Introducing The Professor: Hunting for the Mafia's Missing Masterpiece

This week on Fat Leonard we’re sharing the first episode of a new four-part series from Brazen called ‘The Professor’. William Veres is in trouble. In 2018 he was arrested following the largest ever investigation by the Italian police’s art squad. They accuse him of running a pan-European art-smuggling ring with ties to the Sicilian mafia. He is alleged to have stolen $40 million worth of art and antiquities from Italy. Charged with 14 counts, including money laundering, forgery, wire fraud and conspiracy, he faces a jail term of up to 20 years.  But he has a plan to get out of trouble.  In this four-part podcast, host Simon Willis follows him as he puts that plan into action. It’s a story that takes listeners deep into the underworld, and into the dark heart of the most famous criminal organization of them all – Cosa Nostra.  It is a story of drug dealers, hitmen, smugglers, spies – even a corrupt prime minister. And in the middle of it all is William Veres’s quest to save himself. How? By solving the coldest cold case in the history of art crime – the theft of Caravaggio’s Nativity.  The Professor is a series for Hidden Worlds, the home of unbelievable true stories and gripping investigations into shadowy places. Subscribe to Hidden Worlds and get brand new series delivered to your favorite podcast app year-round. One podcast, endless stories. For more, visit brazen.fm/hidden-worlds. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus to get ad-free listening.

Om Podcasten

It’s the most shocking unknown tale of our era: a defense contractor who bribed Navy officers with cash, prostitutes and luxury items in return for multi-million-dollar deals. Now, under arrest and battling cancer, ​Leonard Francis, AKA Fat Leonard, is angry, and he’s talking for the first time. His explosive story will change the way you look at the U.S. Navy forever. With exclusive access to Leonard Francis himself, Fat Leonard reveals the true story of the misogynistic men at the heart of the Navy and the brave women who brought them down. To access all episodes of the Fat Leonard podcast, subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts, or on other podcast apps by visiting www.brazen.fm/plus. Subscribing will not only unlock Fat Leonard, but it’ll also give you early access to new Brazen shows, as well as ad-free listening and exclusive subscriber-only content across all podcasts in our network. For more, visit: www.fatleonardpodcast.com Fat Leonard is a Project Brazen production. For more fearless storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. For the latest from Brazen delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters at brazen.fm/newsletters. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/