The Rise and Fall of New England’s Most Infamous Fishing Tycoon
Boston, Mass. (Jan. 28, 2026) - GBH News today announced the upcoming premiere of Catching The Codfather, a new podcast from the Peabody Award-winning team behind The Big Dig and Scratch & Win. Catching The Codfather traces the true-crime story of New England fishing tycoon Carlos Rafael, his controversial rise, and the federal sting operation that finally brought him down exactly 10 years ago this month. The six-part limited series, the latest season of GBH News’ The Big Dig™ podcast, is hosted by Ian Coss, produced by GBH News and brought to listeners in partnership with PRX. Episodes will drop weekly starting on Feb. 11.
He was a millionaire, a community pillar, and the “Codfather” of New England’s fishing fleet. But behind the scenes, Rafael was running one of the most brazen fishing frauds in U.S. history. The story begins in 1976, when a dispute over international waters sowed the seeds of both an environmental crisis and Rafael’s eventual fishing empire in New Bedford, Mass. But as government regulations ratcheted up, Rafael made a grim prediction: fishermen would either go bankrupt or become outlaws.
“The Codfather story presents a complicated case where food, culture, the environment, and the lives of working people all collide,” said lead producer and host Ian Coss. “At a time when the very idea of ‘government regulation’ is highly polarized, my hope is that this series will make listeners question their own assumptions. Was Carlos Rafael justified in breaking the law? Has government regulation of fishing caused more harm than good? And who is ultimately responsible for the collapse of this legendary industry?”
Catching The Codfather will be available free on-demand across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and NPR One, as well as on the GBH News website and as full video podcast episodes on the GBH News YouTube channel.
“This powerhouse team has again applied deep investigative journalism, rich archival material, and compelling narrative structure to a complex local story that can engage audiences on a national level,” said Dan Lothian, Editor-in-Chief for GBH News and The World. “With critically acclaimed series like The Big Dig and Scratch & Win, and now with Catching The Codfather, we continue to strengthen our pipeline of digital-first storytelling that illuminates how Boston’s and New England’s history shapes America’s present.”
Coss, who joined GBH in 2025 as podcast producer and host, continues to develop and produce original narrative podcast series for GBH News, providing creative guidance for other GBH podcasts and strengthening the organization’s digital-first strategy.
“The story of Carlos Rafael is deeply rooted in the history and politics of New England’s vital fishing industry, and it showcases the profound impact that one man’s actions can have on an entire ecosystem,” said Devin Maverick Robins, Managing Director of Podcasts at GBH. “Thanks to the skillful work of Ian and the GBH podcast team, Catching The Codfather offers a substantial look at a one-of-a-kind personality whose reach extended far beyond his community.”
Coss is the lead producer and host of Catching The Codfather. The executive producer is Devin Maverick Robins, Jenifer McKim is editorial supervisor, Isabel Hibbard is producer, and Lacy Robert is story editor. Catching The Codfather is a production of GBH News and distributed by PRX, one of the world’s top podcast and public radio distributors.
A public radio broadcast version of the program will be available to stations nationwide.
Learn more about Catching the Codfather.
About GBH
GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. GBH is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and Arthur and Molly of Denali and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. GBH’s television channels include GBH 2, GBH 44, GBH Kids and national services GBH WORLD and Create. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR; CRB Classical 99.5; CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station, and as a partner to NEPM in Springfield. Dedicated to making media accessible to and representative of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to audience members who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. With PBS LearningMedia, GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide. GBH’s local programming includes Boston Public Radio, GBH News Rooted, Stories from the Stage, The Culture Show, and High School Quiz Show. GBH has been recognized with hundreds of the nation’s premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at gbh.org.
