The Cooley Account
Neal Edelstein
What started as research for a movie resulted in these recordings. This is the life story of Bob Cooley, a man who accomplished the impossible by decapitating Al Capone's syndicate.
In the 1970’s Bob Cooley was a young cop who decided to became a lawyer, and ultimately found himself being an insider for the Chicago syndicate. The mob controlled the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.
This multipart conversation details the inner workings of the notorious Chicago crime syndicate called the Outfit. From politicians on the take to a corrupt court system and cold case murders, we cover it all. There are also never before revealed details about cult icon Count Dante and mob fixture Pat Marcy. If you’re intrigued by organized crime, political corruption, and other matters of deceit this story for you.
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Top 10 The Cooley Account Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Cooley Account episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Cooley Account for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Cooley Account episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Episode 4: Chicago’s Courts
The Cooley Account
11/28/22 • 39 min
The malfeasance in the Chicago courts inspires Bob to go to law school. Mob-connected cop Rick Borelli introduces him to the web of illegal gambling operations that reach into the western suburbs of Chicago.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 3: Left For Dead
The Cooley Account
11/22/22 • 60 min
Bob becomes a Chicago cop and applies his street smarts to rise rapidly through the ranks. His encounters at the criminal courts inspire him to go to law school, but his world is shattered when he's left for dead after being run over by a patrol car. This is the third and final pillar of Bob's youth, as the foundation is set for his journey into Chicago's underworld.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 2: The Police Test
The Cooley Account
11/14/22 • 67 min
Bob’s scholarship at Marquette ends abruptly because of his fighting and money-making schemes. He moves back home and bounces between odd jobs before he takes the Chicago Police exam. Once on the force, he teams up with a cop who introduces him to the Chicago Machine.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 1: Chicago Poor
The Cooley Account
11/02/22 • 39 min
How did Bob Cooley become the insider who destroyed the Chicago mob and the 1st Ward? We start at Bob’s youth on the South Side of Chicago, as he details his childhood struggles and the murders of both his grandfathers. Both men were cops, one ironically killed by Al Capone's hitmen.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 5: Count Dante And The Purolator Heist
The Cooley Account
12/05/22 • 63 min
A strange character named Count Dante enlists Bob for legal help. The Count is being charged with murder for an attack on an opposing dojo whose owner is siphoning his clients. Bob finds himself entangled in the Count's bizarre world, which he has to break away from. After the Count's mysterious death, Bob discovers evidence that he was involved in the Purolator Armored Express Heist. The crime remains unsolved and at the time was the largest cash heist in the US. Bob also discusses the Chop Shop Wars and an accumulating body count that follows him.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 6: Beating Murder(s)
The Cooley Account
12/13/22 • 49 min
Bob takes on two high-profile murder cases and mounts the "jagoff defense" in the Joey Airdo trial. Early success catapults him on a trajectory toward becoming known as a fixer in Chicago, but he's also collecting enemies inside the FBI and the Chicago Police Department.
We also discuss a run-in with the notorious Tony Spilotro and a tip from a reliable source about betting on select Ivy League basketball games that are guaranteed winners. It's all ramping toward Bob’s entry into the 1st Ward inner circle and the mysterious Pat Marcy.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 7: D'Arco, Marcy & Aleman
The Cooley Account
12/22/22 • 66 min
This conversation propels us into the inner sanctum of Chicago’s 1st Ward. A shadow government within a government that controlled the state of Illinois. Two men operate the levers of power, both of whom started as gunmen for Al Capone. One is John D’Arco Sr. who needs Bob to take his wayward son under his wing and teach him how to be a lawyer (despite him being a state senator). The other is Pat Marcy, a man of near-mythical proportions who had the presence of a stone-cold killer. Marcy needs Bob to fix the Harry Aleman trial. Aleman is a hitman who’s been charged with murder, and his trial becomes unprecedented legal history.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 8: Harry Aleman's Double Jeopardy?
The Cooley Account
12/29/22 • 44 min
We continue our conversation about the Harry Aleman murder trial and detail how Bob fixed the case. The stakes are life and death for Bob as Judge Wilson wavers about his conclusion due to threats in the papers targeting Wilson and his family. The Aleman case is unprecedented in the annals of the American legal system.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 9: Fixing Murder & Marcy Power
The Cooley Account
01/05/23 • 37 min
Carol Jean DiPasalegne was murdered by her husband, but the 1st Ward fixed the case so her husband would walk free so the machine could steal the insurance money on a double indemnity clause. Bob also explains how Pat Marcy gained control of the 1st Ward and exerted his ruthless power.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
Episode 10: The Strange Death Of Karen Lee Koppel
The Cooley Account
01/13/23 • 40 min
There's a hit on Bob’s life for refusing to expose a witness in a trial. We also discuss the disappearance of Karen Lee Koppel. Koppel goes missing after her relationship with the head of the janitors union goes sideways. (This was a cold case, but through sources, I have found out it is an active investigation.) We end as Bob enters another world of corruption when he is hired by the Chinese mafia at the behest of Alderman Fred Roti.
Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening!
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Cooley Account have?
The Cooley Account currently has 17 episodes available.
What topics does The Cooley Account cover?
The podcast is about Mafia, Unsolved, True Crime, History, Murder, Mob, Podcasts, Chicago, Police and Politics.
What is the most popular episode on The Cooley Account?
The episode title 'Episode 3: Left For Dead' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Cooley Account?
The average episode length on The Cooley Account is 45 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Cooley Account released?
Episodes of The Cooley Account are typically released every 7 days, 8 hours.
When was the first episode of The Cooley Account?
The first episode of The Cooley Account was released on Nov 2, 2022.
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