In another BONUS EPISODE from the Havana miniseries, Pettengill sits down with historian, Frank Argote-Freyre. Dr. Argote-Freyre's scholarship focuses on Latin American history, including the Cuban Revolution. His book, entitled "Fulgencio Batists: From Revolutionary to Strongman," outlines the rise of Batista and underscores the corrupt regime he built in the process. Argote-Freyre notes that while the Mafia was certainly a force to be reckoned with in Havana, it would be a gross overstatement to say they ran the island. In short, Dr. Argote-Freyre demonstrates what many of us get wrong about the intersection of the Mafia and the Batista regime.

Episode 20 begins to piece together the moving parts of the West Coast mob. Listeners met Johnny Roselli, Mickey Cohen, and Tony Cornero in the previous episode. This episode will begin to weave the complex tapestry that was Hollywood's mafia scene. Pettengill notes how much of this process began when Al Capone tried to extend his influence into Southern California. It was unsuccessful but he did stumble upon Roselli in the process. And before long, Roselli became Capone's "man in Hollywood." Not to be outdone, the Eastern Syndicate sent their man, Benny Bugsy Siegel, to counter the influence of the Chicago Outfit. Sprinkled into the mix are individuals like Harry Cohn and Billy Wilkerson, who had complicated relationships with numerous underworld figures. Collectively, these individuals helped organized crime reinvent itself as the nation neared the Second World War.

The conversation regarding unionism and the Mafia continues in Episode 18. In this episode, Pettengill explores organized crime's infiltration of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Jimmy Hoffa, a rising star within the union movement, was taking on not only the titans of industry but also rivals unions who were competing with him for dues-paying members. On the one hand, Hoffa needed the Mafia to stay out of the way when it came to their union-busting tactics and on the other hand, he needed some enforcers to beat back his union competitors. Hoffa used the Mafia's influence to secure unionism in the late 1930s but, as Pettengill notes, this did not come without a cost. Hoffa became incredibly powerful as a union leader but that power did not always serve the rank-and-file especially well.