Crooks, criminals, con artists, thieves, drug runners, smugglers & more.........

Welcome to the Precious Metals Bug Forums

Welcome to the PMBug forums - a community supported watering hole for folks interested in gold, silver, precious metals, sound money, investing, market and economic news, central bank monetary policies, politics and more.

Register a free account to join the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including access to market data/charts and additional members only rooms (including one for trade/barter with the community).

en.wikipedia.org

John Kiriakou - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

From The CIA to Prison: How I Survived Behind Bars​

Aug 6, 2025
Former CIA Operative John Kiriakou recounts turning himself in to prison and navigating gangs, politics, and unexpected allies on his first day behind bars.


8:54
 

How to Make Money Selling Drugs​

Want to make millions in a $400 billion global industry? Find out why no one is winning the war on drugs in this provocative investigation, featuring interviews with Susan Sarandon, Russell Simmons, David Simon (creator of "The Wire"), and 50 Cent.


1:34:48
 

Dock Worker Stole $20 Million Cartel Cash & Vanished — True Crime Documentary​

Aug 9, 2025 #realcrime #TrueCrimePodcast #TrueCrimeStories
On July 7, 2020, under the blazing Texas sun at the Port of Houston, Miguel Alvarez — a man making just $15 an hour — pulled off one of the most daring heists in cartel history. By replacing a container loaded with cartel money with an identical decoy, he vanished into the night with enough cash to disappear forever.
💰 Discover how he planned the theft for months, evaded federal investigators, and outsmarted one of the deadliest criminal organizations on Earth. From hidden cartel money laundering operations to a high-stakes escape across international borders, this true crime documentary takes you deep inside a world few ever see — and even fewer survive.


41:42

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro – The Night at the Port of Houston
04:25 Miguel’s Life & Struggles Before the Heist
09:12 How the Cartel Moved Millions Through the Port
15:40 The $20M Container Swap
22:18 Escape Plan & International Getaway
30:55 FBI Investigation & Cartel Manhunt
41:12 Where Is Miguel Alvarez Today?
 

35 Years as a Railroad Cop: Paul Miller’s Wild Stories from the Tracks​

In this captivating full-length interview, retired Railroad Police Officer Paul Miller recounts his incredible 35-year career investigating crimes on the rails—from catching thieves hiding in the weeds to chasing suspects through train yards with no backup or gun.
Starting as a New Orleans Police Cadet in the 1970s, Paul rose to become a respected railroad special agent, patrolling yards, conducting high-stakes surveillance, and taking down criminals across Louisiana. His stories span history, crime, and law enforcement—from Pinkerton detectives to modern-day train robbers.
💬 Learn about railroad policing history, undercover operations, hobo culture, and how rail cops protect billions in freight—even military weapons
To find out more visit: https://www.therailroadpolice.com/


1:16:18
 

A Look Inside INFAMOUS Mob Social Clubs Around NEW YORK CITY​

Aug 30, 2025
There any many things that are synonymous with the Mafia over the years in America. From money, to union takeovers to infamous hits. Social clubs though are havens for mobsters and have been mainstays of the Mob since it started. Today we take a look at historical social club locations and much more from all of the 5 Families in New York City.


28:50
 

Former New York Chinatown Gangster REVEALS the Chinese Gang Underworld​

Sep 2, 2025 Sit Down with Michael Franzese
This is one of the only times I’ve ever sat down with a true insider from Chinatown’s underworld. Meet Michael Moy—once a feared Fuk-Ching enforcer, turned decorated NYPD detective.
We’re pulling back the curtain on the real, hidden world of Chinese street gangs: incense-lit blood oaths, Dai Lo kingpins, $110,000-a-week gambling dens, and the brutal betrayals and shootouts you never saw in the headlines. Mike survived it all—gunfights, RICO sweeps, and the night a friend died in his arms—before risking everything to join the other side of the law.
Why did he walk away? What did he see that changed everything? And what secrets is he about to reveal, straight from files that once stayed locked in NYPD evidence rooms?
Time stamp below the vid on youtube.


1:00:54
 

The Florida Divorcée’s Guide to Murder​

Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors inspired a triple murder and led to a major First Amendment case. Still, the book is just one chapter in the bizarre story of its author, “Rex Feral,” a 77-year-old great-grandmother wrestling with decades of guilt and living anonymously—until now.

I. Ghosts
For nearly 30 years, Gayle McCool has had a recurring dream about three people she’s never met. She is in a quiet cul-de-sac, outside a grand brick house with a picket fence encircling the yard. Yellow police tape winds through the white wooden spikes. Two grown women and a young boy stand on the sidewalk, facing her. The boy calls out her name.

McCool forces herself to look at him and says, “But I thought you couldn’t talk. You were killed by someone who read my book.”

“I can talk now,” the boy says, “and even walk.” He stands and pushes his wheelchair, smiling as it tumbles down the street.

Read it all:


archive.org

Hitman: A Technical Manual For Independent Contractors by Rex Feral : Rex Feral : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors is a book written under the pseudonym Rex Feral and was published by Paladin Press in 1983.This is the...
archive.org
 

The mafia hitman who dreamt of being a pop star​


In January of 2016, Avner Harari strolled out of a Tel Aviv prison for the umpteenth time and announced he was finally going straight. The convicted assassin, who has a smooth, bald head and mischievous eyes, had spent 40 of his 61 years behind bars and had cultivated a reputation as the Israeli mafia’s “Terminator”. Now, Harari hoped that people might forget the six mobsters that police allege he whacked, as he unveiled an unlikely career change. “I was a criminal in the past,” he admitted in a television interview. “But thank God, I’m a musician now.”Harari had spent his most recent prison term crooning songs in the Mizrahi style, a Middle-Eastern music that Israelis have adopted with the same fervour as falafel. His lilting voice was so angelic that inmates nicknamed him the Nightingale. Free from his cage after serving 37 months for firing an anti-tank missile at a rival crime boss and six years for conspiring to shoot another with a silencer, he released two tender ballads. In “A New Page” he sang: “I’m a man who pursues honesty and justice.” He hoped to perform a new album at the historic Caesarea theatre, where King Herod hosted gladiator fights 2,000 years ago, or at the modern Yad Eliyahu Arena where, more recently, Alicia Keys has performed. “I am fulfilling my dream,” he told the media.

Read the rest:

https://www.ft.com/content/a6523dd4...ft&token=5ddb458d-a47f-44e0-abf5-22123c40aadd
 

The Real Day in the Life of a Former Mob Boss​

You’ve asked me hundreds of times - what was a day in my life as a mobster compared to now? I’m finally breaking it down completely. From my recruit days reporting to Brooklyn every single day, to sitting through 13 months of trials, to running my crew and the gas scam that made millions weekly. I’ll tell you about my crazy guy Frankie G - the boat accident that nearly killed him and why he was upset he DIDN’T get indicted. How I balanced family, business, and mob life - and why I failed at it. The helicopter rides to court, the late nights in clubs, the constant meetings. Then prison changed everything. Now at 74, my priorities are God and family first. This Halloween marks 50 years since I got made. Here’s the real story of both lives.

 

The Man Who Counterfeited $250 Million And Got Away With It​

Sep 30, 2024 #counterfeiting #truecrimecommunity #moneyheist
In February 2012, an undercover cop in Canada stumbled onto what would become the most extraordinary counterfeiting case in history. The man behind it all? Frank Bourassa – a master of deception, whose journey from a small-town hustler to the world's most notorious counterfeiter stunned authorities on both sides of the border.
We're diving deep into Frank's story, exploring his rise from a troubled youth with dreams of wealth, through years in the drug trade, to the grand moment when he found his calling: printing his own money. Learn how Frank meticulously researched, planned, and executed an operation so sophisticated that it left the U.S. government reeling.
From avoiding police tailing to leveraging legal loopholes, Frank Bourassa's story is a masterclass in outsmarting the system. And, despite getting caught, you'll find out how Frank’s genius maneuvers ultimately set him free with millions still unaccounted for.
This is the incredible story of how one man outwitted the authorities and pulled off the largest one-man counterfeiting operation in history.


19:47
 
The Blue Book Burglar: High-Stakes Heists and Artistic: The Social Register was a who’s who of America’s rich and powerful—the heirs of robber barons, scions of political dynasties, and descendants of Mayflower passengers. It was also the perfect hit list for the country’s hardest-working art thief. (Atavist)
 
en.wikipedia.org

William McCoy (rum runner) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

‘The Real McCoy’​

Prohibition formally began just after the stroke of midnight on the morning of 17 January 1920, when the proscriptions of the Volstead Act became effective. By the summer of 1921, newspapers had begun to report mysterious, unlighted vessels hovering off the coast. These sightings, of course, heralded the formation of “rum row.”

Rum row consisted of several clusters of vessels anchored off population centers such as New York, Boston, and Atlantic City, New Jersey. There the vessels would wait in safety, outside U.S. waters, for contact boats from shore to run out and purchase several hundred cases of alcohol at a time. It was a great setup, with all the legal risk on the boats bringing the liquor into the United States.

More:


The Smuggler Who Made Prohibition Impossible to Enforce
 
Thanksgiving entertainment. Nothing to see, can listen in one tab, play around the forum in a different tab. Like the way radio was before tv.

My Wife Finally REVEALS The Truth About Living With A Former Mobster (Thanksgiving Special)​

Nov 27, 2025 Sit Down with Michael Franzese
Every year you hear me talk about my family, my faith, our food… but you’ve never really heard it from the one person who’s lived it all with me: my wife, Cammy. In this Thanksgiving special, I finally got her to sit down on camera and tell you what life was really like being married to a former mob boss — from the early days when she wasn’t even attracted to me, to finding out I was in the Life, to traveling the country with three kids to visit me in prison. We talk Italian vs. Mexican families, massive holiday dinners, the battles over turkey, pasta, and pumpkin pie, and why our house is all about God, family, and food. She shares the Bible verse that held our family together, exposes the goofiest things I’ve ever done, and even calls me out on my wine habits. This is the most honest look you’ll get at the real Michael Franzese, straight from the woman who knows me best.


1:00:42
 
searcher

Post in thread 'Commodities, Business & Shipping'

In the hands of the cocaine mafia - How European ports are being infiltrated | DW Documentary​


Dec 5, 2025 #documentary #dwdocumentary #dwdocs
Some dock workers are living dangerously - because they also work for the mafia. International syndicates can only locate containers with cocaine shipments and smuggle them out of ports with the help of insiders.
Some drivers, logistics specialists, and IT employees don't just work for transport companies and shipping lines, but also, secretly, for the mafia. Without the support of these local helpers, international...
 

The Truth About "Mafia on Wheels": A Hell's Angel President Speaks​

Jan 23, 2026
Michael Franzese sits down with George Christie, a former Hell's Angels leader, to compare their experiences in two of the most infamous organizations in history. They discuss the realities of "The Life," from the intense initiation rituals to the blood oaths of loyalty.
George shares the story of his own induction, describing the moment he received his patch and the "death head" stared back at him. They also tackle the big question: Is the Hell's Angels truly a criminal organization, or just a motorcycle club with criminals in it?


20:48

- Full video: • The Boss of Hells Angels | Sitdown with Ge...
 

Inside Florida's Drug Smuggling Islands​

Feb 4, 2026 #florida #everglades #smuggling
In this video, we explore the drug smuggling history of Chokoloskee, Florida, a remote island community deep within the Everglades. At one point, the islanders here smuggled much of the marijuana that came into the US from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. In 1983, Operation Everglades arrested much of the town, and by the end of the decade, 80% of the adult men in Everglades City/Chokoloskee were arrested. Kent Daniels, the son of the kingpin, gave us a behind-the-scenes look at their secretive operation.


27:12
 

How The Government's Deal With Drug Lords Fueled Addiction | While the Rest of Us Die - S2 Ep.8​

Apr 25, 2026 #VICE #WhileTheRestOfUsDie
For decades, our own government made alliances with drug lords around the world while Big Pharma’s thirst for profits led to the worst drug addiction epidemic in history.
• While The Rest Of Us Die


44:04
 

Joey Merlino Reveals The Truth About Prison, Loyalty & Life After The Mob​

Jun 9, 2026 Miss Understood With Rachel Uchitel
Joey Merlino joins Rachel Uchitel for a candid conversation about the life behind the headlines.
Federal prosecutors called him the boss of the Philadelphia crime family. He spent years behind bars, fought major federal cases, and became the subject of a Netflix documentary. But this interview goes beyond the mob narrative.
Joey discusses prison, solitary confinement, gambling addiction, loyalty, betrayal, family, and why he believes trust has been both his strength and his weakness. He also shares his perspective on second chances, hiring former inmates, and what really matters after decades of public scrutiny.
This is one of the most revealing conversations we've had on Miss Understood.


57:48
 
Kids' eye colors typically change because pigment-producing cells in the iris, called melanocytes, develop and mature. Most light eyes settle into their permanent shade between 3 and 12 months, though subtle shifts can continue up to age 3 or sometimes as late as 6 years old. [1, 2, 3]

The Timeline of Eye Color Changes
  • At Birth: Babies born with fair skin usually have blue or gray eyes because they lack pigment at birth. Darker-skinned babies generally start with dark brown eyes that may deepen over time. [1, 2]
    • 3 to 6 Months: The most dramatic changes happen during this window as the iris builds up pigment. [1]
    • 6 to 12 Months: The color usually slows down and settles into its "forever" shade, particularly for brown eyes. [1, 2]
    • 1 to 3+ Years: Green, hazel, or lighter shades can take much longer to stabilize. Parents on communities like Reddit's r/NewParents note that greens and hazels can slowly shift even past age three. [1, 2]

Why the Change Happens
  • Melanin: The final hue depends on the amount of melanin (pigment) in your child's iris. Blue eyes have the least amount, while brown eyes have the most. [1]
  • Genetics: Eye color is a complex trait determined by multiple genes. Because of this, two blue-eyed parents can have a brown-eyed child, and vice versa. You can read more about complex inheritance patterns on All About Vision. [1, 2]

When to Contact a Doctor
While slow, gradual color changes during childhood are normal, any sudden changes in a child or adult's eye color can be a sign of a medical concern. You should promptly consult a pediatrician or a pediatric ophthalmologist if you notice: [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • A change in only one eye.
  • Spots or changes in the color of the white part of the eye (sclera).
  • A new, uneven mixture of colors (like a brown section inside a blue iris) that appears suddenly. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

When did your baby's eyes start to shift color? : r/beyondthebump
The pattern I've surmised from a lot of different posts like this and my own research is that if the eyes are going to turn brown, they will do so within the fi...

Reddit

6s

Did your (or your child's) eye color change ...

Instagram·Rupa K. Wong M.D.

When did your baby’s eyes turn their “true” color? : r/NewParents
My niece's eye colour is slowly changing from blue to light brown and she is 16mo. The transition is really cool to see! Stunning-Sentence7. • 1y ago. What ende...

Reddit

When Do Babies' Eyes Change Color?
Bajic notes, “but as they get older, many will change color.” Desperate to know what color your child's eyes will be? While




The EyeDoctors Optometrists

When Do Babies' Eyes Change Color? Uncover the Answer
It could take about a year for your baby's eye color to come in, but any change in color will usually slow down when your little one is about 6 months old. In s...


Pampers

Will the Color of Your Baby's Eyes Change? - Verywell Health
When Is Eye Color Set? Permanent eye color is not set until a baby is at least 9 months old, so wait until your child's first birthday to determine what color t...


Verywell Health

When Does a Baby’s Eye Color Stop Changing? - WebMD
Research has found that most children's eyes will stop changing color when they're around 6 years old. But about 15% of people have changes in eye color all the...

WebMD


0:58

Ever Wonder Why Baby Eyes Change Color?

YouTube·Insight Vision Optometry

The Eye Problems You Need to Watch For as Your Child Grows, According to a Physician
If you notice any red flags, reach out to your child's pediatrician or a pediatric ophthalmologist.
images

faviconV2

Northern Virginia Magazine

Baby's eyes-newborn examination | Key information for parents
6. The colour of the sclera To be honest, I am more interested in checking the colour of the sclera rather than the colour of the iris. Sclera is the white part...
images

faviconV2

Paedicare
 

Rain Robbers: How Four Farmers Faked a Drought and Stole Millions in Crop Insurance​

Even on freak days when the sky pissed rain, the farms of Patrick Esch and Ed Dean Jagers remained bone-dry. Parched became payday. In one of the most madcap crop insurance scandals on record, Esch and Jagers turned moisture misery into a multi-million-dollar heist. The Colorado cowboys stole $6.5 million worth of raindrops.

The farming duo manipulated U.S. weather—literally. They plugged, tipped, covered, and destroyed federal rain gauges in Colorado and Kansas, ensuring NOAA weather stations recorded zero-level rainfall. The result? A windfall in illicit gain.

Before landing in USDA crosshairs, via a bizarre narrative more fitting for Jerry Springer, rather than Taylor Sheridan, Esch and Jagers set the fuse on a powder keg of family intrigue, truck-stop hijinks, cash bribes, snitches, whistleblowers, prison escapes, and dead bodies.

More:

 

Inside Min Jin Yang's $40M NYC Luxury Car Theft Machine​

Aug 7, 2026 #Masterminds #OrganizedCrime #TrueCrime
He moved thousands of high-end cars out of New York and vanished with $40M. Inside the chilling precision of Min Jin Yang, the ex-intelligence officer who outsmarted everyone - until he didn't.
From an EZ Pass breadcrumb trail to a Brooklyn warehouse hidden behind a dummy company, this episode reveals how a covert network beat immobilizers, GPS trackers, and even toll records. See how cars were “cooled down,” why drivers squared the block, and how shipments disguised as food slipped into containers bound for China. Hear the cryptic call that restarted everything: “I'm back. I have an order for 260.” Then watch as pole-mounted cameras, wiretaps, and one unexpected GPS ping tighten the noose while a garage key scam and a taped attendant push the crew to the edge.
How did a former Chinese Army intelligence officer turn New York into a luxury-car pipeline, and what finally cracked his operation? Watch to uncover the moves, mistakes, and meticulous counter-surveillance that defined America's most audacious auto theft ring.

Inside Min Jin Yang's $40M NYC Luxury Car Theft Machine
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom