Dr. Snow: How the FBI Nailed an Ivy League Coke King [Paperback]

Carol Saline (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2001

This riveting, true-crime story tracks the operations of multimillion-dollar yuppie drug ring run by a twenty-six year old dentist and two of his classmates. The three fell into drug dealing while college students as an easy way to make fast money and they soon learned to manage their underground enterprise as efficiently as any Fortune 500 firm. Awash in sex, drugs and money, they built a fifty-kilo-a-month cocaine conglomerate, buying and selling enough white powder to anesthetize thirteen Eastern seaboard states. Until the FBI cracked the ring, its kingpin, Larry Lavin, a model husband and father, was earning over a million bucks a year for his "services rendered."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Twenty-six-year-old Larry Lavin, a gregarious, civic-minded, affluent Philadelphia dentist, headed a 12-state drug network through which he supplied his customers, many of them former prep-school and University of Pennsylvania friends who, in turn, often became dealers themselves. In this expanded version of a Philadelphia magazine article, Saline, coauthor of Straight Talk, recounts how he organized the drug ring and the FBI's four-year investigation, which led to the convictions of Lavin and 82 co-conspirators in 1987. Along the way, the author also provides an alarming insight into the extent of student addiction in a suspenseful tale of international intrigue involving a gallery of Ivy League clients, drug runners, Cuban and Colombian cocaine suppliers and mafioso distributors. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Carol Saline, an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker, is a long-time senior writer at Philadelphia Magazine. She has written six books, including the New York Time’s best-sellers: Sisters, Mothers & Daughters and Best Friends as well as the communications skills book, Straight Talk: A new way to get closer to others by saying what you really mean. Her articles have appeared in national publications such as Ladies Home Journal, MORE, Redbook, Family Circle, and Reader’s Digest. Capping her several dozen writing honors is The National Magazine Award, considered to be the Pulitzer of magazine journalists.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: Infinity Pub (February 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0741405601
• ISBN-13: 978-0741405609
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Money temps even the rational, September 14, 1999

By 

K. Johnson (US/Asia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dr. Snow: How the F.B.I. Nailed an Ivy League Coke King (Signet) (Paperback)

An interesting tale of Larry Lavin. A dentist with a career ahead of him. The Lure of money led to him dabble in the "Candy" of the 1980's. Intriguing was how he hid so close to the authorities as a fugitive. Good reading. Perhaps he was pursuing what many of taught is the American Dream....well worth the read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, January 26, 2009

By 

Devin Karcy "true crime book addict" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Snow: How the FBI Nailed an Ivy League Coke King (Paperback)

Great book. Very well written by an established journalist. Same story as "Doctor Dealer" by Bowden. Both are great in their own right. Buy it..

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great look at the Philly coke biz in the 80's, February 23, 2006

By 

Jack A. Parsons "jzyjack" (phila, pa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dr. Snow: How the FBI Nailed an Ivy League Coke King (Paperback)

Being from philly, i know alot of the characters in this book. that being said, i know alot of the characters in alot of gangster books written about philly, and alot of them suck or are a bunch of lies. this one is an exception! it's true, interesting and very detailed. so detailed that there's a chapter that basically tells you step by step how to re-rock coke. Carol Saline did a great job. i was impressed. AAAAAAA+++++++

also, 'doctor dealer' is pretty good too. it was written by mark bowden, the guy that wrote 'black hawk down'. both authors are local philly writers.