The Fed Who Infiltrated The Mob

TV Exclusive: Meet The Undercover FBI Agent Who Was Inducted Into The Gambino Crime Family

(CBS)  Only one other undercover agent in history has walked in his shoes; played a role to such perfection as to be offered the Mafia's most sacred blessing.

"I am the second law-enforcement officer ever to be proposed for membership into La Cosa Nostra," Jack Garcia told CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.

The first, immortalized in the movie "Donnie Brasco," tells the tale of FBI agent Joe Pistone who infiltrated the Bonnano crime family back in the mid-1970s.

Now, for the first time on television, a modern-day Brasco, who still works undercover, tells CBS News how he convinced the notorious Gambino crime family he was one of their own.

"You're always so afraid for your life," Garcia said. "And anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. I mean, things can turn like this (snaps fingers)."

His riveting story begins as Garcia, a Cuban-born immigrant turned FBI undercover agent with a gift for creating characters - from a drug lord to small-time mobsters - for 20 years.

Then he went big-game hunting after the Gambinos, posing as Jack Falcone, a Miami wise-guy.

"Jack Falcone was a knock-around guy from Florida who was a jewel thief, he was a hijacker. He was an individual that was surrounded in Miami by the Cuban culture," Garcia said.

It was the spring of 2003 when Jack Falcone, a.k.a., "Jackie Boy," caught the eye of Gambino capo Greg DePalma who controlled loan sharking, gambling and construction rackets in and around New York.

"They wanted me because I was an earner," he said. "You're not a broken-down garbage can. You're a guy who makes money, and that's what the mob is all about."

Falcone eventually earned DePalma's trust by offering an endless supply of stolen goods - likes cigarettes and televisions - all provided by the FBI.

"Jack, there has to be a moment when the door opens and you realize I am in," Keteyian asked.

"I remember that day distinctively," Garcia said. "I met with him, at which time he presented me with a beautiful diamond pinky ring. He told me he put me on record with the Gambino crime family. 'You're under our umbrella.'"

Wearing a court-authorized wire, over the next two years Falcone secretly recorded DePalma - and other bosses - concocting money-making schemes at restaurants, diners, even a Jewish geriatric center … the FBI monitoring almost every meeting.

In a scene straight out of Hollywood, at one point Falcone was called upon to "talk" to a made man not paying the proper respect to DePalma. It was a meeting that took place right in one Bloomingdales' housewares section.

Things turned ugly. Falcone says he watched a mob soldier pick up a solid glass candlestick and bash the guy over the head.

"In the housewares," Garcia said. "Grabs it, hits him right over the head, cracks his head open. You hear like a melon popping; blood all over the place."

In March of 2005, the FBI swooped in and arrested DePalma, his bosses Arnold Squitieri and Anthony "The Genius" Magale along with dozens of underlings, essentially decapitating the family.

All pleaded guilty except DePalma, who insisted on going to trial, where, before his eyes, his "Jackie Boy" turned into FBI agent Jack Garcia…putting DePalma behind bars for 12 years.

Describe the look on DePalma's face, as he's staring at you when you are on that witness stand.

"It was like, if he could only get his hands around my neck," Garcia said.

Is he worried Greg DePalma wants to put him in the ground?

"What the bureau did, they went out and spoke to the heads of all five families and they told them if anything is to happen to Jack Falcone, the reign of terror will fall upon them," Garcia said.

But what motivated Garcia to put these guys away?

"I saw the faces. They're really like wolves in sheep's clothing," he said. "These are not the people that should be revered… as being these great group of guys. They're not. They're criminals."

[straightmate]

organized crime has to stop. We as a country cannot afford this trash. The US has been plagued all along by these vicious freeloaders. Twelve years for a boss isn''t enough to me...when he is freed he''ll most likely return to the crime life.

[runningralph]

I never met an Italian I didn''t like. They are all hard working people all about taking care of business and making money. I guess I never ran into the vicious mobsters. I knew of one case where a married man got an Italian girl pregnant and he was strong-armed into leaving his wife and kids and marrying the pregnant girl. About 50 years ago. They''re all dead now except the kids -they''re all in their 50''s. All doing well as far as I know. A doctor, a school teacher, a pharmacist, I don''t know about the rest. All good people. Don''t judge people too quickly.

[joyous88]

One of these dirtbags , stooges for the police state,

needs to inflitrate the White House and root out the criminals in the republican party

[roach9703]

Organized crime starts from and feeds politics from Italy to America. How much of this campaign money of the past twenty years or so is just laundered drug money and other "fees" ?
There is no difference between this and financial criminals who swindle innocent investors of their money in unregulated limited liability corporations. These swindlers feed the K street lawyers, but watch out how do you know if the F.B.I is not watching you, and then....

[shuggie55]

heheheh - i like the comment about the republicans - nice!

[plainjim]

Your reporting on the undercover man was excellent.
Keep up the good work. (This is first comment in 72 years from me.) jw

[valendug]

When they show his face and he uses his own voice, then I''ll believe it. Why does he have to hide? His testimony in a court of law in disguise would be laughed out of the courtroom. Like the Mafia doesn''t know who he is and that his lifespan won''t be very long.

[raskal_2]

In this age of information and atmosphere,If any person approaches me with stolen goods consistantly, that would automatically raise a red flag. Hence I am going to make an effort to talk to some one who knew you with the name you are giving me in high school. It best check out, or our relationship ends, now. I will if needed, I disappear, bye. No warning no goodbye. And I am no criminal. (Im thinking du-mass)

[raskal_2]

In this age of information and atmosphere,If any person approaches me with stolen goods consistantly, that would automatically raise a red flag. Hence I am going to make an effort to talk to some one who knew you with the name you are giving me in high school. It best check out, or our relationship ends, now. I will if needed, I disappear, bye. No warning no goodbye. And I am no criminal. (Im thinking du-mass)

[mcv57]

I really thought CBS did an article the White House and the corporate CEOs at BP, Exxon, Shell, and Citco - the political mob.

[zootallures2]

tells CBS News how he convinced the notorious Gambino crime family he was one of their own.

Like the White House, Federal Reserve, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX... have convince Joe Dumb American, that they are one of their own.... or is that what happens when one of their own get those powerful jobs????

[zootallures2]

Mobster Madness

In real life and on the screen, Americans are fascinated by the Mob.


Gee, I wonder why?

[roger364]

"When they show his face and he uses his own voice, then I''''ll believe it. Why does he have to hide? His testimony in a court of law in disguise would be laughed out of the courtroom. Like the Mafia doesn''''t know who he is and that his lifespan won''''t be very long"


If you read the article clearly you would see that he still does undercover work. I''m sure that has something to do with it.

[jerkeedoodle]

Why don''t you jerks infiltrate the real crimnals in DC? I''ve actually got more respect for the "Wiseguys" than I do any politician. At least they''ve got the balls to admit what they''re all about,and don''t hide behind a law degree,or some legal document that gives you a liscence to steal."The people that make the rules make them to keep you in place.Why pay attention to their rules?" Go guys!I hope their case against you falls apart!Badabing!

[jerkeedoodle]

Capone should have done us all a favor and killed J.Edgar.If he''d gotten the right lawyer in their trumped up tax case,there wouldn''t be an income tax.

[vinzenzo-2009]

Great Story Armen! I got my fix of no Sopranos. This guy was truly amazing. He looks like a mobster and certainly talks like one, no wonder the FEDS hired him. What an amazing book and movie this will make.

[vinzenzo-2009]

I "googled" Jack Garcia FBI, and there were some unbelievable links about Garcia''s life and work, are you going to air another segments about this guy that the FBI calls their Best Undercover agent? I think you should.