Tampa Vice takes listeners into the smoky backrooms, bustling streets, and clandestine gambling dens of early 20th-century Tampa, revealing a sprawling underworld that shaped the city’s destiny. Against the vibrant backdrop of Ybor City—home to Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants fueling a booming cigar industry—this deeply researched account explores the ambition, corruption, and cultural collisions that drove Tampa’s rise and descent into vice.

At the heart of the story lies the notorious bolita racket, a lottery-like gambling phenomenon that captivated factory workers and elites alike. Author Donald Elton chronicles how bolita powered fortunes, ignited fierce rivalries, and wove itself into Tampa’s social fabric. Central to this tale is Charlie Wall, the enigmatic “White Shadow,” who combined Southern charm with streetwise cunning to dominate the city’s criminal empire.

The book traces the rise of the Trafficante family, whose leadership brought ruthless efficiency to Tampa’s rackets. From Santo Trafficante Sr.’s local dominance to Santo Jr.’s expansion into Cuban casinos and national syndicates, the Trafficantes revolutionized Tampa’s underworld and its ties to political power.

Rich with archival records and firsthand accounts, Tampa Vice offers an enthralling history of crime, culture, and the immigrant ambition that shaped a city still influenced by its shadowy past.