A Secretive Mozzarella Dynasty Unravels in Court
An astounding 85% of all pizza cheese is supplied by the Denver-based company Leprino Foods, which is controlled by one man, the reclusive billionaire James “Jim” Leprino. But that’s pretty much all we knew about Leprino until recently, when his nieces took him to court and forced the family’s billion-dollar succession drama into the public record. Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with reporter Helen Xu (also known as Helen X), who was in the courtroom for Westword, to share previously unknown details about how Leprino cornered the mozzarella market, his humble origins in his father’s Northside Italian market, and the inner workings of one of Denver’s most fascinating and secretive companies.
For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866
Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver
Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Downtown's Ups and Downs, Liquor License Losers, and Mesa Verde's Massive Repatriation
Thirty-six years after the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, Mesa Verde National Park is returning m...
Will Denverites Move Downtown For This Developer's Utopian Dream?
While office vacancies remain high downtown, one developer thinks this excess of commercial real estate could be better used as housing....
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast Denver
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Denver, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already sizzl...
Anti-Trans Hysteria Coming to Your Ballots, Victor Marx's AI Fail, and No Comedy Fest This Year
Ballots will be in the mail in less than a month, and there are a lot of initiatives for voters to consider – including Proposition 134,...
Who's Ready for Another Mayor's Race? Plus, a DPS Phone Ban Mega-Mailbag
Mayor Mike Johnston officially rolled out his campaign for reelection earlier this week with a big party at Town Hall Collaborative and a...
10 Years in Prison for Manipulating More Than a Thousand DNA Investigations
After pleading guilty to four felonies in June, a Jefferson County judge sentenced former Colorado Bureau of Investigation scientist Yvon...
The Aurora Report: New Data Center Regulations, a Massive 'Teen Takeover,' and City Council Hijinx
What’s up in Aurora lately? Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman has been taking a new and low-key approach to homelessness; data center regulations...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Nashville Is Beating Flock — Presented By City Cast Denver
Do you know what kind of surveillance technology is being used in Denver? In Nashville, the city government has blocked numerous measures...
De-Gooping Sloan's Lake, Going Viral in Denver, and Water Narcs: Data Center Edition
Denver is finally getting serious about saving Sloan’s Lake, with Mayor Johnston announcing Wednesday a new $50 million proposal to dredg...
Previewing Friday’s Anti-ICE Walkout, a Creepy New Meme, and 'Governor for a Day'
With school starting and phone bans going in effect, kids in Colorado already have a lot on their plates this fall. Over 160 schools acro...