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A good undercover agent stays as close to the truth as possible, as close to your own personality and your own values as possible. This is the way you stay in character - you try to be yourself.
― Joseph Pistone.

I knew how wiseguys acted. I knew the mentality. I knew things to do and not to do. Keep your mouth shut at certain times. Don't get involved in things that don't concern you. Walk away from conversations and situations that aren't your business, before anybody asks you to take a hike.
― Joseph Pistone.

Joseph Dominick Pistone (born 17 September 1939) is an American former FBI agent who, under the name "Donnie Brasco", infiltrated the Bonanno crime family from September 1976 to July 1981. Pistone's testimony led to over 200 Mafia members being indicted and over 100 convictions, and several Mafia members responsible for his infiltration were later killed as punishment. His case was the basis for the 1997 film Donnie Brasco.

Biography[]

Pistone was sworn into the FBI in July 1969. His skill in driving bulldozers and 18-wheeler trucks got him transferred to New York to work in the truck and hijack unit, where he successfully infiltrated a vehicle stealing ring in an operation that led to 30 arrests.

In Spring 1976, Pistone volunteered for an operation to infiltrate the Bonanno family, one of the Five Families of the New York City Mafia. For the operation Pistone was given the false identity of "Donnie Brasco" with a backstory involving being a low-level jewel thief, and his name was erased from all FBI records. After months of planning, Pistone's operation commenced in September 1976. The initial focus of the operation was mob-connected fences and hijackers, as the FBI hoped that getting close to them would allow them to work their way into the Bonanno family.

Pistone was able to work his way into a crew of hijackers and fences associated with the Colombo family. From there, he formed a relationship with Bonanno soldiers Anthony Mirra and Lefty Ruggiero and was brought into the Bonanno family, although he was not a full member. He had dealings with multiple mobsters, including Milwaukee mob boss Frank Balistrieri, and reported to mob captain Dominick Napolitano. He was responsible for a lucrative business venture in Florida, where he worked in tandem with fellow infiltrator Edgar Robb (undercover as "Tony Rossi") to gather as much information on the mobsters as possible.

In July 1981, Napolitano ordered Pistone to "make his bones" by assassinating capo Bruno Indelicato. By this time the FBI were becoming increasingly concerned about the risk of Pistone being killed; earlier that year, three powerful Bonanno captains had been gunned down by other family members. Against Pistone's wishes, the operation was ended and he was recalled. The Bonannos were then informed that Pistone was an undercover FBI informant. Shortly thereafter, Napolitano and Mirra were murdered as punishment for allowing him to enter, although Ruggiero was arrested on Pistone's evidence before he could be killed. In November 1982 Pistone served as a prosecution witness at a six-week racketeering trial which ended in the convictions of Ruggiero, Nicholas Santora, Antonio Tomasulo and Anthony Rabito. He testified at many other mob trials, and his evidence led to the indictment and conviction of hundreds of mobsters. The Bonanno family were kicked off the New York Commission as a result of Pistone's infiltration.

Pistone currently lives in witness protection with his wife and children. He has been active as an organized crime consultant by law enforcement agencies all over the world and has even testified before the United States Senate as an expert witness.

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