5 | Bully

Summary

Crook County: Episode 5 | Bully – Detailed Summary

Hosted by Kyle Tekiela, Crook County delves deep into the dark and complex life of Ken Tekiela, a Chicago firefighter who led a clandestine existence as a hitman for the Chicago mafia. In Episode 5, titled "Bully," Kyle confronts unsettling truths about his father's past, uncovering layers of violence, deception, and psychological turmoil.

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1. Episode Introduction

The episode begins with Kyle reflecting on his childhood perceptions of his father, Ken, juxtaposed against the shocking revelations of his criminal activities. This contrast sets the stage for an intense exploration of Ken's dual life and its profound impact on the Tekiela family.

---

2. Ken's Dark Confession

Ken opens up about his involvement with the Chicago Outfit, detailing his progression from a whorehouse doorman to a ruthless assassin.

[07:12] Kenny: "I could be a pretty nasty. Anyway, I got. I was recruited into doing some hits. Okay, so there's a. Another part of that. So not only working and running whorehouses. I'm doing occasional hits on the side. All right?"

Ken elaborates on the nature of his assignments, portraying himself as an enforcer tasked with dealing with "rogue" members who threatened the stability of the Outfit.

[07:29] Ken: "I asked him what he means by going rogue."

[07:33] Kenny: "So these guys would do. ... They'd steal, they'd rat. ... My job was to be the heat."

This segment reveals the coercive environment Ken operated in, where violence was not just a tool but a necessity for survival within the criminal hierarchy.

---

3. Familial Reflections and Moral Dilemmas

Kyle grapples with the disparity between the father he admired and the brutal enforcer Ken truly was. He recalls his father's advice about standing up against bullies, now tainted by Ken's violent actions within the Outfit.

[08:22] Ken: "I remembered something he used to tell my brother and I when we were kids. ... Defend the weak and have the courage to fight against those who would fight against you."

Kyle questions the authenticity of this moral stance in light of Ken's criminal deeds, revealing his inner conflict and the challenges of reconciling these two personas.

[09:38] Kenny: "Whether it was a hit, whether it was a beating, just depending on what the punishment was. ... I don't want to talk about that shit, man."

Ken's reluctance to discuss his actions underscores the deep-seated trauma and shame associated with his past.

---

4. Unveiling Uncle Rich's Memories

Kyle brings his twin brother, Rich, into the conversation to gain additional perspectives on Ken's behavior and their tumultuous family history.

[19:13] Ken: "Was probably like, wait, do they know?"

Rich shares vivid memories of their father's violence and volatility, painting a picture of a man who was both feared and revered within his social circle.

[27:43] Ken: "What's interesting about this incident as it would have been in those early years after Ken joined the outfit. ..."

Rich recounts specific incidents, such as Ken's aggressive altercations and destructive behaviors, further highlighting the chaotic environment in which he operated.

---

5. The Enigmatic Grandmother Adele

The episode takes an unexpected turn as Kyle discusses his grandmother, Adele, revealing hidden facets of her seemingly saintly persona.

[20:48] Ken: "Wow. I loved my grandma Adele. ..."

Despite her outwardly sweet and accomplished image, Adele had a complex history intertwined with Ken's criminal activities, suggesting a family where appearances were meticulously maintained to conceal darker truths.

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6. Chungmu Kwan: The Mind Control Cult

A significant revelation involves Ken's association with Chungmu Kwan, a martial arts group with dubious practices. Kyle uncovers how this involvement may have facilitated Ken's transition into his violent role.

[38:36] Ken: "It was widely known around the family that ken was a 4th degree black belt. ..."

[39:52] Maureen: "Many students are attracted to Chungmu Kwan because the training looks impressive. ... Experts call it a cult."

Through investigative research, Kyle connects the rigorous and possibly manipulative training methods of Chungmu Kwan to Ken's ability to compartmentalize his life and execute his duties as a hitman with chilling efficiency.

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7. Psychological and Emotional Turmoil

The episode delves deep into the psychological scars left by Ken's actions and the family's struggle to comprehend and cope with his dual identity.

[12:19] Ken: "We decide to break for the day. He's exhausted, and honestly, so am I. ..."

Kyle describes Ken's deteriorating health and the emotional toll of unearthing these painful truths, emphasizing the lasting impact on the family dynamic.

[25:07] Kyle Tequila: "It may sound silly after everything else's heard, but this one positive character trait was something I held onto my whole life. ..."

This segment highlights the personal anguish Kyle feels in reconciling his cherished memories with the horrifying realities of his father's life.

---

8. The Incident of Kenny Mendelke

A heartbreaking story emerges about Kenny Mendelke, a friend whose tragic death haunts Ken and possibly influenced his descent into further criminality.

[35:18] Ken: "Tell me about it."

[36:14] Ken: "She ever tell you the stories about her brawling in Chicago and stuff? ..."

Kyle uncovers the guilt and emotional burden Ken carries from this incident, which may have been a catalyst for his increasing involvement in the Outfit.

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9. Martial Arts and Identity

Ken's mastery of martial arts is explored as both a source of personal strength and a tool that enabled his violent actions within the mafia.

[38:40] Ken: "You know, I'm glad you brought up workout martial arts stuff, because that's something I actually completely forgot about."

[39:17] Kenny: "Cheng Muquan. It was a really soft form. It was kung fu. ..."

The training provided by Chungmu Kwan not only honed Ken's physical abilities but also potentially facilitated the psychological manipulation required for his role as an enforcer.

---

10. Confronting the Duality

As the episode draws to a close, Kyle reflects on the complex interplay of factors that shaped Ken's life, including a traumatic childhood, mafia indoctrination, and psychological manipulation through martial arts training.

[42:26] Kenny: "As I'm listening to the music, I feel my senses start to kick in. ..."

Ken's description of entering an "altered state of consciousness" underscores the profound psychological barriers he erected to compartmentalize his violent actions from his family life.

[43:00] Ken: "That whole time I've been struggling to understand just how he could take that enormous leap from doorman to hitman ..."

This introspection highlights the tragic transformation of a man torn between familial love and criminal duty, leaving Kyle to ponder the enduring legacy of his father's actions.

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11. Episode Conclusion and Teasers

The episode concludes with a somber reflection on the revelations uncovered and sets the stage for future explorations into the Tekiela family's history.

[44:13] Ken: "Next week on Crook County."

Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding Ken Tekiela, the psychological mechanisms that enabled his double life, and the lingering effects on his family.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ken on his recruitment into the Outfit:

  "[07:12] Kenny: I could be a pretty nasty..."

• Reflection on moral teachings vs. reality:

  "[09:48] Rich: Defend the weak and have the courage to fight against those who would fight against you."

• Ken discussing Chungmu Kwan:

  "[39:25] Ken: Chung Mu Kwan. I had never heard of it before..."

• Ken on altered states for hits:

  "[42:26] Kenny: ... I sit in my car and I do what I always do. I breathe..."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Dual Identity: Ken Tekiela's life as both a firefighter and a mafia hitman showcases the extreme measures individuals may take to maintain a facade of normalcy while engaging in illicit activities.

• Family Impact: The revelations of Ken's past have profound emotional and psychological effects on his family, particularly Kyle, who struggles to reconcile his childhood memories with his father's true nature.

• Psychological Mechanisms: The association with Chungmu Kwan and the use of altered states of consciousness highlight the psychological tools used to compartmentalize and justify violent actions.

• Cycle of Violence: The traumatic childhood and exposure to violence within the family likely played a significant role in shaping Ken's violent tendencies and involvement in organized crime.

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Conclusion

Episode 5, "Bully," is a harrowing exploration of the complexities of identity, family loyalty, and the lasting scars of a violent past. Through candid interviews and emotional revelations, Kyle Tekiela paints a vivid picture of his father's tumultuous life, offering listeners a poignant look into the depths of human psyche and the shadows that can linger behind a seemingly ordinary facade.

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Crook County continues to unravel the intricate web of Ken Tekiela's life, promising further revelations and emotional journeys in upcoming episodes. To stay updated, follow Crook County on all social media platforms or visit crookcountypodcast.com.

Transcript

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[Christine Belford]

This season on Very Scary People, Christine Belford reports Her three young daughters missing. She has no idea where they are, but she knows who took them. Her ex husband has teamed up with her former in laws to do whatever it takes to have total control of the girls, including stalking, harassment, and even murder. Listen to very scary people wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarki]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarki.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarki]

Each season we explore a new theme, from poisoners to art thieves.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching.

[Maria Tremarki]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kyle Tequila]

It was big news.

[Ken]

I mean white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big big news.

[Rich]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story.

[Ken]

I like saw whole thing that happened.

[Rich]

An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Holly Fry]

He did not kill her.

[Rich]

There's no way is the real Killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ken]

Crook county is released weekly and brought to you absolutely free. But if you want to hear the whole season right now it's available ad free on Tenderfoot plus. For more information, check out the Show Notes. Enjoy the episode. You're listening to Crook County. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals participating in the podcast. This episode also contains subject matter, including graphic depictions of violence which may not be suitable for everyone. Listener discretion is advised. Previously on Crook County.

[Kyle Tequila]

After six Months.

[Maria Tremarki]

He proposed to me.

[Ken]

Kenny got engaged, but called it off only a few months. He realized, at 19 years old, what am I doing being engaged? The cops organized a few phony busts.

[Kenny]

So I took two of those and the girls would come with me and you know, a little party. Everybody would be laughing, having a good time.

[Ken]

And a robbery at the club turned out to be an inside job.

[Kenny]

While Danny was working, he had someone come in and rob the place. So of course Dan's got to put up his arms, take the money and leave.

[Ken]

Danny had to go and Kenny was asked to step in.

[Kenny]

Got him in the car and drove him to one of the chop shop. Dropped them off there. And whatever I did with them from there, I don't know.

[Ken]

I'm your host, Kyle Tequila. Welcome to Crook County.

[Kyle Tequila]

When we were growing up, dad was the coolest guy in the whole town. Everybody wanted dad as their dad, but they didn't know what was going on at home. The games that they played for me and Ken was really bad. There was a lot of violence.

[Ken]

Episode 5 Bully.

[Kenny]

You can begin to listen to that crowd.

[Kyle Tequila]

They know.

[Kenny]

They can tell.

[Kyle Tequila]

Slowly but surely, the 1970s are disappearing. The 1980s will be upon us.

[Ken]

Here we are. Here we go. 10, 9, 4, 7, 6, 5, 4. Happy. 3, 2, 5. Happy. Well, there it is. The first of 1980 in America. We have a brand new decade. It's a whole new beginning. Everybody, please kiss your loved one. Come on, kiss your loved one, your wife, your husband, your sweetheart, and whoever is next to you. Everybody, let's hear it. Everybody. Sing it out. Nixon, Watergate, the end of the Vietnam War, a global recession, gas shortages, rolling blackouts, crime waves, record unemployment, and the ominous shadow of the Cold War. The 1970s was a decade steeped in anxiety and uncertainty, and the curtain had been pulled back on the American dream. Hell, even disco was dead. History may label this decade the great Awakening, but for Ken, now in his mid-20s, it felt more like some terrible dream. And while the world was racing toward the glimmering promise of the 1980s, Ken stood still, feeling nothing at all. No comfort, no hope. He was simply numb. After the hit on Danny, the bosses knew they could count on Kenny for heavy work. And when the calls came, it wasn't so much of a question as a demand. And Kenny had no choice but to comply. As the pressures of his new reality mounted, he withdrew further and turned to cocaine to numb his pain. In this world, emotion was a weakness, and sympathy could get you killed. If he wanted to stay alive in his New role within the outfit. He would need to dig deep down to the darkest part of his soul and abandon the light forever.

[Kenny]

I could be a pretty nasty. Anyway, I got. I was recruited into doing some hits. Okay, so there's a. Another part of that. So not only working and running whorehouses. I'm doing occasional hits on the side. All right? Ordered hits. Our own people that went rogue.

[Ken]

I asked him what he means by going rogue.

[Kenny]

So what these guys would do. These guys are the guys that would fuck up. They'd steal, they'd rat. They were just bad seeds, or they were. Or they were overly aggressive, or they became dangerous, they became rogue, meaning they lost control of what they were doing, started getting violent, and, you know, could start bringing the heat down on this particular outfit that I worked for. So we wanted to keep the heat away. So if somebody became rogue, somebody needed to do something about these people. My job was to be the heat. Be the heat for. For my particular outfit, you know. I got a reputation, though, after a while where, you know, if they knew I was coming, they were running.

[Ken]

I remembered something he used to tell my brother and I when we were kids. He would say when he was young that he was the bully of the bullies at his school, and if we ever saw someone getting bullied at our school, that we should step in and stop it. He was quite proud of this bit of parenting advice. And to be honest, I was quite proud of him too. I always admired him for it. And to this day, I think about those very words. I even taught that same lesson to my own kid. Defend the weak and have the courage to fight against those who would fight against you. And now, more than 20 years later, here is my dad telling me that he was hired to apply a version of that logic to the metaphorical bullies of the outfit. At least that's what he's telling me. It is very possible that he's just softening the blow about the kind of people that were in his crosshairs. I mean, does it really make me feel any better that the only people he killed were bad guys? Honestly, the answer is, yes, it does. But the simple fact is, I will never really know if any of this stuff is true. All I can do is take him at his word.

[Kenny]

Whether it was a hit, whether it was a beating, just depending on what the punishment was. Now, I never decided what the punishment was. I was always given the punishment on a little. On a little piece of paper by a guy named. He always gave me my assignment big fat.

[Ken]

And now let Me introduce you to the next character in our story. A feared boss within the outfit and a man who would make an enormous impact on the life of young Kenny. Paul Taglia, which I will remind you, for the safety of everyone involved, is not his real name.

[Kenny]

I would get a phone call, get on the phone, meet me. And I knew exactly where to meet him. And I'd meet him in a parking lot. And one of. One of the houses were there, one of the whorehouses were there. I'd meet him in that parking lot. I'd walk up to his big fucking Cadillac, and he'd roll down his window, hand me a little piece of paper, and he'd drive away. And on the piece of paper was where the person was going to be the type of car he drove and license plates. And that would. And that what all that did was made me do more work, but it kept them. Even kept them more. It kept them further away from the hit. So. Because now I had to do all the legwork. So I'd have to go look for the car, look for the license plate, wait for the person in there, scope them, watch them, okay? That's who I gotta hit. I gotta hit that guy right there. Based on the license plate and the car description, okay? So I know I got a description of the guy you have to hit. And then I would do my due diligence for about two weeks, follow him around, get a pattern. And then after I figured out how I was going to do it, and I always did it one way, I would. I would do it. That's all there was to it. It didn't happen a lot, but it happened, people. It happened enough where I can. Where it really bothers me, really bothers me a lot.

[Ken]

I don't like to talk about this.

[Kenny]

I don't want to talk about that shit, man. First of all, I'm trying desperately to forget all this stuff. A therapist is probably going to tell me, no, you need to spit it out and then deal with it. Well, I think I've already dealt with it, but I'm still trying to bury it because it's not a pleasant thought. It's not something that I'm very proud of at all. I gotta take a quick break. Yeah, I gotta. My fucking legs are swollen for some stupid fucking reason.

[Ken]

We decide to break for the day. He's exhausted, and honestly, so am I. There's so much to unpack here, and I don't even know where to begin. I started recording these interviews back in 2017, and it was apparent then that his health was failing him. Since then he's continued to decline and I honestly don't know how long he has left. He recently showed me an entire backpack full of prescriptions he's taken for a dozen or so conditions. He's pale, swollen, shakes uncontrollably, his legs are covered in red marks and bruises, and he has a hard time walking. He's about the furthest thing you can get from the fearless mafia heavy of his youth. What the hell happened to this man? How was he able to do the things he did? What kind of person is my father? And what kind of person does that make me?

[Christine Belford]

This season on Very Scary People, Christine Belford reports her three young daughters missing. She has no idea where they are, but she knows who took them. Her ex husband has teamed up with her former in laws to do whatever it takes to have total control of the girls, including stalking, harassment, and even murder. Listen to very scary people wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarki]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarki]

Each season we explore a new theme, everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and stuff, snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Maria Tremarki]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Maria Tremarki]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kyle Tequila]

How serious is youth vaping? Irreversible lung damage serious. 1 in 10 kids vape serious, which warrants a serious conversation from a serious parental figure like yourself. Not the seriously know it all sports dad or the seriously smart podcaster. It requires a serious conversation that is best had by you. No, seriously, the best person to talk to your child about vaping is you. To start the conversation, visit talkaboutvaping.org, brought to you by the American Lung association and the Ad Council.

[Ken]

Why would you do that to me when I thought we were friends? We are friends.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Los Angeles, 2021, a friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true.

[Holly Fry]

Let's not forget that David Blum was.

[Rich]

A professional con artist. So you didn't stand a chance.

[Caroline D'Amore]

But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare.

[Kenny]

Bloom generally targeted people with money, and.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I was not alone.

[Kenny]

He took over 100 people for over $15 million.

[Christine Belford]

One of the victims was his own grandmother.

[Holly Fry]

I was married to David for almost 10 years. It was insane. I was barely functioning. And I just had this realization that he will not stop until he kills me.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Getting a con artist to pay for their crimes isn't easy.

[Ken]

Charge David Blue.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I'm Caroline D'Amore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a con on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ken]

Look at this guy.

[Kyle Tequila]

Man.

[Ken]

How you doing, buddy?

[Kyle Tequila]

Good to see you. All right.

[Ken]

It's been way, way too long. I'm back in Chicago visiting my Uncle Rich, Ken's twin brother.

[Kyle Tequila]

Is that long ago?

[Ken]

Yeah. I got married, and, well, I Left school in 07, and I moved to Atlanta.

[Kyle Tequila]

All right.

[Ken]

Pretty much came back, like, maybe once. And there was too much drama, and so I never came back.

[Kyle Tequila]

I left high school, never even looked over my shoulder. It's like, you. I'm out.

[Ken]

It's his birthday. That's right.

[Holly Fry]

And your dad's birthday.

[Kyle Tequila]

Yeah, you should remember that.

[Ken]

But it's, like, in two days, isn't it?

[Kyle Tequila]

Oh, it's today.

[Ken]

Holy. Did you.

[Kyle Tequila]

Did you wish your father a happy birthday? You probably should. Oh, my God, that's hilarious.

[Ken]

Nice going, Kyle.

[Kyle Tequila]

Boy, you look like your dad. That look. That look.

[Ken]

Did I just give you the Ken look?

[Kyle Tequila]

That was a Ken look. Holy shit.

[Ken]

Is it gonna give you the chills?

[Kyle Tequila]

No vomit, but.

[Ken]

Fair enough.

[Kyle Tequila]

And that's a Ken look, too. I know all these.

[Ken]

I am my father's son that I met your dad. We spent some time catching up and cracking jokes about my old man.

[Kyle Tequila]

What's the project again? So it's a podcast. So what's the deal?

[Ken]

I can tell Rich is a bit hesitant to dig up the past like this. And I get it. From what I've been hearing, it's not like they had the happiest childhood.

[Kyle Tequila]

My name's Rich. I'm the oldest twin, Ken's fraternal twin brother.

[Ken]

By how long?

[Kyle Tequila]

Six minutes? I believe it is. And since I came out first, I've always said that the problems I have with my back and my neck and stuff are your dad's Fault because, you know, he was stepping on me that whole time in the womb.

[Ken]

They were the firstborns of the family, followed by younger brothers Stan and Matt.

[Kyle Tequila]

Stan's five years younger than myself and your dad, and then 11 years for Matt.

[Ken]

He tells me there was a joke in the family that Ken must have had a different father. Why is that? Explain that one.

[Kyle Tequila]

Because Ken and I are so different. We don't look the same, we don't act the same. I mean, there is nothing about us at that point that was even close to being twin material. So, yeah, it always pissed off Milo when we would say that. But it's a family joke, so she.

[Ken]

Was probably like, wait, do they know?

[Kyle Tequila]

How did they know there was? You know, that's kind of funny because, you know, there was some kind of half truth meaning behind our thought process. But, you know.

[Ken]

That'S interesting if you remember from episode one, Kenny was kicked out of his house by his mom for accusing her of having an affair, which she was. And which, of course, started off this whole chain of events that led to Ken joining the outfit in the first place. I ask Rich what he remembers.

[Kyle Tequila]

I was out. So when I came home, I walked through, because I would always come in the basement door. And when I walked into the basement door, I heard screaming and yelling from the kitchen. So as you walk up the stairs, you walk right into the kitchen. You know, one end of the kitchen was mom with dad's.45, just screaming bloody murder at him, pointing the gun, just shaking, you know. And Ken was in the other corner of the kitchen, just, you know, in the back. I don't remember anything that was said. Just a lot of noise and stuff. And I walked up to mother. She's like this. I just stepped right in front of her. So now I got a gun pointing right at my chest. I grabbed her hands and I lifted them up. So her hands are now over her head and I'm holding her hands on the gun. I turned to Ken and said, you should leave. And he left, and that was it.

[Ken]

And he never came back. Wow.

[Kyle Tequila]

Wow.

[Ken]

Wow, Wow. I loved my grandma Adele. She was the sweetest old woman you could ever meet. She loved science and history and Native American culture. The stories of her younger years are full of intrigue and adventure. She moved out to California in her late teens and was one of the first women ever to work at NASA. She then took a job in the FBI and was only one of a handful of women there. She was a trailblazer and painted beautiful landscapes inspired by all her travels that filled the walls of her home. She taught me how to play piano and to appreciate the wild beauty of nature. And to picture this saint of a woman pointing a gun at her teenage son is completely unbelievable to me. But if I've learned anything at this point, it's that nobody is exactly who you think they are. And apparently my sweet old grandma wasn't always so sweet.

[Kyle Tequila]

She ever tell you the stories about her brawling in Chicago and stuff? The street fights?

[Ken]

No. Tell me everything.

[Kyle Tequila]

Never heard about that, huh?

[Ken]

No.

[Kyle Tequila]

Yeah, I remember Ma telling me that her and her friends, pals, whatever, would go out for the street fights. And the girls would take towels and they would wrap up their boobs, I mean, like tape them down, you know, so that there was nothing hanging out there. Nothing to grab onto, nothing to get hurt, basically, before they went to their street fights.

[Ken]

You mean the girls are fighting?

[Kyle Tequila]

Oh, yeah. She was a badass. We're talking knives and clubs and all sorts of stuff.

[Ken]

Grandma Doe.

[Kyle Tequila]

You bet.

[Ken]

Sweet old grandma.

[Kyle Tequila]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Sweet my ass. You didn't grow up with her.

[Ken]

Okay, so if grandma was some sort of fearless knife fighting street pirate, then I guess you can argue that a hot temper is just in our blood. And Ken was just a chip off the old block.

[Kyle Tequila]

Anything could set him off. Anything. Blind rage, out of control could not stop him. Temper. And until he got past that rage, you couldn't stop him. It's like he didn't even know what he was doing, practically.

[Ken]

He tells me a few old stories, like Ken punching out a gym teacher in high school. Or stealing rich's car at 16 and disappearing for a week, apparently driving it all the way to California.

[Kyle Tequila]

And I was gonna have him arrested for car theft, you know, and then.

[Ken]

Showing up like nothing happened.

[Kyle Tequila]

He gets out, hey, Rich, what's going on, buddy? Blah, blah, everything's fine. I'm like, fucking asshole. You stole my fucking car.

[Ken]

And stories of cruel violence.

[Kyle Tequila]

He shot me once. He stabbed me once. That was fun.

[Ken]

You can't just stop there. You have to tell me the story.

[Kyle Tequila]

It was a BB gun, but it was a BB gun that could go halfway through a 2x4. I still have that BB gun, by the way. It's downstairs.

[Ken]

You still have the BB in your flesh?

[Kyle Tequila]

No, that we dug out.

[Ken]

Is that. Wait, so did the stabbing come because.

[Kyle Tequila]

You dig out of you? That was a different time. No, he stabbed me with a needle. The needle was probably about 8 inches long. And he just, you know, in his blind rage wisdom, I was walking up the Stairs. And he just came up behind me and just stabbed me right in the ass.

[Ken]

Whack. I'm beginning to doubt my dad's bully of the bullies claim. The story's always been that he was the bully of the bullies. He would beat up, like the bullies at school. As you know, he's the protector of the innocent.

[Kyle Tequila]

At school. He was the protector of the innocent. He was a freaking psycho. Protector of the innocent. Did he tell you that?

[Ken]

Said he was the bully.

[Kyle Tequila]

He was the bully, yeah. He was a bully, yeah.

[Ken]

This one hurt. I know it may sound silly after everything else we've heard, but this one positive character trait was something I held onto my whole life. It was foundational to the image I had of my father. And to learn it was complete bullshit is a fucking hard pill to swallow.

[Kyle Tequila]

You know, as he got older, I'm sure he learned how to control that and use it to his advantage. But, you know, as we were growing up, just totally out of control. There was a lot of pain and agony and, you know, there was a lot of violence.

[Ken]

Violence, both physical and emotional, was a constant part of their daily lives. Their father would beat the kids bloody, whap.

[Kyle Tequila]

Right across the head, against the wall, knocked me out.

[Ken]

And their mother, as we've learned, was just as cruel.

[Kyle Tequila]

And she picked up a kitchen chair, and she was gonna crack me over the head with it.

[Ken]

They would starve their kids while mom and dad ate a nice meal.

[Kyle Tequila]

I remember eating dog food because I was so damn hungry. Or when I'd give the dog a treat, I would bite the ends off and I would eat it before I would give it to the dog.

[Ken]

I was hungry and at times do things so horrible, my uncle won't even speak of them.

[Kyle Tequila]

You know, some of the torture stuff, I wouldn't. I never speak of it ever. Yeah. Because I don't really want, you know, mom and dad to be portrayed as, you know, animal child abusers. Even though it was kind of like that, you know, we probably would have been taken away, you know, in today's day and age, you know, I'm sure we would have taken away if somebody would have said something. But that's not how it was back then.

[Ken]

I mean, the amazing thing is I don't see you as having any of this volatility and this violence and growing.

[Kyle Tequila]

Up not like that.

[Ken]

Dad, he never struck us.

[Kyle Tequila]

That's amazing.

[Ken]

He never struck us.

[Kyle Tequila]

Yeah.

[Ken]

And that's another thing that's so bizarre about that. It's like, why? Again, why we Never even like, you know, I've seen him beat up a guy or two or three or five.

[Kyle Tequila]

Did he tell you about beat the guy up and left him on the hood of his car. Do you know about that one? This is when we were working at the bar up in Northbrook at the hotel. Ken and I were both working there. You know, they had cops that would come in and they would be the security, you know, part time job stuff. And he was telling me about this call that he had that there was a guy passed out on the hood of his car in the middle of an intersection and. Oh, okay, fine. Well, the next day I'm talking to Ken and he's telling me about this guy who he dragged out of the window of his car, beat the shit out of him and left him on the hood of his car in the intersection. I'm like, oh, that was you.

[Ken]

What's interesting about this incident as it would have been in those early years after Ken joined the outfit. So it's very possible it was mob related. I asked him if he knew what his brother was into at that time.

[Kyle Tequila]

I. I knew that he was definitely dealing drugs. I knew that he was working, quote, unquote, in a wh house. But I never got into any of those details. I really didn't want to know. You know, it just, it wasn't my lifestyle, you know, it was nothing I really cared about. You know, if that's what you want to do, that's what you do. You could see why he could be an enforcer because he just had that mentality, very violent mentality.

[Christine Belford]

This season on Very Scary People. Christine Belford reports. Her three young daughters missing. She has no idea where they are, but she knows who took them. Her ex husband has teamed up with her former in laws to do whatever it takes to have total control of the girls, including stalking, harassment, and even murder. Listen to very scary people wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarki]

Welcome to the Criminalia podcast. I'm Maria Tremarki.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarki]

Each season we explore a new theme. Everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Maria Tremarki]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime. From legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching. To see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Maria Tremarki]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kyle Tequila]

When I smoke weed, I get lost in the music. I like to isolate each instrument.

[Kenny]

The rhythmic bass, the harmonies on the piano.

[Christine Belford]

Sticky melody.

[Lenovo]

Hey, careful, babe. There's someone crossing the street.

[Kyle Tequila]

Sorry, I didn't see him there.

[Ken]

If you feel different, you drive different. Don't drive high. It's dangerous and illegal everywhere. A message from NHTSA and the ad Council. Why would you do that to me when I thought we were friends? We are friends.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Los Angeles, 2021. A friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true.

[Holly Fry]

Let's not forget that David Bloom was.

[Rich]

A professional con artist, so you didn't stand a chance.

[Caroline D'Amore]

But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare.

[Kenny]

Bloom generally targeted people with money, and.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I was not alone.

[Kenny]

He took over 100 people for over $15 million.

[Christine Belford]

One of the victims was his own grandmother.

[Holly Fry]

I was married to David for almost 10 years. It was insane. I was barely functioning. And I just had this realization that he will not stop until he kills me.

[Caroline D'Amore]

Getting a con artist to pay for their crimes isn't easy.

[Ken]

Charge Damon Pro.

[Caroline D'Amore]

I'm Caroline D'Amore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a con, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rich]

I should have forewarned you. I have to wear a mask. Oh, hi.

[Ken]

Yeah.

[Kyle Tequila]

Yeah.

[Ken]

Do I need to worry about some contagion? Nice to meet you.

[Rich]

Nice to meet you. Well, I have met you several times, but you were a child.

[Ken]

I was a baby. Huh. Yeah. This is Maureen, my dad's high school girlfriend. Thank you for having me and doing this.

[Rich]

I don't. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what you're doing here. Your father wouldn't tell me anything. He was very short and said, I don't have time. Kyle will tell you everything.

[Ken]

All right, well, that's true. I will tell you everything, and hopefully you'll tell me everything. Maureen. It was a name that would occasionally echo through our childhood home. She was like this mythical creature who, at the very mention of her accursed name, would send my mother into fits of rage and jealousy.

[Rich]

And I just I feel so bad that she. I know how much time she spent hating me, hating him, thinking, you know, thought I'm a woman. I know how women think. And if there's one regret that I have is that I feel bad that your mom thought Kenny and I were having an affair. And we never did. Never ever, ever, ever. Not since we were high school sweethearts at 16 and 17 years old.

[Maureen]

Tell me about it.

[Rich]

We were just. We were like the movie Grease, you know, it was like sort of like John Travolta and Olivia Newton. Jeff.

[Ken]

No, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. No, I'm not doing this again. First, my dad is John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever. Okay, fine. But now you're telling me he's John Travolta from Greece. I just. I can't. I'm not gonna do it. Okay? Let's move on.

[Rich]

He was cool. He was a real cool kid. He was my first boyfriend. And it was fun. We had fun and we had good times. And of course, we wanted to grow up and get married and have a house full of kids and just didn't work out that way.

[Ken]

I have a million questions for Maureen because she has a truly unique perspective in all this. As someone who saw a softer side of Kenny during those formative teenage years.

[Rich]

I don't think I've ever loved anybody as much as a friend as him. You know, they say that you've got. If you've got five good friends on one hand, you're a lucky person. And he's one of them. He's been. We've been good friends.

[Ken]

I ask her about Kenny's fabled hot temperament.

[Rich]

I never saw him with a temper or being aggressive or anything like that.

[Ken]

Or if she was aware of the abuse the brothers were victims of at home.

[Rich]

He didn't want to be at home. He didn't like being there. He liked being at our house. My mom would come into my room at 10 or 11 o'clock and say, maureen, someone's in the backyard. First I looked out the front window and I see his car, and I go in the back. He used to take a tent and tent in our backyard and sleep. Wow.

[Ken]

I didn't know that.

[Rich]

Yeah. Yeah. My mom said that she had seen it a few times, but it was too late to wake me up. And then that was. And I went in there and I was like, what are you doing? He said, I don't want to go home.

[Ken]

Or if she knew of his ties to the Mafia, there would be no way.

[Rich]

Ken would do any of those things. Everybody adored him. They loved him, they cared about him and they trusted him.

[Ken]

She goes on to say that she only recently heard about it from Kenny's.

[Rich]

Mother, Adele, when he went over to California. She started calling me and telling me all these things. And that's when I found out about the mafia. That's when I found out about drugs. She said, well, you know, he was a junkie. I said, no, I didn't know that, but now I do, I guess. And she also told me that he murdered someone. Oh my God. I can't believe he killed people. Oh my God. How did he get that way?

[Ken]

She's crying and takes a moment to collect herself. And then suddenly she remembers something from long ago.

[Rich]

Did he ever tell you the story of Kenny Mendelke, the boy that drowned?

[Kyle Tequila]

No.

[Rich]

It was his. They were all set to go scuba diving. There were like five boys. And I had to work that day, and my parents had to work at the restaurant. There was no one to watch my four siblings. And I said to Kenny, I said, would you do me a big favor and watch the kids? And he said, I'm already written signed up to go scuba diving with Mendelke and the rest of the guys. And I said, please. And he said, okay, I'll do it. So he stayed home. The equipment that he was to have used was given to Mendelke, his buddy. And Mendelke's equipment failed. And he was like, he's dead. And it should have been Kenny. That should have been the equipment that he should have used. And it was really bad. That was the first time that Kenny had to deal with death of a friend, of a good friend. And also he felt guilty that if he would have gone, you know, Mendelke would have lived. And then he took off. And I think now that I think in hindsight where him taking off, he took off in his car and he was gone for like two days after the funeral. Right after the funeral, nobody knew where he was. Richie went out for like a day looking for him. I think he ended up in Iowa or somewhere. He just ran. He just kept running and running and running until he probably ran out of money and gas and came back and probably be the start of major issues because that. That was hard on him. Really, really hard.

[Ken]

You know, I'm glad you brought up workout martial arts stuff, because that's something I actually completely forgot about.

[Kenny]

But, well, how do you think I could have done half the. The shit I did if I didn't have all that martial Arts training.

[Ken]

Well, that's what I want.

[Kenny]

Talk to mom about that. I had years of martial arts training. Years martial arts training. I was a beast.

[Ken]

It was widely known around the family that ken was a 4th degree black belt. There were legends about his prowess on the mat, how he even defeated his own master at one point. Even the style of martial arts he practiced sounded exotic and dangerous to us as kids.

[Kenny]

Cheng Muquan. It was a really soft form. It was kung fu. It wasn't hard form kata bullshit. Almost like a dance like movement.

[Ken]

Chung Mu Kwan. I had never heard of it before and never had a reason to look into it until of course, I started down this insane family rabbit hole of mine. I wasn't expecting to find anything interesting at all, to be honest. But when I learned the history of this mysterious brand of kung fu, I was absolutely shocked at what I found.

[Maureen]

Many students are attracted to Chungmu Kwan because the training looks impressive. The schools say that by developing a strong mind and body, you not only learn self defense, but also learn to understand yourself and find true happiness. A school brochure says Chungmu Kwan is an investment in life.

[Ken]

I found this investigative News report from 1989 about Chungmu Kwan. It's fascinating.

[Maureen]

There are 10 Chungmu Kwan schools in the Chicago area and a dozen others across the country. They were founded here in the late 1970s by John C. Kim, a former maintenance man who promotes himself as a martial arts master. His followers say he has supernatural powers.

[Ken]

His powers were phenomenal.

[Rich]

They made him seem like a God to us.

[Maureen]

We talked to dozens of former students and instructors who've been with Chungmu Kwan over the last 12 years. Most of them asked us to disguise their identities. They say they're afraid because the schools they were at thrived on an atmosphere of intimidation and violence. Our investigation found that some of the schools have also exploited students to take their money and to take over their minds. That's why experts call it a cult.

[Ken]

So not only is my dad in the mob, which is bad enough by the way, he's also in some goddamn kung fu mind control cult. Jesus fucking Christ. He's either an evil genius or the unluckiest man alive.

[Maureen]

Experts say that some Changmukwan students seem to be subjected to a form of mind control that begins with a martial arts training. For example, constantly repeating a movement or holding poses for long periods on orders from their instructor.

[Ken]

Okay, let's stop there for a second. Now listen to this clip from my dad.

[Kenny]

You would do a form for an hour, hour and a Half. That's all you would do is a form. A form is just movement. So constant movement for an hour and a half.

[Ken]

What happens is that they go into an altered state of consciousness. In that type of altered state, they're very susceptible to suggestions. It's the same kind of thing that takes place in a hypnotic trance. Now, let's go back to episode one, when my dad talks about mentally preparing himself for a hit.

[Kenny]

I sit in my car and I do what I always do. I breathe. I make myself aware. I heighten my senses. My sight, my smell, my hearing. I don't know how I do it, but I do it. As I'm listening to the music, I feel my senses start to kick in. As they kick in, the moment arises. The moment always hits me. I don't know how it hits me, but I know when I'm ready for the moment.

[Ken]

And there it is. This whole time I've been struggling to understand just how he could take that enormous leap from doorman to hitman or how he could jump back and forth so easily from mob life to. To family life without us ever even coming close to knowing. What happens is that they go into an altered state of consciousness. It's the same kind of thing that takes place in a hypnotic trance. Hypnotic trance. Hypnotic trance. I think it was the perfect storm combination of terrible childhood, abusive parents, hitting the streets as a kid, no prospects, finding a father figure who just happens to be in the outfit. And then you introduce Chungmu Kwan and its meditative mind control techniques.

[Kenny]

But, you know, it taught you, you know, all the points, all the. All the. All the points that can maim, kill, temporarily put somebody out of business. I always had that advantage. I had no fear at all. And that really got me through a lot.

[Ken]

Next week on Crook County.

[Kenny]

He was up, made guy or not. He was up, man. And eventually it was going to catch up to him, but I took care of it myself.

[Ken]

I'm going comatose. And everybody know. Crook county is a production of iHeart podcasts and Tenderfoot TV in association with Common Enemy. All episodes are written, produced and hosted by me, Kyle Tequila. Executive producers are Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Originally score by makeup and vanity Set Main title song is called Aloha by the band Starry Eyes. End credits song is called no show, also by the band Starry Eyes. Sound mix by Cooper Skinner. Thank you to Oren Rosenbaum and the excellent team at UTA for their support and to my fearless attorney, Wendy Bench for her guidance. To stay updated on all things Crook county, follow us on all socials. Rook County Podcast or leave us a voicemail by visiting crookcountypodcast.com for more podcasts like Crook county, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening. The story continues next week. I'm an awesome man. I'm a messenger. I'm setting fire. I will watch you show now watch you show. I watch.

[Christine Belford]

This season on Very Scary People. Christine Belford reports. Her three young daughters missing. She has no idea where they are, but she knows who took them. Her ex husband has teamed up with her former in laws to do whatever it takes to have total control of the girls, including stalking, harassment, and even murder. Listen to very scary people wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarki]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarki.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarki]

Each season we explore a new theme. From poisoners to art thieves.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching.

[Maria Tremarki]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kyle Tequila]

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th?

[Ken]

It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home.

[Kyle Tequila]

I'm Gabe Leonors from Imagine I Heart Podcasts and Leonard's Entertainment. Listen to Obscurum Invasion of the Drones wherever you get your favorite podcasts. It was big news.

[Ken]

I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Rich]

A long investigation stalls. Someone changes their story.

[Ken]

I like saw a whole thing that happened.

[Rich]

An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Holly Fry]

He did not kill her.

[Rich]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Did you kill her? Listen to the Real Killer Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.