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L to R: Exterior of The Mob Museum; Cocaine Empire Public Program.
(Photos courtesy of The Mob Museum)
THE MOB MUSEUM ANNOUNCES DECEMBER, JANUARY PROGRAMS EXPLORING DRUG SYNDICATES, NEVADA POLITICS, UNDERCOVER AGENTS, THE GAMBINO CRIME FAMILY, MORE
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LAS VEGAS (November 2024) – The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces its roster of December and January public programs and promotions, including “Cocaine Empire: The Rise and Fall of the Los Muchachos Drug Syndicate” and “From the State to the Senate: Richard Bryan’s Legacy in Nevada Politics.” More information about December and January’s lineup of compelling events and promotions follows.
Cocaine Empire: The Rise and Fall of the Los Muchachos Drug Syndicate
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 10
Time: 7 to 8 p.m. followed by a book signing.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom. To RSVP to attend, click here.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission.
Description: Willy Falcon and Sal Magluta built Los Muchachos, a major South Florida cocaine distribution network from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. At their peak, “the boys” were bringing in $100 million annually. Their underworld success was aided by dirty cops, judges and politicians. But federal authorities came after Falcon and Magluta with vengeance, sending them on the run and leaving their lives in shambles. T.J. English’s new book “The Last Kilo” is built on exclusive interviews with Falcon and his associates. Following the program, guests can enjoy a book signing with English.
Speaker: T.J. English is the author of “The Last Kilo,” his 10th book. In 1990, English published his first book “The Westies,” an account of the last of the Irish Mob in the infamous Manhattan neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen. In 2008, English hit bestseller lists with “Havana Nocturne,” his account of U.S. mobster infiltration of Havana, Cuba, in the years before the revolution swept Fidel Castro into power. “The Corporation” (2018), “Dangerous Rhythms” (2022) and “The Last Kilo” (2024) have added even more luster to English’s reputation as “our premier chronicler” of the underworld, as acclaimed novelist Richard Price called him.
Family Secrets with Frank Calabrese Jr.
Dates: Wednesdays through Sundays in December and January; special hours here
Time: Top of every hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Organized Crime Today exhibition
Cost: Free with Museum admission.
Description: Reformed mobster Frank Calabrese Jr. had only ever hoped to escape the tumultuous and violent life he had been groomed for by his own father, notorious Chicago Outfit enforcer and hitman Frank Calabrese Sr. Knowing there was only one way out of the life – to ensure his father was never back on the street – Calabrese Jr. contacted the FBI from prison where he and his father were both serving multi-year sentences. To secure the evidence the FBI needed to charge and eventually convict Sr. for life, Calabrese Jr. agreed to wear a wire in the prison yard to capture intimate conversations with his dad. To further cement his father’s fate, Jr. convinced his uncle Nick Calabrese to also testify against Frank Sr. Nick’s testimony helped the FBI solve 18 murders, including that of enforcer Anthony Spilotro, whose death was depicted in Martin Scorsese’s 1995 movie “Casino.” Calabrese Jr. now appears weekly at The Mob Museum to speak and reflect on risking it all to escape the life he never asked to be a part of. Visitors are invited to join Calabrese Jr. Wednesdays-Sundays to hear his story of family, violence, addiction, greed and ultimately redemption. Calabrese Jr.’s telling of his life story leaves audiences stunned as he exemplifies the true cost of organized crime.
From the State to the Senate: Richard Bryan’s Legacy in Nevada Politics
Date: Saturday, Jan. 11
Time: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. followed by a book signing.
Location: Inside the Oscar B. Goodman room on the third floor. To RSVP to attend, click here.
Cost: Free for Museum members or with Museum admission.
Description: Former U.S. Senator Richard Bryan, one of Nevada’s most influential leaders, will share his incredible journey, from a young state legislator to attorney general, governor and finally, U.S. senator. Experience firsthand how Bryan played a pivotal role in transforming Nevada from a quiet, sparsely populated state into a thriving powerhouse of political and economic importance in the American West. Don’t miss the chance to hear exclusive insights from a man who helped shape the state’s future — and stick around afterward for a special book signing of his new memoir “My Life in Nevada Politics.”
Masters of Deception: Infiltrating Criminal Underworlds
Date: Thursday, Jan. 16
Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m. followed by a book signing.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom. To RSVP to attend, click here.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission.
Description: Undercover agents infiltrate different criminal worlds: Mafia families, motorcycle gangs, global narco-terrorism networks. Experience heart-pounding stories as legendary undercover agents Joe Pistone (aka Donnie Brasco), Billy Queen and Edward Follis share the perilous moments when every move could have been their last. In this exclusive, wide-ranging discussion, these pioneering agents will reveal behind-the-scenes secrets, cunning tactics and psychological games they mastered to outwit the world’s most ruthless criminals — and live to tell the tale. Don’t miss your chance to meet these extraordinary agents in person and get your book signed.
The Hitman’s Son: Growing Up in the Gambino Crime Family
Date: Thursday, Jan. 30
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom. To RSVP to attend, click here.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission.
Description: The son of Gambino capo and hitman “Fat Andy” Ruggiano, Anthony Ruggiano Jr. was born into the top ranks of New York’s Mafia elite. His world revolved around Mob social clubs, illegal gambling parlors and the long shadow of boss John Gotti. Facing a long prison sentence for the murder of his brother-in-law and a battle with drug addiction, he was forced to choose between his father’s path and his own survival. Now 35 years sober, Ruggiano Jr. shares his journey from the New York underworld to a life dedicated to keeping others from following in his footsteps.
ABOUT THE MOB MUSEUM
The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, provides a world-class journey through true stories—from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines. The Mob Museum offers a provocative, contemporary look at these topics through hundreds of artifacts and immersive storylines. Numerous interactive exhibits include a Crime Lab, Firearm Training Simulator and Organized Crime Today exhibit. The Museum is also home to The Underground, a Prohibition history exhibition featuring a speakeasy and distillery. The Mob Museum has accumulated numerous accolades, including being named one of Tripadvisor’s “Top 25 U.S. Museums” and a 2024 “Travelers’ Choice” Award recipient; one of Las Vegas Weekly’s “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History” and “Best Museum” of 2021, 2023 and 2024; Vegas Magazine’s “Best Historical Museum” of 2024; one of National Geographic’s “Top 10 Things to Do in Las Vegas;” USA Today’s “Best Museum in Nevada,” 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for “Best Las Vegas Attraction” in 2021 and 2022, “Top Five Best History Museums in the United States” in 2021 and one of its “12 Can’t Miss U.S. Museum Exhibits;” named “A Must for Travelers” by The New York Times and one of “20 Places Every American Should See” by FOX News. The Museum is a two-time winner of the Mayor’s Urban Design Award for Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Museum is open daily; visit the website for admission rates and operating hours. For more information, call (702) 229-2734, visit themobmuseum.org, or download the Museum’s free mobile app.
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