True crime from the people who lived nearby.
Honor Among Thieves Podcast is a blunt true-crime interview show built around firsthand accounts from people close to the criminal world. Episodes move from Miami street culture and prison logistics to family fallout, fraud cases, car theft, drug trafficking, and survival after violence.
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Honor Among Thieves Podcast approaches true crime through people in the chair rather than through case files. The conversations are informal and blunt. Nelson Rodriguez Jr. introduces guests as people with stories from crime, federal cases, prison, street economies, family fallout, and attempts to move forward afterward. The show favors firsthand memory over polished narration, so episodes often feel like someone pulling apart a life choice by choice. Vivian Gomez’s episode moves through a family history tied to Manuel Noriega, Miami, drugs, guns, and a childhood shaped by proximity to danger. Kyle Sandler’s story begins with business ambition and small scams, then turns toward fraud, fugitive pressure, prison, and work associated with Federal Prison Tips. Mr. Bick’s appearance shifts the lens. Instead of focusing only on the person charged, it follows the father watching law enforcement arrive, court dates unfold, and prison visits become part of family life. Other guests bring in car theft, pill operations, drug shipments, cartel survival, Haitian street networks, and the ongoing reality of federal cases. The show can be brash. It can also be surprisingly domestic. Travel logistics, old neighborhoods, court rides, family arguments, and awkward plugs sit beside accounts of weapons, robberies, fraud, kidnapping fears, and prison routines. That mix is the point. Honor Among Thieves Podcast does not make the criminal underworld feel clean or cinematic; it makes it sound messy, repetitive, risky, and personal. Its best material comes when guests move past reputation and explain how money, fear, status, loyalty, and bad decisions shaped the next stretch of their lives. The result is true crime with fewer reenactments and more consequence.
Made for: For listeners drawn to firsthand true-crime stories, prison aftermath, street economies, and the family damage around federal cases. It suits audiences who prefer loose, candid interviews over tightly scripted investigations.
What sets it apart: The show’s edge is its access to people describing criminal worlds in practical, lived-in detail: how schemes worked, how pressure built, and what prison or indictment did afterward. It keeps the conversation close to memory, consequence, and street-level context.
Honor Among Thieves is a raw and unfiltered true crime podcast that dives deep into the worlds of crime, prison life, and redemption. Hosted by **Nelson Rodriguez Jr.—an ex-con and reformed fraudster—**the show pulls back the curtain on stories most people never hear. Each week, Nelson sits down with drug kingpins, ex-cons, mobsters, scammers, crime victims, prison guards, federal agents, and gangsters to share the untold truth of the criminal underworld. From daring scams and shocking betrayals to the harsh realities of federal and state prison, every episode uncovers the grit, chaos, and human side of life on both sides of the law. Some episodes focus on prison survival and insider stories…
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · August 2026
Honor Among Thieves Podcast brings blunt first-person interviews about prison, fraud, federal cases, addiction, and family strain to True Crime.
Honor Among Thieves Podcast is a True Crime interview show built around Nelson Rodriguez Jr. and guests whose lives have run through prison, federal cases, street economies, addiction, and family strain. It works best as lived testimony, not a case file.
The rap sheet is only the doorway; you came for what happens after court.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A Miami family story where Manuel Noriega sits uncomfortably close.
Vivian Gomez's conversation on Honor Among Thieves follows a family story that moves from weed to coke and then into guns for Manuel Noriega. The Miami backdrop lands with force: a property Noriega wanted, repeated shots fired at it, childhood fights, and the sense that danger…
A scam-to-reckoning story with prison-consulting practicals and a loose, conversational pace.
Honor Among Thieves shapes Kyle Sandler's story into a scam-to-reckoning arc that keeps circling back to reinvention and consequence. He comes across as an Asian man adopted by Jewish parents, and the path from small-time schemes as a kid to a three and a half million dollar…
A federal case becomes a family story about loyalty, strain, and the long drive to Fort Dix.
Honor Among Thieves focuses on the family cost of a federal case, with Nelson Rodriguez Jr. sitting down with Mr. Bick, Ian Bick's father, and revisiting the moment police cars, SUVs, local police, the town, the state, and the federal government crowded into the house hallway…
A prison story shaped by gang power, collapse, and recovery.
Honor Among Thieves follows Gio Martini into USP Victorville and leans into the hard logic of working inside a maximum security prison. He says he wanted a real prison, starts from the assumption that everyone inside is dangerous, and points to the Mexican Mafia and the Serranos…
A blunt recovery conversation that hits hardest when it stays specific.
Honor Among Thieves opens on Devin Donovan, and the episode stays centered on addiction, court trouble, overdose, treatment, and the work of staying upright after a lot of damage. Nelson Rodriguez Jr.
Criminalistics, law, and public life explained patiently.
Australian headlines with pace and bite.
Serious conversations, held to account.
True crime where closure gets questioned.
A retired Miami-Dade PD sergeant recounts violent 1980s Miami incidents involving drug dealers and discusses his 37-year career in law enforcement.
A woman facing prison for cartel-related drug charges discusses her role, the legal case, and the dangerous environment in Mexico during an exclusive interview.
Aaron Peila discusses his past as a RICO kingpin, detailing his plea deal involving large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, and shares his intense experiences in maximum security prison at Victorville USP.
A guest shares his experience of selling heroin to an undercover police officer as a teenager, leading to adult imprisonment, and discusses harsh sentencing disparities and drug culture in West Virginia.
The host and guest discuss their connection through Ian's show, the guest's story, and living in Harlem and the Bronx, with casual mentions of Rikers Island and the cold weather.
A former Miami figure discusses his upbringing on 15th Avenue, a notorious drug corridor, and how he organized crime there, leading to wealth and the promotion of his documentary 'Miami Kingpin' and upcoming TV projects.
This episode features an interview with former commander Ruman De La Rua, discussing his wild experiences as a rookie police officer in 1980s Miami, including canine work and drug cases.
The host Nelson Rodriguez Jr.
The host introduces a guest author and discusses upcoming business activities in Florida, but the substantive topic about surviving the cartel has not yet begun.
The guest discusses differences in drug markets between Miami and Los Angeles, highlighting cartel control and pricing variations.
Jason Vacherbeck discusses his experiences in drug smuggling and prison, highlighting the adrenaline and thrill of his past life.
Andrew Levinson reflects on his 13-year prison sentence, compares it to his school years, and recounts meeting someone from prison who later connected him to a Red Bull-related situation.
Scott Anthony discusses his early gang involvement in 1970s Chicago and compares lifestyle changes in Mexico and Costa Rica regarding cost of living and societal shifts.
A former Miami drug trafficker discusses his experiences with cocaine and heroin in the 1970s and his involvement in the documentary series Miami Kingpins.
This podcast segment introduces Jamie Driver, a top female bare knuckle fighter, discussing her violent past, personal struggles including a brain tumor, and her unexpected feminine persona.
The host discusses growing up in Little Italy, New York, contrasts it with living in Austin, Texas and South Florida, and highlights the ethnic diversity in these areas.
The host welcomes back John Poet Thornton to continue sharing his prison-to-redemption story, emphasizing its impact on listeners and the collaborative storytelling effort.
This segment discusses the differences in criminal and normal mindsets, focusing on intention of harm, and critiques the lack of effective psychological care and rehabilitation resources in American prisons.
Joe Gates recounts his arrest in a major drug bust and the violent aftermath involving his friend, while discussing his journey from small-town Indiana to becoming an ecstasy kingpin.
A former drug dealer shares his journey from childhood hustling to cartel connections and his transition to a positive life after prison.
The speaker recounts their teenage cocaine addiction and subsequent drug dealing career, detailing profits from breaking down bricks of cocaine and interactions with cartels, before transitioning to podcast introductions and connections in Miami.
The host introduces guest Manny Vitale, discussing his transition from police officer to biker gang involvement and his multifaceted life experiences.
A woman shares her story of being arrested with eight kilos of methamphetamine while working with a Mexican cartel, facing 22-25 years in prison, and then beating the feds by representing herself pro se in court, with background on her Texas upbringing.
Larry Hartman discusses his transition from a Wall Street lawyer facing a life sentence indictment to becoming an international fugitive with a fake passport in Nicaragua, and his subsequent rebranding and hard work in his current endeavors.
The host introduces guest Louis Essig, discussing connections and background, but substantive content about his story as a former junkie and ex-con turned prison guard has not yet begun.
Felly shares her intense past involving drug stashing, violence, and hustling in New York City, with the host introducing her intriguing story for a detailed podcast discussion.
Kendra Geronimo shares her harrowing experience as a human trafficking survivor, detailing her kidnapping and abuse by a pimp, and discusses her transformation into a self-defense expert.
A former associate of Miami's biggest kingpin shares his experiences from 31 years in prison, discussing the drug trade era of the 1970s-80s and his life in crime since age nine.
The host introduces guest Cloyd Holmes to discuss his unique story involving an $11 million timeshare scam and his work with Mad Up Ministry.
A former inmate discusses the crack epidemic of the 1990s, his life sentence without parole, and his current life as a truck driver, including challenges of driving in New York.
The transcript discusses travel experiences and costs in Columbia, but does not address the title's topic of police self-defense issues.
The hosts discuss a casual meet-up in Miami, mentioning Mango's bar and Cuban culture, but the substantive story about Jeremy Grove's cannabis bust is not addressed in this segment.
Jason Votrobek discusses his past as a drug smuggler, including a 100-kilo cocaine shipment and related kidnapping attempts, in an interview on Honor Among Thieves.
The host introduces a former DEA agent to discuss his career and cases, starting with casual conversation about their meeting and the agent's office.
The host introduces Damon Thrash, a figure from the 1990s Florida drug trade, and discusses the importance of storytelling and peer recognition in their conversation.
A former gang member recounts his involvement with the Zoe Pound gang, detailing drug operations, criminal activities, and his connection to the Boobie Boys, while discussing his recent book tour and interview on Honor Among Thieves.
Rosario Liotta discusses his life from mafia family ties in Brooklyn to serving 15 years in prison, as interviewed by a host intrigued by his complex story.
This episode introduces a car thief discussing the underworld of Grand Theft Auto, the profitability of car theft, and the business behind it.
The conversation covers travel logistics between Texas and Florida, then shifts to discussing a crypto-related legal case in Houston involving federal prison consulting.
The host introduces John Poet Thornton, a former cocaine kingpin from Tampa, who will share his criminal life story and prison experiences in this interview.
A former drug dealer recounts the rapid rise of Molly in Miami around 2009-2010, leading to significant profits and media attention with the 'Mali invasion' headline.
Host Nelson Rodriguez Jr.
USP Victorville and the Army are framed as controlled environments that shape behavior.
Devin Donovan shares his harrowing journey from a teenage drug dealer in Boston to a recovering addict who overdosed 10 times and faced wrongful imprisonment.
Host Nelson Rodriguez Jr.
Jorge Valdes discusses his cocaine trafficking operations, including profits, connections with figures like Escobar and Dickie Lynn, and smuggling routes from Colombia to the U.S.
Host Nelson Rodriguez Jr.
Vivian Gomez describes her father moving from weed to cocaine, then guns for Manuel Noriega.
Kyle Sandler says he raised "$500,000 and one dollar" before taking money until he had zero equity.
Mr.
Nelson Rodriguez Jr.