A Master Burglar, the Mafia and the Biggest Bank Heist in U.S. History
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MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW says: Superthief... is the remarkable narrative story of the great United California Bank burglary in 1972... For its candor and engaging biographical stories of life as a career criminal, Superthief is to be given high praise and very strong recommendation...
Because of my work as a crime author and host of AmericanMafia.com, I have been contacted numerous times by organized crime figures searching for a writer to coauthor their stories. While some of the stories have sounded promising, I’ve opted to stick with my own comfortably paced literary agenda. As a career cop and jazz drummer, I only have time for one writing project at a time. Things changed in 2000, when I received an intriguing letter from Mary Ann Kowalski, the future Mrs. Phil Christopher. I already knew of Phil, a burglar and organized crime associate, and had heard he was writing a book about his life. But I was unfamiliar with the details of the United California Bank burglary he had been involved in. After viewing a fascinating segment about the crime in a Discovery Channel documentary about infamous burglaries and robberies, I asked Mary Ann for more material. She provided me with Phil’s rough manuscript. All twelve hundred, handwritten pages. It was titled Superthief.
Writing professionals will look at nothing unless it is neatly typed and presented in a concise and coherent format according to industry protocol. But I found Superthief so promising that I overlooked the rough writing and poor organization and delved in. I could not put the manuscript down. Hidden in those twelve hundred pages, I saw a compelling and honest tale of a professional criminal’s life on the streets, his betrayal by friends, his life in prison, the tragic endings for his friends, and the firsthand account of a crime that made history. I also saw significant theatrical potential and knew I had been brought a winner. I immediately reworked my projected writing schedule and signed a collaboration agreement with Mary Ann. Thus began almost five years of research, writing, and revision. Out of respect for their privacy, I decided to change the names of Phil’s former girlfriends and ex-wives. Additionally, I have altered several details concerning one of them to further protect her identity. The fictitious names are Sandy, Maggie, Diane, and Anna. Anna is a composite character based on two of the women. In order to avoid confusing a primary player in the United California Bank burglary with a secondary figure who had the same first name, I gave the secondary figure the fictitious name of Billy.
At the time of this writing, the central figure in this book, Phil Christopher, is still in prison. Consequently, access to him has been my biggest challenge in writing this book. I corresponded with Phil primarily by letter, but on occasion we spoke by phone, and I was able to interview him in person several times in federal prisons in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Due to prison regulations, none of the interviews I conducted for this book were tape recorded. In most cases, I recreated dialogue based on Phil’s manuscript, my letters, conversations, and interviews with him, and my phone interviews with other sources. Mary Ann Christopher has been a cordial, professional, and patient collaborator to work with. I thank her for entrusting me with this project. I would like to publicly express my gratitude to my editor, Laurie Viera Rigler, whose critical eye, dedication, and unwavering encouragement have been invaluable to this book, and to my writing career. And of course, I would like to thank Superthief himself, Phil Christopher, for his cooperation and candor in documenting his story. Rick Porrello September, 2005
"While there is little to like about Phil Christopher, his story fascinates like a train wreck: You see it coming but you just can't turn away," says Lee Gruenfeld, co-author of True Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief.
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.
Rick Porrello is a veteran police lieutenant whose first book grew out of his research into the murder of his grandfather and several uncles, who were Prohibition-era mob leaders. The result became The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia - Corn Sugar and Blood (Barricade Books, 1995). Rick followed that book with his second book, To Kill the Irishman - the War that Crippled the Mafia (Next Hat Press, 1998), which is the story of notorious mob foe Danny Greene. To Kill the Irishman has been optioned for a motion picture. An accomplished jazz drummer, Rick spend almost three years traveling internationally with the legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. He continues to perform in Ohio, where he lives with his wife and two children.
"Rick Porrello masterfully takes us into the intricate workings of the mind of a thief. Your heart will pulsate with each page turned as if you were pulling the heist yourself. Best of all, the author illustrates the redeeming message of this book -- Crime Does Not Pay," says Georgia Durante, author of The Company She Keeps.
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.
For employees at the United California Bank in Laguna Niguel, one of Orange County's tony bedroom communities, the morning of Monday, March 27th, 1972 begins like any other until they discover they are unable to open the vault. After several hours of futile efforts, a locksmith climbs onto the roof to cut an access hole, but it appears that someone has already done the job for him.
That someone was Phil Christopher. While Laguna Niguel slept, Phil disabled the security system and led a crew of mobbed-up thieves to pull off the biggest bank burglary in U.S. history. Their notorious withdrawal from the safe-deposit boxes of hundreds of wealthy Orange County, California residents grossed $30 million. The daring and magnitude of the United California Bank heist instantly captured the attention of the media, which dubbed Phil "Superthief." Decades later, that fascination hasn't wavered, with recent documentaries featuring Phil's infamous burglary on Court TV and Discovery Channel.
In the style of Nicholas Pileggi's Wiseguy and its blockbuster movie adaptation Goodfellas, Superthief is the compelling story of a master thief and mob associate's roller coaster ride through a life of crime and imprisonment, and the inside account of a daring crime that made history.
"An entertaining and sometimes humorous view into the mob-connected life of a master burglar. With Rick Porrello's sharp writing and crisp dialogue, Superthief reads like a Hollywood screenplay. It's a truly worthwhile addition to anyone's true-crime collection," says Scott M. Deitche author of Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld.
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.
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| Lt. Rick Porrello is available for interviews and has been a guest on numerous radio and TV shows (including NBC, et al.). He was also recently featured in The Plain Dealer, the largest newspaper in Ohio. For booking information or additional background materials, please contact: |
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(Ms.) S.A. "Sam" Jernigan, publicist Renaissance Consultations cell: 530.362.1339 (PST) sam@MarketingAndPR.com |
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Rick Porrello offers up a "well-written, fast-paced and insightful look at an historic crime rarely attempted," says Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone, a retired FBI agent and author of The Way of the Wiseguy.
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.
Rick Porrello offers up a "well-written, fast-paced and insightful look at an historic crime rarely attempted," says Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone, a retired FBI agent and author of The Way of the Wiseguy.
"Superthief... is a remarkable narrative story... For its candor and engaging biographical stories of life as a career criminal, Superthief is to be given high praise and very strong recommendation..." The Midwest Book Review
"While there is little to like about Phil Christopher, his story fascinates like a train wreck: You see it coming but you just can't turn away," says Lee Gruenfeld, co-author of True Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief.
"A must read for anyone wanting to get inside the life of a wiseguy. A real-life 'Goodfellas' of the burglary world," says James Dubro, Former president of the Crime Writers of Canada, author of five books on organized crime and winner of the Arthur Ellis Award.
"Renaissance man Rick Porrello presents an exquisitely vivid anatomy of the largest bank burglary in U.S. history. Rich with heart-pounding immediacy throughout the plot, it is Porrello's finest work to date," says Dan E. Moldea, author of The Hoffa Wars.
"Rick Porrello masterfully takes us into the intricate workings of the mind of a thief. Your heart will pulsate with each page turned as if you were pulling the heist yourself. Best of all, the author illustrates the redeeming message of this book -- Crime Does Not Pay," says Georgia Durante, author of The Company She Keeps.
"Rick Porrello scores again with Superthief, detailing how master burglar, Phil Christopher, pulled off the largest bank heist in U.S. history. Porrello's dead-on, no-frills style exposes the underbelly of Phil Christopher, a guy who says about crime--"It's a rotten investment that will eventually suck the life out of you." One question: What could an intelligent, resourceful guy like Phil Christopher have achieved if he'd gone legit instead of taking the path of least resistence--greed? You'll want to keep a towel handy when you sweat out Christopher's 30+ crime-packed years as Superthief. Cherie Rohn, Co-author of THIEF! The Gutsy, True Story of an Ex-Con Artist thieftruestory.com
"Superthief strips away the glitz and glamour of Hollywood's portrayal of crime. A great narrative that gives the reader an inside look at the real underworld and the harsh realities of doing scores, getting pinched, pulling time and doing time," says Chris Mathers, author of Crime School: Money Laundering, retired undercover agent for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and international security expert.
"An entertaining and sometimes humorous view into the mob-connected life of a master burglar. With Rick Porrello's sharp writing and crisp dialogue, Superthief reads like a Hollywood screenplay. It's a truly worthwhile addition to anyone's true-crime collection," says Scott M. Deitche author of Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld.
"You're due for a shock as mob associate Phil Christopher takes you inside the Mother of All Bank Jobs. Your interest will be compounded by the page," says Peter Edwards, author of The Encyclopedia of Canadian Organized Crime; from Captain Kidd to Mom Bouche (with Michel Auger).
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.
"Rick Porrello masterfully takes us into the intricate workings of the mind of a thief. Your heart will pulsate with each page turned as if you were pulling the heist yourself. Best of all, the author illustrates the redeeming message of this book -- Crime Does Not Pay," says Georgia Durante, author of The Company She Keeps.
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.
Rick Porrello offers up a "well-written, fast-paced and insightful look at an historic crime rarely attempted," says Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone, a retired FBI agent and author of The Way of the Wiseguy.
Follow these links to see the latest news and go to the home page, to e-mail the publisher, to read all of the reviews of Superthief, purchase the book at Amazon.com or find it in a local store.