need to add title here

The FBI's Wiseguy

October 12, 2008 4:00 PM

The FBI undercover agent who brought down high-level mobsters tells how he infiltrated the Gambino family and shows his face for the first time, undeterred by the Mafia's penchant for revenge. Armen Keteyian reports.

60 Minutes: FBI Wiseguy Fooled The Mob
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by imboard909 August 26, 2009 7:17 PM EDT
He lives right down my street. He's real nice, and I have to say you feel a little more secure when you know there is an FBI agent nearby.
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by kbandrews October 14, 2008 6:28 PM EDT
I don''t agree that this was self-serving. If they guy makes a buck from writing a book after putting his life on the line, so what?

By putting this out there, they are sticking a fork in the eye of the mob. It undermines their trust of one another, disrupts their ability to communicate, and keeps them second guessing themeselves.
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by farhanmemon October 13, 2008 4:24 PM EDT
While watching this segment I kept thinking to myself "Why is this on? In whose interest is this story being told?" That question was answered at the tail end of the piece when we learn that Jack Garcia, aka Jack Falcone has written a book that is published by CBS'' "sister company."

It''s an OK story but quite frankly I expect more from 60 Minutes. I resent spending 15 minutes of watching corporate PR (both from CBS and the FBI) being disguised as News. No where in the piece was Garcia''s or the FBI''s claims verified except for one piece of tape.

This story would have been more interesting if some of the mobsters Garcia interacted with would have been interviewed.
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by lupo144 October 13, 2008 12:37 PM EDT
Whats next....will Garcia gonna arrest mob-guys for stealing rubber-bands from the supermarket produce section.

That was ridiculous! i acn''t believe that the 60 Minutes van would pull outside a supermarket to film that!
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by lupo144 October 13, 2008 12:27 PM EDT
These days, a non-italian getting close to the mafia is not a big deal (see Lewis Kasman, John Gotti Sr''s self proclaimed adopted son.....who is Jewish, and was as close-and trusted- to Gotti as anyone). With NY being as ethicnally diverse as it is, a non-Italian passing himself off as an Italian is not a big deal. The mob cares more about your ability to make money for them than they do about whether you last name is Italian. And lets not forget, Garcia was never inducted into the Mafia... Depalma (who is known to have a diarrhea of the mouth)just mentioned to him that he was trying to get it done. It would have been up several other bosses, whether or not he was actually initiated.

They are taking the one mention of Depalma wanting to get Garcia "made" and building a whole story around it.

This seems like alot of FBI propoganda. Garcia comes off as a self-promoter.

And again....the artist rendering shown in the video, is not of Depalma, but of Dan Leo (Genovese acting boss).
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by cromagnet October 13, 2008 2:00 AM EDT
Maybe because the remarkable thing about this story is the fact that a non-Italian infiltrated the mafia.

Joe Pistone is Sicilian; and he spoke fluent Italian when he went to embed as an undercover agent. Culturally, there was no need for Pistone to put on an ethnic act....he was "authentic" from the start.

But to have a Cuban American pull it off....that''s a shame to an organization that prides itself on Italian authenticity.

And if this former agent wants to cash in on his story and self-promote on CBS, what''s wrong with that?

I interpreted his willingness to go on T.V. about this story, not as a token of superhuman courage, but as a significant indication that the Italian mafia''s presence and power in America ain''t what it used to be.



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by lupo144 October 13, 2008 12:03 AM EDT
Couple things....

How come former FBI Agent Joe Pistone (of Donnie Brasco fame)was not mentioned in this piece? It seems Pistone went as far as Garcia in infiltrating the mafia.
Secondly, why does he go on 60 Minutes? Does he need to promote his book? Is he hoping for a movie deal? (ala Brasco?)
Finally, in the piece, there is an artists rendering of what is supposed to be Greg DePalma in front of a federal judge.....except that that is not of DePalama, but of acting Genovese boss Dan Leo (now in prison.
Terrible job all around.
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