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The Big Heist

The Real Story of the Lufthansa Heist, the Mafia, and Murder

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The Big Heist

Written by: Anthony M. DeStefano
Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
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Summary

One of the biggest scores in Mafia history, the Lufthansa Airlines heist of 1978 has become the stuff of Mafia legend - and a decades-long investigation that continues to this day. Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Anthony DeStefano sheds new light on this legendary unsolved case using recent evidence from the 2015 trial of 80-year-old Mafia don Vincent Asaro, who for the first time speaks out on his role in the fateful Lufthansa heist. This blistering you-are-there account takes you behind the headlines and inside the ranks of America's infamous crime families - with never-before-told stories, late-breaking news, and bombshell revelations.

An invaluable addition to any crime library, this is the most complete, thorough, and up-to-date account of the Lufthansa heist currently available. Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony DeStefano draws from his years of experience reporting on the mob for New York Newsday - as well as his firsthand coverage of the Asaro indictment and attendance at the trial - to expose the all-too-human heart of organized crime in America. The Big Heist is thrilling, shocking, and impossible to pause.

©2017 Anthony M. DeStefano (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Crime Murder Organized Crime True Crime Mafia Exciting Robbery
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Most Relevant
..around which to describe the New York Mafia in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond. This well-written and extensively-researched documentary basically picks up where C. Alexander Hortis's 'The Mob And The City' leaves off (The Appalachia Conference). Reporter Anthony M. DeStefano presents a nicely-paced logical exposé of the Mob in NYC. This book uses the 1978 $5 Million Heist (as presented in Scorsese's 'Goodfellas') and the 2015 trial of Vincent Asaro as an excuse to generate a fascinating discussion that would make for a great college course on Organized Crime history. It nicely describes how 'Omerta' collapsed and the Mafia essentially imploded. The vocabulary/prose is creditable, the information is punctiliously accurate & captivating, and the organization is syllabus-quality.

Blackstone Audio did a great job selecting Keith Sellon-Wright to read the book, too. His performance is unspectacular but more than serviceable. To be certain, I found running playback at 1.15X was needed to yield the optimum enjoyment - but the reading is otherwise commendable.

I am grateful to Audible for offering this quality in-depth exploration for free (as a 'Plus' selection).. because it's actually worth a Credit.
If you can get it, downloading 'The Mob And The City' (also a 'Plus' option) is highly recommended - and listening to it first would improve your understanding/enjoyment of this book considerably.
Regardless, 'The Big Heist' is well-worth a listen for those - like me - that are fascinated by Cosa Nostra lore.

Lufthansa Robbery, Yes.. but mostly a Matrix

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