Mafia Cops | The Rat | 4

In 1997, investigator William Oldham learns that imprisoned mobster Burton Kaplan once worked with two corrupt NYPD detectives. What Kaplan knows could put Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa away for life. But getting him to talk won’t be easy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Lindsay Graham?

  Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. American Scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented, but everything is based on historical research. It's the night of March 7, 1997, at the 11th Annual Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles. Celebrities and musicians stream into the venue as a crowd of photographers and reporters vies for a position.

• 0:44Lindsay Graham?

  Among them is New York Police Department Detective William Oldham. He raises a camera and takes a few shots, but it's all just for show. The person he's really interested in hasn't arrived yet. Oldham is in California on the trail of one of the country's biggest rap stars, Christopher Wallace, better known to his fans as the Notorious B.I.G. And soon enough, another limo pulls up and a heavyset young man steps out. He's dressed in a black velvet suit and sunglasses with a large gold chain dangling from his neck. Oldham raises his camera because this is his guy. The Notorious B.I.G., or Christopher Wallace, is being investigated in connection with

• 1:25Lindsay Graham?

  a gun charge back on the East Coast, and Oldham is hoping to gather intelligence on Wallace's associates, who will be at the award show with him. So while pretending to photograph the stars, Oldham zooms in on the men lurking behind Wallace. But after posing only briefly for the cameras, Wallace makes his way inside. As he disappears into the venue, Oldham's cellphone rings in his pocket. It's an investigator from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Oldham has worked with her before, but they haven't spoken in over a year, so if she's calling, Oldham figures it must be something important.

• 2:04Lindsay Graham?

  Oldham steps away from the crowd to answer the call. Hey, yeah, sorry, can you hear me? Hi, Bill. Where are you? You won't believe me, I'm in LA, the Soul Train Music Awards. Well, who knew your work was so glamorous? Yeah, I even rented a suit, but I'm guessing you didn't call to talk show business? No, when do you get back to New York? I've got something I want to run by you. I fly home tomorrow, what's going on? Well, remember that pot case we worked on last year, Burton Kaplan? That old man out in Brooklyn? Sure. Well, there's this cooperator I'm debriefing, and she was married to one of Kaplan's guys. The other day, she started talking about a couple of NYPD cops. One of them was this big guy, wrote a book about the mafia. Ah, you mean Louis Eppolito? Do you know him?

• 2:49Lindsay Graham?

  Yeah, I know him. I bet the other one's Steven Caracappa. Yeah, that's right. We worked Major Case together, what'd she say about them? Well, that they were working for Kaplan. Working for him? How? Well, she didn't know the details, but it sounded like they were close, like, really close. So I figured it might be worth a look. I mean, these were senior guys, right? Yeah, Caracappa especially, almost a legend on the force. So were you interested? Oh, hell yeah. I thought you would be. So let's talk about it when you're done working on your tan in California. Oh, it's not as glamorous as you think. I'll be back in New York soon and we'll talk then.

• 3:28Lindsay Graham?

  Detective Oldham hangs up and walks back to the scrum of photographers. Another group of celebrities climbs out of a limo and poses for the camera. But Oldham wouldn't trade places with any of them right now. If the special agent's informant is telling the truth, then Burton Kaplan could be the key to unraveling one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of the NYPD, and Oldham is gonna get him to talk.

• 3:55Speaker 01

  I'm Lauren Malloy, the host of the podcast My Mom's Murder. For 30 years, I thought my mom died of natural causes. That's what everyone told me. That's what I believed. Until one day, I got a phone call that changed everything. A woman claiming to be my mom's best friend told me my mother was murdered and that no one had ever investigated it. So I did what the detectives wouldn't, pulled the threads, knocked on doors, and confronted the contradictions. And what I found, it's worse than I imagined. Something happened to my mom. Someone killed her. And I won't stop until I find out who.

• 4:38Speaker 01

  The system may have given up on my mom, but I never will. Listen to My Mom's Murder wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all 10 episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 4:55Lindsay Graham?

  Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of American History Tellers. In our latest series, U.S. Army Lieutenant Adolphus Greeley and 24 other men embark on a scientific expedition to the Arctic in 1881. But despite achieving several triumphs of discovery, the men will soon face tragedy. Listen to American History Tellers on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 5:23Lindsay Graham?

  From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American Scandal.

• 5:47Lindsay Graham?

  For over a decade, detectives Stephen Caracappa and Louis Appolito used their positions in the New York Police Department to make themselves rich. They had begun by selling police secrets to the mafia, but within just a few years, they were working as paid assassins. By the late 1990s though, Caracappa and Epelito were both retired and living in Las Vegas, but that did not mean they were safe. Back in New York, the mafia's old code of silence was breaking down. More and more mobsters were willing to turn on their former comrades to save their own skins. That meant investigators soon had new leads on Caracappa and Epelito. But building a case still wouldn't be easy.

• 6:29Lindsay Graham?

  Much of the evidence against them was years old, and the one man who knew enough to put Caracappa and Epelito behind bars was refusing to cooperate. So to finally get to these mafia cops, prosecutors would have to find a way to make Burton Kaplan talk. This is episode 4, "The Rat." It's August 1997 in Brooklyn, New York. Detective William Oldham steps out of the elevator into the lobby of the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District. Although Oldham is technically with the NYPD, he works mostly out of this building where he can collaborate more closely with prosecutors. His friend at the DEA has promised to stop by with some new information.

• 7:13Lindsay Graham?

  After her original tip-off, Oldham has been investigating Stephen Caracappa and Louis Epelito for a few months now. He's convinced the two men are guilty, but to his frustration, the case has stalled. What evidence he's been able to find is all circumstantial. He's hoping another conversation with the DEA agent will turn up something more concrete. Oldham spots the agent across the lobby, and she's holding a large cardboard box. She tells him it's a bunch of documents from Burton Kaplan's house. They were seized when he was arrested on the marijuana charges last year. She doesn't know exactly what's in there, but hopes it might be helpful. Oldham takes the box off her hands and thanks her. He's planning to go see Kaplan in prison to see what he has to say, but the agent just

• 7:57Lindsay Graham?

  shakes her head, "That's a waste of time." Even though Kaplan is serving a 27-year sentence on drug charges, he still lives by the mafia's code of honor. He'd rather die in prison than rat out one of his own. So if Oldham wants to make his case, he's just gonna have to find another angle. The agent leaves, and Oldham takes the box up to a conference room. He locks the door behind him because he can't be too careful. He's a cop investigating other cops, and that won't make him any friends. Oldham spreads the contents of the box across the conference table. Most of it is what he expected: business records, bank accounts, invoices. But at the bottom of the box is a small, black leather address book. Oldham flips it open.

• 8:40Lindsay Graham?

  Its pages are filled with names and numbers in Kaplan's neat, cursive hand. Some entries are crossed out, others are written over. Numbers run too long or too short, and Oldham realizes that many must be written in code. He knows Kaplan once worked as a cryptographer in the Navy, and he rifles through the pages looking for a pattern. He can't figure it out right now, but he's certain that somewhere in this little book are the numbers he's after most: Steven Karakappa's and Louis Eppolito's. Because Oldham has had doubts about both men for years. Oldham first met Karakappa when he joined the Major K Squad in 1989. That squad was one of the most prestigious in the NYPD,

• 9:23Lindsay Graham?

  handling kidnappings, art thefts, major burglaries, and crimes against police officers. Karakappa was a well-respected figure in the squad. Regarded as one of the best detectives in the city, he literally wrote the police handbook on organized crime homicides. But despite Karakappa's reputation, Oldham quickly came to dislike him. There was something cold and calculating about him that Oldham couldn't quite place at the time. Makes more sense now, though, but the proof he's looking for remains tantalizingly out of reach. He compiles a list of 100 potential witnesses, including members of Burton Kaplan's family and his known associates, anyone who might be able to connect Kaplan to the cops, but no one is willing to talk.

• 10:05Lindsay Graham?

  By early 1999, Oldham is still no closer to deciphering Burton Kaplan's phone book, and he has no other way of linking Karakappa and Eppolito to the mob. But then he makes another discovery in some old files. One morning, walking through the organized crime section in the eastern district offices, he notices a stack of boxes. A label on one of them catches his eye. It reads "USV Kaplan." Oldham asks around and finds out the boxes belong to a prosecutor who's transferring to the Bronx. The files are destined to gather dust and storage somewhere, so Oldham asks the departing prosecutor if he can take them instead, and she agrees. Oldham takes the boxes back to his office, and to his surprise, among the files from

• 10:48Lindsay Graham?

  Kaplan's case, he finds a 500-page transcript of Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso's meetings with prosecutors back in 1993. Oldham spends two days going through the document, line by line. And there, buried in this testimony, Oldham finds what he's looking for. Casso, talking about a source in the NYPD, two officers who fed him confidential information. He calls them his "Crystal Balls" and names them as Steven Caracappa and Louis Eppolito. Oldham now has a crime boss, admitting he worked with the two cops. He knows Casso's testimony is uncorroborated, and no juror is going to believe the word of a hardened criminal over two officers of the law. But still, he hopes that it's enough to at least interest his supervisor in the case

• 11:33Lindsay Graham?

  and get some more resources. So he knocks on his boss's door and is welcomed in. They have a good relationship, and his supervisor is always happy to talk shop. Oldham pulls up a chair, and they trade notes on their caseloads. But when Oldham mentions Caracappa and Eppolito, his supervisor's expression hardens. He tells Oldham to change the subject. Oldham tries to push back, but his boss cuts him off. He tells Oldham that he never wants to hear about Caracappa and Eppolito again. Nothing good can come of it. Oldham can understand his chief's resistance. Because if Oldham is right, and two highly decorated NYPD detectives were working for the mafia, then senior officers let it happen on their watch. Perhaps it would be better for everyone just to leave things be.

• 12:18Lindsay Graham?

  Caracappa and Eppolito are retired after all, and whatever they did in the past, they can't do anything now. But Oldham does not abandon the case. Quietly, he keeps investigating. And for the next two years, he returns to it, again and again, between other jobs. But he still hasn't made the case when he retires from the NYPD in 2001. But in retirement, he doesn't go far. Instead of moving into the private sector like many ex-cops, Oldham takes a job as an investigator for the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. He's worked out of its building in Brooklyn for years, but now he's officially on the team. And the Eastern District has a reputation for resourcefulness and daring. That's perfect for Oldham. Moving from the major case squad,

• 13:02Lindsay Graham?

  Oldham's focus shifts from identifying suspects to helping federal prosecutors turn investigations into courtroom cases. But his new role in the violent criminal enterprise and terrorism section also gives him the freedom and resources he needs to keep pursuing Caracappa and Eppolito. And as he's no longer working for the NYPD, he can ask all the questions he likes. Oldham handpicks a small team, including men and women from the NYPD and the FBI. They all have extensive experience investigating organized crime, and most of them also have a personal connection to the case. They either work with Caracappa and Eppolito or knew their victims, and they're determined to bring the corrupt cops to justice. The team calls itself "The Condre",

• 13:46Lindsay Graham?

  a term often used for the inner circle of a mafia family. And to Oldham, that's exactly what their meetings feel like: all sharp suits and thick New York accents, information shared on a strictly need-to-know basis. Because although Caracappa and Eppolito are now retired in Las Vegas, Oldham doesn't know who they're still connected to. One leak could ruin the entire investigation. But Oldham also knows that different agencies don't always work well together. Law enforcement is almost as territorial as the mob is. There are rivalries between local offices in New York, as well as acrimony between them and the federal agencies. So Oldham tries to reassure his team that he's not interested in playing politics. He just wants the case to get to court.

• 14:28Lindsay Graham?

  Still, he has to carefully manage tensions in The Condre to keep them on the same page. But there's one thing they can all agree on: If they are finally gonna nail Caracappa and Eppolito, they'll need an informant. So they comb through the list of potential witnesses again and again. Oldham keeps returning to one name: Burton Kaplan. Everyone else says it's impossible, but Oldham believes that everyone has a weakness or a price. He just has to find Kaplan's. So Oldham starts listening to old recordings of prison phone calls, conversations between inmates close to Burton Kaplan. He's looking for something that might convince Kaplan to talk. And on one of these tapes, a friend of Kaplan lets slip that he has a grandson,

• 15:11Lindsay Graham?

  a little boy that Kaplan's daughter has adopted from Russia. Oldham knows Kaplan is a family man. Perhaps the chance to spend more time with his grandson might be enough to convince Kaplan to talk. Oldham thinks it's worth a shot. So in May 2004, he has Kaplan brought to New York from the Pennsylvania prison where he's serving his sentence. Oldham sets up a meeting at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He brings with him an investigator from the District Attorney's Office. And a few minutes before the meeting, Oldham stops by a vending machine and picks up a bag of pretzels and a can of Coke, figuring Kaplan might be hungry after his long bus ride. Then Oldham and his partner take their seats in the cramped interview room and wait.

• 15:56Lindsay Graham?

  After a few minutes, the door opens and Burke and Kaplan shuffles in. He's 71 now and squints at them through thick glasses. He reminds Oldham of a mole blinking in the sunlight after years underground. As Kaplan sits down, Oldham pushes the pretzels and Coke across the table. Kaplan opens the can. Oh, refreshments for your guests. I appreciate that. You've got manners. Kaplan opens the pretzels and starts eating, looking expectantly at the two officers across the table. Oldham smiles. Well, of course, Bert, we're friendly people, and I won't waste your time. You're not a bad guy, are you? Really, relatively speaking? A bit of pot, right? I was set up. I was running a legitimate business. Of course, but yeah, I mean, you're no Anthony Casso, is my point.

• 16:41Lindsay Graham?

  Kaplan blinks at the mention of his old friend, but he doesn't say anything. Oldham continues. What I don't get is this: Guys who committed murders get less time than you. I mean, with good behavior, when do you get out? When you're 90? That doesn't seem fair. All right. Thanks for the Coke, detectives. Kaplan starts to stand, and Oldham gets up. Hey, where are you going? You brought me all the way from Pennsylvania for this, Mr. Oldham? I've heard this pitch before. If I tell you about my friends, you can make it right. Well, it's just two of your friends we're interested in. And you know who we mean. Well, I don't want any of what you're selling. I'm no rat. Bert, the world has changed. We've got guys lining up to talk to us now. Capos, crews, everyone's doing it. Why take the fall alone? I took an oath.

• 17:26Lindsay Graham?

  And so did these two cops, protect and serve. If every cop in New York City was like them, no one could walk the streets. They're not bad guys. They just got into the wrong business. Well, they wouldn't keep quiet for you. One of them would at least. Look, I think we're done here. No offense, fellas, but even I've got better things to do. Yeah? Like visit your grandson? Kaplan's eyes flash with anger. What'd you say? I'm sure your daughter would like her son to know her grandfather. Kaplan turns to the door. Let me out, please. You can still be part of his life, Bert. Let me out. You're really gonna choose your friends and the NYPD over this? You're gonna die in jail without ever really knowing them? Is that what you want? Kaplan is silent for a long moment. She brings him up to see me sometimes.

• 18:12Lindsay Graham?

  Then Kaplan sits back down and takes a deep breath.

• 18:16Lindsay Graham?

  Can I use your pen and paper? Oldham slides a yellow legal pad across the table. And he watches as Kaplan scribbles the name and number of his lawyer on it. Thank you, Bert. Kaplan pushes the pad back to him. I'm not doing it for you.

• 18:33Lindsay Graham?

  A few moments later, Bert and Kaplan are shuffling out of the room and on his way back to Pennsylvania. William Oldham is left flabbergasted. He got to him. Kaplan is finally going to turn. And when he does, Stephen Caracappa and Louis Appolito won't stand a chance.

• 18:53Speaker 02

  Imagine you're reading Pride and Prejudice, except you're not reading it. Harris Dickinson and Marissa Abella are reading it to you on Audible. Her barbs sting you. His coldness sends a shiver up your spine. Your heart aches. Your ears burn. You yearn for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to profess their undying love for one another. You can't bear it any longer. Well, maybe a chapter longer. Performance is so good, you'll give love a second chance. Audible. Stories that speak to you. You stepped out for your morning jog, except it's not your usual morning jog. You started listening to an epic sci-fi book on Audible. Thirty chapters later, you've accidentally run a half marathon. You've lost track of how far you've run, somewhere just past the city limits.

• 19:38Speaker 02

  You can't stop. You have to find out what happens next. Then it's over. The universe seems bigger. You feel different. You feel like you have no idea where you are. Audible. Stories that speak to you.

• 20:05Lindsay Graham?

  Soon after his meeting with Detective William Oldham, prosecutors move Burton Kaplan to a county jail in rural New Jersey. A low-security facility full of petty criminals is the last place anyone would look for a high-level gangster like Kaplan, and this move is designed to keep Kaplan safe from anyone who might want to stop him from talking, because that's what he does. Over the following months, Kaplan lays bare his life of crime and his long partnership with Luis Apolito and Steven Caracappa. Kaplan explains where they met, what they were paid, and how, and he finally solves the mystery of his address book. Oldham has spent years staring at its pages, trying to figure out the code inside, but Kaplan tells him it wasn't that complicated.

• 20:47Lindsay Graham?

  He kept a record of Caracappa's number under a false name, Marco. Oldham can't quite believe that the answer has been sitting there in plain sight all along. Still, at least he knows now, Kaplan's little black book can be used in court as evidence. Piece by piece, Oldham is building his case. But across the country in Las Vegas, Eppolito and Caracappa have no idea Kaplan has turned and that Oldham is closing in. Instead, they're keeping themselves busy. Caracappa has set up a private investigation agency, and Eppolito works for him as muscle. But it isn't enough for Luis Eppolito. Thanks to his years of working for the mob, he's gotten used to a certain lifestyle.

• 21:29Lindsay Graham?

  He collects expensive knives and guns, and he likes taking friends and family out to upscale restaurants. He just can't afford to do that on what Caracappa pays him. So Eppolito looks for alternative sources of income. He still dreams of striking it rich in the movies, and he's had some luck. One of his screenplays has turned into a straight-to-video movie called Turn of Faith. Boosted by this success, Eppolito starts looking for investors for his next project. Of course, he knows from his experience on the East Coast where to find people with money. And it's not long before he's introduced to a crooked accountant named Steve Corso. The pair quickly hit it off. Eppolito invites Corso to his home to show off his collection of weapons and medals,

• 22:12Lindsay Graham?

  and he's even willing to let Corso date his daughter, provided he can come up with the money for his movie first. And soon, Corso tells Eppolito that he's found an investor. He knows someone in Florida who's interested in buying one of his scripts. Eppolito asks for $75,000 and gleefully starts imagining how he's going to spend it all. But in reality, there is no investor. Steve Corso is an informant for the FBI. Back in 2002, he was caught stealing more than $5 million from the clients of his accounting firm. He's been working for the FBI ever since. And by the time he meets Eppolito, he's already recorded over 1,000 conversations with members of the Las Vegas underworld.

• 22:53Lindsay Graham?

  And word of Corso's work and the fake movie deal soon reaches Detective William Oldham in New York. He can't believe his luck. After all these years, Appolito has all but come knocking on his door. He immediately encourages the FBI to pursue the lead. So over the following weeks, Steve Corso continues to meet with Appolito and records everything he says, from family gossip to racist rants to boasts about his writing prowess. But Oldham and the FBI hope Corso can get Appolito to admit to illegal activity on tape. Evidence of ongoing criminality will greatly improve their chances in court, so they decide to have Corso implicate Appolito and Caracappa in a drug deal.

• 23:35Lindsay Graham?

  But Corso still needs to convince Appolito that he's legit, and he's afraid Appolito is starting to get suspicious. On February 3rd, 2005, Corso meets with Appolito in his office. Appolito wants to know when he's going to get the money for his film. Corso has made a lot of promises, but Appolito's yet to see a dime. Corso explains that the investor in Florida is nervous about sending so much money by wire transfer. He's scared of attracting the attention of law enforcement. The money's coming, but it'll have to be in small increments. But what Corso is really waiting on is approval from the FBI to wire money to Appolito as part of the investigation. But he can't wait much longer. His excuses are starting to wear thin.

• 24:16Lindsay Graham?

  Thankfully, after a few more weeks, the FBI does finally wire $5,000 to Appolito. Corso says there will soon be much more where that came from, and Appolito seems reassured. Looks like he's taken the bait, and now it's time for Corso to reel him in. On February 15th, 2005, Corso meets Louis Appolito and Stephen Caracappa at Fellini's, an Italian restaurant in Las Vegas. Corso is wearing a wire, and his task is to get the two ex-cops to agree to a drug deal on tape. The walls of the restaurant are painted with frescoes of Italian cities. The waiter has seated Corso next to a bridge in Venice, and it looks as phony as Corso feels.

• 25:00Lindsay Graham?

  Corso takes a swig of wine. Yeah, there's something else I wanted to run by you both. I got four guys coming from LA, clients of mine, Hollywood kids, you know the type. Are they actors? Yeah, and they're interested in your script, actually. Are we talking famous here, or famous-famous? Corso gives Appolito a coy smile. Let's just say you'd know their names. Appolito twirls his linguine and grins at Caracappa. You hear that, Stevie? They're interested in my script. The thing is, you know how these kids are, they just want to have a good time. Well, of course, it's Vegas. Right, so you know, parties, girls, and drugs. But the thing is, I don't know anything about that stuff. Oh, come on. No, look at me, I'm a complete dweeb. I need help, Lou. Well, I'm sure my son Tony could show them around.

• 25:44Lindsay Graham?

  I don't think they want to go out, they'd rather keep it discreet. They're telling me they want ecstasy and speed for a party in their hotel room. You know anyone who could help them out? I gotta show these guys a good time. And you say they read my script? They loved it. Appolito glances at Caracappa, and it's clear he won't do anything without Caracappa say so. And after a short pause, Caracappa shrugs and takes another bite of pasta. Appolito turns back to Corso. All right, I know a guy who can help you out, I'll have Tony set something up. Then we get back to making my movie, huh?

• 26:19Lindsay Graham?

  After this meeting, Corso meets Appolito's son Anthony, who makes it clear that as Corso is a friend of his father, he'll get him whatever he wants. Corso gives him the shopping list, an ounce of meth, and eight pills of ecstasy. Anthony agrees to deliver the drugs to Corso's extravagant hotel suite, which he's rented on the FBI's dime. The whole place is bugged, of course, and the plan is for Corso to make the deal while the FBI listens from the next room. And when Anthony arrives, they quickly get down to business. Anthony puts the drugs down on a desk. Corso counts out $900 in marked bills provided by the FBI. Anthony checks the amount, pockets the money, and then he's on his way.

• 27:00Lindsay Graham?

  Investigators now have evidence tying Caracappa and Apolito directly to a drug deal. But William Oldham still wants more. Corso tries to arrange another dinner with the ex-cops, but neither of them shows up. Corso has pushed too hard, and Caracappa and Apolito are growing suspicious. Oldham and the rest of the Condre still want more evidence, but if they leave things much longer, Caracappa and Apolito might flee the country. So they decide to set the arrest for the last week of March. Other departments soon catch wind of the upcoming arrests, though. A public affairs officer from the Eastern District calls a member of the Condre. He wants to know if they can arrest Caracappa and Apolito on a Sunday, so 60 Minutes can run the story that night.

• 27:44Lindsay Graham?

  Then a reporter turns up at a member of the Condre's house, asking for an interview. Despite all Oldham's precautions, the cat is out of the bag. So they can't wait any longer. It's time to bring Caracappa and Apolito in now. On the evening of March 9, 2005, William Oldham sits in a rental car across the street from a restaurant in Las Vegas. Around the corner are three DEA vehicles. There are also more agents waiting inside the building disguised as diners. As he watches the restaurant entrance, an SUV pulls up to the curb. Apolito and Caracappa get out. They give their keys to the valet, and then walk up to the entrance. The restaurant is styled in what locals call "Mob Vegas."

• 28:26Lindsay Graham?

  Red velvet drapes, gold furnishing, and low lighting. The ex-cops fit right in. Caracappa is dressed in a pinstripe suit with a gold pocket square, and Apolito has squeezed himself into a double-breasted suit. As they make conversation with the hostess, Oldham and his team make their move. Oldham drives across the street, blocking in Apolito's SUV. Then he jumps out of his car and races toward the restaurant, as DEA agents swarm out of hiding. And soon, both suspects are under arrest, sprawled against the wall outside the restaurant. One agent pulls a semi-automatic pistol from Apolito's waistband. Oldham reaches for Caracappa's ankle, because he remembers from their time in New York that he always keeps a gun there.

• 29:09Lindsay Graham?

  Then the supervising agent reads the charges: eight counts of murder, as well as conspiracy to murder, attempted murder, obstruction of justice, kidnapping conspiracy, witness tampering, bribery, money laundering, and drug trafficking.

• 29:23Lindsay Graham?

  Apollito looks stunned, though Cara Coppa is as stone-faced as ever. Oldham watches as the two men are led away. He's been investigating them for seven years, the longest case of his career. They should have been caught a long time ago, but finally, Cara Coppa and Apollito are going to pay for their crimes.

• 29:44Speaker 03

  For decades, two legendary brands fought for the hearts of American bikers: Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. The battle looked a lot like Coke versus Pepsi or Ford versus Chevy, but tastes changed and Indian didn't adapt fast enough. The icon all but died. Then came the con men, the dreamers, a string of spectacular failures that kept Indian in the grave, until one company finally got it right. This is the story of an improbable revival and the reignition of an old rivalry. Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of the podcast Business Wars, and every season we bring you the true stories behind the companies that shape our world. Indian's new owners are going all in, but an existential crisis looms. Can Indian and Harley recruit enough younger riders to survive?

• 30:28Speaker 03

  Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 30:39Speaker 04

  I'm Gemma Whelan, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we tell the story of the original femme fatale, the spy who was Mata Hari. A famous dancer turned World War I secret agent, accused of seducing Allied officers to uncover their plans. But was she a temptress or a scapegoat for French failures? Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Was Mata Hari, early and ad-free on Audible.

• 31:20Lindsay Graham?

  With Stephen Caracappa and Luis Apolito finally in police custody, the prosecution and defense prepare to go to trial. But the case against them is far from a done deal. The sheer scale of the alleged criminality is one problem. There are more than 20,000 pages of documents associated with the case, and over 100 potential witnesses. Lawyers for the prosecution worry jurors will be overwhelmed and become lost in all the detail. In addition, most of the crimes Caracappa and Apolito are charged with are decades old. The prosecution will have to prove these crimes are part of an ongoing conspiracy, or the case could be thrown out of court, no matter how strong the evidence. And as the date of the trial approaches, there's another blow to the prosecution's case.

• 32:05Lindsay Graham?

  The defense moves to block character evidence from the trial, arguing that it will prejudice the jury against Caracappa and Apolito, and the judge agrees. The damning stories of past misconduct, recordings of Apolito's racist rants, and photos of Caracappa and Apolito rubbing shoulders with mafiosos, none of it will be allowed in court. Worried that they're setting up the case for failure, William Oldham and the prosecutors regroup. They decide to refocus their strategy on Burton Kaplan's testimony, so that now, everything hinges on what he will say on the stand. On March 13, 2006, Luis Apolito and Stephen Caracappa arrive at the Brooklyn courthouse for the first day of trial. The courtroom is packed. Apolito is surrounded by family members,

• 32:50Lindsay Graham?

  including his wife, sons, and daughters. Caracappa walks in alone, flanked only by his attorneys. And for two days, the court hears opening arguments and early testimony. Then the lead prosecutor calls his key witness. He watches as Burton Kaplan takes the stand. Kaplan's blue suit and glasses are too big for his frail body. He looks more like a harmless grandparent than a hardened criminal. The prosecutor hopes that this might play in their favor. He and his team have been training Kaplan for months. Part of Caracappa and Eppolito's defense rests on the claim that they didn't know Kaplan, so the prosecutor needs to establish that that is a lie. And while he's an experienced trial lawyer, he still can't help feeling a little apprehensive.

• 33:34Lindsay Graham?

  He knows jurors typically only pay attention to most witnesses for a few minutes before they start to tune out. So if he wants to drive a stake through the heart of Caracappa and Eppolito's defense, he needs to do it quickly.

• 33:50Lindsay Graham?

  The prosecutor rises. Now, Mr. Kaplan, can you tell me if there's anyone in the court you recognize? Kaplan scans the room, and then he points toward the defense table. Yeah, both the defendants. Did you have a business relationship with Mr. Eppolito and Mr. Caracappa? Yes. Can you please tell the jury what the nature of that business relationship was? They brought me information about wiretaps, informants, ongoing investigations, and imminent arrests. What did you do for them in exchange for that information? I paid them. Can you tell the jury, sir, at the time you had this relationship with Mr. Eppolito and Mr. Caracappa, where were they employed? The New York Police Department. Have you ever been to Mr. Caracappa's residence? Yes, I have. Where is it? Kaplan doesn't hesitate.

• 34:35Lindsay Graham?

  In Manhattan on 22nd Street. Did Mr. Caracappa have pets in that apartment? He had two cats. Did you ever meet any of Mr. Caracappa's family members? Yeah, I met his wife. And what is her name? Monica. You seem very familiar with Mr. Caracappa's life. Would you say you two were close? Finally, Kaplan looks straight across the court to Caracappa. Yeah, he was one of my closest friends.

• 35:01Lindsay Graham?

  The prosecutor allows himself a small smile. Steve and Cara Capa and Louis Eppolito claim they don't know Burton Kaplan. But Kaplan has just shown he knows intimate details about their lives. Which means Cara Capa and Eppolito must be lying. And if they're lying about their connection to Kaplan, then they might be lying about everything else too. For two days, Kaplan recounts the events that led to Cara Capa and Eppolito's arrests. Other witnesses follow. Victoria Vreeland explains how she watched a mobster search for listening devices hidden around a trailer. The garage owner Pete Franzone tells the court how he was forced to bury Israel Greenwall's body after Cara Capa and Eppolito kidnapped him. And finally, there's Betty Heidel.

• 35:43Lindsay Graham?

  She saw Cara Capa and Eppolito the day her son Jimmy vanished. For years, she believed the officers were involved in her son's murder, and now, at last, she's facing them in court. In all, the government calls 34 people to testify. They produce hundreds of crime scene photographs and play audiotapes of Cara Capa and Eppolito talking about the drug deal with Steve Corso in Las Vegas. But one man is missing from the witness lineup: the Lucchese underboss Anthony "Gas Pipe" Casso. Since Casso's plea deal fell through more than a decade ago, he's been incarcerated in a maximum-security prison. Life there is miserable. Casso is locked in his cell for 23 hours a day.

• 36:26Lindsay Graham?

  Meals are served through a slot in the door, and the black-and-white television only plays religious and anger-management programs. But when Casso heard about the case against Cara Capa and Eppolito, he saw an opportunity to improve his situation. He wrote to the Eastern District Attorney's Office and offered to testify against the pair in return for a deal. The Eastern District never replied, but Casso is still determined to have his say. So as the trial progresses, the Assistant U.S. Attorney gets a handwritten letter from Casso. In it, he confesses to the murder of Eddie Lino and insists that Eppolito and Cara Capa have been wrongly accused. He claims the detectives never supplied confidential information to the Lucchese's,

• 37:10Lindsay Graham?

  and they have no involvement in the abduction of Jimmy Heidel. Up until now, the trial has not been going well for the defense, but Casso's letter seems like it could be a lifeline. Caracappa and Epolito's lawyers arrange a phone call, and Casso quickly tells them that he and Kaplan concocted the whole story to get back at law enforcement. They pick two innocent officers at random, intending to frame them, and he promises to testify to the fact in court. After speaking with Casso, the defense immediately calls for a mistrial. They argue that Casso should have been called to the stand to give evidence, but the judge denies their motion. If the defense wanted Casso as a witness, they should have called him at the beginning of the trial.

• 37:51Lindsay Graham?

  And after the judge's decision, Casso is left denied of his moment in the sun. He stays in his maximum-security cell. Without him, there's not much the defense team can do. Epolito's lawyer presents a box of medals and awards from his time at the NYPD, along with his book Mafia Cops. Caracappa's counsel focuses on creating an alibi for one of the murders, but it's flimsy at best, and as the defense lawyers make their closing arguments, the case against their clients seems overwhelming. On April 6, 2006, after two days of deliberation, the jury returns with its verdict. Among those present in court is Detective William Oldham. He watches as Epolito comes into the room, surrounded by family.

• 38:34Lindsay Graham?

  His daughters kiss the crosses at their necks and count their rosary beads. Caracappa has only his brother beside him and stares fixedly ahead. Oldham would like to know what he's thinking, but Caracappa's expression is just as cold and inscrutable as ever. In the spectators' gallery, the victims' families wait for the verdict as well. There's Israel Greenwald's widow and his two daughters, and Jimmy Heidel's sister. They have waited 20 years to know what happened to their loved ones, and this trial has provided the answer. Now, they just hope for justice. The judge calls for silence as the 12 jurors enter the room. Oldham holds his breath. All of his work over the last seven years comes down to this moment. The judge's deputy takes out the 12-page verdict sheet.

• 39:19Lindsay Graham?

  She puts the first crime to the lead juror, and the juror responds, "proved." Oldham lets out the breath he's been holding. U.S. Marshals blocked the exits, but there are more crimes to account for. It takes almost half an hour for the full list to be read, but both defendants are found guilty on all counts. When it's over, Luis Apolito and Stephen Caracappa take off their ties and belts and empty their pockets. They hug their families for the last time before being led out by the guards. Detective William Oldham watches them go, but he doesn't feel a sense of triumph. It's the hunt that's always thrilled him the most as an investigator. Now he's got his men, it's time to move on.

• 40:03Lindsay Graham?

  Stephen Caracappa and Luis Apolito were sentenced to life in prison, plus additional terms of up to 100 years. Each was also fined more than $4 million. Both men continued to protest their innocence from behind bars, but neither would ever walk free. Caracappa died at a prison medical facility in April 2017 at the age of 75. Apolito died two years later, in April 2019. He was 71. By then, New York City had paid out millions of dollars to settle lawsuits brought by their victims' families. What started as a case against the two detectives had revealed a wider institutional failure at the NYPD, one where corruption was too often ignored or indulged.

• 40:47Lindsay Graham?

  And yet, no senior police officials were ever held accountable, and many of the issues identified in the Caracappa and Apolito case were allowed to continue. In 2024, misconduct lawsuits against the NYPD cost taxpayers more than $200 million. That same year, the city's police commissioner resigned after federal agents raided his home. And in 2025, New York's then-mayor Eric Adams was sued by four former officers who accused him of selling promotions for cash. Stephen Caracappa and Luis Apolito may be dead and buried, but police corruption lives on.

• 41:27Lindsay Graham?

  From Audible Originals, this is episode four of Mafia Cops for American Scandal. In our next episode, I'm joined by criminologist Professor J. Almane to discuss how the mafia has evolved since the days of Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito, and the new threats posed by modern corruption and international organized crime.

• 41:51Lindsay Graham?

  American Scandal is only possible because of listeners like you, so thank you. And don't miss an episode. Be sure to follow American Scandal on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. And Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. And to find out more about me, including my other podcasts, my live show, the history tours I'm arranging, and all sorts of other things, go to historyishuman.com. That's historyishuman.com.

• 42:24Lindsay Graham?

  If you'd like to learn more about the mafia cops, we recommend the books The Brotherhoods by Guy Lawson and William Oldham, and Mob Cops by Greg B. Smith. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham, for Airship. This episode is written and researched by Lauren Sudworth, senior producer Andy Beckerman, managing producer Emily Burke, fact-checking by Alyssa Jung Perry, audio editing by Mohamed Shazi, original music by Thrum, sound design by Gabriel Gould. Executive producer for Airship is William Simpson. Executive producer for Audible is Jenny Lauer Beckman.

• 43:07Lindsay Graham?

  Head of creative development at Audible, Kate Nevin. Head of Audible Originals North America, Marshall Louis. Chief content officer, Rachel Giatze. Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC. Sound recording copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC.

• 43:29Lindsay Graham?

  By 1779, Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington's most effective commanders, he had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men, so he decided to make them pay. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in U.S. history: presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British. With the help of his wife,

• 44:10Lindsay Graham?

  he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress to the enemy and doom the revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible on the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.