Al Capone was America's most famous Prohibition-era mob boss who controlled illegal bootlegging and organized crime in Chicago during the 1920s. Decades after his death, investigative reporter Geraldo Rivera hosted a record-breaking 1986 live television event to unseal Capone’s secret subterranean vault, which yielded only empty bottles and dirt.
Who Was Al Capone and What Did He Do?
Alphonse Gabriel Capone, often known by his nickname "Scarface," was an American gangster who became the leader of the Chicago Outfit during the Prohibition era. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899 to Italian immigrant parents, Capone joined street gangs as a teenager before moving to Chicago in 1919 at the invitation of mob boss Johnny Torrio.
- Prohibition Era (1920–1933)
- Al Capone takes over Chicago Outfit (1925)
- St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1929)
- Conviction for Tax Evasion (1931)
- Imprisonment at Alcatraz
- Lexington Hotel Vault Abandoned
- Geraldo Rivera Live TV Event (1986)
The Rise of the Chicago Outfit
When Torrio retired in 1925 following an assassination attempt by rivals, Capone took control of the criminal syndicate. Under his leadership, the Chicago Outfit rapidly expanded its illegal operations, which included:
- Bootlegging: Importing and distributing illegal alcohol across Chicago and surrounding regions during national Prohibition.
- Speakeasies and Gambling Establishments: Operating hundreds of underground drinking dens, casinos, and brothels.
- Racketeering and Extortion: Demanding protection money from legitimate businesses while controlling local labor unions.
- Political Corruption: Bribing law enforcement officials, judges, and politicians—including Chicago Mayor William Hale Thompson—to secure legal immunity.
At his peak, Capone’s criminal enterprise generated tens of millions of dollars annually, making him one of the wealthiest figures in the United States during the late 1920s.
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre and Public Downfall
Despite portraying himself as a neighborhood benefactor and successful businessman, Capone's reign was marked by extreme violence. The most notorious incident occurred on February 14, 1929: the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
Four gunmen—two dressed as Chicago police officers—executed seven members and associates of George "Bugs" Moran’s rival North Side Gang inside a garage on North Clark Street. Although Capone had an alibi at his estate in Florida and was never formally charged with the murders, public outrage led President Herbert Hoover's administration to prioritize his prosecution.
Federal law enforcement, led by Treasury agent Eliot Ness and federal prosecutor Frank J. Wilson, targeted Capone's finances rather than his violent crimes. In 1931, Capone was indicted for income tax evasion. He was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, serving time in Atlanta Federal Penitentiary and Alcatraz. Weakened by advanced neurosyphilis, Capone was released in 1939 and spent his final years in Florida, where he died of cardiac arrest in 1947 at age 48.
Who Is Geraldo Rivera?
Geraldo Rivera is an American journalist, attorney, and television presenter who emerged as a prominent figure in broadcast media during the 1970s.
Early Career and Investigative Journalism
Rivera gained national acclaim in 1972 while working for WABC-TV in New York. His groundbreaking investigative report exposed the horrific living conditions, abuse, and neglect at the Willowbrook State School, an institution for children with intellectual disabilities on Staten Island. The report won a Peabody Award and led to governmental reforms and court rulings regarding institutional care.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Rivera established a reputation as a high-energy, sensationalist investigative reporter on news programs such as ABC’s 20/20. After being dismissed from ABC in 1985 due to editorial disagreements, Rivera transitioned into independent syndication.
"The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults": The 1986 Television Event
In early 1986, construction workers renovating the Lexington Hotel at 2135 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago discovered a network of hidden underground passages and sealed subterranean vaults.
Historical Context of the Lexington Hotel
From 1928 until his arrest in 1931, Al Capone used the Lexington Hotel as his primary headquarters. He occupied a suite on the fifth floor, and the building featured secret escape routes and underground rooms designed to help him evade police raids and rival assassins.
Because Capone maintained vast cash reserves and was known to bury or hide assets, rumors circulated that the newly discovered, untouched vaults contained lost wealth, illegal firearms, or human remains from unrecorded mob executions.
The Live Broadcast Production
Rivera and television producer Doug Llewelyn recognized the commercial potential of unsealing the vault live on national television. They packaged the excavation into a two-hour syndicated special titled The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults, which aired live on April 21, 1986.
The broadcast included extensive buildup:
- Reenactments of 1920s gangland violence and mob histories.
- Interviews with former associates, historians, and law enforcement experts.
- The presence of a medical examiner on standby to process any human remains.
- Demolition crews using heavy jackhammers and drills to breach the thick concrete walls live on air.
What Happened During the Live Vault Opening?
The broadcast generated immense viewer interest, drawing an estimated 30 million viewers, making it the highest-rated syndicated television program in history at that time.
- 1986 Live Special: Timeline of Events
- 0:00 – 1:30
- Historical reenactments
- Expert interviews & hype
- Medical examiner on standby
- 1:30 – 2:00
- Jackhammers breach concrete
- Camera enters subterranean space
- Outcome: Dirt & empty bottles
- 0:00 – 1:30
The Breach and Discovery
During the final 30 minutes of the two-hour window, construction crews finally knocked through the reinforced concrete barrier into the subterranean chamber. Rivera stepped into the vault accompanied by camera operators.
As the dust settled, the live camera revealed that the vault contained:
- Piles of dirt and broken masonry.
- A few empty glass bottles (including an empty moonshine bottle).
- No gold, no cash, no weapons, and no human remains.
Rivera's On-Air Reaction and Public Fallout
Faced with an empty room on live national television, Rivera attempted to manage the anti-climax with humor. He held up an empty bottle, remarked on the disappointment, and briefly sang a line from the song "Smile" as the program concluded.
While criticized by television critics for sensationalism and over-hyped storytelling, the program was a financial success for advertisers and syndicators, proving that live mystery events could attract massive network-level audiences.
Key Historical Comparison: Capone's Era vs. The 1986 Broadcast
| Aspect | Al Capone's Era (1920s–1930s) | The 1986 Vault Broadcast |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Subject | Organized crime, bootlegging, extortion, tax evasion | Media spectacle, live television excavation |
| Key Location | Lexington Hotel, Chicago (Outfit Headquarters) | Subterranean vault beneath the Lexington Hotel |
| Key Figures | Al Capone, Johnny Torrio, Eliot Ness, Frank J. Wilson | Geraldo Rivera, production crew, demolition team |
| Expected Outcome | Criminal dominance, evasion of federal authorities | Discovery of hidden cash, weapons, or mob evidence |
| Actual Outcome | Conviction for tax evasion in 1931; 11-year sentence | Empty vault containing only dirt and glass bottles |
| Cultural Legacy | Archetype of 20th-century American gangsterism | Landmark moment in live sensationalist broadcast history |
The Media Legacy of the Capone Vault Incident
The 1986 broadcast had a lasting impact on American television history, shaping the format of modern reality TV and live mystery specials.
- 1986 Capone Vault Special
- Proved massive audience appetite for live, unscripted events
- Modern Cable TV "Special Event" Formats
- Sensationalist Daytime Talk Shows (1980s-1990s)
- Proved massive audience appetite for live, unscripted events
- The Rise of Event-Driven Reality Television: The high viewership demonstrated that audiences would tune into unscripted, real-time events even without guaranteed outcomes, laying the groundwork for modern reality television and live investigative specials.
- Geraldo Rivera's Career Pivot: Following the vault broadcast, Rivera launched his syndicated daytime talk show Geraldo (1987–1998), which embraced high-drama, tabloid-style topics. He later worked as a news anchor and political commentator for Fox News.
- Pop Culture Reference Point: "Al Capone's Vault" became an enduring metaphor in American pop culture for over-hyped media events that yield underwhelming results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did people believe Al Capone hid money in a vault?
During Prohibition, Al Capone ran a cash-heavy criminal enterprise that generated an estimated $60 million to $100 million annually. Because mobsters could not deposit illicit funds into regulated banks without triggering federal scrutiny, Capone frequently stored cash in secret vaults, hidden wall cavities, and safehouses across Chicago.
Which hotel contained Al Capone's hidden vault?
The subterranean vault was located beneath the Lexington Hotel at 2135 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Capone lived in a multi-room suite on the fifth floor of the hotel from 1928 until his federal tax evasion conviction in 1931.
What was actually found inside the vault during the 1986 live special?
When demolition workers breached the reinforced concrete wall live on air, they found only piles of dirt, construction debris, and several empty glass bottles. No currency, firearms, ledgers, or human remains were inside.
How many people watched Geraldo Rivera open Al Capone's vault?
An estimated 30 million viewers watched the live broadcast on April 21, 1986, making it the highest-rated syndicated television program in U.S. broadcast history up to that time.
What happened to the Lexington Hotel after the 1986 broadcast?
The Lexington Hotel fell into severe disrepair over the following decade and was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1995. However, due to structural deterioration, the building was demolished in 1995. The site was later redeveloped into residential apartments.
Summary
Al Capone was the primary architect of organized crime in Chicago during the Prohibition era, amassing immense wealth before his 1931 tax evasion conviction. Fifty-five years later, journalist Geraldo Rivera capitalized on Capone's legendary reputation by hosting The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults.
Although the live broadcast failed to yield hidden treasure, it attracted 30 million viewers and fundamentally altered the landscape of live event television, leaving an indelible mark on both American crime history and broadcast media.
