Get Your Weekly Digest

Receive the best podcast summaries and insights delivered to your inbox every week.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Stuff You Should Know

SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Harvey's Casino Bombing of 1980

Published September 26, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

The hosts recount the 1980 Harvey's Casino bombing in Lake Tahoe, a meticulously planned extortion attempt involving a uniquely sophisticated 1,000‑pound dynamite bomb that ultimately detonated without injuring anyone. They walk through the placement of the bomb, the detailed ransom note and helicopter instructions, the failed money drop, the FBI's risky attempt to disable the device, and the investigation that led to mastermind John Waldo Burgess Sr., his family, and accomplices. The episode closes with listener mail about using positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) in child behavior management.

Topics Covered

True crime Crime history Police work and detective work Media coverage of crime Lottery and gambling Gambling addiction and bookmaking Travel and tourism Bombings Harvey's Casino bombing

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • The Harvey's Casino bombing was an elaborate 1980 extortion attempt using a highly sophisticated 1,000‑pound dynamite bomb that ultimately exploded without causing casualties due to effective evacuation.
  • The bomber demanded $3 million and laid out a complex multi‑step helicopter ransom plan that was undermined by his own vague instructions and logistical bungling.
  • FBI bomb technicians judged the bomb so sensitive that they ultimately chose a high‑risk plan to blow apart its firing mechanism, which instead detonated the entire device and caused about $18 million in damage.
  • Investigators cracked the case largely through a vigilant motel manager who recorded a suspicious van's details and a tip from the mastermind's ex‑girlfriend, to whom he had bragged about the plot.
  • Mastermind John Waldo Burgess Sr.-a former Luftwaffe pilot, abusive father, and heavy gambler with a history of insurance fraud-targeted Harvey's out of both financial resentment and personal humiliation.
  • All known conspirators, including Burgess's sons, girlfriend, and the unwitting delivery men, were eventually arrested, with the sons turning state's evidence against their father.
  • Burgess tried to claim he was a patsy for a supposed Harvey's-mafia insurance scheme, but the hosts find this allegation unconvincing.
  • Listener mail introduces PBIS (Positive Behaviors and Supports) as a discipline approach based on praise and rewards rather than punishment, prompting the hosts to reflect on parenting strategies.

Podcast Notes

Introduction and episode framing

SYSK presents a non-lethal true crime caper

Josh notes that no one dies in this story, calling the episode "kind of charming" for a true crime case[1:29]
The show is introduced as "Stuff You Should Know" with Josh, Chuck, and producer Jerry[1:49]
They categorize this as a true crime edition "where nobody gets hurt" and as a "caper" episode[1:54]
• Chuck links it to previous non-murder crime episodes like the Chowchilla kidnapping and D.B. Cooper

Listener requests and initial impressions of the story

Josh credits listener Nick Kales for requesting this topic and thanks him[2:29]
Josh mentions forgetting to shout out Neil Stevens from the UK for suggesting the Georgia Guidestones episode[2:31]
Chuck says the story felt very familiar to him, as if he had seen a documentary, but he doesn't think one exists[2:50]
They express surprise that no movie has been made about this case, with Josh thinking the "pork chop sideburns" era alone makes it cinematic[3:13]

Placement of the bomb and discovery of the ransom note

Mysterious early-morning delivery at Harvey's Casino

On August 26, 1980, very early in the morning, two men posing as delivery workers wheeled a large covered piece of equipment into Harvey's Resort Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada[3:40]
• The object was covered with an IBM-branded cover, making it look like office equipment
They brought the device up to the second floor offices, dropped it off, and quickly left the building[3:59]
• A driver was waiting outside in a van to pick them up and drive them away
Chuck points out that delivering office equipment at 5 a.m. and leaving without getting a signature is suspicious behavior[4:12]

Casino staff discover a note on the device

Within an hour, a manager (described as either a slot manager or night manager) notices the unfamiliar equipment on the second floor[4:22]
He sees a note attached to the device and gathers other employees to read it together[4:35]
Josh cites an Adam Higginbotham article in The Atavist noting that one of the employees was leaning against the machine while reading the warning note[4:39]
• This detail becomes darkly comic once they realize it is a bomb warning

Contents and tone of the ransom note

The note is titled as a stern warning to management and the bomb squad, which Chuck says would have been enough for him to leave immediately[5:02]
The note warns not to move or tilt the bomb, claiming it will detonate from movement less than 0.01 on the "open end" Richter scale[5:10]
• Josh jokes that the note writer seems to be intentionally confusing people with technical-sounding language right away
The note says not to flood or gas the bomb, as it contains a float switch and an atmospheric pressure switch set between 26.00 and 33, both tied to detonators[5:29]
It also warns against taking the bomb apart, claiming the flathead screws are connected to triggers that will cause an explosion with as little as a quarter to three-quarters of a turn[5:41]
The note asserts that the bomb is so sensitive that the slightest internal or external movement will cause it to explode, and that no one, including the creator, can defuse it[5:47]
The note demands a ransom of $3 million (Josh initially misspeaks as $3,000, then corrects), promising later instructions for moving the bomb so it can detonate safely elsewhere after payment[6:37]
• The employee who had been leaning on the device understandably steps away once they realize its supposed sensitivity

FBI assessment of the bomb and ransom scheme

Uniqueness and sophistication of the bomb

Josh notes that the FBI later regarded this bomb as legendary and used it as a training model for bomb technicians for years[6:54]
The bomb consisted of stacked boxes lined with metal and rubber that could not be separated by conventional means without setting it off[7:12]
FBI teams photographed and X-rayed the device and swept it for fingerprints, learning it contained about 1,000 pounds of dynamite[7:33]
Despite examination, agents could not initially identify a way to safely defuse it, and the ransom note's description of its sensitivity appeared accurate[6:37]

Ransom demands and complex instructions

The note demands $3 million in used $100 bills, prohibiting marked, bugged, or chemically treated currency[8:24]
The casino is told to charter a helicopter to Lake Tahoe Airport, have the pilot land by a payphone, and wait there for further instructions[8:33]
Josh explains the conspirators said further instructions might come via payphone, taxi, or even jokingly "carrier pigeon," emphasizing their aim to create confusion[8:43]
The note indicates there will be six sets of instructions in total, with the first given to the helicopter pilot and later ones arriving through the local post office[7:37]
The bombers insist the bomb will go off regardless and no one involved in pickup or delivery will know how to defuse it, reinforcing the pressure to comply[9:28]
They also demand that the media-local or national-must be kept ignorant of the heist until the bomb is safely removed, which the hosts describe as impossible[10:09]

Evacuation, media frenzy, and background on Harvey's casino

Mass evacuation and immediate public attention

The bomb was discovered before 6 a.m., and by 7 or 8 a.m. authorities were waking guests, ordering them to leave immediately without time to gather belongings[10:24]
Police evacuated not only Harvey's but also Harrah's casino across the street due to the potential blast radius of 1,000 pounds of dynamite[10:45]
Evacuated guests were taken to a nearby high school, and the unusual mass evacuation quickly drew media coverage[10:49]
The area was cordoned off, with crowds of onlookers and reporters gathering; some nearby casinos even took bets on whether the bomb would detonate[11:16]
• The incident occurred the week before Labor Day weekend, when Tahoe was particularly crowded

Origins of Harvey's casino and Lake Tahoe gambling

Josh notes that gambling had only been on Tahoe's south shore for about 36 years at that point, starting with Harvey Gross's first operation[11:54]
Harvey's original establishment was called Harvey's Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gambling Hall, described as a cabin housing six slot machines[11:54]
At the time Harvey began, the area lacked phone, water, sewer, and power lines, and roads closed with the first snow, making it a remote, modest locale[12:07]
The success of gambling helped put Tahoe on the map as a destination[12:14]
Harvey strategically built his casino on the California-Nevada state line in a town literally named Stateline, drawing in out-of-state Californians[12:54]
By 1963, he had expanded to Harvey's Lake Tahoe, an 11‑story building that was then the tallest in the area[13:24]
It was this 11‑story resort that housed the bomb in 1980, roughly 17 years after its construction[13:54]

Profile of casino owner Harvey Gross and 1970s crime context

Harvey had been scrutinized by the IRS for tax issues and appeared before the gaming board, but the hosts say this was not unusual for a Nevada casino owner[14:02]
He received an honorary name from the Nevada Intertribal Council, reported as "Chief Hunai," allegedly meaning "the man who runs the game and takes a percentage of the bets," though the hosts are unsure if that translation is a joke[14:28]
Despite some regulatory run-ins, Harvey was not portrayed as a mobster; some people even described him as a good guy[15:15]
He was known for resisting expansion into other towns, saying he already had a "nice little business" and asking rhetorically, "How many steaks can I eat?"[15:29]
Chuck situates the case in the 1970s-early 1980s era of hijackings, kidnappings, and ransom attempts, suggesting such crimes were more common then than today[15:54]
• Josh speculates that less advanced surveillance and a less developed "police state" contributed to that wave of crimes
• He also jokes that widespread leaded gasoline might have affected a generation's brains, fueling risky schemes
Harvey had previously been the target of kidnapping and ransom conspiracies in the early 1970s and smoke bomb ransom attempts at other Tahoe casinos in the late 1970s[16:40]
Running a casino that brought in roughly $70 million a year with about $4 million profit made Harvey a natural mark for extortion schemes[17:04]
However, FBI investigation later indicated this bombing was driven by a personal vendetta against Harvey or his casino rather than generic targeting of a wealthy owner[17:25]

Ransom drop attempt and detonation decision

FBI negotiates fake payoff using Gross's helicopter

Special Agent William Jonke suggested dragging out negotiations and staging a fake payoff to either buy time to defuse the bomb or catch the perpetrators[20:29]
FBI bomb experts concluded the device would eventually go off no matter what, prompting Gross to decide against paying any ransom[20:48]
Gross even volunteered his own personal helicopter for the fake money drop, with a federal agent as pilot and another armed agent hiding behind the seat with a suitcase of mostly fake cash containing only a few thousand real dollars[21:09]
Following the note, the helicopter landed at Lake Tahoe Airport next to a payphone, which rang shortly after arrival[21:20]
Rather than giving instructions over the phone, the caller told the pilot to look under the payphone, where written instructions were taped[21:31]

Flawed strobe beacon rendezvous plan

The instructions told the pilot to fly west along the highway for 15 minutes, then turn to a specified compass bearing and look for a strobe beacon in a field where he would land for the drop[21:49]
The pilot followed the instructions but never saw a beacon and circled for about 45 minutes before returning to the airport to await further contact[21:52]
The bombers never called back, and Josh notes the drop never happened at all[22:32]
They introduce the mastermind as John Waldo Burgess Sr., and point out a key planning mistake: specifying "fly 15 minutes" instead of a distance or fixed point[22:59]
Because helicopter speed can vary, the conspirators did not know where the helicopter would be after 15 minutes, undermining their ability to coordinate the beacon location[23:19]
Compounding the error, the conspirators initially forgot to bring the strobe light's battery from Fresno and had to scramble to obtain one[23:34]
• They tried and failed to break into an auto parts store to get a battery, were chased off, and then purchased a battery at a Shell station after an awkward exchange with the attendant
• The attendant insisted the battery type had to match their Volvo parked outside, while they insisted it didn't matter; he finally sold them a battery anyway
The conspirators ultimately set up at a drop site about 25 miles from the airport and waited, but they never saw or heard the helicopter, which had flown elsewhere[24:44]

Crowds, T-shirts, and bomb squad's risky plan

Back at the casino, the perimeter became a kind of spectacle with barricades, gawkers, reporters, and even novelty T-shirts reading "I got bombed at Lake Tahoe" and "I had a dynamite time at Lake Tahoe"[25:04]
The bomb squad considered flipping a specific switch (number five) on the device to buy more time, but no one wanted to volunteer to do it given the bomb's sensitivity[25:09]
Instead, experts proposed using an explosive charge to blow the case apart so quickly that it would sever the relay before the firing signal reached the dynamite[25:36]
They specially designed a charge for this purpose and consulted a Harvey's engineer, who believed the explosion likely would not collapse the entire building[25:54]
Even with the tailored charge, the team estimated only a 25-30% chance of success[26:00]
Roughly 35 hours after the bomb was discovered, around 3 p.m. the next day, a technician named Danny Daniel volunteered to place the charge on the device at the precise angle required[26:17]
Hundreds or thousands of people gathered in the area, and the countdown to detonation was even broadcast on local radio[26:41]
When the charge was triggered, it failed to sever the firing mechanism and instead set off the bomb itself[26:52]

Explosion effects and immediate casino response

The full 1,000 pounds of dynamite detonated, creating a 40-50 foot hole in the ground in the middle of the casino and sending shrapnel in all directions[26:59]
The blast flung cash and gambling chips around and left TV sets swinging from cords and toilets hanging by pipes[27:12]
Despite the massive damage, no one was hurt because the casino and nearby Harrah's had been evacuated in time[27:17]
Nearby casinos resumed business fairly quickly, reflecting the area's gambling culture[27:26]
Within a couple of days, Harvey's reopened parts of the casino, enclosing the blast crater in glass and inviting visitors to view the "bomb hole" while gambling and watching the FBI work[27:41]
Unaware that the bomb had already detonated, the conspirators called the local sheriff's office a few minutes after the blast, saying they would call again in an hour to arrange another payment drop[28:00]
Harvey Gross was devastated when he saw the damage, reportedly crying at the scene; the explosion caused an estimated $18 million in damage[28:19]

Mastermind John Burgess, motives, and bomb construction

Background and personality of John Waldo Burgess Sr.

The mastermind is identified as John Waldo Burgess Sr., whose son later wrote a book portraying him very negatively[31:21]
According to the son, Burgess Sr. was a physically abusive husband and a terrible father who used repeated suicide threats as emotional blackmail[31:34]
He was also literally a former Nazi, having flown for the Luftwaffe and spent eight years in a Soviet prison camp before emigrating to the United States[31:53]
In America, he became a multimillionaire through a successful landscaping business in Fresno[32:05]
He was a heavy gambler, losing an estimated $750,000 over the years, much of it at Harvey's casino[33:25]
Years earlier, he owned a restaurant that he apparently burned down for insurance money, receiving $355,000, which he also gambled away[32:30]
The bombing plot appears partly motivated by a desire to recoup money lost to the house and by resentment toward Harvey's[32:53]
A specific humiliation also drove his targeting of Harvey's: one New Year's Eve, high gambling debts led the casino to remove him from a high-roller suite and place him in a regular room[32:59]
• He was with a date who reportedly mocked his self-image as a "big time" gambler after the downgrade, amplifying his sense of lost pride

Accomplices and their roles in the plot

Burgess involved his sons John Jr. (20) and Jimmy (18), his girlfriend Ella Williams, and two men who delivered the bomb, Bill Brown and Terry Hall[34:23]
The FBI later described Bill Brown, based on a witness report, as a "hayseed" and "real goober type"[34:27]
Brown and Hall were paid a total of $2,100 for delivering the device, and did not learn they had transported a bomb until after the drop-off[34:54]
Ella Williams played a significant role, including typing the ransom notes and helping with logistics like driving people to landing sites[36:07]

Theft of dynamite and construction of an unprecedented device

In preparation for the plot, the conspirators stole dynamite from a power plant in California[35:18]
They stored the explosives in a walk-in freezer in their garage while assembling the bomb[35:24]
The bomb's sophistication remains a mystery: no one knows whether Burgess had outside help or was simply unusually skilled and self-taught[35:48]
FBI technicians later said they had never seen anything like this device before, emphasizing its uniqueness[36:07]

Investigation, key leads, arrests, and legal outcomes

How investigators identified the conspirators

Initially, the FBI interviewed about 500 suspects and did not immediately focus on Burgess[36:07]
One crucial lead came from motel night manager Nancy Domenico, where Burgess, Brown, and Hall had stayed before the bombing[36:15]
She found the three men suspicious enough to write down detailed information about their van, including make, model, color, and license plate number, and kept it on file[36:33]
Another key lead came from John Jr.'s ex-girlfriend, to whom he had bragged extensively about the plot while they were together[37:31]
After they broke up, she told her new boyfriend about the alleged bombing plan, and he called the FBI with a tip[37:00]
Investigators traced the suspicious van from Domenico's records to a restaurant previously owned by Burgess Sr., the one he had allegedly burned for insurance money[37:31]
The FBI interviewed Burgess Sr., who promptly pointed to his son, saying John Jr. had been driving the van[37:48]
Agents then interviewed John Jr., who admitted being in the Tahoe area with the van but claimed he was scouting places to plant marijuana[37:58]
Jr. said the van's battery died, so he abandoned it, and suggested someone else must have taken the van, used it in the crime, and then returned it while he was away[38:37]
The FBI found this story implausible but lacked enough evidence at that moment to arrest him, keeping him on their radar[40:32]

Arrests, plea deals, and sentences

Over about a year, the FBI continued gathering evidence and raised rewards up to about half a million dollars for information[40:03]
Roughly a year after the bombing, authorities arrested John Jr. and Jimmy[40:06]
Investigators offered the sons leniency if they would testify against their father, and they agreed, quickly turning on him[40:30]
The FBI then arrested Burgess Sr., Ella Williams, Bill Brown, and Terry Hall, believing they had rounded up everyone involved[40:33]
Ella initially received a seven-year sentence due to her involvement-typing the ransom notes and assisting logistically-but a judge later overturned her conviction for reasons not specified in the episode[40:44]
The sons received reduced sentences in exchange for cooperation[41:14]
Burgess Sr. chose to represent himself, even cross-examining his own sons during trial[41:14]
He was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and life without parole in state prison[41:23]
At trial, he apparently tried to use an old Father's Day card from his sons saying he was the "best dad" as part of his defense, which the hosts note did not sway the jury[41:30]
He served 16 years before dying of cancer in prison[41:43]

Burgess's later conspiracy claim and the hosts' skepticism

In an interview with a reporter, Burgess later claimed he was a patsy drawn into the plot by a loan shark to whom he owed $60,000[42:00]
He alleged this loan shark was working for Harvey's top executives and the mafia, who supposedly conspired to blow up their own casino for insurance money[42:10]
Chuck and Josh say they do not believe this claim at all[42:32]
They note that using insurance money to rebuild after a loss is normal and does not prove any prior conspiracy[42:32]
Chuck checks online and confirms that Harvey's still exists and has been updated since the bombing[43:10]
They joke about finding vintage "I got bombed at Harvey's"-style T-shirts on eBay as novelty items[43:10]

Listener mail: Positive behavior supports and parenting

Teacher describes PBIS (Positive Behaviors and Supports)

Josh reads an email from Anthony, a third-grade teacher on a reservation with 16 students in his class[44:16]
Anthony references a previous episode on introversion/extroversion where Chuck had mentioned disciplining his child by removing fun activities[43:57]
Anthony explains that he uses PBIS-Positive Behaviors and Supports-as a classroom management system[44:30]
PBIS relies on praise and rewards rather than traditional discipline, and Anthony says his classroom functions like a "well-oiled machine" without needing to use punishment[44:23]
He suggests that PBIS techniques can be applied in the home to manage a child's behavior without conventional discipline[44:55]

Hosts' reactions and reflections on PBIS and parenting

Chuck clarifies that he does not actually struggle to manage his daughter's behavior, emphasizing that she is a good kid and their situation is not dire[44:55]
He acknowledges that all kids and parents have challenges but says it is "not too bad" in their household[45:21]
Chuck says they already use some praise-and-reward strategies at home and is open to "ramping it up" to see if it helps[44:39]
Josh wonders whether Anthony has children himself and notes that kids often behave differently for teachers than they do at home for parents[45:47]
They encourage listeners to try PBIS-style approaches and report back, and Josh thanks Anthony for writing in[46:02]

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Even meticulously planned schemes can fall apart due to small, practical oversights like vague instructions or missing equipment, so robust plans require attention to mundane details as much as grand strategy.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What current project or plan in your life depends on small logistical details that you may be overlooking?
  • • How could you stress-test your next important plan to surface hidden dependencies or points of failure before they matter?
  • • What is one concrete step you can take this week to clarify instructions, responsibilities, or measurements in a project you care about?
2

Unchecked ego, resentment, and addictive behavior can drive people toward increasingly extreme and self-destructive decisions, so monitoring your motivations and emotional triggers is critical for long-term stability.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your life do you feel a lingering sense of humiliation, resentment, or the need to "get even" that might be coloring your judgment?
  • • How might your decisions change if you paused to ask whether you are acting from pride or from a clear assessment of your long-term interests?
  • • What is one habit or impulse (gambling, spending, work, or otherwise) that you could start tracking to better understand when it begins to override your better judgment?
3

Seemingly small acts of vigilance and documentation-like noting a suspicious vehicle's details or following up on a hunch-can be pivotal in solving complex problems or uncovering wrongdoing.

Reflection Questions:

  • • When have you noticed something that felt "off" but chosen to ignore it rather than document or question it?
  • • How could you build a simple habit of capturing key observations (dates, names, numbers, screenshots) in your work or personal life to help future you?
  • • What situation right now might benefit from you gathering more precise information instead of relying on memory or assumptions?
4

In high-stakes situations, decision-makers often must choose between imperfect options under uncertainty, so developing a structured way to weigh risks, probabilities, and potential harms is essential.

Reflection Questions:

  • • How do you currently approach decisions where every option carries significant risk or downside?
  • • What criteria (impact, probability, reversibility, safety) could you explicitly list and weigh the next time you face a hard tradeoff?
  • • Which upcoming decision in your life would benefit from you writing down possible outcomes and their risks before you act?
5

Positive reinforcement and clear expectations can sometimes manage behavior more effectively than punishment alone, whether in classrooms, workplaces, or families.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In your relationships (at home or at work), do you tend to focus more on correcting mistakes or on recognizing and rewarding desired behavior?
  • • How might the dynamics in your household or team change if you intentionally increased specific, sincere praise for the behaviors you want to see more of?
  • • What is one concrete positive reinforcement system (points, privileges, public recognition) you could experiment with over the next month to encourage better behavior or performance?

Episode Summary - Notes by Harper

SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Harvey's Casino Bombing of 1980
0:00 0:00