Balls: The Life of Eddie Trascher, Gentleman Gangster
Jan 2015 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
Ebook
288
Pages
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Eligible
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About this ebook
The true story of the man who scammed the mob and informed the FBI for over two decades.
Eddie Trascher had balls. Born in the bayou of Louisiana, Eddie learned about gambling at the side of his stepfather. Starting his career in 1950s Vegas, he moved to pre-Castro Cuba and became adept at running a casino and stealing from the mobsters who owned it. He was a regular fixture at Rat Pack–era Vegas—stealing chips from the craps table, running gambling out of his bar, and hanging around with a wild assortment of gangsters, conmen, thieves, and celebrities.
By the time he moved to Clearwater, Florida, after a stint running a Los Angeles hotel for the Chicago Outfit, Eddie was the biggest bookmaker in the state. But the FBI made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: “Help us get the Mafia and we’ll let you keep bookmaking.” For the next twenty years, Eddie became the Bureau and later the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s eyes and ears as they investigated organized crime in Florida. From the famous Donnie Brasco case to the new guard of the Tampa Mafia, Eddie was in the middle of it all. Eventually, he gave up the booking to become a professor, teaching law enforcement everything there was to know about bookmaking and running the scams.
Balls is the story of the quintessential gangster, a man who didn’t make money for anyone but himself. Instead of working for the Mafia bosses, Eddie stole from right under their noses. And he lived to tell the story.
Eddie Trascher had balls. Born in the bayou of Louisiana, Eddie learned about gambling at the side of his stepfather. Starting his career in 1950s Vegas, he moved to pre-Castro Cuba and became adept at running a casino and stealing from the mobsters who owned it. He was a regular fixture at Rat Pack–era Vegas—stealing chips from the craps table, running gambling out of his bar, and hanging around with a wild assortment of gangsters, conmen, thieves, and celebrities.
By the time he moved to Clearwater, Florida, after a stint running a Los Angeles hotel for the Chicago Outfit, Eddie was the biggest bookmaker in the state. But the FBI made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: “Help us get the Mafia and we’ll let you keep bookmaking.” For the next twenty years, Eddie became the Bureau and later the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s eyes and ears as they investigated organized crime in Florida. From the famous Donnie Brasco case to the new guard of the Tampa Mafia, Eddie was in the middle of it all. Eventually, he gave up the booking to become a professor, teaching law enforcement everything there was to know about bookmaking and running the scams.
Balls is the story of the quintessential gangster, a man who didn’t make money for anyone but himself. Instead of working for the Mafia bosses, Eddie stole from right under their noses. And he lived to tell the story.
About the author
Scott M. Deitche is the author of Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld and The Silent Don: The Criminal Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jr. He has written articles on organized crime and has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and local news shows. He lives with his family in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Ken Sanz served a thirty-four-year law enforcement career as an organized crime specialist and criminal intelligence operative. For over two decades, his duties with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were directed at the burgeoning activities of the Cosa Nostra within Florida. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.
Ken Sanz served a thirty-four-year law enforcement career as an organized crime specialist and criminal intelligence operative. For over two decades, his duties with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were directed at the burgeoning activities of the Cosa Nostra within Florida. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.
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