All Episodes

May 15, 2023 28 mins

There are pilots who made millions smuggling and then walked away from the danger and the risk. Some invested their wealth in legitimate businesses and real estate; others blew it on expensive toys and partying. We will never know how many got away with it...because most of those pilots have kept their stories to themselves.

 

But there are some who have shared their stories for all to hear, and in this episode (the first of two on his story), you'll hear how Billy Dekle made his millions and lost them. You'll hear how he survived flights that others didn't, and when his career as a smuggler came crashing down, Billy went to prison for life.

Billy's story continues in Episode 12 How Are You Still Alive? Part 2.

For a detailed account of his life as a smuggler, and how that affected his family, check out "Flying High With Gringo Billy" written by Billy and his wife Kay, available here on Amazon.

 

 

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.