The Mafia and the Gays | Phillip Crawford & Josh Zeman

What do the Mafia, Roy Cohn (Donald Trump’s mentor), gay nightclubs, and a whole lot of cash-stuffed envelopes have in common?

Welcome to one of America’s most jaw-dropping open secrets.

In this episode, Josh sits down with retired lawyer and author, Phillip Crawford Jr. to dig into the underground world of mob-controlled gay bars, clubs, drugs, blackmail, and the queer history organized crime would rather you forget. From New York’s hidden nightclub economy to bag men, crooked politicians, Roy Cohn’s double life, and Trump’s early legal circle—this story is part true crime, part hypocrisy, and part “you can’t make this stuff up.”

👉 We talk about:
How the Mafia historically ran gay clubs and bars
NYPD and political corruption looked the other way (hint: bags of chips)
Roy Cohn: the Mafia's favorite fixer
Why, in America, crime isn’t a glitch—it’s a feature

📚 About the guest:
Phillip Crawford Jr. is the author of "The Mafia and the Gays" and longtime chronicler of organized crime & LGBTQ+ history. He brings the receipts. Literally.

Check out the books mentioned in this episode:
The Mafia and the Gays: https://www.amazon.com/Mafia-Gays-Phi...
Railroaded : The Homophobic Prosecution of Brandon Woodruff for His Parents' Murders: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/prod...
Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Families-...

💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments:
Did the Mafia protect queer spaces—or exploit them? Can both be true?

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Host - Josh Zeman
Producer - Jen Begeal
Editor - Andrew Osborne

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