Forty years after Geraldo Rivera's televised opening of Al Capone's vault became a national punchline, author William Elliott Hazelgrove is set to reveal the real story behind the spectacle in his new book, 'Capone's Vault' (Bloomsbury), releasing April 16, 2026. The book promises to unpack the media circus, the myths about Al Capone, and the Chicago forces that made the stunt possible, using new documents, interviews with Rivera and the original producers, unpublished photos, and eyewitness reporting.
On April 21, 1986, at nine fifteen Eastern, Rivera gave the signal to blow open the subterranean vault with dynamite, expecting to reveal the great secrets of Capone. A medical examiner was on hand for bodies, IRS agents to catalog millions, and thirty million viewers watched as only a single bottle of bootleg gin was found. The event was branded the greatest catastrophe of modern television. Now, on the fortieth anniversary, Hazelgrove explores what was really in the basement of the Lexington Hotel.
Hazelgrove, a national bestselling author of ten novels and twelve nonfiction titles, has received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, among other accolades. His previous works include 'Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson,' currently in development. More information can be found at William Hazelgrove's website.
The implications of this announcement extend beyond mere nostalgia. The Capone vault fiasco is a case study in how media hype can create a narrative that overshadows reality, a lesson increasingly relevant in the age of viral content and misinformation. Hazelgrove's investigation into what really happened — and why it mattered — offers a critical look at the intersection of journalism, entertainment, and historical mythmaking.
