Angelo Lonardo grew up in the wealthy neighborhood of Shaker Heights, his father was a powerful man and the first "Mafia Boss" of the city. After his father was murdered by a member of the rival Porello crime family in 1929, 18 year-old Angelo swore revenge. He later joined the Cleveland Crime Family, working his way up to underboss in 1976. After his arrest in 1983 on drug charges, and fearing life behind bars, he became a government informant and testified against his former colleagues. He remains one of the highest ranking mob bosses to breach the vow of "omerta" in becoming a federal witness. He emerged from the Federal Witness Protection Program inn the early 1990's, and returned home to Cleveland to tell his story.