Empires of New York

At the dawn of the '80s, America finds itself in deep decline, and New York seems to symbolize everything that's gone wrong. It's crime-ridden, strapped for cash, dark and dirty. But for five would-be titans looking to seize their moment - Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani - chaos spells opportunity. With a keen eye for press and an aggressiveness the city's never seen, they begin their quest for power and fame - forever changing the world as we know it.

It's 1983, and the Big Apple is back. Wall Street is booming, yuppies are crowding the clubs, and five up-and-coming icons - Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani - are enjoying their first big taste of success. It only leaves them wanting more. Intoxicated by the idea of more money, power, and fame, some begin to cross lines - if they haven't done so already. And no one seems interested in stopping them.

By the mid '80s, five larger-than-life New Yorkers - Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani - are starting to change the way we think about power and success. They're bragging about their victories, showing off their wealth, openly targeting their enemies - and with tabloid journalism on the rise, the media can't get enough of the show. Who cares that many of them are spinning lies? TV and print outlets put them on a pedestal - and America buys into their story hook, line, and sinker. But as all five titans will soon learn... too much exposure can burn.

It's 1986, and New Yorkers are fawning over five seemingly unstoppable icons: Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani. Every day seems to bring a new celebration of their success. But there are secrets behind that success - dark secrets. And when the truth finally emerges and the public learns just who their heroes really are, the consequences are devastating.

When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Black Monday hits, the market crashes, and the great bull market of the '80s goes down with it. New York and indeed the country as a whole are left with a brutal hangover - and the party is over for the Emperors of New York as well. Indictments. Prison sentences. Ruinous debt. While some decide to play their best hand and escape with what they can, others continue to feel invincible - digging in their heels and getting ready for the fight of their lives.

The titans who helped remake New York City are now being devoured by their own creation. At the dawn of the '90s, they're either sitting in jail, awaiting sentencing, or licking their wounds after humiliating defeats. And now the same public that celebrated their success is celebrating their fall from grace. Still - what's done can't be undone. A new kind of American Dream is here to stay. Modesty is now a sin, shamelessness a virtue. And the image of success matters way more than how that success is achieved.