Investigating America's Most Notorious Strip Club - The FBI, The Gold Club and the Mafia

Retired FBI Special Agent Mark Sewell was a rookie in 1997 when he was assigned to investigate mafia associate Steve Kaplan and his enormously successful Atlanta strip club; the largest single money maker for the Gambino Crime Family. Accompanied by a small team of investigators, the hand-picked unit followed a money trail, that wound up implicating a Gambino Captain, police officers, strippers, and many of the most recognized professional athletes in America. The subsequent 2001 trial was covered nationally by the leading media outlets, from television newscasts to late night talk shows and nationally published magazines pushing new, sensational headlines daily. Sewell was at the center of the storm that dominated media headlines in the summer of 2001 and provides a never-before seen inside view of the FBI’s most successful financial win against an organized crime family in the agency’s history. The Gold Club is the first book from a law enforcement official that details the facts about the FBIs famous investigation. Retired FBI Agent Mark Sewell was a rookie agent in 1997 when he was assigned to investigate mafia associate Steve Kaplan and his enormously successful Atlanta strip club; the largest single money maker for the Gambino Crime Family. Accompanied by a small team of investigators, the hand-picked unit followed the money trail, no matter where it led. A highly publicized 4 A.M. search warrant of the famous club started a snowball effect that would implicate a Gambino Captain, police officers, strippers, and many of the most recognized professional athletes in America. The subsequent 2001 trial was covered nationally by the leading media outlets, from television newscasts to late night talk shows to nationally published magazines. A jury soon heard evidence of shockingly bold crimes, to include extortion, credit card fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and prostitution. Then, in the fourth month of the trial, more than a dozen defendants surprisingly admitted their guilt, in a secretly negotiated plea deal. Steve Kaplans subsequent forfeiture would amount to millions of dollars, making the Gold Club investigation the FBIs most successful financial win against an Organized Crime Family in the agencys history. But the FBIs case against Steve Kaplan was far from normal. As eighteen defense attorneys took aim at the author, allegations were broadcast, and tempers flared publicly. From witness tampering to allegations of FBI Agent misconduct, the Gold Club investigation produced new, sensational headlines daily. Retired FBI Agent Mark Sewell was at the center of the storm that dominated media headlines in the summer of 2001 and provides a never-before seen inside view of the FBIs famous mafia prosecution.