Molly Conger

But in 1983, the real-life Frank Culotta was sharing a cell with Frank Sweeney because they had both turned state's witness against very dangerous men. Frank Sweeney had just testified against a serial killer, and Frank Culotta had turned on Spilotro after the FBI played him a recording of his friend talking about having him killed.

When Anthony Spilotro went on trial in 1986, Frank Culotta was out of prison and in the program. and he was the government's star witness against Spilotro. Frank Sweeney was finally out of prison again and home in New Jersey when he read in the paper that Culotta was going to be testifying.

When Anthony Spilotro went on trial in 1986, Frank Culotta was out of prison and in the program. and he was the government's star witness against Spilotro. Frank Sweeney was finally out of prison again and home in New Jersey when he read in the paper that Culotta was going to be testifying.

When Anthony Spilotro went on trial in 1986, Frank Culotta was out of prison and in the program. and he was the government's star witness against Spilotro. Frank Sweeney was finally out of prison again and home in New Jersey when he read in the paper that Culotta was going to be testifying.

According to Frank, he felt compelled to contact Spilotro's defense attorney because when they were cellmates, Culotta would often brag about committing perjury. So the defense flew Frank out to Las Vegas and put him on the stand. He claimed that after one of Culotta's appearances in court back in 1983, he came back to their shared cell and bragged, Frankie, I just put another one away.

According to Frank, he felt compelled to contact Spilotro's defense attorney because when they were cellmates, Culotta would often brag about committing perjury. So the defense flew Frank out to Las Vegas and put him on the stand. He claimed that after one of Culotta's appearances in court back in 1983, he came back to their shared cell and bragged, Frankie, I just put another one away.

According to Frank, he felt compelled to contact Spilotro's defense attorney because when they were cellmates, Culotta would often brag about committing perjury. So the defense flew Frank out to Las Vegas and put him on the stand. He claimed that after one of Culotta's appearances in court back in 1983, he came back to their shared cell and bragged, Frankie, I just put another one away.

You've heard of the traveling circus. I'm the original traveling perjurer. On cross-examination, Frank Sweeney admitted that when he'd been in the Witness Protection Program, he had on several occasions threatened and even faked suicide attempts to get what he wanted out of federal prosecutors. I wish I had more information on that.

You've heard of the traveling circus. I'm the original traveling perjurer. On cross-examination, Frank Sweeney admitted that when he'd been in the Witness Protection Program, he had on several occasions threatened and even faked suicide attempts to get what he wanted out of federal prosecutors. I wish I had more information on that.

You've heard of the traveling circus. I'm the original traveling perjurer. On cross-examination, Frank Sweeney admitted that when he'd been in the Witness Protection Program, he had on several occasions threatened and even faked suicide attempts to get what he wanted out of federal prosecutors. I wish I had more information on that.

That is incredibly strange behavior, and it does actually happen again later. In the end, though, his testimony in that mob trial is just a strange little footnote, his third brush with the Witness Protection Program. His testimony didn't matter much. I don't think anyone believed it.

That is incredibly strange behavior, and it does actually happen again later. In the end, though, his testimony in that mob trial is just a strange little footnote, his third brush with the Witness Protection Program. His testimony didn't matter much. I don't think anyone believed it.

That is incredibly strange behavior, and it does actually happen again later. In the end, though, his testimony in that mob trial is just a strange little footnote, his third brush with the Witness Protection Program. His testimony didn't matter much. I don't think anyone believed it.

And the case ended in a mistrial over allegations of jury tampering, and Anthony Spilotro went missing before they could retry the case. The mobster and his brother were later found buried in a cornfield in Indiana. Frank Culotta stayed in the witness protection program for years, and Scorsese hired him as an on-set advisor when he shot Casino. Culotta died of COVID in 2020.

And the case ended in a mistrial over allegations of jury tampering, and Anthony Spilotro went missing before they could retry the case. The mobster and his brother were later found buried in a cornfield in Indiana. Frank Culotta stayed in the witness protection program for years, and Scorsese hired him as an on-set advisor when he shot Casino. Culotta died of COVID in 2020.

And the case ended in a mistrial over allegations of jury tampering, and Anthony Spilotro went missing before they could retry the case. The mobster and his brother were later found buried in a cornfield in Indiana. Frank Culotta stayed in the witness protection program for years, and Scorsese hired him as an on-set advisor when he shot Casino. Culotta died of COVID in 2020.

And in 1989, Frank went back to prison for mail fraud. Again. The court record is too old to get any documents without haggling with an archivist, but the docket sheet does say that in addition to another 57 months in prison, the judge also banned Frank from ever offering anything for sale by mail.

And in 1989, Frank went back to prison for mail fraud. Again. The court record is too old to get any documents without haggling with an archivist, but the docket sheet does say that in addition to another 57 months in prison, the judge also banned Frank from ever offering anything for sale by mail.

And in 1989, Frank went back to prison for mail fraud. Again. The court record is too old to get any documents without haggling with an archivist, but the docket sheet does say that in addition to another 57 months in prison, the judge also banned Frank from ever offering anything for sale by mail.

So at first I assumed he was pulling the same scam he ran in 1976, where he placed ads for guns he didn't actually have and then ghosted would-be buyers after they sent him the money. But it's much weirder than that. I wish it was guns. It wasn't guns this time. He was running what one journalist called a cat scam.