A Harrowing Tale of NYPD Corruption, the Mafia and Murder Artwork

The Untapped New York Podcast

The Untapped New York Podcast is a podcast about New York City’s secrets, like how does a water tower work? Why does steam come out of the ground? Do alligators live in the subway? We impart our knowledge, interview experts, and in many cases, literally go behind the scenes. Hosted by Michelle Young, founder, and Justin Rivers, Chief Experience Officer, at Untapped New York.

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The Untapped New York Podcast

A Harrowing Tale of NYPD Corruption, the Mafia and Murder

January 23, 2025 • Untapped New York

The new book The Blood and the Badge, by former New York Times editor Michael Cannell, chronicles a true tale of police corruption, mafia, and murderous mayhem in 1980s New York City. Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy describes the book as a “harrowing story...Cannell misses nothing." In our latest episode of the Untapped New York podcast, Untapped New York founder Michelle Young (the author of the forthcoming book The Art Spy) talks with Cannell about the crazier than fiction story.

The Blood and the Badge unpacks the rise and fall of two NYPD detectives, Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, who ended up on the mafia payroll for decades. Eppolito, whom Cannell describes as a "loud, boorish, vulgar guy," and a "loose cannon," came from a mafia family and initially rejected a life of crime but gradually came back to the other side. Caracappa was the polar opposite of Eppolito and truly cold-blooded. The two leave behind a wake of deaths and destruction, and almost get away with it all. In our podcast episode, Michelle also shares her unexpected personal connection to some characters in The Blood and the Badge.