Underworlds with Mark Shaw. Organized Crime is everywhere, hidden in plain sight. The stories from this world have been mythologised by Hollywood. But the reality can be even stranger and more exciting than fiction. From the golden age of the American mafia (La Cosa Nostra), to the modern-day cocaine empires, and from the shadowy links between organized crime and terrorism, to the twilight of the Yakuza. In this series Mark Shaw, the Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime delves into non-fiction books about organized crime and the illicit economy with the authors themselves. He asks questions about their background and investigations, but also the challenges associated in writing about this murky world.

Publisher

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Category

arts · history · true crime

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Sept 2024

Latest episode

6 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Jul 2026

   Money, Drugs, Horses & Los Zetas, the Most Violent Cartel in Mexico | Melissa Del Bosque

   Journalist and author Melissa Del Bosque joins host Mark Shaw on Underworlds to discuss her book Bloodlines: How the FBI Took on Mexico's Most Violent Drug Cartel — a gripping account of how Los Zetas laundered cartel money through the Quarter Horse racing industry in Texas. Melissa breaks down how a group of Mexican special forces, became bodyguards for the Gulf Cartel, before splintering off to form Los Zetas, the brutal cartel that rose to dominate Mexico's drug war through systematic terror, why the Quarter Horse industry was uniquely vulnerable to money laundering, and how the FBI's landmark 2013 trial of José Treviño pulled back the curtain on one of the most dangerous criminal organisations in North American history. Melissa is co-founder of The Border Chronicle and has been reporting on the US-Mexico border since 1998. Her book Bloodlines was published in 2017. 📖 Bloodlines by Melissa Del Bosque: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Bloodlines-by-Melissa-Del-Bosque/9781786069528 🌐 The Border Chronicle: https://www.theborderchronicle.com/ Underworlds is a podcast exploring organised crime, corruption, and illicit economies around the world, hosted by Mark Shaw. 🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with journalists, researchers, and investigators working on the frontlines of organised crime.

2. 

   1 Jun 2026

   PAGAD: Intelligence War In South Africa's New Democracy | David Africa | Underworlds with Mark Shaw

   In the early years of South Africa's democracy, a small unit of police intelligence officers was fighting a war most people didn't know was happening — and that their own government didn't want to believe was real. Mark Shaw speaks with David Africa, former ANC underground operative turned police intelligence officer, about his book Lives on the Line — an unusually candid account of the covert campaign against PAGAD (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs), a front for the militant Islamist organisation Qibla that carried out hundreds of bombings and at least 150 killings in Cape Town in the late 1990s. They also discuss what happened to the generation of capable officers who ran that operation — and the challenges faced by South Africa's crime intelligence apparatus today. Lives on the Line is available now. Subscribe for new episodes of Underworlds with Mark Shaw, where GI-TOC's Director of Research explores the global underworld of organised crime with the authors, analysts, and insiders who know it best. 🌐 GI-TOC: globalinitiative.net Chapters: 0:00 Introduction — David Africa & Lives on the Line 2:00 From ANC underground to police intelligence 6:00 What was PAGAD? 12:00 Why the threat was ignored 18:00 The ideology behind PAGAD's campaign 22:18 Building the intelligence response 29:51 Inside the operations 32:50 South Africa's policing crisis today 39:22 Closing reflections

3. 

   30 Jul 2025

   MAX SMEETS: Ransom War

   Ransomware is a growing threat in our digital world, changing how cybercrime works. In this podcast, Mark talks to Max Smeets, an academic and author, about the rise of ransomware as detailed in his book Ransom War. The book zooms in on the infamous Conti ransomware group, which disbanded in 2022, to show how these cybercriminal organizations operate. The discussion covers the clever tactics ransomware groups use—how they trick their targets but also need to build trust to get paid. It also looks at how these criminal operations have grown from small groups into well-organized businesses focused on making money. Toward the end, Mark and Max talk about what this means for cybersecurity and the global fight against ransomware. This episode gives you a clear look at one of today’s biggest digital security challenges, including cyberattacks, data breaches, and how to protect yourself online. ==================================================== Max Smeets’ book ‘Ransom War’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ransom-War-Became-National-Security/dp/191172391X An audiobook is also available here: https://amzn.eu/d/1b1PMlX ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18f9e732-a770-4e43-a109-c44c9291e581/ 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

4. 

   23 Jul 2025

   MATTHEW CAMPBELL: Dead in the Water

   The global shipping industry, vital for international trade, is a hotbed for criminal activities like maritime fraud. In this podcast episode, journalist and author Matthew Campbell, co-author of Dead in the Water, joins Mark to unravel the Brillante Virtuoso case. In 2011, this oil tanker, traveling from Crimea to China, was reportedly attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. However, the vessel’s destruction and subsequent insurance claims exposed a web of deceit. Maritime surveyor Captain David Mockett uncovered inconsistencies in the official story, threatening to reveal a larger conspiracy—ultimately leading to his tragic murder. The episode also explores the insurance industry’s complicity, raising ethical questions about accountability in handling suspicious claims. Listen to uncover the shocking truth behind this maritime fraud case. Timecodes: 0:00 – Intro 01:58.832 - The scale of fraud in the shipping industry 05:48.399 - The Greek shipping industry 08:01.076 - Complicity of shipping insurance industry 11:17.973 - Brillante Virtuoso Story 14:54.102 – The murder of Capt. David Mockett 18:06.475 - Connecting with Cynthia Mockett 20:59.461 - Richard Veale & Michael Conner: The Investigators 24:59.447 - The owner of the Brillante Virtuoso 28:17.523 - Unresolved case 29:44.903 - Building a narrative around such a complex case 35:38.745 - Collaborating with Kit Chellel 38:32.093 - What was left out 41:43.017 - Response to the book 43:26.518 - Response from Lloyds of London 44:35.353 - Next project and thoughts on books like Dead in the Water 48:15.185 - Outro ==================================================== Federico Varese's book ‘Dead in the Water’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Water-Hijacking-Maritime-Conspiracy/dp/0593329236 An audiobook is also available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Water-Murder-Secretive-Industry/dp/B0B5VMXF33/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0 ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18f9e732-a770-4e43-a109-c44c9291e581/ 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

5. 

   16 Jul 2025

   FEDERICO VARESE: Russia in Four Criminals

   Russia in Four Criminals: Exploring Russian Organized Crime with Federico Varese. Join host Mark in a riveting episode of Underworlds as he interviews renowned academic and author Federico Varese about his book, Russia in Four Criminals. With over 30 years studying global organized crime, Varese offers unparalleled insights into Russian organized crime and its evolution. Russia in Four Criminals profiles four emblematic figures across Russia’s criminal landscape, each tied to a unique decade and social group: mobster Vyacheslav Ivankov, oligarch Boris Berezovsky, incarcerated drug dealer Sergey Savelyev, and cybercriminal Nikita Kuzmin, notorious for creating the infamous Gozi virus, a malware that compromised millions of computers worldwide. Through their stories, Varese maps Russia’s seismic shifts from the Soviet era to the Putin regime, drawing on his first-hand experiences. Mark and Federico also explore the broader study of organized crime in today’s volatile world, shedding light on its global impact. Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro ==================================================== Federico Varese's book ‘Russia in Four Criminals’ is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russia-Four-Criminals-Federico-Varese/dp/1509563601 ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18f9e732-a770-4e43-a109-c44c9291e581/ 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

6. 

   9 Jul 2025

   SANNE DE BOER - Mafiopoli: Living Among the ’Ndrangheta – Italy's Most Powerful Crime Organisation

   Mafiopoli: Uncovering the ’Ndrangheta, Italy’s Most Powerful Mafia. In this episode of Underworlds, host Mark interviews Dutch journalist and author Sanne De Boer about her book, Mafiopoli: Living Among the ’Ndrangheta – Italy’s Most Powerful Crime Organisation. Based in Calabria, home to the rugged Aspromonte Mountains, De Boer reveals the ’Ndrangheta’s rise as Europe’s cocaine trade kingpin, with growing influence in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Mafiopoli exposes the mafia’s grip on business, politics, and even the Catholic Church, spotlighting the 2007 Duisburg killings that highlighted their violent reach. De Boer discusses Europe’s struggle to counter the ’Ndrangheta, alongside Calabria’s youth-led resistance. She also shares Pope Francis’s bold 2014 condemnation of the mafia as “evil” during his Calabria visit, effectively excommunicating them. Learn about De Boer’s investigative process, diving into Italian court documents while navigating personal safety risks. Listen now to explore the ’Ndrangheta’s power and Calabria’s fightback! Timecodes: 0:00 - Intro 01:53 - What does "Mafiopoli" mean? 03:24 - Encountering the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria 06:00 - The Duisburg Massacre in Germany 09:25 - Quiet growth of the 'Ndrangheta 11:53 - Background to the Duisburg Massacre 14:54 - 'Ndrangheta investments in the Netherlands and Germany 17:03 - European countries unprepared to deal with 'Ndrangheta 21:03 - Talking to Dutch Law Enforcement 23:01 - Petra Reski 25:13 - Infiltration of politics 28:54 - 'Ndrangheta excommunicated by Pope Francis 31:05 - Calabrian resilience to the mafia 33:56 - Threats and Security 36:26 - Writing Mafiopoli 42:09 - Pessimistic or optimistic about the growth of the mafia 43:57 - Next Book & Outro ==================================================== Sanne de Boer's book Mafiopoli: Living Among the ’Ndrangheta – Italy's Most Powerful Crime Organisation is available here (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mafiopoli-Living-Ndrangheta-Powerful-Organisation/dp/1800962126). Audible version (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mafiopoli-Living-Ndrangheta-Powerful-Organisation/dp/1800962126). ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw YouTube playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe). ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA) 🌎 VISIT US (https://globalinitiative.net/)! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ) 🎧The Index (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI) =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

7. 

   2 Jul 2025

   GEOFF WHITE: Rinsed: How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World's Deadliest Crooks

   Journalist Geoff White discusses his book "Rinsed" with Mark Shaw, revealing how tech platforms facilitate money laundering for cartels and cybercriminals, highlighting the tech industry's seeming indifference in this interview.

8. 

   24 Jun 2025

   CARYN DOLLEY: Man Alone: Mandela’s top cop – exposing South Africa’s ceaseless sabotage

   Journalist Caryn Dolley discusses her book about André Lincoln, Nelson Mandela's top cop, and his investigations into government corruption and organized crime in South Africa, in an interview with Mark Shaw.

9. 

   21 Jun 2025

   Season 2! Underworlds with Mark Shaw

   Host Mark Shaw previews the second season of Underworlds, highlighting investigations into global organized crime, including money laundering, mafia expansion, and ransomware's evolution.

10. 

    28 Oct 2024

    Downfall: The Prigozhin, Putin and the New Fight for the Future of Russia - Mark Galeotti

    Russia, the Wagner Group and the Fall of Yevgeny Prigozhin. In this episode, Mark sits down with Professor Mark Galeotti, to discuss his new book, co-authored with Anna Arutunyan, ‘Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and the new fight for the future of Russia’. The life of Yevgeny Prigozhin was nothing if not extraordinary. After an earlier stint in prison in Russia, he turned his hands to business, became a catering magnate, then a troll master, and finally the leader of the infamous Wagner PMC (Private Military Contractor). The actions of the Wagner Group in places like Mali, the Central African Republic and other countries in Africa led to it being designated a transnational organized criminal group by the US in early 2023, whilst it was locked in a fierce battle with Ukrainian forces in the city of Bakhmut, Ukraine. At the same time, Prigozhin was involved in a very public war of words with the Russia MoD, particularly with then Minister of Defence and close associate of President Putin, Sergei Shoigu. This spat eventually boiled over and led to Prigozhin’s ill-fated ‘March of Justice’ in 2023 which made it to the very edge of Moscow. This catastrophic decision ultimately led to his death, alongside several other members of the Wagner leadership, in a dramatic plane crash a few months later. In this episode Mark Galeotti sits down with Mark Shaw to talk about Yevgeny Prigozhin, his life and career, his turbulent relationship with certain members of the Russian elite, his posthumous reinvention as the ultimate Russian patriot, where he sits in the arc of Russian history and the future of the Wagner Group without him. ==================================================== Mark Galeotti’s book ‘Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and the new fight for the future of Russia’ is available here: https://amzn.eu/d/jiIaqS8 Audible version: https://amzn.eu/d/9Tb9MIE ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

11. 

    21 Oct 2024

    Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin American Cartels - Deborah Bonello

    What role do women play in the Latin American drug cartels? In this episode, Mark sits down with investigative journalist Deborah Bonello to discuss her book ‘Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels’. During the trial of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman in 2018-19, there was only one woman named on the indictment, Guadalupe Fernández-Valencia, the unassuming elderly woman is the highest-ranking woman known today in the Sinaloa Cartel. This peaked Deborah’s curiosity, who was the Bureau Chief for VICE Latin America at the time – why was so little known about Guadalupe? Was it unusual for a woman to rise to such a high level in the male-dominated world of organized? Deborah embarked on research into the powerful cartels of Mexico and beyond, discovering that women were not always the powerless or victims, but that they were actively involved in organized crime. They were mothers and grandmothers, but they were also running criminal empires, trafficking illicit drugs and ordering murders. Her work changes the narrative around organized crime, by understanding the agency that women have, and how to respond to it. In this episode, Mark talks to Deborah about her book ‘Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels’. ==================================================== Deborah Bonello’s book ‘Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels’ is available here: https://amzn.eu/d/8Vz8iSl Audible version: https://amzn.eu/d/8Vz8iSl ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

12. 

    14 Oct 2024

    Chasing Shadows: A True Story of the Mafia, Drugs and Terrorism - Miles Johnson

    What links the Italian mafia, the DEA, and Hezbollah? In this episode, Mark sits down with investigative journalist Miles Johnson, to discuss his book ‘Chasing Shadows: A True Story of the Mafia, Drugs and Terrorism’. Miles discovered a DEA investigation into a money laundering network in Europe, which branched out to reveal the truly global nature of organized crime, and how it intersects with the world of terrorism. Miles’ book reads like a cinematic thriller, a story about the globalization of organized crime. There are three central characters from three different institutions – the ‘Ndrangheta, the Italian mafia from Calabria; the terrorist organization, Hezbollah; and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the US. Although the characters never meet, their stories intertwine and reveal how geopolitics shapes organized crime. Before writing this book, Miles spent a number of years as a foreign correspondent in Italy, and reveals the hundreds if not thousands of documents and legal transcripts he went through to build this fascinating story. In this episode, Mark talks to Miles about his book ‘Chasing Shadows: A True Story of the Mafia, Drugs and Terrorism’ ==================================================== Miles Johnson's book ‘Chasing Shadows: A True Story of the Mafia, Drugs and Terrorism’ is available here: https://amzn.eu/d/bDUHTaa Audible version: https://amzn.eu/d/3FhI2aq ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

13. 

    7 Oct 2024

    Cocaine Cowboys: The Deadly Rise of Ireland's Drug Lords - Nicola Tallant

    How did the Kinahan organized crime group rise to the top of cocaine trafficking in Europe? In this episode, Mark sits down with investigative journalist and author Nicola Tallant to discuss her book ‘Cocaine Cowboys: The Deadly Rise of Ireland's Drug Lords’. At the end of the 90s, Ireland was booming, the ‘Celtic Tiger’ had risen. People had more money to spend on leisure activities, and on drugs. In steps a man from a comfortable middle-class background in Ireland, the well-educated and well-mannered, Christopher Kinahan Snr, who alongside his two sons Daniel Kinahan and Christopher Jnr, created the Kinahan Cartel. Along with the cocaine came money, extreme violence and assassinations. The most famous of these was the Hutch-Kinahan feud, which saw criminal groups fighting one another across Europe. Eventually, the Kinahan Cartel would join with criminal organizations from across Europe to create what Europol called the ‘European Super Cartel’, controlling the distribution of cocaine across the continent. In 2022, the Kinahan Cartel, alongside its leading members, were sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) over alleged links to a money laundering network run by Hezbollah. Nicola Tallant has been reporting and investigating organized crime in Ireland for three decades. She has written several books about the topic and has a successful podcast called ‘Crime World’. In this episode, Mark talks to Nicola about her new book ‘Cocaine Cowboys: The Deadly Rise of Ireland's Drug Lords’. ==================================================== 📖 Nicola Tallant's book ‘Cocaine Cowboys: The Deadly Rise of Ireland's Drug Lords’ is available here: https://amzn.eu/d/aoS98Lf 🎧 Audible version: https://amzn.eu/d/gYM6fdh 📺 Nicola also has a podcast called 'Crime World' and its available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC8MalTYHvpmBKt5y365hDmQ ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

14. 

    30 Sept 2024

    The Last Yakuza: A Life in the Japanese Underworld - Jake Adelstein

    Are these the twilight years of the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia? In this episode, Mark sits down with investigative journalist and author Jake Adelstein to discuss his book ‘The Last Yakuza: A Life in the Japanese Underworld’. The Yakuza have been part of the fabric of Japanese society for decades, they have inspired films and fanzines, invested in social network websites, provided humanitarian assistance, extorted people, meddled in politics, killed one another and politicians, as well as brought down governments. They are famed for their elaborate tattoos and chopping off pinkie fingers as a form of apology. We hear about the unique relationship between the Yakuza and law enforcement, where once upon a time a raid on a Yakuza office was done by appointment. But that changed after a faction of the largest group, the Yamaguchi-gumi, called Kodo-kai, challenged the authority of police, which spelled the beginning of the end of the Yakuza. Jake has been reporting on the Yakuza for decades, his first book ‘Tokyo Vice’ was adapted into an HBO series in 2022. He discusses about how to report on organized crime and how to manage relationships with Yakuza members. In this episode, Mark talks to Jake about his book ‘The Last Yakuza: A Life in the Japanese Underworld’. ==================================================== Jake Adelstein’s book ‘The Last Yakuza: A Life in the Japanese Underworld’ is available here: https://a.co/d/2k2V0MR Audible version: https://a.co/d/cKHMZZ2 ==================================================== Underworlds with Mark Shaw Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0ss7EEqXOflp3d-lZw4LfIe ==================================================== 📱 Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

15. 

    23 Sept 2024

    Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia - Louis Ferrante

    The History of the American Mafia: How the Mob Built Its Empire in the US, with Former Gambino Crime Family Associate, Louis Ferrante. In this episode, Mark sits down with former Mob associate Louis Ferrante to discuss his book, Borgata: The Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia. The history of the American Mafia, known as La Cosa Nostra or simply "The Mob," is well known. Prohibition in the United States during the Roaring Twenties saw the rise of characters who have since been mythologized in Hollywood: Charles "Lucky" Luciano and his close confidant Meyer Lansky, Al "Scarface" Capone, Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein, Dutch Schultz, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria, and Salvatore Maranzano. What makes Borgata different is that it was written by someone who lived "The Life," providing a unique perspective. Lou discusses the formation of The Commission, an underworld ruling council that controlled the Five Families of New York (now known as the Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Bonanno, and Colombo), The Outfit in Chicago, and the Philadelphia Mafia. Lou talks about the rules, the use of violence, and how the US government looked to tackle the growing power of organized crime, spearheaded by the likes of prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey. We also hear about Lou's own life in La Cosa Nostra and how he and his crew committed some of the most successful heists in US history, which ultimately landed him in prison. In prison, he began to read everything he could get his hands on, including history, philosophy, and the great classics of literature. He never turned on his former associates, but when he left prison, he also left "The Life." Now he speaks about his experiences with the Mob and has become a successful author (Unlocked: A Journey from Prison to Proust), including his new a huge three-part history of the American Mafia. In this episode, Mark and Lou discuss the first book, Borgata: The Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia. ==================================================== Louis Ferrante's book 'Borgata: The Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia' is available here: https://a.co/d/cDcxOQ2 Audible version: https://a.co/d/2VHu3Ht ==================================================== 📱 Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCP-lqJdhM-9iDKkswuVcXZA 🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/ 🎧Audio version: https://link.chtbl.com/7c27X1CM 🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS: 🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ 🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI =================================================== FOLLOW US X - @gitoc LinkedIn - @Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime IG - @gi_toc ===================================================

16. 

    16 Sept 2024

    TRAILER: Underworlds with Mark Shaw

    Welcome to Underworlds with Mark Shaw. Organized Crime is everywhere, hidden in plain sight. The stories from this world have been mythologised by Hollywood. But the reality can be even stranger and more exciting than fiction. From the golden age of the American mafia (La Cosa Nostra), to the modern-day cocaine empires, and from the shadowy links between organized crime and terrorism, to the twilight of the Yakuza. In this series Mark Shaw, the Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime delves into non-fiction books about organized crime and the illicit economy with the authors themselves. He asks questions about their background and investigations, but also the challenges associated in writing about this murky world.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

2.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 22 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

24

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51