Those who lived it and those who tried to kill it reveal in eye-opening detail the world of the U.S. Mafia. Former mobsters -- some speaking on camera for the first time -- informants and FBI agents expose the empire of the deadly, corrupt and unforgiving crime ring that gripped America for decades. Each episode examines a pivotal time frame that began in the 1970s and led to the present, and each makes use of recently declassified files, first-person accounts and archival clips, relating a roller coaster of violence, loyalty and wealth. Mobsters talk about the true meaning of La Cosa Nostra and what tricks they used to stay alive, while law enforcement officials offer rare details of dangerous undercover operations, highlighted by an in-depth interview with FBI legend Joe Pistone, whose five-year infiltration of the Bonanno crime family changed the mob forever.