Crooked City: Youngstown, OH By cover art

Crooked City: Youngstown, OH

By: truth.media / Sony Music Entertainment
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  • Summary

  • From Marc Smerling, the creator of Crimetown and The Jinx, welcome to CROOKED CITY. The Saturday Evening Post dubbed Youngstown, Ohio “Crimetown U.S.A.” It was a mob town. Illegal gambling was so lucrative that a mob war raged for decades, and bodies piled up. Then, Jim Traficant ran for sheriff, riding into office as the city’s steel industry fell on hard times. Traficant battles the local newspaper, then the FBI, the IRS and finally his own demons as an eight-term, twice-indicted congressman. Want the full story? Unlock all episodes of Crooked City: Youngstown, OH, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge — All Episodes. All at Once. Plus, you’ll unlock brand new stories, dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Crooked City show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen. For more seasons, search for "Crooked City" wherever you get your podcasts. A truth.media & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.
    Sony Music Entertainment
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Episodes
  • Introducing... Crooked City: Youngstown, OH

    Introducing... Crooked City: Youngstown, OH
    Nov 1 2022
    From Marc Smerling, the creator of Crimetown and The Jinx, welcome to CROOKED CITY.  The Saturday Evening Post dubbed Youngstown, Ohio “Crimetown U.S.A.” It was a mob town. Illegal gambling was so lucrative that a mob war raged for decades, and bodies piled  up. Then, Jim Traficant ran for sheriff, riding into office as the city’s steel industry fell on hard times. Traficant battles the local newspaper, then the FBI, the IRS and finally his own demons as an eight-term, twice-indicted congressman. Subscribe now to unlock all shows on The Binge - All Episodes. All at Once. A truth.media & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 mins
  • 1. Welcome to Youngstown

    1. Welcome to Youngstown
    Nov 1 2022
    In 2014, congressman Jim Traficant dies, and the city that loved him mourns. Why so much love for such a flawed man? Subscribe to The Binge to get all episodes of Crooked City: Youngstown, OH ad-free right now. Click ‘try free’ at the top of the Crooked City: Youngstown, OH show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts. A truth.media & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • Crooked City Returns - The 'Horse Queen' that Destroyed Dixon, IL

    Crooked City Returns - The 'Horse Queen' that Destroyed Dixon, IL
    Oct 2 2023
    It's the 1990's and in the world of show horses, Rita Crundwell was the name on everyone's lips. Known as "The Horse Queen," she was the proud owner of hundreds of champion quarter horses on her ranch outside the small city of Dixon, Illinois. But something wasn't adding up with Crundwell's equestrian empire. A shocking FBI investigation revealed a decades long scam that Rita was running from inside the halls of Dixon City Hall, a scam that drained the town completely dry. How did this horse-crazed criminal get away with the largest municipal embezzlement in American history? Reveal the secrets of The Horse Queen on the new season of Crooked City: Dixon IL. Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes of Crooked City: Dixon, IL right now, completely ad-free. Catch new episodes of Crooked City: Dixon, IL every week wherever you get your podcasts or subscribe to The Binge and unlock all episodes ad-free today. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Crooked City show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen. A Truth Media & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    8 mins
True Crime World Social Sciences
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Profile Image for Janie Burns

A fascinating intersection of crime, politics and industrial decline

I loved this story. Being from Pittsburgh and having worked in the steel industry I’ve observed firsthand the devastation caused by industrial decline, and the desperation that leads people to place their blind faith in corrupt saviors like Jim Traficant (and Donald Trump). But this story gives you the world from the bottom up - from the mouths of the rank and file steelworkers and mobsters to the politicians who struggle to choose between public service and self service. From Paul Gains, the county prosecutor who pledged his life to justice and honor in spite of barely escaping a murder hit, to Jim Traficant, who enriched himself while conning the people of Youngstown with a steady diet of false hope.
But the best part of the story is the reminiscences of real-life mobsters and murderers in their own words, as they talk about their crimes as nonchalantly as talking about an ordinary day at the office. It’s the audible rendering that gives this story its authenticity.

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Profile Image for leezeca

Grounds a story Born of pure drama in Reality...

I grew up with a steelworker father and grandfather a little further down the river. This helped me to understand the dynamics of our valley on over to Pittsburgh so much more than I ever thought I could care. This will w/o a doubt be the 1st podcast I introduce to my 85 yr old dad. He's a silent observer type, fascinated w/ loudmouths, and I bet he will have stories to dine out on (perhaps at Naples restaurant). I'm sending this to my brothers right now. I always wondered why so, so many people from a town made of the river seemed to die in stupid accidents on the river. He would not discuss these things with us as children.
The storytelling really helped me to understand why people still make a deferrential sign of the cross when Trafficant's name is brought up. This did him justice as man who loved his people and Youngstown. There truly was ZERO viable way for anyone to turn sheriff without getting dirty and playing dirty. The only choice was balancing the acts. Trafficant put his heart into his work and did not disappoint his voters. I witnessed his era & the news of the valley led me to believe he was 100% self-serving and oozing criminal misdeeds. I'm happy to be corrected on that matter. He talked a big game, but UNLIKE every other politico now, he fought like hell trying to bring the win home.

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