Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Investigating America's Most Notorious Strip Club

The FBI, The Gold Club, and the Mafia

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

"Fans of true crime will praise this in-depth account of a notorious organized-crime case." - Library Journal, Starred Review

"Sewell sheds new light on a high-profile case in this exciting and superbly told history." -Booklist

Retired FBI Special Agent Mark Sewell was a rookie in 1997 when he was assigned to investigate mafia associate Steve Kaplan and his enormously successful Atlanta strip club; the largest single money maker for the Gambino Crime Family. Accompanied by a small team of investigators, the hand-picked unit followed a money trail, that wound up implicating a Gambino Captain, police officers, strippers, and many of the most recognized professional athletes in America. The subsequent 2001 trial was covered nationally by the leading media outlets, from television newscasts to late night talk shows and nationally published magazines pushing new, sensational headlines daily. Sewell was at the center of the storm that dominated media headlines in the summer of 2001 and provides a never-before seen inside view of the FBI's most successful financial win against an organized crime family in the agency's history.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Booklist

      May 1, 2024
      When Sewell joined the FBI in 1997, he didn't know that his assignment to the Atlanta field office would be a baptism by fire. He was partnered with a senior agent on his first job, which involved an infamous gentleman's club called the Gold Club. Then the highest-grossing strip club in the U.S., the club was owned by Steve Kaplan, reputed to have ties to the Gambino crime family, and frequented by well-known athletes and celebrities. Ultimately, rumors of prostitution and credit card fraud drew Bureau scrutiny to the venue. An investigation formally began in 1996 and culminated in an orchestrated raid on the Gold Club and other areas in March 1999. But the investigation's conclusion was only the beginning, as a media frenzy ensued, and Kaplan and others were brought to trial. Sewell sheds new light on a high-profile case in this exciting and superbly told history. His insider status puts readers alongside agents working to topple an organized crime fiefdom through enigmatic paper trails, shady informants, and covert surveillance without tipping their hands to their targets.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from July 26, 2024

      Retired FBI agent Sewell guides readers through the investigation of Atlanta's Gold Club, an ultra-successful strip club that was found to be a significant source of income--with annual revenues of as much as $20 million--for the Gambino organized-crime family. The book shows how entrepreneur and mafia associate Steve Kaplan bought the club in 1994 and built it into an establishment that attracted numerous professional athletes and other celebrities. In 1996, the FBI started investigating the Gold Club for allegations of prostitution, credit card fraud, obstruction of justice, extortion, money-laundering, bribing police, and paying protection money to the New York-based Gambino family. Sewell, a rookie FBI agent at the time, was assigned to the case in 1997 and eventually became the lead investigator due to his ability to cultivate informants. His book is divided into two parts. The first fascinating section follows the FBI's methodical approach to investigating the Gold Club, including its use of surveillance, search warrants, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Part Two uses trial transcripts and media coverage to bolster Sewell's acerbic commentary on the fate of the Gold Club. Two Gold Club-associated defendants were acquitted, but Kaplan eventually pled guilty to racketeering, paid a multimillion-dollar fine, and closed the club. VERDICT Fans of true crime will praise this in-depth account of a notorious organized-crime case.--Harry Charles

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading