S6·E19 Frank Costello: Prime Minister of the Mob

The episode chronicles the life of Frank Costello, the influential underworld figure whose calm demeanor and political savvy earned him the title “Prime Minister of the Mob.” Rising from impoverished immigrant beginnings, Costello built a criminal empire through bootlegging, gambling, and strategic alliances within the American Mafia. The program explores his close ties to Tammany Hall, his ability to wield power without relying on violence, and his role in shaping organized crime during the mid‑20th century. Through archival footage, interviews, and historical analysis, the episode examines Costello’s clashes with rival Vito Genovese, his dramatic appearance before the Kefauver hearings, and his eventual retreat from public life. Costello emerges as a complex figure—part gangster, part statesman—whose influence reached far beyond the underworld.