Rudy Giuliani’s Fight Against the Mafia

Before earning the title of “America’s Mayor,” Rudy Giuliani served as a U.S. attorney targeting some of the nation’s most infamous Mafia leaders. The latest season of the Fox Nation series, dedicated to uncovering these efforts, highlights the dedication required to bring these dangerous criminals to justice.

The third season of ‘Stories of the American Mafia,’ narrated by Eric Shawn, features the episode “Rudy and the RICO Act,” which outlines Giuliani’s journey from an unknown lawyer to a formidable prosecutor of feared crime bosses. During the 1980s, soaring crime rates in Manhattan allowed the Mafia to flourish. Giuliani formulated a strategy to combat these crime syndicates.

“When you have a vacuum like that, you’re gonna have this shadow government step in,” explained Paul Mauro, a former NYPD inspector.

As the former NYC mayor and U.S. Attorney, Giuliani was key in convicting leading figures in New York’s organized crime families.

In 1985, Giuliani initiated the Mafia Commission Trial, indicting 11 individuals, including leaders of the ‘Five Families.’ Using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), charges like murder for hire, extortion, and racketeering were filed. This allowed prosecutors to target entire Mafia organizations instead of individual members, simplifying the process of holding criminals accountable.

“Previously, you had to make these cases based essentially on conspiracies,” Mauro noted. “What RICO did is change that paradigm.”

The strategy transformed how cases were built, encouraging individuals to testify against their organizations.

Louis Ferrante, formerly associated with the Gambino family, described this approach as cutting “the head off the Hydra.” He praised Giuliani’s comprehensive efforts to dismantle Mafia operations. “Not because they couldn’t replace the bosses, but they couldn’t replace the boss with the talent that they once had,” Ferrante said, arguing that this marked the decline of the Mafia’s influence.

The trial led to the indictment of notable figures like Gambino boss Paul “Big Paul” Castellano.

Additional episodes in “Stories of the American Mafia” Season 3 explore the short-lived rise of Murder, Inc., the murder of William “Billy Batts” Bentvena, and undercover operations like Joe Pistone’s takedown of the Bonanno crime family.

Giovanni Rocco, a former FBI undercover operative, joins Mauro and Ferrante, providing detailed insights throughout the season.

All five episodes are available for streaming on Fox Nation. They can be accessed on demand and via mobile apps by subscribers. Visit Fox Nation to start a free trial and explore a broad library of content.

Benji Ferraro, a recent University of Maryland graduate, is a digital production assistant focusing on channel coverage and culture stories. You can contact him at [email protected] for any story tips.