Nephilim Death Squad: "Leo Frank & the Birth of the ADL" w/ Tyler Yankee

Date: September 4, 2025
Podcast by: TopLobsta Productions
Guests/Hosts: TopLobsta (David Lee Corbo), Raven (co-host), Tyler Yankee

Episode Overview

In this episode, TopLobsta and Raven welcome attorney and podcaster Tyler Yankee to dissect the legacy of the Leo Frank case, its intricate role in the birth of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and the deep interplay of race, religion, and historical narrative in early 20th century America. Through humor and sharp skepticism, the hosts and guest probe conspiracy, manipulation of public perception, and the construction of the enduring victimhood narrative—viewed through both legal and cultural frameworks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Leo Frank Case (08:15 – 11:00)

• Background:
  • 1913, Atlanta, Georgia: Leo Frank, a Jewish manager at a pencil factory, is accused and convicted of murdering 13-year-old Mary Fagan.
  • Details: Frank is sentenced to death; after multiple appeals fail, his sentence is commuted to life, but he is later lynched.
• ADL Origins:

  • The outrage following Frank’s lynching, largely fueled by external (primarily northern) Jewish organizations and media, catalyzed the formation of the ADL.

  • Frank was the Atlanta president of B'nai Brith, a secret Jewish society, linked organizationally to the ADL until 2009.

    “1913, Atlanta, Georgia…this girl ends up getting murdered in the pencil factory. And he gets fingered for it. He has a trial. He gets convicted, sentenced to death. … governor commutes his sentence … they have an A-team style break into the prison. They pull him out and they lynch him.”
    — Tyler Yankee (08:51)

2. The Racial and Cultural Backdrop (11:19 – 17:04)

• Jewish Relations in the South:
  • Contrary to later ADL narratives, Jews were not widely persecuted in the South at the time; some were members or even supporters of Reconstruction-era institutions like the KKK.
  • The supposed “exodus” of Jews from Georgia after Frank’s lynching is debunked.
• KKK’s Evolution:

  • The Klan’s transition from anti-Black to anti-Communist, then anti-Semitic, is traced.

  • The trial represents a rare moment: two Black men gave pivotal testimony—uncommon and socially fraught amid Jim Crow laws.

    “There were a lot of Jews part of the KKK at this point… The only time there was an exodus of Georgia of Jews was in 1740 when the colony at that point said, slavery and alcohol are illegal. The Jews said, well, then we’re out of here.”
    — Tyler Yankee (13:35, 14:05)

3. Legal Breakdown of the Case (21:04 – 41:00)

• The Crime:
  • Mary Fagan, 13, was lured to the factory for her paycheck. Testimony and evidence (including from Black janitor Jim Conley) indicated Frank sexually assaulted and killed her, then attempted to cover the crime with Conley's help.
• Police and Legal Shenanigans:
  • Both Frank and Black employees were variously suspected and manipulated.
  • Frank attempted to bribe Conley into disposing of the body, only to reclaim the money when Conley balked.
  • The jury included prominent Atlanta Jews; the grand jury indicted Frank.
• No Evidence of Courtroom Anti-Semitism:

  • Hostility was directed at Blacks more than Jews in courtroom rhetoric and press coverage.

  • Revisionist narratives of virulent, violent antisemitism at trial emerged only decades later.

    “You could read all this stuff…there was none of this antisemitism. You go to the trial, they don't bring up the fact he's a Jew at all. The only racial or religious remarks were at one time, Leo Frank's mom yells out at the prosecut[or], ‘you gentile dog.’”
    — Tyler Yankee (40:00)

4. Media, Revisionism & The ADL (49:36 – 57:25)

• Northern Jewish Media’s Role:
  • Paper like the New York Times (run by southern-born Jew Adolph Ochs) drive a nationwide campaign for Frank’s exoneration and recasting his conviction as an antisemitic outrage.
  • Massive funds poured into PR and legal efforts to free or pardon Frank.
• Creation of the “Knights of Mary Fagan” & KKK Narrative:
  • The idea of a secret society (Knights of Mary Fagan) orchestrating Frank’s lynching appears first in media controlled by Ochs; there’s virtually zero contemporary corroboration.
• Posthumous Pardon:

  • The ADL pushed for a pardon in the 1980s. The result was a symbolic, not exculpatory, pardon—awarded for Georgia’s failure to protect an inmate, not for proving innocence.

    “After the conviction, now you get prominent Jews outside of the South taking this case on...The New York Times starts writing so much about this that now you've got this additional movement.”
    — Tyler Yankee (48:04)
    “There’s so many little facts. … If you just go Leo Frank and put it in, it’s just … tainted and it’s all about being anti Semitic.”
    — Tyler Yankee (53:16)

5. Constructing Victimhood & Modern Implications (61:16 – 86:45)

• Inversionism as a Tool:
  • The invention of the “Knights of Mary Fagan” and revisionist history shifted blame for anti-Black, anti-Catholic terrorism to anti-Jewish hate.
  • The KKK as the “golem”/scapegoat, serving a narrative that justifies organizational missions like the ADL.
• Jewish Communal Interests:
  • Discussion of Din Moser and Din Rodef from the Talmud: extrajudicial killing to protect the group or silence informers.
  • Frank’s lynching possibly served the practical interests of those funding his defense, avoiding a disastrous new trial or continued attention.
• Echoes of the Past:

  • Analogies to modern cases: group loyalty in the Jewish and other communities; rewriting history for legal/financial/cultural advantage.

  • Internet as a disruptive force, undermining the easy manipulation of narrative that existed in 1915.

    “This extraordinary reinterpretation that removes blacks as the prime target of racial terrorism and replaces them with Jewish people is no minor feat. And it gives the KKK an entirely new raison d’, etre…”
    — Tyler Yankee quoting academic analysis (72:38)

    “This is very Epstein like as well, right?”
    — David Lee Corbo (80:44)

6. Cultural Impact & Closing Reflections (86:26 – End)

• Cycle of Victimhood and Expulsion:
  • Recognizing historical cycles—fabrication or exaggeration of persecution, eventual societal backlash.
• On Modern Discourse:

  • Frustration with censorship and enforced taboos around discussing these patterns, both on platforms like YouTube and in American culture.

  • The internet as the “arrow in the knee” for historic narrative dominance.

    “It’s a classic case of inversionism, which is…shows its ugly face all too often. …Is this, I guess, one of the earliest times where they realize, oh, feigning victimhood on a political, cultural level…could be pretty advantageous…”
    — Co-host (82:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Frank] was a pathetic, unappealing, child exploiting sexual strangler. That was the reality. And with this commutation, a possible new trial might even happen. … Now he does start talking. His attorney was not happy about this.”
  — Tyler Yankee (74:34)

• “A Jew from the north coming south to act as boss…He is sure to run into trouble if he acts as though he believed he had a right to carnally use the persons of the girls who work for him. That was the mistake made by Leo Frank, and it cost him his life. And the mistake made by the Jews throughout the Union was that they made the Frank case a race issue.”
  — Quoting period commentary (51:53)

• “The only racial or religious remarks were at one time, Leo Frank’s mom yells out at the prosecut[or], ‘you gentile dog.’”
  — Tyler Yankee (40:00)

• “If this case wasn’t taken over by the ADL as…revisionist history, you would probably look back at Jim Connolly as one of these pioneers for black people who finally got to testify 16 hours.”
  — Tyler Yankee (41:09)

• “It’s like Frankenstein’s monster if Dr. Frankenstein set out to have his own monster attack him so that he can claim victimhood.”
  — Co-host (74:13)

• “You have to go hang out with your kids. You have to diddle your wife. And all the…you’re banging your finger…your wife, and you’re thinking about Leo Frank. You can’t be doing that.”
  — Tyler Yankee (98:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Main Topic Introduction (Leo Frank & ADL): 06:54 – 11:00
• Social & Racial Context/KKK Evolution: 11:19 – 17:04
• Crime Details & Legal Breakdown: 21:04 – 41:00
• Media Influence and Narrative Construction: 49:36 – 57:25
• Modern Resonances & Victimhood Analysis: 61:16 – 86:45
• Cultural Cycle and Final Thoughts: 86:26 – End (101:47)

Conclusion: Episode Flow & Tone

This episode blends dark humor and a confrontational, conspiratorial tone with in-depth historical analysis. Tyler Yankee brings legal expertise and a slew of primary sources—highlighting the gulf between what is popularly believed about Leo Frank, the ADL, and the KKK, versus what careful historical review suggests. The hosts invite listeners to interrogate official narratives and recognize patterns of media manipulation, inversion, and claims to victimhood that have repercussions through the present day.

For listeners wanting to grasp the full context of the Leo Frank case, the ADL’s origins, and the malleability of social narratives, this episode provides both a foundational history lesson and a challenge to think critically and question received wisdom.