A podcast host is having to “pinch himself” after being approached by a former mafia hitman looking to appear on his show.
Decca Heggie thought it was a “wind-up” when John Alite – a former Gambino crime family associate in New York – reached out to him after watching his “The Official All Or Nothing Podcast” series.
The actor and podcast host has seen his show going from strength to strength since it was created from his base in Montrose five months ago.
A number of high-profile guests have appeared in that time, including Irish Heavyweight boxer and sparring partner of Mike Tyson, Big Joe Egan.
Decca said having John Alite on the show would “cap off” a great run of guests as he admitted he was still in “shock” about the mafia hitman getting in touch.
“I thought it was a wind-up, honestly, when he got in touch about a week ago,” he said.
“He messaged me and said he was interested in coming on to the podcast and I went in done a bit more research into his past and his connections with the Gambino crime family and John A. Gotti.”
John Alite who now classes himself as a “re-made man” has been in and out of jail most of his adult life.
He was a mob enforcer for the Gotti family turned government witness.
While working for John Gotti’s family, Alite committed violent acts and earned millions of dollars in racketeering.
He lived lavishly across the world but later fled the country until being captured.
In 2008 the mobster pled guilty to racketeering charges that included two murders and at least eight shootings across America.
He agreed to testify against his former employers and was released from prison in 2012.
Decca is looking to find out more about John Alite’s turbulent life ahead of next weeks interview.
He added: “This is a major coup for us – it’s massive.
“We are going to be going over to America in person to interview him as well as this podcast when we are able to do so.
“It was totally out of the blue for us but it really is next level stuff – I can’t believe just how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.
“For us having a guest like John on it will hopefully open-up opportunities to an audience in America.”
As well as landing the mobster figure, Decca revealed he and his production team are working on more documentary style projects.
He added: “The Official All Or Nothing Podcast is branching given the success of the show.
“We know there is a massive appetite for documentaries – particularly within the crime genre which we are working on at the moment.
“There is also live streaming of sporting events we are working on from the show.
“It really has been an incredible period for the podcast and the fact we are now being approached by mafia figures in America looking to come onto the show.”
The interview will be recorded next week and a release date for the episode is to be confirmed.