Introducing Shadow Kingdom: God’s Banker (coming March 17)

2m
Roberto Calvi, a man guarding a dangerous secret about the Vatican Bank’s criminal activities, sends a threatening letter to the Pope. A week later on June 17th, 1982 he’s found dead hanging from a bridge in London. British police call it suicide, but questions and conspiracies swirl. Forty years on, lawyer Nicolo Majnoni gets a tip there might be more to the story and embarks on a quest to uncover the truth. Was Roberto Calvi, aka God’s Banker, killed? And if so, by whom?

Shadow Kingdom is a new series from Crooked Media and Campside Media. Each season starts with a crime, and as the layers are peeled back to find out who or what is at the center of it, a larger system at play is revealed.

Get early access to the full season by joining Crooked’s Friends of the Pod at crooked.com/friends. Hear the Italian language version of Shadow Kingdom: God’s Banker by subscribing to Il Banchiere di Dio wherever you get your podcasts.
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Runtime: 2m

Transcript

Speaker 1 It was the summer of 1982.

Speaker 1 My friend Mario was preparing to interview one of the richest bankers in Europe, a man who was also the most famous fugitive in the world, when suddenly a note came across Mario's desk.

Speaker 1 The wire said, Calvi found dead in London under the Black Friars Bridge.

Speaker 1 Suicide question mark.

Speaker 1 The name of the man he was supposed to interview was Roberto Calvi, better known as God's Banker, the top money man for the Pope.

Speaker 1 Police argued whether this was a suicide or a murder.

Speaker 1 And the case only became more twisted as investigators dug deeper. My name is Niccolò Mainoni, and for years I have been obsessed with one of Europe's greatest mysteries.

Speaker 1 Who killed God's banker?

Speaker 1 An obsession that's brought me into the underbelly of some of the most secretive circles of power.

Speaker 1 This system is completely corrupt, completely illegitimate, therefore, it's okay to blow up this entire building. I've talked to spies and mafia bosses,

Speaker 1 and I've recorded mind-bending stories of conspiracy and espionage. So I say, look, we have this guy moving.
We know that he's in contact with this character, a fixer.

Speaker 1 The man points a gun at me and shoots. He basically dropped to the floor.
It was unbelievable.

Speaker 1 All to find out what truly happened to the banker who had the Vatican, the mafia, and a secret far-right branch of Freemasons all pounding on his door.

Speaker 1 Coming March 17th from Crooked Media and Campside Media, this is Shadow Kingdom, Season 1, God's Banker.

Speaker 1 Find it wherever you get your podcast or get early access for the full season by joining Crooked's Friends of the Pod at crooked.com/slash friends.