Double Deal - True Stories of Criminals, Crimes and Lies
True Crime
My name is Lara Chicofsky, and my cohost is Nina Jobe. We created this podcast to shine a light on some of the lesser known characters and crimes in Boston and New England. We've spent the past two years researching the Boston crime scene primarily focusing on the 1960s. There are many podcasts and books available about organized crime in the Boston area, but ours is a bit different. I spent most of my life in my father’s world. Eavesdropping when I was a kid, listening intently when he was at the end of his life. I often took what he said with a grain of salt. He was, after all, a conman, an expert liar and an Academy Award worthy actor, but there was always a sliver of truth in his stories. RSSVERIFY
Location:
United States
Genres:
True Crime
Description:
My name is Lara Chicofsky, and my cohost is Nina Jobe. We created this podcast to shine a light on some of the lesser known characters and crimes in Boston and New England. We've spent the past two years researching the Boston crime scene primarily focusing on the 1960s. There are many podcasts and books available about organized crime in the Boston area, but ours is a bit different. I spent most of my life in my father’s world. Eavesdropping when I was a kid, listening intently when he was at the end of his life. I often took what he said with a grain of salt. He was, after all, a conman, an expert liar and an Academy Award worthy actor, but there was always a sliver of truth in his stories. RSSVERIFY
Twitter:
@doubledealpod
Language:
English
Contact:
617-830-2505
Website:
https://doubledealpodcast.com/
Episodes
Heartache Tonight - The Hit Parade of 1980
10/15/2025
Nina and Lara discuss the gangland slayings that took place in the Boston area in 1980. Sal Sperlinga, Stevie Hughes Jr., Louis Litif, Robert Lamonica and others are profiled. They also delve into the wrongful imprisonment of Fred Weichel, Whitey Bulgers involvement and Nina's obsession with beach pizza!
Duration:00:33:36
At Your Service - The Lancaster Street Garage
10/7/2025
Lara and Nina discuss the Massachusetts State Police surveillance operation of the Lancaster Street Garage in Boston that began in the summer of 1980. Their goal was to collect evidence and make a case against Whitey Bulger and the Winter Hill gang. Little did they know that two of their subjects where FBI informants who were enjoying the full protection of their handlers.
The girls tell some stories about a few of the men who frequented the garage, and the Staties' day in court some 33 years later.
00:00 Introduction
01:40The Lancaster Street Garage
05:30 Law Enforcement's Struggles with the Wiretaps
11:04 The Guests
16:43 The Long Road to Justice: Bulger's Trial
17:36 Teasers for Future Episodes
Duration:00:18:19
The Hit Parade of 1979 - Tragedy
9/16/2025
Lara and Nina delve into the homicides in Boston and the surrounding area during 1979, exploring various unsolved murders and the connections between some of the victims and organized crime. They discuss notable cases, including Joseph "Chris" D'Amelio and Anthony "Dapper" Corlito's slaying on the same street in the North End of Boston.
Duration:00:22:04
Operation Lobster
9/3/2025
Lara and Nina discuss Operation Lobster, a joint undercover FBI/Mass State Police operation targeting the Winter Hill Gang. They also delve into the background of infamous former FBI agent John Zip Connolly and his connections with notorious and illustrious figures like Whitey Bulger and Billy Bulger. And of course the truck hijacking case that resulted from the undercover work of Special Agent Nick "Doc" Gianturco.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Summer Topics
00:25 The Lobster and Loan Shark Case
00:54 John Zip Connolly's Background
02:45 Connolly's Early Career and Connections
05:22 Connolly's Transfer to Boston
06:59 Operation Lobster Begins
10:47 The Undercover Operation Details
15:02 The End of Operation Lobster
18:19 Aftermath and Convictions
Duration:00:19:49
Is it Safe to go in the Water? The Loan Sharks
8/19/2025
The girls delve into loan sharking in Massachusetts in the 1970s, focusing on key figures like Jimmy Martorano and the various legal challenges they faced. They discuss the timeline of the arrests, the run up to Operation Lobster, the ongoing legal battles and the connection of some of the men to Lara's father, Richie.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Listener Engagement
01:02 Loan Sharking in Massachusetts
05:33 The Case Against Loan Sharks
11:20 Legal Troubles and Appeals
15:05 Wrap-Up and Future Episodes
Duration:00:16:10
A Day at the Races - Howie Winter and the Boys
8/5/2025
The girls delve into the criminal activities surrounding Howie Winter in the 1970s, focusing on the pinball case and the subsequent race fixing scandal. They discuss the key players involved and the legal proceedings that followed exploring the testimonies of witnesses and the eventual verdicts.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Schedule Changes
00:45 The Pinball Case Overview
02:39 The Race Fixing Case Begins
05:39 Key Players and Investigations
08:13 The Role of Witnesses and Testimonies
11:11 The Trial and Its Developments
14:03 Chula's Cooperation and Its Consequences
16:35 The Indictments and Their Implications
18:35 Conclusion
Duration:00:28:50
The Hit Parade of 1978 - Stayin' Alive
7/24/2025
Thanks to technical difficulties and Nina being on strike in protest of said tach issues, Lara is flying solo today. She talks about the gangland slayings of 1978 in the Boston area and Rhode Island. Some of the men profiled in this episode are Joseph "Joe Onions" Scanlon, Joseph DiFronzo, Joseph Patrizzi and George Basmajian.
Duration:00:22:25
The Blackfriars Massacre
7/17/2025
Lara and Nina delve into the infamous Blackfriars Massacre that occurred in Boston in June of 1978, exploring the profiles of the victims, the details of the crime scene, the investigation that followed, and the various theories surrounding the suspects involved. The girls discuss the complexities of the case, including the connections between the victims and organized crime, as well as the aftermath of the massacre.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Blackfriars Massacre
02:56 Profiling the Victims
05:37 The Crime Scene and Investigation
11:08 Business Entanglements and Motives
14:04 The Arrests
16:50 Background of the Defendants
22:38 The Role of Informants and Testimonies
26:23 The Aftermath of the Massacre
30:00 The Investigation and Legal Proceedings
33:38 Theories and Suspects in the Case
Duration:00:37:47
The Hit Parade of 1977 - The Smugglers' Blues
7/8/2025
Nina and Lara wrap up this three part series about the men who were killed in gangland slayings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1977. The last 6 men who lost their lives were linked together not just geography and association but also by an international drug smuggling ring.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the 1977 Drug Smuggling Case
02:04 The Discovery of the Ghost Ship
04:47 The Murders of Ralph Imperatore and Billy Lavin
07:43 The String of Homicides: Gerald Christy, Ronald Leone, Rudy Baronet, and Cesar Ledda
10:18 Theories and Connections
Duration:00:14:56
The Hit Parade of 1977 - The RI Edition - Part 1
7/1/2025
The girls delve into two of the mob related homicide cases of 1977, focusing on the lives and deaths of Mike Ross and Dennis Lytwyn aka Danny Raimondi. They explore the circumstances surrounding Ross' murder, his connections to organized crime, and the man who killed him. They wrap up with Lytwyn's story, the events that leading up to his death and the outcome of his murder trial.
Duration:00:20:54
The Hit Parade of 1977 - Massachusetts
6/24/2025
Lara and Nina delve into the gangland slayings in Massachusetts in 1977, focusing on former Alcatraz inmate, Louis Arquilla, and others including Robert McFarland and Jackie DiFronzo.
Duration:00:15:51
Making Book - The Gambling Case of 1977
6/17/2025
In this episode, Lara and Nina delve into the 1977 gambling charges against several mob figures, including Larry Zannino, Abe Sarkis and Melvin Berger. They discuss the background of these individuals, the events leading up to the charges, the court proceedings, and the eventual sentencing. The conversation also touches on the life of Dominic Isabella, a figure in Boston organized crime, and how he was connected to Lara's father, Richie Chicofsky.
00:00 Introduction and Milestones
00:59 The 1977 Gambling Charges
06:08 Larry Zannino's Early Days and Indictment
10:39 Sentencing and Consequences
15:57 Dominic Isabella's Arrest and Background
Duration:00:22:11
War is a Racket - The Danvers Armory Heist of 1976
6/10/2025
In this episode Lara and Nina discuss the Danvers Armory heist of 1976, where the weapons ended up, the attacks carried out by the IRA with some of the stolen M60s, their theories and more!
Duration:00:21:55
Make It Or Break It - The Mafia Induction Ceremony of '77
6/3/2025
Much attention has been given to the Mafia induction ceremony of 1989 in Medford, Massachusetts, but few remember the ceremony that took place on October 5, 1977 in Boston. Lara and Nina discuss the men that were made that day and the testimony about the induction ceremony itself.
Links:
La "Causa" Nostra - The Hill - Part 1
Family Feud - The Hill - Part 2
Jack's Justice - Part 1 - The First Round of Arrests
Not Your Average Joe
Duration:00:30:45
No Happy Endings - From Maine to Massage Parlors
5/27/2025
Lara and Nina delve answer questions about Sonny Mercurio and Little Joe Napolitano. They introduce Joe Puzzangara, discuss informants, connections between various Mafia figures., their counterfeiting operations and the massage parlor case that was the first RICO case in Massachusetts.
Joseph Puzzangara family tree
Russell Nicholson episodes 13 and 25
Chapters
00:00 Mailbag Questions and Informants
04:03 The Story of Joe Puzzangara
09:57 Counterfeiting and Connections
15:52 The Massage Parlor Case and RICO
Duration:00:16:04
The Mafia in Maine
5/20/2025
This episode was inspired by a listener's email. Nina and Lara discuss Big Joe, Mickey and Little Joe Napolitano and their adventures in Maine including morphine, a still and a counterfeiting ring.
00:00Introduction to Organized Crime in Maine
01:55Intel Laundering: The Dark Side of Information
04:40The Napolitano Family
07:30Mickey Napolitano's Criminal Ventures
10:12Little Joe Napolitano's Counterfeiting Operations
13:09The Downfall of Little Joe Napolitano
Duration:00:24:52
Nicky Bianco - The Taxman Cometh
5/13/2025
In this episode, Lara and Nina revisit Nicky Bianco's early years including his time as a member of the Colombo Family and his return to Rhode Island, early legal troubles including income tax evasion, and his post prison career as a paralegal.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Question of the Week
02:02 Nicky D'Anco's Background and Rise
06:49 Nicky's Leadership and Legal Troubles
12:43 Nicky's Post-Prison Life and Legal Issues
Duration:00:13:16
The Hit Parade of 1976
5/6/2025
Nina and Lara delve into the mob slayings of 1976 in Massachusetts and RI. The hosts explore key figures, events, and the implications of these crimes, including the tragic story of Richie Castucci. They highlight the intertwining lives of mobsters, law enforcement, and the consequences of greed and betrayal.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
01:07 Exploring the Winter Hill Murders
05:04 The Power of the Lam
08:24 The Death of Frank "ChiChi" Cucchiara
09:33 The Murder of Patrick J. Fabiano
12:19 James F. Kearney
15:05 Inmate Violence at Walpole
20:07 The Downfall of John Eugene Rossi
25:32 The Aftermath of Rossi's Death
27:12 The Murder of Richie Castucci
30:22 The Financial Motives Behind Castucci's Death
36:21 Looking Ahead: Upcoming Trials and Stories
Duration:00:36:16
Bonded Vault - Part 4 - The After Party
4/24/2025
In this episode, Lara and Nina wrap up the Bonded Vault series, discussing the fates of various characters involved in the heist and subsequent events. They delve into the lives of Jacob Tarzian, Robert Dussault, Joe Danese, John Ouimette, Ralph Byrnes, and Charles Flynn, highlighting their criminal activities, legal troubles, and the impact of their choices.
Duration:00:18:45
Bonded Vault - Part 3 - Love, Lies & Alibis
4/22/2025
In this episode, the hosts delve into the Bonded Vault heist trial, exploring more details of the robbery, the various players involved, and the courtroom dynamics that unfolded over the course of the trial. They discuss witness testimonies, the role of organized crime, and the eventual verdicts that led to life sentences for the convicted individuals. The conversation highlights the drama and intrigue surrounding one of the largest heists in U.S. history, providing insights into the motivations and actions of those involved.
Duration:00:30:29