Explore the fascinating story of Ken Eto, a Japanese American who rose through the ranks of Chicago's organized crime family. Discover his involvement in gambling and the discrimination faced by Japanese Americans during World War II. Learn about Eto's arrest, cooperation with the FBI, and his later life in Atlanta. Dive into the intriguing details of Eto's life in the Chicago outfit and his ultimate betrayal.
Ken Edo's rise to power as a Japanese-American in the Chicago Outfit showcases his exceptional skill in gambling rackets.
Surviving an assassination attempt, Ken Edo's cooperation with the FBI plays a pivotal role in dismantling the Chicago Outfit's criminal operations and solving unsolved murders.
Deep dives
The Double Life of Robert Hanson
The podcast episode explores the life of FBI agent Robert Hanson, who traded classified secrets to the Kremlin during the Cold War.
The Rise of the Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, a powerful organized crime family, controlled the Chicago underworld for most of the 20th century, targeting gambling rackets in predominantly black and Latino communities.
Ken Edo: A Remarkable Ascension
Ken Edo, a Japanese-American mob associate, defied the odds by rising through the ranks of the Chicago Outfit and becoming a specialist in gambling rackets.
The Failed Hit and Ken Edo's Turn
After surviving an assassination attempt orchestrated by the Chicago Outfit, Ken Edo cooperates with the FBI and provides crucial information on the outfit's operations and unsolved murders.
Ken Eto worked for the Chicago Outfit for 30 years. He was known as the mob’s bolita expert, bringing in millions of dollars a year for them. But in 1983, they turned on him.
Dan O’Sullivan wrote about Ken Eto for Chicago Magazine and Epic Magazine - you can read his piece here.
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