Today is Friday, February 19th, 2021.

On this day in 1983, three men who had entered Seattle's underground WAMI Club under the auspices of gambling,

revealed their guns, took the room hostage, and robbed the joint blind.

By morning, nearly everyone was dead.

Welcome to Today in True Crime, a Spotify original from Parcast.

Due to the graphic nature of today's crimes, listener discretion is advised. Welcome to Today in True Crime, a Spotify original from Parcast.

Due to the graphic nature of today's crimes, listener discretion is advised.

This episode includes dramatizations and discussions of robbery, assault, intimidation,

guns, and murder that some people may find offensive.

We advise extreme caution for children under 13. Today we're covering the

Wah Me Club Massacre, a multiple homicide motivated by greed. It's one of the most infamous

crimes in Seattle. Let's go back to the Wa Me Club on February 19, 1983, right after midnight.

The Wa-Mea club had always been a crime scene,

but never like this.

For over 60 years, illegal money flew around clinking mahjong tiles.

Hundreds of thousands were won on Pi Gao.

In the roaring 20s, the speakeasy served Bai Jo and rice wine.

By the 80s, police were bribed to turn a blind eye.

The Chinese immigrants to Seattle had a safe lounge, their very own, beautiful China, as the club's name translated to.

The Wa Mi offered higher stakes than anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, attracting clientele who either had money to burn or desperately needed it.

Kwan Fi, Willie Mok, was among the latter. As employee,

Y. Chin, dealt Willie into Majong and Pai Gao, he assumed the 22-year-old gangster had money to

...