Milwaukee Mafia

Milwaukee Mafia is a true crime podcast about Milwaukee's organized crime. Hosts Gavin Schmitt and Eric Wulterkens explore the city's notorious crime family. Listeners are likely familiar with organized crime in big cities like New York and Chicago. However, the Milwaukee Mafia held a surprising amount of influence for decades. Run for years by Frank Balistrieri, the organization is a faction of the Chicago Mafia. Today, there are few remnants of the Milwaukee Mafia. This podcast explores the history of one of America's most powerful crime families.

Gavin holds a reputation as the foremost scholar on the Milwaukee Mafia. He has authored several books on the subject and conducted extensive research. He serves as one of the city's local historians and gives presentations on its crime history. Beyond true crime, Gavin is also a student of the area's Native American tribes.

Eric, Gavin's best friend since early childhood, is not a Mafia expert. Rather, he serves as a surrogate for the listener on the show, with Gavin as his guide through history. The podcast was Eric's idea, as his expertise lies in entrepreneurship. A fan of the podcast format himself, he acts as an interviewer and cohost. The podcast comes from one of Gavin's books by the same title. He uses the allure of true crime as a way to promote historical education.

Milwaukee Mafia offers a close examination of the organization's rise and fall. Listeners hear about how Balistrieri rose to power and how he ended up in prison. The show also reveals the interesting connections between the Mafia and local history. Gavin and Eric discuss notorious businesses with ties to the crime family. They also examine the police investigations into the organization.

The Milwaukee Mafia podcast features a fascinating true crime story that doesn't get the attention it deserves. This podcast's mission is to change that. New episodes are available every other Friday.