Case file No. 1 · U.S. Treasury · Chicago, 1930
Get Capone
Nobody can touch Al Capone for murder. So your team is going to take him down for tax.
A story escape room for 2 to 6 players. One screen for the case, everyone's phone holds a piece of the evidence.
- 90–120 minutes
- 2–6 players
- 6 chapters
- No app to install
The case
The St Valentine's Day killers walked free. The ledger didn't.
Chicago, 1930. Eliot Ness is smashing the breweries and Frank Wilson of the Treasury is chasing the money. They need people who can read a burned ledger, follow a delivery docket and spot a bribed juror.
That's your team. Prove Capone earned a fortune he never declared, keep the bookkeeper alive long enough to testify, and get the case in front of a jury nobody has paid off. How it ends is history. Whether you get there is up to you.
- I
The Ledger
A raided gambling room in Cicero, a betting book half burned in the stove.
- II
The Brewery
March 1931. Ride with Eliot Ness's squad, crack the code on a tapped phone line and follow the beer money.
- III
The Bribe
Room 724 of the Lexington Hotel, Capone's headquarters. The Treasury's undercover man has left you something.
- IV
The Bookkeeper
The one man who can read the ledger is hiding. The Outfit is looking for him too.
- V
The Jury
Someone has the jury list. Find the bought men before the trial opens.
- VI
The Verdict
October 1931. Make the closing argument, then see how your verdict compares with the real one.
Not like other escape rooms
A real case. Real people. And one of you is lying.
There's a rat in the room
Switch on rat mode and one player is secretly on Capone's payroll, holding forged papers. Unmask them before the film rolls.
Only you heard the call
Phones ring mid-game, and only the person who answers hears the caller. Everyone else has to trust what you tell them.
The real case file
After each chapter you see what really happened, from Frank Wilson's own report to the letter Capone's lawyer wrote to the tax office.
Your verdict against 1931's
Every chapter builds your case. Slow work, wrong guesses and a rat who escapes all weaken it. At the end, see what verdict your case would win.
Plus headlights in the street that make everyone kill their torches, period jazz from 1920s 78s, and a front page that changes with how well you played.
How it works
One screen. Every phone in the room.
Open the case on a big screen
A laptop, or a TV connected to one. This is the room everyone searches together.
Scan in with your phones
Each player scans the QR code. No download, no account needed to join.
Talk it out
Every phone shows different documents: a scout report, a witness statement, a torn scrap of ledger. Nobody can solve it alone.
Stop when you like
Progress saves after every chapter, so it works as one long night or three short ones.
Every clue you need is on the screen. Hints come in three levels if the team gets stuck.
One payment per team
£9.99 / $9.99
Launch price until 31 January 2027, then £14.99 / $14.99.
- The full six-chapter case for your whole team
- Play it over one night or several: progress saves after every chapter
- No subscription
- Finish the case and get 15% off the National Crime Syndicate store
Be first through the door
Chapter I is free to play now. The full case opens soon: leave your email and we'll send you the launch price the day it goes live. One email, no spam.
Questions
Before you open the file
What do I need to play?
One screen everyone can see (a laptop, or a TV connected to one) and a phone for each player. Phones join by scanning a QR code; there's nothing to install.
Can we try it first?
Yes. Chapter I, The Ledger, is free to play now: open it on a laptop or TV and join on your phones. It takes about 30 minutes.
How long does it take?
Most teams take 90 to 120 minutes across six chapters. Progress saves after every chapter.
How many players?
2 to 6 players in the same room. It's built for families, friends and team nights.
Is it real history?
Yes. The people, places and the verdict are real, from Leslie Shumway's ledger to the October 1931 trial. Some scenes are dramatised so they can be played, and we note where.
What is rat mode?
With three or more phones, you can switch on rat mode in the lobby. One player is secretly working for Capone: they get a forged document and a goal to steer the team wrong. Everyone votes on who the rat is at the end of the chapter.
Is it suitable for children?
It's a real crime story told without graphic images. We suggest ages 12 and up, playing with adults.
Who makes it?
NCS Productions Ltd, the team behind National Crime Syndicate and the Five Families escape rooms app.