For most people, an Instagram shout out from the #1 movie star on the planet to his nearly quarter billion person following would be the highlight of their life; but to a former enforcer for the Gambino Crime Family constantly looking over his shoulder, it’s just the only highlight of his morning. Enter “Tarzan” Fainberg — the magnanimous NY mobster turned Miami strip club owner…turned Creator of successful children’s animation? Why not. After all, one can only take so much death & destruction before turning over a new leaf…which is exactly what Tarzan did. Perhaps that’s what doing time for attempting to broker the sale of a Russian nuclear submarine to a Colombian drug cartel might do to you, too — and impersonating Pablo Escobar in the process (WHILE Escobar was still alive.) Chutzpah? Tarzan lathers in it.
If Tarzan’s life story was being shopped as a Hollywood movie, the pitch would be “Wolf of Wall Street” meets “Blow” (in that order). Star of the sensational Showtime documentary “Operation Odessa” (now on Netflix), it lays bare an origin story so outlandish & wild, others could only dream of having — and The Rock couldn’t help but share.
Finally brought to justice, Tarzan was simultaneously arrested by the FBI, DEA, Secret Service, Homeland Security, and Bureau of Alcohol & Tobacco — all at once. Another mere mortal would have been staring down the barrel of multiple life sentences yet somehow…today Tarzan is free as a bird. Could it be because after 18 miserable months inside, this little bird started singing to reduce his time? Tune in as Tarzan unflinchingly answers the tough question head on: did this former mafia enforcer break the most sacred of oaths, and cooperate with law enforcement as a “rat”? Or could it be he cunningly hatched a plan to be a “stool pigeon”, ultimately springing them both free in the process?
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