A grudge pitting the father and son of a notorious Mafia family against a British multimillionaire in an out-of-control drug rivalry. What could go wrong?
The new documentary Sons of Ecstasy, now streaming on Max, examines this surprising true conflict. Directed by Elli Hakami and Julian P. Hobbs, the film tells the true story of Salvatore Gravano, Gerard Gravano and Shaun Attwood, the trio who waged a “deadly battle for control of an Ecstasy Empire” during the Arizona rave scene of the 1990s.
Featuring interviews with all three key figures, Sons of Ecstasy reveals new details about their crimes and the consequences that followed. Not surprisingly, their lives look a lot different more than 20 years later. Here is everything we know about Attwood, the Gravanos, and where they are today.
What is Sons of Ecstasy about?
The documentary examines the rivalry that developed between Attwood and the Gravanos during the 1990s ecstasy trade in Arizona as well as the eventual collapse of their respective drug rings.
Salvatore Gravano, known by his nickname “Sammy the Bull,” is one of the most infamous New York mobsters in history. He gained notoriety for confessing to his involvement in 19 murders in exchange for testimony during the trial of former Gambino crime family head John Gotti in 1992.
Following his release from prison in 1994, Sammy relocated with his family to Arizona, where he and his son Gerard became heavily involved in Phoenix’s growing rave scene and began distributing ecstasy. According to the Los Angeles Times, the operation brought in as much as $500,000 per week, and authorities believed the syndicate trafficked as many as 30,000 pills over a seven-day span.
Their primary competitor was Shaun Attwood, a British stockbroker who had moved to the United States in 1991. He became a millionaire through his day job, and his lavish lifestyle even made him a neighbor to music icon Paul McCartney. It also lured him into the drug trade. “I started throwing house parties, and suddenly I was making a lot of friends while giving away drugs. That was when I began realizing the potential business opportunities in selling ecstasy,” he told the Mirror.
By 2002, both operations had crumbled. The year prior, Sammy Gravano pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts—including conspiracy to sell dangerous drugs, participating in a criminal syndicate, and money laundering—and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Similarly, Gerard pleaded guilty to illegally conducting an enterprise and offering to sell and transport dangerous drugs. He received a nine-year sentence.
Meanwhile, Attwood was arrested and faced up to 200 years in prison for his drug offenses but eventually accepted a plea deal. He was sentenced to nine and a half years and banned from entering the United States following his release.
Now, all three offer their side of the story with the release of Sons of Ecstasy.
Sammy Gravano now hosts a podcast
Sammy Gravano, now 79, resides in Phoenix following his early release from prison in September 2017. According to authorities, he is on federal parole for the rest of his life.
The elder Gravano hasn’t shied away from the public eye. Calling himself “The Don of Social Media,” Sammy is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and subscription platform Patreon, where he shares exclusive content with followers. In October 2020, Sammy posted the first video to his personal YouTube channel, which has now more than 626,000 subscribers. The site is home to episodes of the Our Thing Podcast, in which he shares stories from his past.
More recently, he made a public appearance at a political rally for Donald Trump in August 2024—wearing a T-shirt featuring mug shots of himself and Trump. The president-elect takes office on Monday.
Gravano was previously featured in the 2022 ABC documentary special Truth and Lies: The Last Gangster, in which he reflected on his criminal past with the Gambino family. He has admitted he feels remorse about some of his actions and their effects on his family. “It was ugly, but I know what people want me to say,” Gravano said in 2021. “It was so ugly. Would you change it? Yes, the way I feel now. But even looking now, I couldn’t.”
While his son keeps a lower profile, 49-year-old Gerard also lives in Arizona and is a digital creator according to his Instagram page. He married Amy Lynn Gravano in 2018 and has three children.
Attwood became a YouTuber and public speaker
Attwood, now 56, was released from prison in December 2007 after serving six years and immediately deported to the United Kingdom because of his sentencing conditions.
In addition to continuing his prison blog with stories from other inmates, Attwood embarked on an extensive public speaking schedule. He said in a 2013 interview with The State Press he gave more than 100 talks per year at schools and colleges, warning students against drugs and criminal activity. “Kids don’t listen to their parents or teachers about drugs, but they seem to pay attention when I tell them my own story,” he said. Attwood has also given four Ted Talks, including sharing his path to finding happiness and discussing how to overcome fear.
Attwood also operates a true crime-focused YouTube channel with more than 946,000 subscribers as of January 2025. He has interviewed notable figures such as British singer Robbie Williams and journalist Chris Hansen, the host of Dateline NBC’s popular To Catch a Predator series during the mid-2000s. Attwood has also authored a series of books about real-life cases and figures such as Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Watch Sons of Ecstasy on Max
As for the rivalry between Attwood and the Gravano family, the two sides are apparently on better terms.
Attwood shared in a January 3 blog post that he interviewed both Sammy and Gerard for his podcast. The two-part conversation released Saturday, two days after the premiere of Sons of Ecstasy. Their chat included details of a prior plot to kidnap and possibly murder Attwood. This, paired with the release of the documentary, should give curious viewers a notable opportunity to learn more about the memorable case.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
