In this rare appearance from a former Central Intelligence Agency operative, Michele Rigby Assad details how she, as a young woman from small town America, went on to work in one of the world’s most misunderstood and dangerous geopolitical climates — the Middle East. Working across a handful of undisclosed locations throughout the Arab world, Rigby Assad shares the difficulties she faced while successfully infiltrating and gathering intelligence from terrorist cells known for their stern anti-western beliefs.  

About Michele Rigby Assad:

Michele Rigby Assad began her career in the government relations department of an international relief and development organization in Washington, DC, in 1995. After obtaining a master's degree in contemporary Arab studies from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service she joined the CIA in 2002 to work as an intelligence officer in the Directorate of Operations, the covert arm of the agency. Specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence issues, Rigby Assad worked in Iraq and other secret Middle Eastern locations. To date, Rigby Assad has lived in six countries in the Near East region and traveled to more than 45 others.  

Buy Michele Rigby Assad’s book Get off the X 

Produced by The Mob Museum.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

In this episode, Anthony Ruggiano Jr. details his life as son of Gambino enforcer and hitman Anthony “Fat Andy” Ruggiano. From a teen partying at the Copacabana, to his severe struggle with drug addiction and years in witness protection, this episode is an honest look at Ruggiano Jr.’s journey through a life of money, power, greed and redemption. Now decades out of the Mob life, he has found purpose through reform and sobriety.  

About Anthony Ruggiano Jr.:

Anthony Ruggiano Jr., once a proposed member of the Gambino crime family, was born into a world where violence and power were currency. Having served under Mob bosses Paul Castellano and John Gotti, Ruggiano Jr.’s descent into crime was as inevitable as his eventual reckoning. After turning his back on that life, Ruggiano Jr. has long maintained his sobriety and commitment to personal transformation. Now, 36 years clean, he shares his journey of addiction, redemption and reform. 

Produced by The Mob Museum.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

Sitting down with Giovanni and Dutch, Steve Murphy shares his journey from being a police officer in a town of fewer than 20,000 people to becoming one of the DEA agents most synonymous with the takedown of narco-terrorist and Medellín Cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar. A story best known for its depiction in Netflix’s hit series Narcos, Murphy provides intimate insights into life in Colombia during its most violent years, as he and partner Javier Peña pursued Escobar alongside the Colombian National Police. 

About Steve Murphy:

Retired DEA Special Agents Steve Murphy and partner Javier Peña were at the center of the largest, most complex, multi-national, high-profile investigation of its time. Because of their efforts, Escobar offered a $300,000 bounty for the death of each of them. After Escobar’s capture, Murphy returned to the American south first landing in Greensboro, NC where he ran an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force before moving to Washington D.C. to serve as Senior Executive Service where he oversaw the DEA’s office of Special Intelligence. Now retired, he and Peña often make guest appearances to tell their heroic story. Murphy and Peña also act as the lead investigators searching for the remains of The Lost Clipper, a Hawaiian airplane that vanished with 15 Americans on board in 1938.  

Produced by The Mob Museum.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

In this episode, retired Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agent Jay Dobyns sits down with Giovanni and Dutch to share how he went from getting shot on his fourth day on the job to successfully infiltrating the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club under the alias Jaybird Davis, the gunrunner. Having previously worked on outlaw motorcycle club cases themselves, Giovanni and Dutch share their own insights into just how violent and dangerous these organizations can be. Dobyns also talks about his other cases, including a Las Vegas bombing that was stopped by law enforcement before it could unfold, exemplifying the importance of undercover work in keeping the public safe.  

About Jay Dobyns:

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Jay Dobyns was a standout PAC 10, D-1 wide receiver turned Special Agent for the ATF in 1987 at 26 years old. He is best known for successfully infiltrating the Hells Angels. The investigation, known as Operation Black Biscuit, resulted in 52 defendants being arrested, 16 of whom were indicted on racketeering and murder charges. However, most of the serious violations were eventually dismissed and Dobyns’ personal information became public, exposing him and his family to intimidation, threats and bounties on his life.  

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

Long inspired by his father, a Harlem NYPD detective, and confronted by the 1970s heroin epidemic in New York City which affected many of his young-adult peers returning from the Vietnam War, Lew Rice found his calling with the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1974. In this episode, Rice describes his journey with the DEA, highlighting his undercover experiences and how he worked his way through the ranks to supervisory roles, all while sharing the best advice he received along the way. He also explains to Dutch and Giovanni how he came to sit down with “American Gangster” drug kingpin Frank Lucas and what he learned during that pivotal time.  

About Lew Rice:

A native of New York City, Lew Rice earned his bachelor's in criminal justice from St. John’s University, Queens, New York. Shortly after graduation, he began his 26-year career with the DEA in 1974 and served in a variety of investigative assignments in the state of New York and in Kingston, Jamaica. In 1984, he was promoted to the position of Supervisory Special Agent in Miami, Florida, where he coordinated numerous international drug investigations against violent drug cartels resulting in the seizure of millions in cash, thousands of kilograms of cocaine and heroin and the arrests and convictions of major drug traffickers. During his career with the DEA, he held additional supervisory assignments in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Detroit and New York. In 1996, he was promoted to Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC), Detroit Division covering the states of Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky and in 1997, he was again promoted to the position of SAC of the DEA office in New York, the flagship office of the DEA. In 1998, Rice was selected by President Bill Clinton to be awarded the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service of the DEA. At the time of this appointment, he was the youngest SAC in the DEA.  

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

Best known for his role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s hit series “The Sopranos,” Giovanni and Dutch welcome actor Vincent Pastore to Inside the Life. In this episode, Vincent, Giovanni and Dutch chop it up, discussing everything from Pastore’s career in the music and nightlife industry, his experience living and working around New York Mob-types, how he landed his role on “The Sopranos” to Giovanni’s infiltration of the “real Sopranos,” New Jersey’s DeCavalcante crime family. After discussing how being an informant on the series affected him, Pastore shares the bittersweet behind-the-scenes story of the season two finale “Funhouse.”

About Vincent Pastore:

Born in the Bronx and raised in New Rochelle, NY, Pastore didn’t get involved with acting until his 40s, aside from a small part in a 1968 soap opera. After meeting actors and brothers Kevin and Matt Dillon while running a nightclub in New York, they encouraged him to pursue acting. He is most famous for playing Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero in the first two seasons of “The Sopranos.”  When his character faces 30 years in prison for heroin trafficking, he becomes an FBI informant, forcing his character to “exit” the show.  Since “The Sopranos,” Pastore has played a wide variety of roles, including an appearance on “The Celebrity Apprentice” and a voice in the movie “Shark Tale.”  Pastore currently enjoys teaching acting workshops in New York City and regularly appears alongside his friends and fellow Sopranos stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa in the “In Conversations with The Sopranos” live shows. 

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

One of the DEA’s first female undercover agents, Patricia Naughton sits down with Giovanni and Dutch to talk about her experience inside the life. While bonding over the risks they were all willing to take, Naughton describes how she went from small narcotics buys as a city police officer to infiltrating outlaw motorcycle clubs and the Detroit Mafia as a woman in the 1980s. During an incredibly violent era in Detroit's history, Naughton had the unique experience of crossing paths and fostering relationships with some of the city’s most influential and powerful criminals. 

About Patricia Naughton:

Beginning her career in law enforcement as a police officer in the 1970s, Patricia Naughton graduated as Indiana's first female class president and worked undercover narcotics for both her own agency and other jurisdictions throughout the state. In 1978, she joined the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of the one percent of female agents. She began working clandestine labs and went on to become the DEA’s first female weapons instructor, training her own division as well as a guest instructor for the FBI and DEA agents at the FBI Academy at Quantico, while also acting as her own hazardous response team's weapons trainer. She later assisted in the creation of DEA's National Trauma Team, serving as one of its first members, responding to all critical incidents in the field.  

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

In a rare interview, John Gleeson, the former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, shares his experiences as a prosecutor in the government’s 1986 and 1992 cases against Gambino crime family boss John Gotti. Sitting down with co-hosts Dutch and Giovanni, Gleeson gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look into how he and the government crafted the case against Gotti and his co-defendants, why they risked indicting him after losing the first trial and how Gleeson secured his star witness, Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano.  

About John Gleeson:

John Gleeson is a practicing American attorney and former federal judge of 22 years. Prior to his judgeship, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York where he tried infamous Mafia boss John Gotti. In August of 2022, Gleeson was appointed to the United States Sentencing Commission by President Joseph R. Biden. Today, Gleeson continues to practice law in New York State.  

Buy John Gleeson’s book “The Gotti Wars” 

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

Power, money, greed and image – Sal Polisi’s firsthand experience as a Colombo associate during the Mafia’s height in 1970s New York City is a testament to the Mob’s violence and disregard for public safety. In this episode, Polisi tells host Giovanni Rocco how after years of committing crimes with the Colombo and Gambino crime families, he became disillusioned during a stint in the Lewisburg Penitentiary. Though he was never a made man, he also describes how he became one of the government's strongest prosecutorial assets as an organized crime expert witness.  

About Sal Polisi:

Salvatore “Sally Ubatz” Polisi is a former associate of the Colombo crime family. In his Mob heyday, he ran “The Sinatra Club,” a hangout spot that encouraged mobsters from different families to gather and cooperate. Among the notable people who patronized the Sinatra Club were John Gotti of the Gambino family, and Tommy DeSimone and Jimmy Burke of the Lucchese family. After flipping, Polisi provided testimony against John Gotti and other key family members.

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].

In this episode, co-hosts Dutch McAlpin and Giovanni Rocco speak with television and film creator, writer and producer Chris Brancato. As the showrunner of organized crime television dramas “Narcos” and “Godfather of Harlem,” Brancato explores the unique influence of organized crime on popular culture. In this episode, Brancato shares how he strategically combines real events with his own creative liberties to shape the alluring dichotomy of well-known crime figures, showcasing both their personal and professional lives. 

About Chris Brancato:

Chris Brancato’s career in television and film spans more than 30 years. After starting in the writers’ rooms of popular series like “Beverly Hills 90210” and “The X-Files,” Brancato found his footing in organized crime with his first film “Hoodlum.” His newest series “Hotel Cocaine” debuted on MGM+ this June. 

Produced by The Mob Museum.

Season One of Inside the Life is presented by Levy Online and Levy Production Group.

To watch episodes of this podcast, visit YouTube

For behind-the-scenes photos, merchandise and exclusive content, visit insidethelife.org

For more on the Museum visit themobmuseum.org

This program is presented by The Mob Museum and includes views and opinions of independent panelists and/or interviewees that do not necessarily reflect or represent the stance of The Mob Museum. Factual statements made by panelists/interviewees have also not been vetted by the Museum, and the Museum does not assert that such statements are truthful. All statements should be understood as the individual’s perspective rather than a view expressed by The Mob Museum.

This program has been made available by The Mob Museum for the private, non-commercial use, of its audience. Such private use is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This program is subject to copyright protection, and those seeking to utilize the program, or portions thereof, for anything other than private use should contact The Mob Museum at [email protected].