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Hoffa's Connection: The KC Girl Who Allied with the Mafia and Teamsters

Presented By
Frank R. Hayde

The alliance between the mafia and the Teamsters Union remains one of the most notorious partnerships in American history — a saga dominated by powerful men like union boss Jimmy Hoffa. Yet its origins can be traced to a Kansas City woman, Sylvia Pagano, whom the FBI once called “the connection between the Detroit Italian Syndicate and the Teamsters Union.”

Author Frank Hayde discusses his new book Hoffa’s Connection: The Story of Sylvia Pagano, the Kansas City Girl at the Center of the Mafia’s Alliance with the Teamster Union, which examines how Pagano, a labor activist, emerged as a key ally for Hoffa and a trusted figure within the American underworld.

During a period when the mafia relegated most women to ornamental roles, Hayde details how Pagano was unique, serving as a powerbroker, liaison, and advisor. Her story provides a glimpse into some of organized crime’s most notorious people, places, and events.

A career law enforcement officer, Hayde is the author of five previous books, including The Mafia and the Machine: The Story of the Kansas City Mob and Italian Gardens: A History of Kansas City Through Its Favorite Restaurant.


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Hoffa's Connection: The KC Girl Who Allied with the Mafia and Teamsters

Date & Location
-
Helzberg Auditorium
In Person