The Rise and Fall of Polly Rothstein

Polly Adler worked as a madam in New York City during the 1920s. She was kicked out of her family's lingerie shop when it closed, but went to Arnold Rothstein for help. Rothstein was an underworld fixer and crime boss who invested heavily in brothels. He loaned Polly money so that she could get back on her feet by opening another brothel. After being sent home from Yano with no money, she started paying bribes to police officers into getting them to drop charges against her. Her choices were either go to jail or build up their savings until they broke.