CRIMINAL MINDED MEDIA: SUPER FEED

In 2007, Jimmy Rosemond sent an email to all his co-workers expressing disappointment at not securing a new venture as VP of Urban Music at Virgin records. Don Sikorski breaks down the email and the implications on Jimmy’s career trajectory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Norman's Cay is an island 210 miles of the Florida Coast in the Bahamas Exuma chain. Having gained notoriety in the late 70s as a staging point for drug smuggling, Norman's Cay was immortalized in Blow, a 2001 motion picture starring Johnny Depp. From '78 through '82, Norman's Cay was the epicenter of the world's largest smuggling operation. It was the tropical playground of drug czar Carlos Lehde...

Show host and basketball expert Don Sikorski returns to take his rightful place at the sports desk. He's back with a vengeance taking The Greek to task! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I started to research, and dive into the Bored Ape story, I have to admit, while the founders of the Apes seemed mysterious, to me the more interesting aspect and character was Ryder Ripps. I got the sense, that he was smart enough and understood the technology behind NFT’s and the blockchain enough, that he could explain this complex world, and also call bullshit, as I mined the caverns of t...

This Bonus Episode contains unedited phone calls with James Rosemond discussing an article written by Ethan Brown, and the various issues with the federal CCE Charge (Continuing Criminal Enterprise). Often referred to as the "Kingpin Statute," this law targets individuals and organizations that traffic controlled substances on a large scale. A first-time conviction under CCE could land you 20 year...

Jimmy Rosemond has to watch as former friends and allies testify against him in order to avoid jail time. He reflects on the trial and the lack of evidence that was used to convict him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent years, the cocaine gold rush by Columbian Cartels in the 70s & 80s has become gangster mythology. We have been inundated by shows like Narcos, Cocaine Cowboys, American Made & others that have attempted to tell the stories of Pablo Escobar, Giselda Blanco, Barry Seale, Carlos Lehder and the Medellin Cartel. Pilot Jack Carlton Reed was a world record holding drag racer before making the d...

Under the premise of The Propsect, while there are many stories of epic success, and dedication that required super human work ethic, focus, luck and foresight, there are also stories of different paths, that NBA superstar prospects took to the NCAA and the NBA, some of these stories stand out to me, because growing up they were some of my favorite players, this week I wanted to look at the story...

Reeling from losing Jeff Lichtman as his attorney, Jimmy scrambles to find a new lawyer who can handle his case. Two former associates of Jimmy Rosemond go on the record, disputing the government’s narrative of the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Lichtman is one of the best criminal defense attorneys of his generation, once defending El Chapo and John Gotti Jr. He discusses his longtime client Jimmy Rosemond and the lengths prosecutors took to get him thrown off Jimmy’s defense team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we wrap up Season 1 of The Syndicate: The Murder of Don Bolles with part two of our interview with Don Devereux, we'd like to thank all those who assisted in the production of this podcast. From Devereux, Jana Bommersbach, and Richard Ruelas, to our amazing interns from the Cronkite School of Journalism, Bri Pacelli and Hogan Armstrong. This has truly been a team effort. All of us at Criminal M...

This week we still are without our North Star, Don Sikorski, so we continue down the NBA Playoff coverage, with a very special guest and sports savant — 9yr old Hudson Pasternak, who gives The Greek a run for his money and get's into dangerous waters with The Greek over Deandre Ayton! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BORED APE’s VS. RYDER RIPPS, it’s an interesting battle to say the least, and I have to be honest, with the current state of NFTs, and the implosion of the marketplace, Ryder is looking like a genius, but it remains to be seen if Ryder is more of an agent provocateur, or was he really privy to knowledge that this Bored Ape fiasco was a scam from jump? It’s hard to say right now, but if I was r...

As the investigation picks up steam, a number of Rosemond’s close friends and associates are targeted by Todd Kaminsky. As the walls close in, Jimmy Rosemond makes the decision to go on the run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US Attorney Todd Kaminsky becomes obsessed with the rap game and Jimmy Rosemond, starting his investigation in earnest. He will have an unlikely ally in reporter Chuck Phillips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we began working on The Syndicate, Jana Bommersbach suggested that we speak to Don Devereux about his decades long investigation into the murder of Don Bolles, telling us that “No one knows more about this case than him.”  As usual, Jana was right.  Here’s Part 1 of our first recorded interview win Don Devereux unedited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we take a comedic turn as "The Jew" fills in at the Sports Desk for Don Sikorski. The Jew summoned "The Greek", a true sports aficionado and all-around anxiety-ridden sports junkie, to ride shotgun as they try to navigate the NBA Playoffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The celebrity element of Bored Ape Yacht Club is intriguing, and it seems these days celebrities are always looking to diversify, tequila, energy drinks, water, clothes, a constant grab for market share in basically anything. Actors, NBA Stars, social media insta celebs, it seems somehow or other there was a tipping point where the so called IN CROWD decided that the Bored Ape NFTs were sexy enoug...

Jimmy Rosemond is pulled into another rap war, this time involving 50 Cent and The Game. This beef will spiral out of control, eventually involving Rosemond’s family and law enforcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Ethan Brown writes a profile on Jimmy Rosemond for Vibe Magazine, he becomes the target of others in the media, most notably Chuck Phillips of the LA Times. These articles will put Rosemond in the crosshairs of law enforcement and Todd Kaminsky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Syndicate listeners, welcome to another bonus episode. For longtime Phoenix residents, Jana Bommersbach needs no introduction. The Arizona Press Club awarded her their highest honor – The Distinguished Service Award, and she has been named Arizona Journalist of the Year on multiple occasions. Here is our first conversation with Jana, unedited. Some of it you’ve heard, much of it you haven’t, as sh...

The evolution of basketball scouting these days, has morphed into Instagram highlight reels, and deals for  high school basketball players where some of them are becoming millionaires by the time they turn 18 years old, for Viktor Wembanyama as the next great hope of the NBA, his path was vastly different from say Michael Jordan, or Lebron, or Steph Curry. In thinking about the philosophy of scout...

As we left off the last episode, we started to unpack the actual founders of Yuga Labs and the Apes, and from my research and watching and listening to some interviews, my early analysis is that these guys seem like nice guys, and the press run they did seem to be orchestrated, calculated and a bit forced. Remember these guys initially wanted to stay anonymous, and in one article they really leane...

Despite being arrested and sent back to prison, Jimmy continues his rise in the entertainment industry. He reaches the pinnacle after negotiating the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis fight and signing his own rap superstar, The Game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William ‘Bill’ Courtney spent his career investigating street figures and their connection to hip hop. He gives us his perspective from the law enforcement side on Jimmy, Haitian Jack, Tupac and others involved in the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices