Niccolo Mainoni

Look up Il Banchiere di Dio wherever you get your podcasts.

Look up Il Banchiere di Dio wherever you get your podcasts.

Friends of the Pod subscribers can listen to the full season of Shadow Kingdom right now. Join Friends of the Pod at crooked.com slash friends or on Apple Podcasts. As the sun rose on a spring day in 1981... Police officers in unmarked cars drove south from Milan, past fields, farms, and small towns, until they arrived at a mattress factory and knocked on the door.

Friends of the Pod subscribers can listen to the full season of Shadow Kingdom right now. Join Friends of the Pod at crooked.com slash friends or on Apple Podcasts. As the sun rose on a spring day in 1981... Police officers in unmarked cars drove south from Milan, past fields, farms, and small towns, until they arrived at a mattress factory and knocked on the door.

These men were working with Judge Giuliano Turone. Turone was famous for investigating the mafia in Milan, Calvi's hometown. He was convinced Calvi was involved with the mob. Turone retold the story to me.

These men were working with Judge Giuliano Turone. Turone was famous for investigating the mafia in Milan, Calvi's hometown. He was convinced Calvi was involved with the mob. Turone retold the story to me.

But on this day, Torona wasn't actually investigating Calvi. No, instead, he'd received a tip that bordered on conspiracy theory. That in this factory town, there could be evidence linking the mafia with an illegal underground branch of the Freemasons. He took the tip seriously, hand-picking officers for his team and keeping the raid confidential, even from other cops.

But on this day, Torona wasn't actually investigating Calvi. No, instead, he'd received a tip that bordered on conspiracy theory. That in this factory town, there could be evidence linking the mafia with an illegal underground branch of the Freemasons. He took the tip seriously, hand-picking officers for his team and keeping the raid confidential, even from other cops.

Turone was worried that local police would tip off the Masonic group.

Turone was worried that local police would tip off the Masonic group.

The police pushed open the factory doors and were greeted by a secretary who led them to the second floor. As the officers climbed upstairs, they weren't quite sure what to expect. They were hoping to find a paper trail of where the mafia was moving its money, so they scoured desk drawers and bookshelves for documents, all while a secretary kept a close and silent watch on them.

The police pushed open the factory doors and were greeted by a secretary who led them to the second floor. As the officers climbed upstairs, they weren't quite sure what to expect. They were hoping to find a paper trail of where the mafia was moving its money, so they scoured desk drawers and bookshelves for documents, all while a secretary kept a close and silent watch on them.

It didn't take long until they found a briefcase belonging to the factory's owner, Licio Gelli.

It didn't take long until they found a briefcase belonging to the factory's owner, Licio Gelli.

When police opened Gelli's briefcase, they were in for a shock. Inside were documents that looked like a sprawling blueprint for a new world order. They were all about bringing Italy back to its glory days under fascism.

When police opened Gelli's briefcase, they were in for a shock. Inside were documents that looked like a sprawling blueprint for a new world order. They were all about bringing Italy back to its glory days under fascism.

Gelli had written a manifesto wherein Freemasons would carefully infiltrate the government, buy up all the major media outlets, destroy unions, silence journalists, take over the military, and eliminate communism. Turone's men looked back and forth at each other and then at the papers. What the hell had they just stumbled upon?

Gelli had written a manifesto wherein Freemasons would carefully infiltrate the government, buy up all the major media outlets, destroy unions, silence journalists, take over the military, and eliminate communism. Turone's men looked back and forth at each other and then at the papers. What the hell had they just stumbled upon?

At best, they thought they'd find a mafia-linked safe house or where dirty money was stashed, but cryptic documents about a shadowy government takeover, they definitely didn't see that coming. And they still had more of the factory to search. Meanwhile, the secretary just kept watching and waiting.

At best, they thought they'd find a mafia-linked safe house or where dirty money was stashed, but cryptic documents about a shadowy government takeover, they definitely didn't see that coming. And they still had more of the factory to search. Meanwhile, the secretary just kept watching and waiting.