- [Announcer] People once
called New York "Fun City",
now the police are calling it "Fear City".
(upbeat music)
- [Narrator] In the 70s,
city of New York was owned by the mob.
- [Mobster] We were untouchable.
I didn't feel New York
was mine for the taking,
I thought we already took it.
- They had judges they put on the bench.
They controlled restaurants, the docks,
the ships, hospitals, I can go on and on.
- It was total anarchy.
You knew if you didn't pay on time,
they'd bend your leg and
stuff it in your pocket.
(lighter flares)
(flames roaring)
- [Respondent] Law enforcement
didn't have any power
to do anything.
- It was the golden era of the mob.
The FBI couldn't keep up with us.
There was no way.
(ominous music)
- The boss asked me to
come to his office, said,
"We wanna indict it all five
families at the same time."
I said, "What, are you shitting me?"
- [Respondent] We were
gonna bug the families.
- [Respondent] The Gambino family.
- [Respondent] The Genovese family.
- [Respondent] Colombo.
- [Respondent] Lucchese.
- [Respondent] Bonanno.
We were going to hear them on the tape
with our very own ears.
- [Mobster] Listen to me,
I'll sever your mother (beep) head off.
(suspenseful music)
- [Respondent] The bugs
would change everything.
- This was the biggest
organized crime case ever.
- You don't wanna screw this up.
You don't want to be the guy
who let the mob bosses off.
- [Officer] My partner
and I were listening,
I heard something unusual.
- Play it again.
Oh my God.
He was having a torrid
affair with his maid.
- It was kinda awkward.
- I had just turned 29.
We were novices with this momentous case.
- The supervisor said,
"I don't think women can
work organized crime."
He said, "You'll be the
only woman on this squad",
and I was.
Welcome to New York.
- [Respondent] You realized
the mafia controlled
the entire construction industry.
- [Mobster] There's jobs in
here like Trump 19,000,000.
- [Mobster] That's our (beep) union.
- You control the unions,
you control bankers,
you control the country.
- [Respondent] The
conspiracy was stunning.
- [Respondent] The boss.
- He had 20 something guys killed.
- [Respondent] I worked
for him and he was thrown
out a 56 floor window.
- Failure was not an option.
- We're surveilling and I
hear that word doesn't belong.
- Everything goes to
- Shit.
(suspenseful music)
- [Officer] We're onto
something big, mind boggling.
- [Respondent] I mean, it
was psychological warfare.
- [Respondent] Betray your
brothers and you pay for it
with your life.
(suspenseful music)
- [Respondent] This is
the story of New York.
- I never heard so many creative uses
of the F word in my life.
- [Mobster] You (beep) bum.
Here's to your health
and (beep) everything.
- Hey, go (beep) yourself.
- [Man] Thank you.
- You're welcome.
(upbeat music)
