Series
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Director(s):
VITKINE (ANTOINE)
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Producer(s):
YAMI2, ARTE FRANCE
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Territories:
Worldwide.
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Production year:
2025
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Language(s):
German, English, French
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Rights:
TV, NON-THEATRICAL, INTERNET, VOD
This docuseries explores the historic and enduring ties between the mafia and the American presidents using Donald Trump’s rise to power as the guiding thread. From Roosevelt to Trump including Kennedy and Nixon, historians, investigative journalists, former FBI agents and repentant mobsters outline the influence of the Italian-American and Russian-American mafia on both the United States’ politics and economy since the 1930s.
An unknown chapter of American history is revealed – that of a democracy shaped, infiltrated and sometimes corrupted by organized crime groups. From the early days of the United States through the post-war period, the mafia infiltrated the heart of power, mixing criminal interests and political agendas. Through the eyes of mobsters, the documentary explores the rise of individuals like Lansky, Costello and Giancana, and their ties to presidents such as Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan. Beyond the historical narrative, the series raises a troubling question: what is left of democracy when such a powerful criminal organization approaches and influences it without being stopped? Lansky’s dream of politics and organized crime serving one another may be on the verge of coming true. A burning alert as Donald Trump’s return to power revives concerns about the weaknesses of the American system.