Undercover Feds and the Mob: Do Rivalries Arise?
The website FedScoop posted the above video, which includes Joe Pistone and another former undercover FBI agent who worked in Cleveland (David Drab).
Joseph Dominick Pistone, alias Donnie Brasco, (born September 17, 1939), is the former FBI agent who worked undercover for six years infiltrating the Bonanno crime family. He was an FBI agent for 27 years and seems to hold to the adage "never turn down an opportunity to be on television."
The evidence collected by Pistone led to over 200 indictments and over 100 convictions of Mafia members and nearly destroyed the Bonanno family. (I am not sure what those numbers include -- whether they specifically resulted from Operation Brasco or also include subsequent convictions related to the Commission Case and the Pizza Connection trials, among others in which Pistone testified.
However, the Bonanno family also benefited in a key way: When the Mafia Commission Trial took many of the mob's legendary bosses off the street permanently, the Bonanno family's leadership (namely, Joseph Massino) was left alone. This is because the family was dropped by the Commission in large part due to Pistone's handiwork. Massino in fact led a Bonanno resurgence before his conviction in 2004 for ordering Sonny Black Napolitano's death for allowing Pistone into the family. Massino, who has since flipped, claims he ordered Napolitano's murder for other reasons.
Bottom line, Pistone does indeed have bragging rights and there is certainly a reason for him to be eagerly sought by writers and producers of Mafia-related television shows.
Bottom line, Pistone does indeed have bragging rights and there is certainly a reason for him to be eagerly sought by writers and producers of Mafia-related television shows.
At the same time, Pistone seems to appear in nearly every mob show he can since arising from the underworld's depths. Ever since I met and interviewed another former federal agent, I have been wondering why we see so much Pistone and so little of Joaquin "Jack Falcone" Garcia.
Joaquin Garcia (born 1952 in Havana, Cuba), also known as Jack, Jock, and Jocko, is a retired FBI agent best known for his undercover work infiltrating the Gambino crime family in New York. Garcia is regarded as one of the most successful and prolific agents in the history of the FBI.
In his 26 years of service with the FBI and as an undercover agent in over 100 undercover operations, Garcia is best known for his undercover role as "Jack Falcone," a self-described Sicilian jewel thief and drug dealer from Miami, Florida, who penetrated the Gambino crime family in New York City for nearly three years. The Falcone operation specifically resulted in the arrest and conviction of 32 mobsters, including the top members Arnold Squitieri and Anthony Megale. Jack has since testified in additional trials.
Now, as for this perceived rivalry on which I am speculating here, I must point out that Jack has never discussed any of this with me, and for all I know, his reasons for not appearing on television could be a matter of preference. He doesn't want to participate in the shows. I know Jack, and as I have said before, he is a great guy -- a truly great guy, and talking to him is always a privilege. I've even sought his advice and he graciously provided it.
When he saw my story on him he thanked me. The implied message I got was that he realized I was planning to write multiple follow-ups, and that he did not want me to do that. So, taking the subtext and running with it, I said, "I was planning on doing one more story."
He gave me the verbal equivalent of the silent nod... And the reason for this, I think, is the same reason he's not on all those television shows. He's modest. He likes his privacy and doesn't want to be in the public eye.
So it could be for personal reasons we see so much of Pistone and so little of Jack (I should point out that, of course, there is a wealth of YouTube videos in which Jack appears, and also his excellent book). But I wonder if there is something else going on as well.
Take the video above, for example. As noted, it's about the mob's activities today and stars Pistone and Dab and no one else. Now, the fact that Jack's not in it is fine and completely understandable. But the fact that he doesn't get a single mention, however, is not understandable. Frankly, it's borderline ridiculous, considering the timeliness of the topic.
For the first time I wonder if Pistone is jealous -- not so much of Jack but because Pistone wants to maintain the bright, bold Donnie Brasco legacy. He doesn't want the story of another undercover agent to steal an iota of his thunder. It's like, he's the ultimate undercover agent -- to the extent that no one else is worthy of discussion.
I could be totally offtrack. Mention of Jack could've been edited out. The reporter is not aware of Jack and didn't bring his story up, etc. There are multiple variables. But as a viewer who knows something about this stuff, I wanted to hear from Jack.
Now, in the off chance that I am correct, I think it's kind of silly and wrongheaded. Each of them has an
important story to tell, there is no need to take sides. What one did doesn't detract at all from the other's efforts.
You watch the video and be the judge.
How can those who are aware of Jack Garcia and what he did (and Pistone has to be aware of him -- has to!) not notice his absence? Jack would have had much to offer in the discussion about wiseguys today. It's only logical, since he was undercover most recently, from about 2002 through 2005.
Operation Donnie Brasco took place from 1976 to 1981.
Anyway, I am biased; I am friends with Jack and I've never spoken to Joe. I would never turn down an opportunity to speak with him -- don't get me wrong. And I am aware he could be a great guy as much as Jack. I just don't know...
But somehow, I don't think I'd be able to even get in touch with him, much less get him to agree to do an interview with me. (Could that be the simple difference between the two?)
Tomorrow I will publish what I meant to publish today...
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| Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco |
In his 26 years of service with the FBI and as an undercover agent in over 100 undercover operations, Garcia is best known for his undercover role as "Jack Falcone," a self-described Sicilian jewel thief and drug dealer from Miami, Florida, who penetrated the Gambino crime family in New York City for nearly three years. The Falcone operation specifically resulted in the arrest and conviction of 32 mobsters, including the top members Arnold Squitieri and Anthony Megale. Jack has since testified in additional trials.
Now, as for this perceived rivalry on which I am speculating here, I must point out that Jack has never discussed any of this with me, and for all I know, his reasons for not appearing on television could be a matter of preference. He doesn't want to participate in the shows. I know Jack, and as I have said before, he is a great guy -- a truly great guy, and talking to him is always a privilege. I've even sought his advice and he graciously provided it.
When he saw my story on him he thanked me. The implied message I got was that he realized I was planning to write multiple follow-ups, and that he did not want me to do that. So, taking the subtext and running with it, I said, "I was planning on doing one more story."
He gave me the verbal equivalent of the silent nod... And the reason for this, I think, is the same reason he's not on all those television shows. He's modest. He likes his privacy and doesn't want to be in the public eye.
So it could be for personal reasons we see so much of Pistone and so little of Jack (I should point out that, of course, there is a wealth of YouTube videos in which Jack appears, and also his excellent book). But I wonder if there is something else going on as well.
Take the video above, for example. As noted, it's about the mob's activities today and stars Pistone and Dab and no one else. Now, the fact that Jack's not in it is fine and completely understandable. But the fact that he doesn't get a single mention, however, is not understandable. Frankly, it's borderline ridiculous, considering the timeliness of the topic.
For the first time I wonder if Pistone is jealous -- not so much of Jack but because Pistone wants to maintain the bright, bold Donnie Brasco legacy. He doesn't want the story of another undercover agent to steal an iota of his thunder. It's like, he's the ultimate undercover agent -- to the extent that no one else is worthy of discussion.
I could be totally offtrack. Mention of Jack could've been edited out. The reporter is not aware of Jack and didn't bring his story up, etc. There are multiple variables. But as a viewer who knows something about this stuff, I wanted to hear from Jack.
Now, in the off chance that I am correct, I think it's kind of silly and wrongheaded. Each of them has an
 |
| Jack "Falcone" Garcia |
You watch the video and be the judge.
How can those who are aware of Jack Garcia and what he did (and Pistone has to be aware of him -- has to!) not notice his absence? Jack would have had much to offer in the discussion about wiseguys today. It's only logical, since he was undercover most recently, from about 2002 through 2005.
Operation Donnie Brasco took place from 1976 to 1981.
Anyway, I am biased; I am friends with Jack and I've never spoken to Joe. I would never turn down an opportunity to speak with him -- don't get me wrong. And I am aware he could be a great guy as much as Jack. I just don't know...
But somehow, I don't think I'd be able to even get in touch with him, much less get him to agree to do an interview with me. (Could that be the simple difference between the two?)
Tomorrow I will publish what I meant to publish today...