Best Neal Edelstein Podcasts (2024)

1
E15 In Conclusion 1:10:08

6M ago1:10:08

1:10:08

Jerry readjusts to being on the outside and addresses accusations of crimes leveled against him. He also discusses the notorious "Hunting Photo". We end with a Q & A session. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more a…

1
E14 Incarceration 43:16

6M ago43:16

43:16

Jerry spends four years in solitary confinement at the MCC before he settles on a plea deal. He discusses his time in jail and how it shaped his new outlook on life. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your…

1
E13 Arrested 42:44

7M ago42:44

42:44

The noose is tightening on Jerry as fellow SOS members are talking to the feds. The FBI swoops in and arrests him at his home which begins a 10 year incarceration odyssey. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more abou…

1
E12 Chicago's Third Rail 34:14

7M ago34:14

34:14

Jerry and SOS members make an arrest of a gang member who is politically connected to Aldermen Ed Burke, a man at the top of Chicago's political power. Was this arrest the start of the end of SOS? Jerry believes so and in true Chicago fashion, politics, policing and power collide in a web of deceit and drama. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and …

1
E11 The Insurance Scam (Gone Wrong) 46:33

7M ago46:33

46:33

This is the beginning of the end of SOS and Jerry's career, which ignited with an investigation of a car insurance scam by a member of SOS who joined an FBI special task force. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more…

1
E10 The Strange Death of John Finnigan 35:12

7M ago35:12

35:12

Jerry is awoken in the middle of the night by a call from a cop, his younger brother John has been shot and killed. Jerry races to the scene of the crime to discover John used his girlfriend's service weapon to kill himself. Things unravel quickly from there. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3…

1
E9 Burned Out 34:12

7M ago34:12

34:12

Jerry is burned out in SOS and requests a transfer to Midway Airport where he can take a breather but where Jerry goes, crime and conflict follow. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit …

1
E8 SOS 46:38

7M ago46:38

46:38

Jerry joins Special Operations Section and details how the unit would remove drugs and illegal guns off the streets of Chicago. This roving pack of cops was a freight train already coming off the rails when Jerry joins, with a history of members being indicted for a litany of crimes. The unit was highly effective but also troubled. Follow Neal on X…

1
E7 Complainers 38:18

7M ago38:18

38:18

Jerry's success as an aggressive cop pays off for the brass of the Chicago Police Department but the complaints against him begin to pile up. Jerry details how the complaint system works and how it built a box he could not get out of. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Re…

1
E6 The Methodology 51:33

7M ago51:33

51:33

Jerry details how he would remove guns from the streets of Chicago, the methodology was not always legal but the results were undeniably effective. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

1
E5 Bill Finnigan 51:25

7M ago51:25

51:25

This chapter details the murder of Jerry's eldest brother Bill who is killed in a stabbing in a bar fight. When no charges are brought against the man who killed Bill, Jerry does his own investigation and believes the fix was in. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refract…

1
E4 The Tact Team 40:31

8M ago40:31

40:31

Jerry joins the 7th district tactical team of the Chicago Police Department where he quickly becomes seasoned in the ways of Chicago's "real police". Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis…

1
E3 7th District 40:28

8M ago40:28

40:28

Jerry requests and is subsequently assigned to the 7th District, an area of Chicago that is tantamount to a war zone in the 1980's. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad…

1
E2 The Academy 51:35

8M ago51:35

51:35

Jerry decides to take the entry exam and become a cop. His training officer is a seasoned veteran with more than 20 years on the job, and Jerry realizes very quickly how dangerous Chicago is. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Mor…

1
E1 Formative Years 37:39

8M ago37:39

37:39

Our first conversation details Jerry's youth and the influences that began his trajectory toward becoming a Chicago police officer. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad…

1
Teaser 2 - The Repercussions 2:13

8M ago2:13

2:13

The second teaser before we launch Finnigans Take, the never before told story of Chicago cop Jerry Finnigan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Neal Edelstein

1
Teaser 1 - Finnigans Take 5:26

9M ago5:26

5:26

The rise and fall of notorious Chicago cop Jerry Finnigan. Jerry has never told his story until now. Stay connected for premiere informations and news. Find Neal at X/Twitter @nealedelstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Neal Edelstein

1
Episode 17: In Conclusion 9:44

1+ y ago9:44

9:44

The final chapter and conclusion of the Bob Cooley journey. Thank you all for listening and stay connected as we will release some outtakes in the coming months. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!

1
Episode 16: The End Of Pat Marcy 45:38

1+ y ago45:38

45:38

Pat Marcy is indicted on corruption charges, his co-defendant is Aldermen Roti. Bob is the first witness to testify but things go sideways immediately. This conversation details the end of Pat Marcy and Fred Roti as well as a detailed dive into a circus ticket scheme rigged off the back of disadvantaged Chicago kids. Questions? Comments? Find Neal …

1
Episode 15: The Wire 39:37

1+ y ago39:37

39:37

Bob has to leave Chicago for good as the FBI fans across the city with subpoenas and indict a cadre of politicians and organized crime members. Also in this conversation Bob details wearing a wire on Fred Roti and how he escaped a death test that Pat Marcy attempted to snare him in. There’s also the story about how he set-up John D’Arco Jr into nea…

1
Episode 14: The Beginning Of The End 29:56

1+ y ago29:56

29:56

Growing frustrated Bob begins to build his own cases against the 1st Ward and the Chicago outfit. He wears a wire on Pat Marcy and hatches a plan to bring down Johnny D'Arco Junior by passing legislation for a bribe. There's also a sting operation that goes sideways in Wisconsin when Bob and the FBI set up some mobsters with the opportunity to rob …

1
Episode 13: The Aftermath 44:17

1+ y ago44:17

44:17

After departing the Crime Task Force office, Bob carries with him the weight of a life-altering moment. In the days that follow, the FBI unexpectedly arrives at his office, driven by a mission to validate his claims, urging him to don a wire. In a familiar pattern, the unfolding events hurtle toward a perilous conclusion, with lives hanging in the …

1
Episode 12: The Turning Point 39:07

1+ y ago39:07

39:07

At the behest of Pat Marcy Bob defends a man accused of assaulting a female cop. Bob's encounter with Marcy after the trial is the spark that sends him to visit the Organized Crime Strike Force and turn on the 1st Ward. We also touch upon gambling operations at the local horse racing tracks in the Chicagoland area. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on…

1
Episode 11: The Chinese Mob 38:50

1+ y ago38:50

38:50

Bob is introduced to members of Chinese organized crime by Chicago Alderman Fred Roti. A few members of the Ghost Shadows are pinned for a murder and need Bob's help. This begins a new chapter in Bob's life that takes him to the east coast and an underworld of Chinese mobsters stretching from Manhattan to Boston. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on T…

1
Episode 10: A Cold Case 40:10

1+ y ago40:10

40:10

There's a hit on Bob’s life for refusing to expose a witness in a trial. We also discuss the disappearance of Karen Lee Koppel. Koppel goes missing after her relationship with the head of the janitors union goes sideways, (this was a cold case but through my sources I have found out it is now an active investigation). We end this conversation as Bo…

1
Episode 9: Fixing Murder & Marcy Power 37:58

1+ y ago37:58

37:58

This conversation details the murder of Carol Jean DiPasalegne and how the 1st Ward fixed the case so her husband would walk free so the machine could steal the insurance money on a double indemnity clause. Bob also explains how Pat Marcy gained control of the 1st Ward and exerted his ruthless power. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @Ne…

1
Episode 8: Harry Aleman's Double Jeopardy? 44:43

1+ y ago44:43

44:43

We continue our conversation about the Harry Aleman murder trial and detail how Bob fixed the case. The stakes are life and death for Bob as Judge Wilson wavers about his conclusion due to threats in the papers targeting Wilson and his family. The Aleman case is unprecedented in the annals of the American legal system. Questions? Comments? Find Nea…

1
Episode 7: D'Arco, Marcy & Aleman 1:06:30

1+ y ago1:06:30

1:06:30

This conversation propels us into the inner sanctum of Chicago’s 1st Ward. A shadow government within a government that controlled the state of Illinois. Two men operate the levers of power, both of whom started as gunmen for Al Capone. One is John D’Arco Sr. who needs Bob to take his wayward son under his wing and teach him how to be a lawyer (des…

1
Episode 6: Beating Murder(s) 49:46

1+ y ago49:46

49:46

Bob takes on two high-profile murder cases and mounts the "jagoff defense" in the Joey Airdo trial. Early success catapults him on a trajectory toward becoming known as a fixer in Chicago but he's also collecting enemies inside the FBI and the Chicago Police Department. We also discuss a run-in with the notorious Tony Spilotro and a tip from a reli…

1
Episode 5: Count Dante And The Purolator Heist 1:03:34

1+ y ago1:03:34

1:03:34

A strange character named Count Dante enlists Bob for legal help. The Count is being charged with murder for an attack on an opposing dojo whose owner is siphoning his clients. Bob finds himself entangled in the Count's bizarre world which he has to break away from. After the Count's mysterious death, Bob discovers evidence that the he was involved…

1
Episode 4: Chicago’s Courts 39:20

1+ y ago39:20

39:20

The malfeasance in the Chicago courts inspires Bob to go to law school. Mob connected cop Rick Borelli introduces him to the web of illegal gambling operations that reach into the western suburbs of Chicago. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!By Neal Edelstein

1
Episode 3: Left For Dead 1:00:45

1+ y ago1:00:45

1:00:45

Bob becomes a Chicago cop and applies his street smarts to rise rapidly through the ranks. His encounters at the criminal courts inspire him to go to law school, but his world is shattered when he's left for dead after being run over by a patrol car. This is the third and final pillar of Bob's youth as the foundation is set for his journey into Chi…

1
Episode 2: The Police Test 1:07:41

1+ y ago1:07:41

1:07:41

Bob’s scholarship at Marquette ends abruptly because of his fighting and money making schemes. He moves back home and bounces between odd jobs before he takes the Chicago Police exam. Once on the force, he teams up with a cop who introduces him to the Chicago Machine. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listen…

1
Episode 1: Chicago Poor 39:43

1+ y ago39:43

39:43

How did Bob Cooley become the insider who destroyed the Chicago mob and the 1st Ward? We start at Bob’s youth on the South Side of Chicago as he details his childhood struggles and the murders of both his grandfathers. Both men were cops, one ironically killed by Al Capone's hitmen. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank…