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History Daily

The Mysterious Death of “God’s Banker” - Original

History Daily

Airship | Noiser | Wondery

History

4.42.1K Ratings

🗓️ 18 June 2024

⏱️ 21 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

June 18, 1982. The body of Italian banker and convicted fraudster Roberto Calvi is discovered hanging from a bridge in London, England.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:04.1

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0:06.0

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0:10.5

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHistory.com.

0:17.0

A listener note.

0:18.1

This episode contains references to suicide and may not be suitable for all audiences.

0:31.8

It's the morning of June 18, 1982 in London, England. A motorboat powers its way through the dull waters of the River Thames.

0:40.5

On its deck, a police officer tries to keep his balance as he stares over the bow.

0:45.4

Ahead is Blackfriars Bridge, a major river crossing in the center of the city.

0:50.0

And as the boat gets closer, the officer waves his hand directing the pilot to slow down.

0:55.3

He can see something beneath the bridge.

0:58.3

At 7.30 this morning, the postman called the police to report a grisly discovery.

1:03.7

As he was walking along the path that leads underneath the bridge, the postman spotted someone

1:08.7

hanging from a rope. It looked like a suicide, and now this

1:12.8

police officer's job is to recover the body. The boat pilot kills the engine, and they float

1:18.3

gently alongside the corpse. The dead man is half submerged in the river, and the expensive suit he's

1:24.6

wearing is glistening and sodden. The officer snaps a few photographs for evidence before putting down the camera and taking

1:31.6

hold of the rope around the man's neck.

1:33.9

The officer pulls on the rope, trying to lift the body out of the water, but it's far too

1:38.6

heavy and barely moves.

1:40.4

So the officer asks the boat pilot for help, and together they grab the dead man, and on the count of three,

1:46.9

heave the body into the boat.

...

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