In the 18th century, it was an open secret that new corpses would often be taken from graves and used as teaching aids for medical students. Not the most pleasant thing to think about, but much of society was pretty happy to ignore the elephant in the room. But in April of 1788, something changed, and it suddenly brought a lot more attention to the cottage industry of body snatching.

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In the 1970s, one man is the face of New York City’s heroin trade: Leroy “Nicky” Barnes. After a years-long cycle of arrests, prison time, and parole, Nicky assembles a syndicate of Black dealers to challenge the Mafia’s dominance in the industry. For years, they rake in millions. But despite earning the nickname “Mr Untouchable,” Nicky’s gonna find out the hard way that nothing lasts forever.

This season on American Criminal: how a former heroin-addict built one of the most lucrative drug empires New York has ever seen. And how it all fell spectacularly apart.

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If the story of William Tweed has taught us anything, it’s that corruption in politics is nothing new. But nor is corruption the only thing that affected the course of Boss Tweed's career. We're joined by historian, lawyer, and author Kenneth Ackerman to talk about the life and legacy of William Tweed, the impact of the Orange Riots on New York City, and the way history echoes through the ages.

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December 4, 1875. Notoriously corrupt New York City politician Boss Tweed slips away from guards during a home visit.

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By the spring of 1870, William Tweed had almost complete control over New York – not just the city, but much of the state, too. And with his wealth increasing by the day, he knew that he was nigh untouchable. Money could be used to end political careers, bribe judges to look the other way, or even buy nuisance publications that wouldn’t play ball. But there were a few men who couldn’t be bought. Bill understood plenty about America’s political system, but he didn’t understand that.

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As Bill Tweed tightened his stranglehold over Tammany Hall, the Civil War broke out, throwing the country into chaos. And when the war effort asked New Yorkers to pay too high a price, they took to the streets in a deadly riot that would last for days.

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When Fernando Wood won the election to become mayor of New York City, Bill Tweed watched him closely. He observed everything his political rival did -- the way he manipulated voters, how he curried favor, and how he consolidated his own power. But he also paid careful attention to Wood's biggest mistakes, including the one that led to the infamous New York City Police Riot.

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Growing up in a New York City where pigs roamed the unpaved streets, Bill Tweed didn't have much reason to pay attention to the world of politics. But as he got older and wiser, he sized up the world, and realized that there was a surefire way to make money, and that was to win an election. And he was willing to do whatever it took to do just that. His determination would one day see him sitting atop the political machine that kept New York running. It would also mark him as one of America's most famously corrupt politicians in history.

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Eric Rudolph's horrific crimes affected a lot of people. More than 100 people were injured in his bombings, and two people lost their lives. And there was one man whose entire existence shifted on the night of the Atlanta Olympics bombing: Richard Jewell.

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In the 19th century, the great American experiment was still in its infancy. Not only was the political landscape still forming, but everyday voters didn’t have the time or means to pay attention to everything that happened in the halls of power. That left the door wide open for rampant corruption and outright theft. And no one did that like New York’s William ‘Boss’ Tweed.

In this season of American Criminal, the foundations of modern New York, the mob violence stirred up by the Civil War, and the corruption of a man who bent the city to his will.

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In 1981, game wardens Bill Pogue and Conley Elms stopped by the Nevada campsite of Claude Dallas, a self-proclaimed "mountain man" who was living off the land. Just minutes after they arrived, though, both Bill and Conley were dead by Claude's hand. So was Claude acting in self-defense? Or was he a cold-blooded killer?

Listen to all 5 episodes of 'Domestic Terror: The Hunt for Eric Rudolph' wherever you get your podcasts, or to get early, ad-free access to the entire season first, subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at ⁠⁠Americancriminal.com⁠

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