Get All Access for $5/mo

The Crazy True Story of the 'Goodfellas' Lufthansa Heist On this episode of 'Dirty Money,' we fact-check 'Goodfellas' and crack the case of the largest heist in airline history.

By Dan Bova

Archive Photos | Getty Images

On December 11, 1978, six armed robbers broke into JFK Airport's Lufthansa Airlines cargo terminal at 3 o'clock in the morning. A little over an hour later, they walked out with $5 million in untraceable bills (worth $22.4 million today ) and $800,000 in jewels (worth $3.6 million today.) At the time, it was the largest heist in U.S. history.

And here's the really crazy part: Not a shot was fired and nobody was killed or seriously hurt (during the heist, at least.)

Related: Subscribe to Dirty Money | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher

If this sounds familiar, it's because it was dramatized in Martin Scorsese's 1990 film Goodfellas, based on Nicholas Pilleggi's 1985 book Wiseguys about mid-level crooks in the Lucchese crime family. The heist was a pivotal moment in the lives of this Queens, NY-based crew. Mobsters Henry Hill, Jimmy Burke and a bizarre group of degenerate gamblers, bookies, wig salesmen and guys with nicknames like Louis Roast Beef all somehow pull off this incredible scheme...and then almost immediately start killing each other.

On this episode of Dirty Money, hosts Dan Bova and Jon Small discuss the crime and its fallout, and what the Goodfellas version got right and what it got wrong. (And by wrong, we mean "slightly unfactual" because it is the greatest movie ever made and by extension, can do no wrong.)

Subscribe to Dirty Money on Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play

About Dirty Money

Dirty Money is a new podcast series from Entrepreneur Media telling the tales of legendary scammers, con artists, and barely-legal lowlifes who stop at nothing to bilk their marks of millions. Hosted by Entrepreneur editors Dan Bova and Jon Small, the podcast takes a deep dive into the deviants behind the deeds

Related: The Very Crazy Story of Crazy Eddie, the Electronics and Scamming Giant

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

At Age 15, He Used Facebook Marketplace to Start a Side Hustle — Then It Became Something Much Bigger: 'Raised Over $1.6 Million'

Dylan Zajac, now a 21-year-old senior at Babson College, wanted to bridge the digital divide.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

OpenAI Just Released Its Text-to-Video Generator, Sora. Here's How the New AI Could Impact Small Businesses and Creators.

Sora has a variety of use cases for businesses, from social media campaigns to video creation.

Innovation

These Entrepreneurs Created a League That Turns Gamers Into Pro Race Car Drivers: 'We're Giving Drivers a Sustainable Career Path'

Racing Prodigy's innovative E2Real sports league is lowering the high-cost barrier to entry for drivers to take their passion to the track.

Growing a Business

This Cozy Coffee and Garden Shop Has Become a Staple in Its Community By Following 5 Smart Strategies

Maypop is a combination coffee and garden shop where a blend of community building and customer service creates an unforgettable experience.

Business News

'Faster, Smarter, and More Relevant': Reddit Tests AI That Combs the Site For You

The AI is like a blend of Google and ChatGPT, tailored specifically for Reddit.