Maryland, U.S.A. — They say when you marry a man, you’re marrying his family too, but these ladies didn’t realize they were signing up for a family. Investigation Discovery’s hit series I married a mobster returns this August to reveal true stories of being a Mrs. in the mafia, from the riches of the rise to the ferocity of the fall. Each half-hour episode sits down with one woman as she recounts the fast-paced and dangerous lifestyle of being a first lady in the mob, whether she knew what she was signing up for or got the surprise of a lifetime when the feds came knocking. The second season of I married a mobster premieres on Wednesday, August 15 at 10 and 10:30 PM (E/P) on Investigation Discovery, with the premiere episode featuring the story of Lyndsey Cyr, Whitey Bulger’s ex who reveals how the “love of her life” transformed into the FBI’s most wanted man.

“The women in I married a mobster literally dance with the devil: they are strong, resilient and fierce. Indeed, their stories will leave viewers wondering what gets mobsters into more hot water: crossing their Dons, or their Donnas!” said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager of Investigation Discovery. “In a world where death before dishonor is a vow, we realize that by appearing in this series on ID, these women must now live in real danger, so we are particularly grateful to them for sharing their stories with our viewers.”

Expanding beyond the New York mafia, the new season of I married a mobster tells of mob families across the country, from Boston, Philadelphia and even Las Vegas. Episodes profile women such as a wife who transformed from goomah to boss’ consigliere, another who became a Kodak Girl turned skilled getaway driver, and one who had to choose between testifying against her husband…or John Gotti, Jr.

Next episodes during this season include:

• Breaking Bulger – Lindsey Cyr’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, August 15 at 10 PM
When 21-year-old Lindsey Cyr falls in love with 36-year-old James “Whitey” Bulger, she has no idea the man she has fallen for will soon become one of Boston’s most infamous criminals. Madly in love, Cyr finds herself not only pregnant, but also caught in the middle of a Boston mob war. Regardless of the danger, the birth of the couple’s son brings happiness for them both, and Bulger is an adoring father from the moment he lays eyes on him. But when the boy suddenly dies of an allergic reaction at 6-and-a-half years old, the grief is too much. With a vow to “never hurt like this again,” Bulger begins his final transformation into a cold-hearted killer that will soon make him the FBI’s most wanted man. For the first time since his arrest, Cyr reveals what life was like with her “Jimmy,” the man she calls brilliant, a fabulous lover, a wonderful father, and the love of her life.

• Scarred for Life – Toni Marie Fappiano’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, August 15 at 10:30 PM
Toni Marie Fappiano grew up in a big, loud, and loving Italian family surrounded by macho Neapolitan men, including her loving father. So it’s no surprise when she falls for the handsome and charming Michael “Mikey Scars” DiLeonardo. But Fappiano gets a wakeup call when her cousin is murdered in a mob-related bombing, and it isn’t long before she realizes that not all the men in her life are as dependable as her father. After her husband rats out fellow mobster John Gotti, Jr., Fappiano is left to choose between taking the stand against Gotti or her husband. But after discovering that her husband had a child with his mistress, the decision isn’t too difficult for Fappiano in the end.

• The Rule Breaker – Sharon McDonnell’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, August 22 at 10 PM
Sharon McDonnell is beautiful, feisty, and independent, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself knocked up and mobbed up. A shotgun wedding to her boyfriend brings McDonnell into the family of mobster Carmine Fiore, but it isn’t long before a battle rages between this headstrong Irish girl and her godfather-in-law and she flees. Continuing on her mobster streak, McDonnell falls into the arms of yet another wise guy, the notorious Ronnie One Arm. After their differences, and despite Ronnie’s warnings, McDonnell thinks third time’s a charm when she starts dating mobster Joe Cali. But when the danger and abuse become too much, she flees New York to start a new life in a secret location. Just when McDonnell thinks she’s safe and escaped her dance with the devil, the phone rings and it’s a number she knows all too well.

• It’s Me or the Mob – Nancy Esposito’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, August 22 at 10:30 PM
When Nancy Esposito meets restaurant owner Michael Delucia, she thinks he’s funny and charming. After they get married, Esposito is sure she has it all… until she comes home to find the FBI searching her house. It’s a wake-up call that forces her to take a hard look at her husband and the life he’s leading. As she comes to terms with who her husband really is, she delivers him an ultimatum: choose between their family or the mafia family.

• Stunt Lady – Georgia Durante’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, August 29 at 10 PM
Modeling just wasn’t enough for the beautiful Georgia Durante, who had a taste for speed and was a frequent competitor in local drag races. When her mob friends discover her skill, they put her to work driving getaway cars for notorious mob boss Carlo Gambino. Now a part of the mob’s inner circle, Durante meets club owner Joe Lamendola. He sweeps her off her feet, but as soon as they say I do, her prince charming turns into the prince of darkness. Durante finds herself thrust down a road of constant violence that won’t end until one of them is dead.

• No Way Out – Lynda Milito’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, August 29 at 10:30 PM
As childhood sweethearts, Lynda was a Jewish Juliet to Louie Milito’s Italian Romeo. But Lynda had no idea when they got married that she was setting herself up for heartache, with Louie’s ties to the Gambino mob going deeper than she could ever have imagined. When he’s caught in a power struggle with the mob’s “Prince of Darkness,” Sammy Gravano, Lynda forces Louie to make the ultimate decision: it’s her or the mob. The choice has unintended consequences and sends Lynda on a lifelong quest to uncover the truth behind her husband’s mysterious disappearance.

• Street Smart – Ruthann Seccio’s Story

Premieres Wednesday, September 5 at 10 PM
Ruthann Seccio didn’t have an ideal childhood. At the age of 12, “less than ideal turns” to “nightmare” when she’s raped and arrested for a crime she didn’t commit. By the time justice is served and Seccio is released, she survives on the streets of Philadelphia using her street smarts to get her through. At 23, Seccio sets out to find a better life, catching the attention of Philly’s mob boss, Ralph Natale. Despite their 35-year age difference, his status as a married man and her friendship with his daughter, Seccio gives into Natale’s advances. But after she becomes his most trusted confidant and after he becomes a rat, the love affair not only puts her life on the line but also threatens to destroy the Philly mob all together..

Image Courtesy of Investigation Discovery

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The death of Henry Hill on Tuesday, June 12 might not have caused the uproar that the recent deaths of other celebrities has caused; however, Hill’s death might allow one to reflect upon the attention he gave to a secret. This is an organization that was denied by its members, officials and other powerful people for decades. Henry Hill’s 1986 autobiography “Wiseguy” outed the Cosa Nostra, “this thing of ours,” the Mob, the Mafia to the unknowing American public.

Spoiler Alert!

According to crime reporter Nicholas Pilegg, who was also Hill’s writing partner, Hill wrote his autobiography because after years of Federal Racketeering trials, he needed money to pay his lawyers. This book was the real thing. No longer would the public revel in Puzo’s “Godfather” series as the quintessence of organized crime. Hills book took to new heights exactly what the American public craved: the glamor of the Mob.

In reality, Hill was not the head of any organized crime syndicate. He could not by rights become a “made” man, a full member in the Cosa Nostra, because he was born of an Irish-American mother. However, he spun a story that was so incredible, so outlandish that those of us living in smaller places in America were compelled to sit up and take notice. Stories that we had dismissed as mere fairytales were revealed, and guess what? They were all true! There really were people who lived by a code of silence, rubbed shoulders with celebrities, and controlled all sorts of criminal activities. Small town America was transfixed.

Henry Hill grew up in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn, New York. He too was transfixed by the power of the men who socialized and worked their legitimate businesses across the street from Hill’s family home. By the time he was a teenager, Hill was running errands, picking up loan payments and bets for members of the Lucchese family. His eagerness facilitated a bricklayer’s union card presented to him by two of the Vario brothers, themselves members of the Lucchese family. With a union card, he was put on the payroll of a local construction company as a “no show”. Hill received a salary and was not compelled to complete any work. Hill found that once he had this “legitimate” job, he no longer had time to attend school. The Vario brothers and Hill threatened the mailman when he continued to deliver truancy notices to his house.

Hill eventually joined the Army to escape the notice of the FBI and served three years, all while maintaining his mob contacts. When he completed his enlistment, he began the most notorious phase of his career that included arson, a stolen car ring and hijacking trucks. These crimes led to bigger ones, which led to his involvement in the Lufthansa Heist, the robbery of the airlines warehouse. One of the most expensive robberies in history, the Lufthansa Heist takings are estimated at $5 million dollars and more than three-quarters of a million dollars in jewels.

After the Lufthansa Heist, Hill’s associates began dying, all of who had participated in the Lufthansa Heist. Figuring he was next with nowhere to turn, Hill became an informant. With his help, 50 convictions were made against his former associates.

Hill’s story and later the movie “Goodfellas,” based on his book, allowed America a glimpse into a lifestyle that can only be described as glamorous and helped perpetuate a love of the genre. Recent Mafia based movies and television shows including “The Sopranos” and “Mob Doctor” help keep the appetite for the Mob alive and well.

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