Becoming The King of Pot

Step inside the high-stakes world of true crime and vintage smuggling stories, where the line between counterculture rebellion and massive weed money blurred. Long before today’s era of recreational cannabis, medical marijuana, and shifting marijuana laws, building a cannabis empire meant navigating dangerous drug dealing networks and evading federal authorities. Reminiscent of the legendary cocai...

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, host Todd Denkin sits down with legendary former drug kingpin Bruce Perlowin to explore how 1970s cannabis smuggling and marijuana trafficking laid the groundwork for today's global cannabis industry. Long before modern dispensaries were stocked with high-potency THC and CBD products, vintage counterculture smugglers built a massive weed empire by distr...

Join host Todd Denkin on Becoming The King of Pot as legendary figure Steven Kalish shares his unbelievable journey from high-profile drug kingpin to building a wildly successful life after prison. Drawing parallels to Bruce Perlowin and the vintage cocaine cowboys era, Steven opens up about the high-stakes world of vintage cannabis smuggling, massive marijuana trafficking rings, and the untold sm...

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce FINALLY gets to tell his story about Joe Chagra and bring to light the truth behind his charges.

Step into the underground world of the ultimate drug kingpin in this look at the Bruce Perlowin weed empire. From the daring smuggling stories of the vintage era to the high-stakes life of a smuggler, we explore the rise of the King of Pot. Discover how marijuana trafficking and the cannabis culture of the 1970s paved the way for the modern cannabis industry, blending true crime with the legacy of...

Dive into the high-stakes world of a true crime weed empire with Bruce Perlowin and Todd Denkin as they uncover legendary cannabis smuggling stories from the counterculture era. In this episode, the "Gentleman Smuggler" Steven Kalish details the downfall of his massive operation, comparing his multi-million dollar asset forfeitures to the legendary era of the cocaine cowboys. From a sneaky last-mi...

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Steven Kalish is back. Find out how Steven's lifestyle changed dramatically when he finally got caught.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce finally discusses getting out of prison and reintegrating back into society.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce recounts college life as an inmate.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce recounts some more love stories featuring his wife, Svetlana. Find out how these two continued their relationship beyond prison and how Bruce managed to uncover more secrets of Svetlana's spy past.

Bruce Perlowin tells the story of his wife, Svetlana Ogorodnikova — the former Soviet spy he met behind bars at FCI Pleasanton, one of the only co-ed federal prisons in the country at the time. Before she met Bruce, Svetlana was at the center of one of the most sensational espionage cases in American history. In 1985 she pleaded guilty to conspiring with FBI agent Richard Miller — the first FBI ag...

Steven Kalish is back to talk more about is infamous past. Most notably, how he pulled off a MILLION pound smuggle.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce recalls how he fell in love with his future wife, Svetlana. He married this Russian spy three different times. Listen in to find out how!

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce Perlowin shares the story of how he met his girlfriend, and eventual wife, in prison. Also, she just so happened to be a Russian Spy!

Dive into the high-stakes world of international cannabis smuggling in this gripping episode of Becoming the King of Pot. Host Todd Denkin is joined by "The King of Pot" Bruce Perlowin and special guest Stephen Kalish, the "Gentleman Smuggler," for a true crime deep dive into one of history's most massive narcotics operations. In this episode, Kalish recounts the unbelievable logistics behind "Ope...

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Steven Kalish is back! Today, he's telling more stories from his smuggling past. Find out more commonalities between Bruce and Steven and how the two used the same mission to build empires in completely different parts of the globe.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, we're introduced to the legendary Steven Kalish. Here the beginnings of his marijuana journey in the first part of this epic series. We'll also hear from Bruce about how the lives of these two criminals intersection.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Bruce introduces us to Frank, the Woodsman. Find out how Frank partnered with Bruce several times in their lives and how they bonded over sparkling marijuana.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, we hear from Craig, the Dockmaster. Hear how Bruce's little brother held down the fort while Bruce was incarcerated.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, we hear more prison stories from Bruce's past, including how the media named him "The King of Pot" while he was locked up.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, we hear from Bruce's youngest brother, Jed Perlowin. Find out his role in shaping Bruce's marijuana empire and how family ties kept the business afloat.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, we hear from the lawyer that was more than just Bruce's counsel. Meet Alan Silber, the King of Pot's longtime pal and legendary lawyer. Get ready to hear about Bruce's trial, the fight for cannabis rights, and how Alan went against the grain to stand up for what he believes in.

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, we meet Toni Perlowin, Bruce's sister-in-law. Find out how Toni met and married Craig, The Dockmaster, and later became an integral part of "The Company."

In this episode of Becoming the King of Pot, Tommy Powell is back to tell more legendary smuggling stories. Hear about the twilight of Tommy's career and the momentss that shaped his eventual retirement.