Episode 2: Onionhead

About this episode

The episode explores the challenges faced by Chinatown residents in the 1980s through the story of Tina Wong and her interactions with federal prosecutor Beryl Howell.

Tina Wong finds herself in handcuffs in the Brooklyn office of a new federal prosecutor, Beryl Howell. Beryl’s goal is to get Tina to tell her everything she knows about the people who recruited her. But Chinatown is a dangerous place in the 1980s, and few low-level suspects want to talk. We hear from Chinatown author Henry Chang and former gang members Mike Moy and Peter Chin about the violence and impossible choices Chinatown residents faced in those days. For more, check out: Henry Chang’s series Detective Yu Investigations . Mike Moy’s Chinatown Gang Stories channel on YouTube.  Peter Chin’s book, In the Ghost Shadows .  Get early, ad-free access to the entire season of The Chinatown Sting by subscribing to Pushkin+. Subscribers also get bonus episodes, exclusive binges, full audiobooks, and early ad-free listening for all Pushkin shows.  Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.com/plus See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Guest: Tina Wong

Topics covered

• Chinatown
• 1980s
• gang violence
• federal prosecution
• community choices

Keywords

• Chinatown
• gangs
• federal prosecutor
• 1980s
• violence
• community
• Henry Chang
• Mike Moy
• Peter Chin

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Detective Yu Investigations, Chinatown Gang Stories, In the Ghost Shadows

More episodes of The Chinatown Sting

• Grandson of a Paper Son · October 28, 2025 · 30 min
• Life as a Flying Dragon · October 21, 2025 · 29 min
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• Episode 5: The Mastermind · October 7, 2025 · 34 min
• Episode 4: A Ghost Hand · September 30, 2025 · 32 min
• Episode 3: What’s a Friend? · September 23, 2025 · 36 min