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A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk hero, a crook, a righteous rebel, a selfish conman?
In Season 3 of The Big Dig podcast, “Catching The Codfather,” we go down to the docks. It’s a place where food, work, nature, money and politics all meet – where dreams are born, fortunes ruined, and where the watchful eye of the government is always present. The series traces the rise of Carlos Rafael and his escalating conflict with the government, because to judge the crimes of The Codfather, you also have to judge the whole system that he chose to break.
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S3E6 Catching The Codfather | 6. It’s Your Job to Catch Me
A new revelation forces federal investigators to close down the case, fast. But what will taking down The Codfather mean for the port of New Bedford?Major sponsorship for "Catching The Codfather" is…
S3E5 Catching The Codfather | 5. Painting Fish
When federal agents first meet with Carlos Rafael, the fishing mogul offers up a tantalizing clue: a special system for ‘painting fish.’ It’s the key to understanding the entire fraud, and why Carlos…
S3E4 Catching The Codfather | 4. Mosquitos on the Balls of an Elephant
A new regulatory system is meant to end overfishing, but Carlos Rafael exploits it to accumulate even more boats and power – drawing resentment from other fishermen, and attention from the…
S3E3 Catching The Codfather | 3. Punch in the Kisser
The west has cowboys, the east has fishermen – it's a job defined by freedom and self-reliance. But in 1991 a contentious lawsuit forces the government to step in, setting Carlos Rafael and the…
S3E2 Catching The Codfather | 2. I Hope Those People Sink
How did Carlos Rafael become “The Codfather”? It starts in the 1980s, when a bitter strike divides the city of New Bedford and its famed fishing fleet. But Carlos manages to turn the strike to his…
S3E1 Catching The Codfather | 1. Red Lobster
Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael dominates the most valuable fishing port in the United States, and no one is quite sure how he did it. But in 2015, when undercover federal agents offer to buy his…
S3 Introducing Season Three: Catching The Codfather
A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk hero, a…
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Catching The Codfather has published 7 episodes since February 2026, covering topics in History.
Catching The Codfather is currently sporadic with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 56m.
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