By: HISTORY.com Editors

1986

Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone’s vault—and finds nothing

HISTORY.com Editors

Photo by Steve Kagan/Getty Images

Published: April 17, 2026Last Updated: April 17, 2026

On April 21, 1986, some 30 million viewers tune in as talk show host Geraldo Rivera leads a highly anticipated two-hour live special called The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults. Broadcasting from Chicago’s Lexington Hotel—once Capone’s headquarters—Rivera promised a glimpse into the secrets of America’s most infamous gangster.

“Directly beneath me, in this hotel’s rubble-strewn basement, a massive concrete chamber has been discovered,” Rivera told viewers. “And there is evidence to suggest that this vault once belonged to Al Capone—the richest, most powerful gangster of his time.”

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With cameras rolling, Rivera used explosives to breach the vault, hoping to uncover Prohibition-era secrets—cash, weapons or even human remains. (A medical examiner stood by.) Instead, the team found nothing but an empty whiskey bottle.

The broadcast quickly became a punchline, and “Al Capone’s Vault” soon became shorthand for an overhyped event.

CBS reporter John Drummond, who witnessed the blast, had earlier likened the dig to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Afterward, the letdown was unmistakable.

The special’s producer, John Joslyn, took it in stride. “Disappointment, of course, John,” he told Drummond. “But it’s been a terrific adventure. I wouldn’t have passed it up for anything.”

Rivera went on to host his talk show until 1998. He also hosted Rivera Live on CNBC starting in 1994 before joining Fox News in 2001. In 2024, he became a correspondent-at-large for NewsNation.

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Citation Information

Article Title: Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone’s vault—and finds nothing
Author: HISTORY.com Editors
Website Name: History
URL: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-21/geraldo-rivera-al-capone-vault

Date Accessed: April 17, 2026
Publisher: A&E Television Networks
Last Updated: April 17, 2026
Original Published Date: April 17, 2026