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  • The King of Con

  • How a Smooth-Talking Jersey Boy Made and Lost Billions, Baffled the FBI, Eluded the Mob, and Lived to Tell the Crooked Tale
  • By: Thomas Giacomaro, Natasha Stoynoff
  • Narrated by: Thomas Giacomaro
  • Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (93 ratings)

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The King of Con cover art

The King of Con

By: Thomas Giacomaro, Natasha Stoynoff
Narrated by: Thomas Giacomaro
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Publisher's Summary

A Jersey boy with a knack for numbers, a gift for making people trust him, and an all-consuming hunger to be king of the business world, Tom Giacomaro could convince anyone of anything. 

As a teenager, Tom Giacomaro began working in the mob-laden New Jersey trucking industry. A charming, brash-talking salesman, he climbed the ranks, and let his lust for money and relationships with New York and Philadelphia crime families send him spiraling into a world of drugs and violence. Forced to go on the lam in South Africa and Europe he returned a year later - with millions of dollars' worth of diamonds stuffed in his underwear. And that's only the beginning. 

In his memoir, Tom details how he eventually hashed out a deal with the FBI, agreeing to become a special crime informant to avoid jail time - only he somehow manages not to rat anyone out and, incredibly, continues his high-finance, shady dealings, luring celebrities and other high-profile contacts to invest millions in his new business ventures. When it all inevitably comes crashing down, Tom is thrown in prison for over a decade - yet, even behind bars, he's able to get what he wants from anyone: the warden, the doctors, the guards, and his fellow inmates... and finds a way to get released early. 

Cowritten by Natasha Stoynoff, The King of Con is the true story about a smart, streetwise Jersey boy who talked his way to the top and became richer and more successful than his wildest dreams. It offers an unforgettable look into the life of a man who became hooked on living life to thrilling and dangerous excess, rubbing elbows with celebrities and crime bosses, until he was humbled by the FBI, by the US Attorney, and by life itself. 

Now, Tom is back in his old New Jersey neighborhood. His mob cronies are calling, his palms are itching to make billions again, and the US Attorney's office is watching. Will he stay on the straight and narrow, or will he return to his old ways and steal back his crown of crime as the King of Con?

©2018 Thomas Giacomaro (P)2018 Blackstone Publishing

What listeners say about The King of Con

Average Customer Ratings
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Enjoyable listen

Linear, easy to listen to, that’s all I want to say ok, nothing else the end

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • joe
  • 19-06-2022

Another great gangster book

The narration started off a little bit clunky but eventually got better. The story was a very entertaining like a Scorsese movie.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

If you love true crime, give it a go

Initially, we found his voice annoying as our usual audible books are read by professionals. We contemplated giving it up but as I'd paid already we continued as so glad we did. His voice and story are all-consuming and we grew to love his voice and his incredible story. What a journey he took us on which made our 10 hours of a journey across the Northern Territory of Australia so interesting when there is nothing to see. Love ya Tommy x

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Old school story telling hits the mark.

I enjoyed the authors telling of his story in his own voice. The life journey he embarked on is not for the faint hearted. What an incredibly intelligent yet self destructive individual Thomas was. It’s a great read, highly recommend if you’re a fan of New York and the mafia era that dominated the city for decades.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Life learning - a fascinating story.

fascinating & relentless, an exciting yet tragic life story. good luck for the future Tom - hope U find the right place to benefit society. A man with super talents who could have been so welcomed in the "Legal / financial/ marketing & logistics industries on the right side if the Our "lawless societies"........
except for the cycle of Parental physical and mental abuse he suffered during childhood and beyond.
I hope Tom's future is peaceful and beneficent.
Rip Laura - I know this kind of loss personally.
Thanks for sharing your story Tom .

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

Fantastic Narration By the Author
anyone who likes crine and Mob books will love this!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyed every moment

Insightful and easy listening on an intriguing topic. Great to hear honest reflection by the author and the authenticity of the oration was really enjoyable.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Narrator

Most likely a great book , but the narrator is boring & shows no expression when reading , was to tedious to listen to story .
Sorry

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

truly awful individual

I am sorry ilistened to this to be truthful. a man who took pride in ruining peoples lives and showing no remorse. shod have never got out of prison. it seems his only regret is being caught.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Save yourself the time - buy an old man a drink

Awful. The reminiscing of a has-been, who has lost all of his family and all those who used to care about him through greed, and still can’t stop bleeting on about all the ‘hookers he used to bang’ and drugs he used to do. Half of this stuff is blatantly, demonstrably untrue. It’s literally like sitting at a bar and listening to the old drunk spin stores about the good old days which are half mutilated fact and half compete fiction. There is no sincerity, there is no humility, there is no remorse, there is no progression - save yourself the time, just go to a bar and let the local loser chew your ear off instead of this crook

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