ApexNews
Return to Main
Book

The Brotherhoods: The True Story of Two Cops Who Murdered for the Mafia

2006

Purchase on Amazon

Synopsis

The Brotherhoods by Guy Lawson and William Oldham offers a chilling, meticulously researched account of one of the most significant corruption scandals in the history of American law enforcement. The narrative centers on Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito, two highly decorated New York City Police Department detectives who lived double lives as professional hitmen for the Lucchese crime family during the 1980s and early 1990s. While they were tasked with upholding the law, they were simultaneously leaking classified information to mob bosses, kidnapping rivals, and committing at least eight murders. Their unique position allowed them to use official police resources to track down targets, making them some of the most effective and dangerous assets the Mafia ever possessed.

The book is framed through the perspective of Bill Oldham, a dedicated investigator who spent years obsessively pursuing the truth behind the rumors of "Mafia Cops." Lawson details the immense bureaucratic hurdles and the "blue wall of silence" that Oldham had to dismantle to bring the pair to justice. The story highlights the staggering irony of Eppolito, whose father and grandfather were members of the Gambino family, and who even wrote an autobiography titled Mafia Cop while still serving on the force—effectively hiding his criminal activities in plain sight.

Beyond the individual crimes, Lawson explores the systemic failures within the NYPD and the FBI that allowed such a deep-seated betrayal to persist for decades. The climax of the book follows the complex legal battle and the eventual conviction of Caracappa and Eppolito in 2006, ending their reign of terror and resulting in life sentences. It serves as both a gripping true-crime thriller and a sobering examination of how easily power and authority can be subverted by organized crime, leaving behind a legacy of institutional distrust.

Suggested Reading

Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation

No episode in NYPD history surpasses the depravities of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, two decorated detectives who covertly acted as mafia informants and paid assassins in the Scorsese world of 1980s Brooklyn. For more than ten years, Eppolito and Caracappa moonlighted as the mob’s early wa...

Purchase on Amazon View Details

Betrayal in Blue: The Shocking Memoir of the Scandal That Rocked the NYPD

BETRAYAL IN BLUE: The Shocking Memoir of the Scandal That Rocked The NYPD is the story of Dowd and Eurell, two cops who ran the most powerful gang in New York’s dangerous 75th Precinct, the crack cocaine capitol of 1980s America. These “Cocaine Cops” formed a lucrative alliance with Adam Diaz, the k...

Purchase on Amazon View Details

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.