Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.

"American Gangster" chronicles the life and times of some of Black America’s most notorious crime figures. The show will explore without glorifying, and investigate without celebrating these criminal-minded men and women. Each episode will blend news footage, photographs and interviews in a compelling, magazine-style format.

The "war to end all wars" was over, but a new one was just beginning - on the streets of America. In one big city alone - Chicago - an estimated 1,300 gangs had spread like a deadly virus by the mid-1920s. By 1926, more than 12,000 murders were taking place every year across America. With the bootlegging and speakeasies the "Roaring Twenties" also saw bank robbery, kidnapping, auto theft, gambling, and drug trafficking become increasingly common crimes. Some gangsters, perhaps most notably Al Capone, have become infamous. 2003 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Al Capone. Capone went on to leave a lasting impression on western culture - the American Gangster.

Delrhonda "Big Fifty Hood ends up running her own drug empire, becoming one of Detroit's wealthiest and notorious women in the process. With her success, she discovers that money doesn't fix all of her problems, and she can only depend on herself if she wants to stay one step ahead of the law and stay alive.

American Gangster: Trap Queens is a new installment of the critically acclaimed American Gangster series that examines the lives and the legend behind some of America's most notorious female criminals.

They fixed the World Series. They built Las Vegas. They terrorized America with their vicious murders and fearless robberies. They are men named Bugsy Siegel, Al Capone, John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Lucky Luciano. And, for the first time, THE AMERICAN GANGSTER tells the true story behind their ruthless rise to wealth and power. Filled with vintage film and actual photographs, THE AMERICAN GANGSTER is a gripping look at the birth of organized crime. From prohibition to prostitution, from gangland massacres to gambling empires, their most infamous deeds are chronicled in shocking detail. Even more explosive than the movies they inspired, such as Scarface and The Godfather, are the true histories of the brilliant, brutal gangsters who turned the American Dream into an ongoing nightmare.

The stories of a missing wife, a couple of meth heads and an Elvis impersonator are connected by the items found in a small town's pawn shop.