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The Snakehead
- An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream
- Narrated by: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
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The Snakehead
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Publisher's Summary
A mesmerizing narrative about the rise and fall of an unlikely international crime boss
In the 1980s, a wave of Chinese from Fujian province began arriving in America. Like other immigrant groups before them, they showed up with little money but with an intense work ethic and an unshakeable belief in the promise of the United States. Many of them lived in a world outside the law, working in a shadow economy overseen by the ruthless gangs that ruled the narrow streets of New York's Chinatown.
The figure who came to dominate this Chinese underworld was a middle-aged grandmother known as Sister Ping. Her path to the American dream began with an unusual business run out of a tiny noodle store on Hester Street. From her perch above the shop, Sister Ping ran a full-service underground bank for illegal Chinese immigrants. But her real business-a business that earned an estimated $40 million-was smuggling people.
As a "snakehead", she built a complex and often vicious global conglomerate, relying heavily on familial ties, and employing one of Chinatown's most violent gangs to protect her power and profits. Like an underworld CEO, Sister Ping created an intricate smuggling network that stretched from Fujian Province to Hong Kong to Burma to Thailand to Kenya to Guatemala to Mexico. Her ingenuity and drive were awe-inspiring both to the Chinatown community where she was revered as a homegrown Don Corleone and to the law enforcement officials who could never quite catch her.
Indeed, Sister Ping's empire only came to light in 1993 when the Golden Venture, a ship loaded with 300 undocumented immigrants, ran aground off a Queens beach. It took New York's fabled Jade Squad and the FBI nearly 10 years to untangle the criminal network and home in on its unusual mastermind.
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Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-02-24
A Busman's Holiday
I joined the INS in 1993. The Golden Venture saga had just begun it's American phase. The case has continued throughout my career although I was not involved in any aspect of it (to my knowledge). I heartily recommend this book to any new immigration officer because they will encounter cases like that described in this book. Excellent reporting.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Barbara
- 2021-06-22
TIME & MONEY WELL SPENT
I will be happy to recommend this book to my associates, family and awesome book club.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Randolph Lumm
- 2022-09-22
Our immigration system is a mess
Great story! Good discussion on American’s immigration system. It is sad to see how Republicans candidates use people’s hate for immigrates to get elected and how private prisons use it to make money off the government. The book is not political and stays neutral, presenting useful information on our immigration system.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- chris
- 2013-11-23
Great read!
If you could sum up The Snakehead in three words, what would they be?
unbelievable true story
Who was your favorite character and why?
n/a
Which scene was your favorite?
intro- smuggling event
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
yes! in fact, i listened to the entire book in 1day!
Any additional comments?
great buy!
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