Chris Walker

Sensing an entrapment scenario, she stormed into the room to stop Michael from saying anything incriminating.

Sensing an entrapment scenario, she stormed into the room to stop Michael from saying anything incriminating.

Sure enough, there was a van parked in front of the house, the kind you'd see filled with cigarette-smoking agents wearing headphones in a campy spy movie. Gary Alfieri declined to talk to me for this podcast, so I don't know if he really was wired. Regardless, the whole episode gave Michael and Norma a bad feeling.

Sure enough, there was a van parked in front of the house, the kind you'd see filled with cigarette-smoking agents wearing headphones in a campy spy movie. Gary Alfieri declined to talk to me for this podcast, so I don't know if he really was wired. Regardless, the whole episode gave Michael and Norma a bad feeling.

But they wouldn't find out the full extent of the backstabbing until Michael's jury trial began in July 1991. Over 10 days in a Sacramento courtroom, the government's witnesses blamed Michael for as much as they could.

But they wouldn't find out the full extent of the backstabbing until Michael's jury trial began in July 1991. Over 10 days in a Sacramento courtroom, the government's witnesses blamed Michael for as much as they could.

That's a voice actor reading an excerpt from when Gary Alfieri took the stand. Alfieri fingered Michael from the start, saying that Michael was the one who'd come up with the idea of using shell companies in order to deceive his father. Nick Bavaro backed this claim.

That's a voice actor reading an excerpt from when Gary Alfieri took the stand. Alfieri fingered Michael from the start, saying that Michael was the one who'd come up with the idea of using shell companies in order to deceive his father. Nick Bavaro backed this claim.

Here are voice actors reading the transcript of what happened when one of the government's lawyers questioned him, starting with the prosecutor.

Here are voice actors reading the transcript of what happened when one of the government's lawyers questioned him, starting with the prosecutor.

Later, the government lawyers asked Nick...

Later, the government lawyers asked Nick...

Mike would tell us. With all of his co-conspirators pointing the finger at him, Michael became the scapegoat for the entire operation. His case crumbled. His attorney couldn't counter the sheer weight of all that testimony. And in the end, the jury found Michael guilty on three types of charges. Conspiracy, mail fraud, and that false statement he made to officials.

Mike would tell us. With all of his co-conspirators pointing the finger at him, Michael became the scapegoat for the entire operation. His case crumbled. His attorney couldn't counter the sheer weight of all that testimony. And in the end, the jury found Michael guilty on three types of charges. Conspiracy, mail fraud, and that false statement he made to officials.

With the verdicts in, Michael faced 51 to 63 months in prison. A judge would decide the exact number at an upcoming hearing. But Michael made it clear that he was going to appeal his case all the way up to the Supreme Court if necessary. This appeal meant that he wouldn't face jail time until a higher court decided his fate.

With the verdicts in, Michael faced 51 to 63 months in prison. A judge would decide the exact number at an upcoming hearing. But Michael made it clear that he was going to appeal his case all the way up to the Supreme Court if necessary. This appeal meant that he wouldn't face jail time until a higher court decided his fate.

But this loss, on top of the loss of his father, hit him with devastating force. According to Norma, the two events even began to feel linked. The more that Michael and his wife thought about the trial and how he'd been blamed at every turn, the more convinced they became that Jack's testimony could have helped Michael's case. After all, Jack was a seasoned grape broker.

But this loss, on top of the loss of his father, hit him with devastating force. According to Norma, the two events even began to feel linked. The more that Michael and his wife thought about the trial and how he'd been blamed at every turn, the more convinced they became that Jack's testimony could have helped Michael's case. After all, Jack was a seasoned grape broker.

He would have known exactly what parts of the fraud his son could and couldn't have been responsible for. He could have pointed out the lies. It was a startling thought for Michael, whose last interactions with Jack had been underscored by rage and resentment. Perhaps his father had been trying to help him all along, and the timing of his murder wasn't a coincidence.

He would have known exactly what parts of the fraud his son could and couldn't have been responsible for. He could have pointed out the lies. It was a startling thought for Michael, whose last interactions with Jack had been underscored by rage and resentment. Perhaps his father had been trying to help him all along, and the timing of his murder wasn't a coincidence.