1 00:00:15,804 --> 00:00:19,208 Salvatore Polsi: In the 70s we were all wannabes, 2 00:00:19,241 --> 00:00:21,676 we did the grunt work for the mob bosses or 3 00:00:21,710 --> 00:00:24,079 the upper echelon mob guys. 4 00:00:24,113 --> 00:00:26,348 And those mobsters had power in those days. 5 00:00:26,381 --> 00:00:28,383 If they gave you an assignment you couldn't 6 00:00:28,417 --> 00:00:31,720 refuse and you had to do it. 7 00:00:31,753 --> 00:00:33,722 Francis Lewis Boulevard. 8 00:00:33,755 --> 00:00:37,326 Walk into the bank, real quiet. 9 00:00:40,429 --> 00:00:41,730 Bank Robber: Everybody down! 10 00:00:41,763 --> 00:00:43,398 Bank Robber 2: Everybody down! 11 00:00:43,432 --> 00:00:44,533 Hit the floor! 12 00:00:44,566 --> 00:00:46,135 [screams]. 13 00:00:46,168 --> 00:00:47,769 Salvatore Polsi: I run into the bank and 14 00:00:47,802 --> 00:00:49,371 vault right over the top of the counter. 15 00:00:49,404 --> 00:00:51,206 And yell, "Back up!" 16 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,607 And all the tellers back up. 17 00:00:52,641 --> 00:00:55,610 And I go into each drawer and 18 00:00:55,644 --> 00:00:58,180 start scooping the money out. 19 00:00:58,213 --> 00:01:00,415 My favorite trademark was to carry a bag with me, 20 00:01:00,449 --> 00:01:02,651 I'd have two bags in my pockets and they would be 21 00:01:02,684 --> 00:01:07,256 little plastic bags and it said, "I Love New York." 22 00:01:07,289 --> 00:01:10,159 I noticed every head teller would have 23 00:01:10,159 --> 00:01:12,494 a key chain with keys. 24 00:01:12,527 --> 00:01:13,662 And I said to the head teller, 25 00:01:13,695 --> 00:01:15,164 "Into the vault!" 26 00:01:15,197 --> 00:01:16,431 "Let's go, into the vault. 27 00:01:16,465 --> 00:01:18,400 Right now, go!" 28 00:01:18,433 --> 00:01:20,535 And she hesitated and she began to urinate 29 00:01:20,569 --> 00:01:22,371 on the floor right in front of me. 30 00:01:22,404 --> 00:01:24,439 Now I kind of felt bad that I made her do that, 31 00:01:24,473 --> 00:01:28,743 but I, I don't have time for this, "To the vault!" 32 00:01:30,279 --> 00:01:32,747 She went to the vault, she opened up the door, 33 00:01:32,781 --> 00:01:34,549 she opened up a couple of drawers, 34 00:01:34,583 --> 00:01:36,885 grabbed a whole bunch of stacks of money. 35 00:01:36,918 --> 00:01:40,189 We got into the car, we got back to the safe house 36 00:01:40,222 --> 00:01:41,623 and we dumped all the money on the bed. 37 00:01:41,656 --> 00:01:43,425 That was like one of the fun moments, 38 00:01:43,458 --> 00:01:44,859 dumping the money on the bed. 39 00:01:44,893 --> 00:01:46,628 So I always robbed the banks with the same bag, 40 00:01:46,661 --> 00:01:48,797 "I Love New York," bag. 41 00:01:48,830 --> 00:01:51,233 Eventually when I got busted they had reports 42 00:01:51,266 --> 00:01:52,867 and they said, "We know how many banks you did, 43 00:01:52,901 --> 00:01:54,836 you always carried that little white bag," 44 00:01:54,869 --> 00:01:56,271 you know. 45 00:01:56,305 --> 00:01:57,839 It was a trademark of a criminal! 46 00:01:57,872 --> 00:01:59,841 I just couldn't get away from it, you know! 47 00:02:08,383 --> 00:02:10,752 NARRATOR: IT'S 1978 AND THE UNITED STATES 48 00:02:10,785 --> 00:02:13,488 GOVERNMENT IS AT WAR WITH A HIDDEN EMPIRE. 49 00:02:13,522 --> 00:02:15,557 Newswoman: Mob warfare is on the rise all across the 50 00:02:15,590 --> 00:02:17,459 streets of New York City. 51 00:02:17,492 --> 00:02:19,294 In Brooklyn, a low-level mobster is 52 00:02:19,328 --> 00:02:21,563 shot dead in broad daylight. 53 00:02:21,596 --> 00:02:23,865 NARRATOR: A NETWORK OF GANGSTERS WHO LiVE BY 54 00:02:23,898 --> 00:02:26,768 A CODE OF CRIME, VIOLENCE AND POWER. 55 00:02:26,801 --> 00:02:28,770 IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STRUGGLE ARE TWO MEN, 56 00:02:28,803 --> 00:02:31,240 MICHAEL FRANZESE, A MADE MAN IN THE COLOMBO 57 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,975 CRIME FAMILY; THE OTHER JOE PISTONE, 58 00:02:34,008 --> 00:02:36,878 AN UNDERCOVER FBI AGENT, BOTH TRYING TO CLIMB THE 59 00:02:36,911 --> 00:02:40,582 LADDER AND SURVIVE IN THE AMERICAN MOB. 60 00:02:41,283 --> 00:02:43,618 THEY, ALONG WITH THEIR COMPATRIOTS ON BOTH SIDES 61 00:02:43,652 --> 00:02:46,288 OF THE LAW, ARE WITNESSES TO THIS SECRET HISTORY, 62 00:02:46,321 --> 00:02:47,856 STEPPING FORWARD NOW TO TELL THEIR 63 00:02:47,889 --> 00:02:50,392 STORIES FIRST HAND. 64 00:02:50,425 --> 00:02:52,694 A FEW STAY IN THE SHADOWS FOR REASONS OF PERSONAL 65 00:02:52,727 --> 00:02:55,564 SAFETY, FEARING A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION THAT REIGNED 66 00:02:55,597 --> 00:02:58,500 UNCHALLENGED IN THE UNITED STATES UNTIL RECENT TIMES. 67 00:02:58,533 --> 00:03:01,470 AND IN THE 1970S THEY WERE UNTOUCHABLE. 68 00:03:01,503 --> 00:03:03,004 John Marks: What was the view on organized 69 00:03:03,037 --> 00:03:04,473 crime when you joined the Bureau? 70 00:03:04,506 --> 00:03:05,974 Steve Salmieri: Back then it was a 71 00:03:06,007 --> 00:03:07,409 very closed society. 72 00:03:07,442 --> 00:03:09,311 Organized crime knew what police could 73 00:03:09,344 --> 00:03:10,779 or couldn't do. 74 00:03:10,812 --> 00:03:12,781 Jim Walden: There were crews within families 75 00:03:12,814 --> 00:03:15,284 that were literally untouched, uh, 76 00:03:15,317 --> 00:03:18,353 by law enforcement for decades. 77 00:03:18,387 --> 00:03:21,022 NARRATOR: IN 1978, FIVE CRIME FAMILIES RULE 78 00:03:21,055 --> 00:03:22,791 NEW YORK CITY AND THROUGH IT, 79 00:03:22,824 --> 00:03:24,058 MOST OF THE COUNTRY. 80 00:03:24,092 --> 00:03:26,395 THE FAMILIES GO BY THE NAMES OF THEIR BEST KNOWN 81 00:03:26,428 --> 00:03:30,665 LEADERS: GAMBINO, COLOMBO, BONANNO, 82 00:03:30,699 --> 00:03:33,835 GENOVESE AND LUCCHESE. 83 00:03:33,868 --> 00:03:36,671 RIGHT IN THEIR MIDST HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT IS 84 00:03:36,705 --> 00:03:39,674 AN UNDERCOVER AGENT NAMED JOE PISTONE. 85 00:03:39,708 --> 00:03:41,476 HE'S BEEN LIVING AMONG THE COLOMBO FAMILY FOR THE 86 00:03:41,510 --> 00:03:44,779 LAST YEAR UNDER THE ALIAS DONNIE BRASCO. 87 00:03:44,813 --> 00:03:46,615 Joe Pistone: When I first started, 88 00:03:46,648 --> 00:03:48,317 the FBI didn't think there was a mafia. 89 00:03:48,350 --> 00:03:49,584 [laughs]. 90 00:03:49,618 --> 00:03:51,953 NARRATOR: PISTONE LEAVES THE COLOMBO FAMILY LOOKING 91 00:03:51,986 --> 00:03:55,357 FOR A DEEPER WAY INTO THE AMERICAN MOB AND NOW HE'S 92 00:03:55,390 --> 00:03:57,559 GOT A SHOT AT INFILTRATING ANOTHER OF 93 00:03:57,592 --> 00:04:01,330 THE FIVE FAMILIES, THE BONANNOS. 94 00:04:01,330 --> 00:04:03,332 Edward McDonald: The Bonanno family controlled 95 00:04:03,365 --> 00:04:05,367 gambling and loansharking back in the day but those 96 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,336 days were over and they had to find other 97 00:04:07,336 --> 00:04:08,870 ways of making money. 98 00:04:08,903 --> 00:04:10,972 Jim Walden: The Bonanno family can be fairly 99 00:04:11,005 --> 00:04:13,375 characterized as ground breakers when it came 100 00:04:13,408 --> 00:04:14,776 to drug trafficking. 101 00:04:14,809 --> 00:04:16,511 Fat Sal Colombo: They would smoke drugs, 102 00:04:16,545 --> 00:04:18,580 rob drug dealers and they were wild guys. 103 00:04:18,613 --> 00:04:20,415 Jim Walden: The Bonanno's were really, 104 00:04:20,449 --> 00:04:23,352 at this period of time, the worst. 105 00:04:23,385 --> 00:04:25,620 NARRATOR: NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, 106 00:04:25,654 --> 00:04:27,589 THANKS TO A SINGLE UNDERCOVER AGENT, 107 00:04:27,622 --> 00:04:29,524 THE FBI HAS A SHOT AT TAKING DOWN 108 00:04:29,558 --> 00:04:32,994 AN ENTIRE FAMILY. 109 00:04:33,027 --> 00:04:35,864 Joseph Coffey: Joe Pistone was an FBI agent 110 00:04:35,897 --> 00:04:38,700 who was pretty effective as an undercover. 111 00:04:38,733 --> 00:04:41,903 And he was recruited by the FBI to get into the 112 00:04:41,936 --> 00:04:43,938 Bonanno family, which he did by going to a going 113 00:04:43,972 --> 00:04:47,542 to a guy named Lefty Guns Ruggiero. 114 00:04:48,743 --> 00:04:51,680 Joe Pistone: Lefty was a, a 24/7 gangster. 115 00:04:51,713 --> 00:04:53,482 He grew up in the life. 116 00:04:53,515 --> 00:04:55,450 He had relatives that were in the life. 117 00:04:55,484 --> 00:04:57,519 He was a tough guy to be around. 118 00:04:57,552 --> 00:04:59,921 Selwyn Raab: If you were in Joe Pistone's shoes, 119 00:04:59,954 --> 00:05:02,757 you had to know that every second that you were 120 00:05:02,791 --> 00:05:04,859 dealing with these mafia guys might be 121 00:05:04,893 --> 00:05:06,995 your last moment on earth. 122 00:05:07,028 --> 00:05:09,931 One mistake, the slightest error, 123 00:05:09,964 --> 00:05:11,733 you're through. 124 00:05:11,766 --> 00:05:13,935 They never hesitate to kill. 125 00:05:13,968 --> 00:05:15,904 Joe Pistone: When you're with these guys 126 00:05:15,937 --> 00:05:17,406 you have to blend in. 127 00:05:17,439 --> 00:05:19,641 They have to, you have to be believable. 128 00:05:19,674 --> 00:05:21,610 James Kossler: He had convinced them that he 129 00:05:21,643 --> 00:05:24,078 was a very adequate and very good jewel thief. 130 00:05:24,112 --> 00:05:26,681 Joe Pistone: I would bring around some diamonds, 131 00:05:26,715 --> 00:05:28,683 I'd bring around watches you know, 132 00:05:28,717 --> 00:05:31,019 all stuff that was confiscated 133 00:05:31,052 --> 00:05:35,056 by the federal government. 134 00:05:35,089 --> 00:05:37,592 After a while, Lefty really becomes 135 00:05:37,626 --> 00:05:39,528 comfortable with me. 136 00:05:39,561 --> 00:05:41,430 And he'd be telling me about who's the boss 137 00:05:41,463 --> 00:05:43,665 of this family, the boss of that family. 138 00:05:43,698 --> 00:05:45,934 I'm gathering great intelligence information. 139 00:05:45,967 --> 00:05:48,970 He's like an encyclopedia of the mob. 140 00:05:49,003 --> 00:05:50,939 Rudolph Giuliani: Law enforcement work 141 00:05:50,972 --> 00:05:52,541 requires infiltration. 142 00:05:52,574 --> 00:05:54,643 You cannot do all of it through wiretaps. 143 00:05:54,676 --> 00:05:56,578 You can't do all of it through, uh, 144 00:05:56,611 --> 00:05:58,447 through telephone intercepts. 145 00:05:58,447 --> 00:06:00,014 You can't do all of it through bugs. 146 00:06:00,048 --> 00:06:02,951 Because you don't know what to wiretap. 147 00:06:02,984 --> 00:06:04,152 Lefty Ruggiero: What happened last night? 148 00:06:04,185 --> 00:06:05,554 Donnie Brasco: What? 149 00:06:05,587 --> 00:06:06,888 I called, you weren't out there. 150 00:06:06,921 --> 00:06:09,458 I talked to Sonny. 151 00:06:09,458 --> 00:06:10,825 I called the house, nobody answered. 152 00:06:10,859 --> 00:06:12,561 Lefty Ruggiero: Let me tell you something, 153 00:06:12,594 --> 00:06:14,062 Donnie, the man never told me nothing. 154 00:06:14,095 --> 00:06:15,464 He's playing games with me. 155 00:06:15,497 --> 00:06:16,865 He knows that I'm. 156 00:06:16,898 --> 00:06:20,101 Selwyn Raab: It's a real goldmine for the FBI. 157 00:06:20,134 --> 00:06:22,804 Now they have an agent who is really in 158 00:06:22,837 --> 00:06:25,807 the middle of a mafia family. 159 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:27,809 NARRATOR: SOON PISTONE, 160 00:06:27,842 --> 00:06:29,778 UNDER THE ALIAS DONNIE BRASCO 161 00:06:29,811 --> 00:06:31,913 AND RUGGIERO HATCH A SCHEME TOGETHER. 162 00:06:31,946 --> 00:06:34,783 Joe Pistone: Lefty always said he was interested in 163 00:06:34,816 --> 00:06:36,718 expanding out of New York. 164 00:06:36,751 --> 00:06:38,553 NARRATOR: FORTUNATELY, THE FBI'S 165 00:06:38,587 --> 00:06:39,921 ALREADY GOT A GREAT FRONT. 166 00:06:39,954 --> 00:06:41,990 AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION IN A FLORIDA 167 00:06:42,023 --> 00:06:45,594 NIGHTCLUB CALLED THE KING'S COURT. 168 00:06:46,928 --> 00:06:48,897 Joe Pistone: So we had a night club going in 169 00:06:48,930 --> 00:06:51,800 Florida and because he knew that I was 170 00:06:51,833 --> 00:06:54,503 the kind of guy that could be trusted, 171 00:06:54,503 --> 00:06:58,239 he put me in charge there. 172 00:06:58,272 --> 00:07:01,142 NARRATOR: ANOTHER FBI AGENT, STEVE SALMIERI, 173 00:07:01,175 --> 00:07:03,512 IS ALREADY WORKING UNDERCOVER IN THE CLUB. 174 00:07:03,512 --> 00:07:05,614 Steve Salmieri: The club was set up 175 00:07:05,647 --> 00:07:07,516 because this was a venue they could have and 176 00:07:07,549 --> 00:07:09,518 they could see that the money could be made. 177 00:07:09,518 --> 00:07:11,520 So Joe came down and, uh, you know, 178 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,788 it really solidified him with the Bonanno family. 179 00:07:13,822 --> 00:07:15,790 NARRATOR: THAT NIGHT CLUB BECOMES THE BAIT THAT 180 00:07:15,824 --> 00:07:18,026 LURES LEFTY AND THE BONANNOS INTO A TRAP. 181 00:07:18,059 --> 00:07:20,895 Joe Pistone: Our operation was confined 182 00:07:20,929 --> 00:07:24,232 to a very limited number of individuals. 183 00:07:24,265 --> 00:07:26,735 So agents would be taking photographs, 184 00:07:26,768 --> 00:07:28,670 they're taking pictures you know, 185 00:07:28,703 --> 00:07:32,040 on surveillance and I'm on a lot of the surveillance 186 00:07:32,073 --> 00:07:34,242 and the agents didn't know Donnie Brasco 187 00:07:34,275 --> 00:07:36,745 was really an FBI agent. 188 00:07:36,778 --> 00:07:38,880 NARRATOR: OPERATION DONNIE BRASCO IS GARNERING 189 00:07:38,913 --> 00:07:40,749 RESULTS IN FLORIDA. 190 00:07:40,782 --> 00:07:43,051 BUT BACK IN NEW YORK A MAFIA POWER STRUGGLE IS 191 00:07:43,084 --> 00:07:45,086 ABOUT TO CHANGE THE GAME DRAMATICALLY 192 00:07:45,119 --> 00:07:46,921 FOR JOE PISTONE. 193 00:07:46,955 --> 00:07:49,290 THE PROBLEM: AN AMBITIOUS BONANNO BOSS 194 00:07:49,323 --> 00:07:51,926 NAMED CARMINE GALANTE. 195 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:53,895 News Reporter: Galante looked more like 196 00:07:53,928 --> 00:07:55,897 a grandfather than a godfather as he walked 197 00:07:55,930 --> 00:07:57,799 his dog each morning in Greenwich Village. 198 00:07:57,832 --> 00:07:59,568 But his real interests embrace gambling, 199 00:07:59,568 --> 00:08:01,302 prostitution, loansharking and most of all, 200 00:08:01,335 --> 00:08:03,638 heroin and other drugs. 201 00:08:03,672 --> 00:08:05,674 Edward McDonald: Carmine Galante, 202 00:08:05,707 --> 00:08:08,076 who got out of prison after a long prison 203 00:08:08,109 --> 00:08:10,579 sentence for narcotics trafficking tried to 204 00:08:10,579 --> 00:08:12,080 muscle in and take control over the 205 00:08:12,113 --> 00:08:13,915 Bonanno crime family. 206 00:08:13,948 --> 00:08:15,950 Joe Pistone: He controlled all the 207 00:08:15,984 --> 00:08:18,219 importation of drugs into the US. 208 00:08:18,252 --> 00:08:20,789 And Galante wouldn't share any of this with 209 00:08:20,822 --> 00:08:22,724 any of the other families. 210 00:08:22,757 --> 00:08:25,126 NARRATOR: SHARING IS A GOLDEN RULE AMONG THE 211 00:08:25,159 --> 00:08:27,696 MAFIA'S FIVE FAMILIES AND BOSSES WHO DON'T 212 00:08:27,729 --> 00:08:29,598 SHARE GET IN TROUBLE WITH THE COMMISSION, 213 00:08:29,631 --> 00:08:32,000 THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE MAFIA WHICH HOLDS THE 214 00:08:32,033 --> 00:08:33,935 POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH OVER ALL OTHER MOBSTERS, 215 00:08:33,968 --> 00:08:36,204 INCLUDING UPSTART BOSSES. 216 00:08:36,237 --> 00:08:38,339 Joe Pistone: So the other families got together 217 00:08:38,372 --> 00:08:40,208 and they decided he's got to go. 218 00:08:40,241 --> 00:08:42,276 He's gotta go. 219 00:08:42,310 --> 00:08:44,112 Michael Chertoff: Carmine Galante, 220 00:08:44,145 --> 00:08:46,114 he's a regular patron at a restaurant in 221 00:08:46,147 --> 00:08:48,116 Brooklyn called Joe and Mary's Restaurant. 222 00:08:48,149 --> 00:08:50,151 And he goes sit out in the in the patio in 223 00:08:50,184 --> 00:08:51,953 the back with his bodyguards. 224 00:08:51,986 --> 00:08:54,989 Joseph Coffey: It was August, hot summer day. 225 00:08:55,023 --> 00:08:58,292 Just sitting there, he's having pasta with 226 00:08:58,326 --> 00:09:02,230 his friends, they're holding a conversation. 227 00:09:02,263 --> 00:09:04,966 Michael Chertoff: Car pulls up in front of the 228 00:09:04,999 --> 00:09:07,135 restaurant and there are four people in the car. 229 00:09:07,168 --> 00:09:09,638 One is the driver who stays with the car. 230 00:09:09,671 --> 00:09:11,640 The other three go through the restaurant, 231 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,842 they know exactly where Galante's gonna be. 232 00:09:13,875 --> 00:09:15,243 Joseph Coffey: He sits there, 233 00:09:15,276 --> 00:09:19,080 puts a cigar in his mouth. 234 00:09:19,113 --> 00:09:22,183 Michael Chertoff: They walk into the patio. 235 00:09:22,216 --> 00:09:25,253 [gunshots] 236 00:09:25,286 --> 00:09:27,989 Joseph Coffey: They blow him over the chair 237 00:09:28,022 --> 00:09:29,924 into the tomato patch. 238 00:09:29,958 --> 00:09:31,793 News Reporter: Galante was having lunch in the 239 00:09:31,826 --> 00:09:33,895 courtyard of an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn 240 00:09:33,928 --> 00:09:35,897 when 5 men entered with automatic rifles and 241 00:09:35,930 --> 00:09:37,666 shotguns and opened fire. 242 00:09:37,699 --> 00:09:39,200 Reporter: Did your uncle say who he was 243 00:09:39,233 --> 00:09:40,234 gonna eat lunch with today? 244 00:09:40,268 --> 00:09:42,904 Man: No, no, he stopped every day for coffee. 245 00:09:42,937 --> 00:09:44,405 Reporter: He stopped in here every day? 246 00:09:44,438 --> 00:09:46,074 Man: He don't know nothing. 247 00:09:46,107 --> 00:09:48,677 Joseph Coffey: When I get there they body's still 248 00:09:48,710 --> 00:09:51,045 there because I get there pretty quick and there's 249 00:09:51,079 --> 00:09:53,347 one laying in the tomato patch with a cigar 250 00:09:53,381 --> 00:09:56,217 in his mouth and a Zippo lighter in his hand. 251 00:09:56,250 --> 00:09:59,187 I look at it, it's Carmine Galante. 252 00:09:59,220 --> 00:10:01,422 It was an iconic picture because 253 00:10:01,455 --> 00:10:04,859 it went all over the world. 254 00:10:05,326 --> 00:10:07,996 My friends in Washington said Joe Coffey put that 255 00:10:08,029 --> 00:10:10,398 cigar in his mouth 'cause they, you know, 256 00:10:10,431 --> 00:10:13,367 I had a sense of humor, so did he and of course 257 00:10:13,401 --> 00:10:16,738 I didn't do it but I let everybody think I did. 258 00:10:16,771 --> 00:10:18,807 NARRATOR: DOWN IN FLORIDA JOE PISTONE GETS 259 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:20,709 A CALL FROM NEW YORK. 260 00:10:20,742 --> 00:10:22,844 Joe Pistone: I was in Florida looking out after 261 00:10:22,877 --> 00:10:26,180 the club down there and I called Lefty because 262 00:10:26,214 --> 00:10:28,282 I had to call him every day. 263 00:10:28,316 --> 00:10:30,985 He says, "Have you seen the New York papers?" 264 00:10:31,019 --> 00:10:33,187 And I said I haven't seen 'em yet. 265 00:10:33,221 --> 00:10:34,956 He said, "Well go buy the New York papers 266 00:10:34,989 --> 00:10:36,457 then call me back." 267 00:10:36,490 --> 00:10:39,961 I buy the New York paper and there's the picture. 268 00:10:42,496 --> 00:10:45,333 I knew from Lefty that Galante didn't have a lot 269 00:10:45,366 --> 00:10:47,702 of admirers, but I never had any indication that 270 00:10:47,736 --> 00:10:49,337 they were gonna kill him. 271 00:10:49,370 --> 00:10:52,173 So I call him back and I said I got the paper, 272 00:10:52,206 --> 00:10:53,474 he said, "You read it?" 273 00:10:53,507 --> 00:10:55,109 I said, "Yeah." 274 00:10:55,143 --> 00:10:57,245 He said, "Well things are gonna change." 275 00:10:57,278 --> 00:10:58,913 "They killed Galante, 276 00:10:58,947 --> 00:11:00,982 they want you to come back to New York." 277 00:11:01,015 --> 00:11:02,450 NARRATOR: GALANTE'S EXECUTION 278 00:11:02,483 --> 00:11:04,385 SHAKES UP THE BONANNO FAMILY. 279 00:11:04,418 --> 00:11:07,221 IN THE UNSTABLE NEW ORDER, IMPRISONED MOBSTER NAMED 280 00:11:07,255 --> 00:11:10,091 RUSTY RASTELLI BECOMES THE BOSS AND A HARD 281 00:11:10,124 --> 00:11:12,861 CASE NAMED SONNY BLACK BECOMES A CAPTAIN. 282 00:11:12,894 --> 00:11:16,230 LEFTY GETS REASSIGNED TO WORK UNDER SONNY BLACK 283 00:11:16,264 --> 00:11:18,767 AND ALONG FOR THE RIDE IS DONNIE BRASCO. 284 00:11:18,767 --> 00:11:21,435 Selwyn Raab: Pistone is a godsend. 285 00:11:21,469 --> 00:11:23,504 He's more than just a wannabe. 286 00:11:23,537 --> 00:11:27,141 He's got Lefty Ruggiero on his side who's bringing 287 00:11:27,175 --> 00:11:31,813 him in to meet Capos like Sonny Black Napolitano. 288 00:11:31,846 --> 00:11:34,382 Joe Pistone: Sonny Black was a tough guy, 289 00:11:34,415 --> 00:11:36,350 but you can joke with him. 290 00:11:36,384 --> 00:11:39,087 Plus he wanted to keep earning money and 291 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,322 the undercover operation we had in Florida, 292 00:11:41,355 --> 00:11:43,257 he made a lot of money. 293 00:11:43,291 --> 00:11:45,526 NARRATOR: PISTONE NOW GETS CLOSE TO SONNY BLACK, 294 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:47,796 WHO'S FORTUNES IN THE BONANNO FAMILY ARE RISING, 295 00:11:47,796 --> 00:11:49,964 THANKS IN PART TO THE FLORIDA CLUB. 296 00:11:49,998 --> 00:11:52,500 Selwyn Raab: He's inside a capo's counsel! 297 00:11:52,533 --> 00:11:55,236 A capo is talking to him, dealing with him, 298 00:11:55,269 --> 00:11:56,905 telling him secrets. 299 00:11:56,938 --> 00:12:00,541 He's at third base. 300 00:12:00,574 --> 00:12:02,844 Joe Pistone: I like Sonny Black. 301 00:12:02,877 --> 00:12:04,979 I mean, how could you have comfortable 302 00:12:05,013 --> 00:12:09,550 conversation with him, uh, if you really don't like him? 303 00:12:09,583 --> 00:12:12,020 You know, I used to spend a lot of time with him 304 00:12:12,053 --> 00:12:14,956 and I used to sleep at his apartment. 305 00:12:14,989 --> 00:12:18,226 I can remember telling this story my FBI superiors 306 00:12:18,259 --> 00:12:20,394 and they couldn't believe it. 307 00:12:20,428 --> 00:12:22,931 I mean, you know, he slept in the bedroom, 308 00:12:22,964 --> 00:12:25,066 I slept on his couch, we'd get up in the morning 309 00:12:25,099 --> 00:12:27,535 and we'd sit around in our underwear. 310 00:12:27,568 --> 00:12:30,538 And here's me, an undercover FBI agent 311 00:12:30,571 --> 00:12:32,874 and one of the most powerful captains of the 312 00:12:32,907 --> 00:12:35,343 Bonanno family sitting there drinking coffee, 313 00:12:35,376 --> 00:12:38,012 having a hard roll with butter and watching 314 00:12:38,046 --> 00:12:41,182 cartoons on television. 315 00:12:43,417 --> 00:12:46,054 You never see that in the movies. 316 00:12:46,087 --> 00:12:48,056 NARRATOR: BUT THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH 317 00:12:48,089 --> 00:12:49,557 SONNY BLACK IS ABOUT TO LEAD PISTONE 318 00:12:49,590 --> 00:12:51,492 STRAIGHT TO COLD BLOODED MURDER. 319 00:12:51,525 --> 00:12:53,094 Both: [laughing]. 320 00:12:56,530 --> 00:12:59,400 NARRATOR: BY 1979, FBI UNDERCOVER AGENT 321 00:12:59,433 --> 00:13:02,003 JOE PISTONE HAS ACHIEVED SOMETHING NO FED 322 00:13:02,036 --> 00:13:04,238 HAD EVER DONE, PENETRATING ONE OF THE 323 00:13:04,272 --> 00:13:06,074 MOB'S MOST NOTORIOUS FAMILIES, 324 00:13:06,107 --> 00:13:07,909 THE BONANNO FAMILY. 325 00:13:07,942 --> 00:13:10,879 THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS, A POWERFUL BONANNO CAPTAIN 326 00:13:10,879 --> 00:13:12,613 NAMED SONNY BLACK. 327 00:13:12,646 --> 00:13:14,983 Joe Pistone: The relationship with Sonny 328 00:13:15,016 --> 00:13:16,885 really propelled the operation. 329 00:13:16,885 --> 00:13:18,352 Because Sonny really becomes 330 00:13:18,386 --> 00:13:20,388 comfortable with me. 331 00:13:20,421 --> 00:13:22,290 Sonny and Lefty would have conversations and 332 00:13:22,323 --> 00:13:24,092 not cut me out. 333 00:13:24,125 --> 00:13:27,528 They'd tell me about what's going on. 334 00:13:27,561 --> 00:13:29,630 Edward McDonald: After the execution 335 00:13:29,663 --> 00:13:31,632 of Carmine Galante, 336 00:13:31,665 --> 00:13:34,302 three capos of the Bonanno crime family 337 00:13:34,335 --> 00:13:35,937 tried to muscle in and take control 338 00:13:35,970 --> 00:13:37,305 over the family. 339 00:13:37,338 --> 00:13:39,073 Selwyn Raab: And it's open warfare. 340 00:13:39,107 --> 00:13:40,508 They're looking to kill each other. 341 00:13:40,541 --> 00:13:42,310 Joe Pistone: Three captains wanted to 342 00:13:42,343 --> 00:13:43,945 take over the family. 343 00:13:43,978 --> 00:13:46,380 Sonny "Red" Indelicato, Phil "Lucky" Giaccone 344 00:13:46,414 --> 00:13:48,516 and Dominick Trinchera. 345 00:13:48,549 --> 00:13:51,485 Sonny Black and uh, Joey Massino call a 346 00:13:51,519 --> 00:13:56,958 sit down to iron out their differences. 347 00:14:00,128 --> 00:14:02,296 NARRATOR: BUT THERE IS NO IRONING OUT 348 00:14:02,330 --> 00:14:04,132 THESE DIFFERENCES. 349 00:14:04,165 --> 00:14:06,400 IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER. 350 00:14:06,434 --> 00:14:09,537 Edward McDonald: What was supposed to be a sit down, 351 00:14:09,570 --> 00:14:13,341 was a trap, an ambush. 352 00:14:13,374 --> 00:14:15,409 Joe Massino was there. 353 00:14:15,443 --> 00:14:19,113 He tackles, uh, Sonny "Red" Indelicato. 354 00:14:20,081 --> 00:14:23,617 Shoots him in the head. 355 00:14:24,118 --> 00:14:27,956 The other two capos are also killed. 356 00:14:30,224 --> 00:14:32,994 NARRATOR: THE THREE RENEGADE CAPOS ARE DEAD, 357 00:14:33,027 --> 00:14:36,064 BUT THERE'S A LOOSE END. 358 00:14:38,166 --> 00:14:41,169 Steve Salmieri: Sonny's crew killed Sonny Red 359 00:14:41,202 --> 00:14:43,137 and that pissed people. 360 00:14:43,171 --> 00:14:44,705 So they were looking to kill each other 361 00:14:44,738 --> 00:14:46,507 and Joe's in the middle. 362 00:14:46,540 --> 00:14:49,010 NARRATOR: WHAT FOLLOWS IS A CONVERSATION 363 00:14:49,043 --> 00:14:51,179 THAT NO FBI AGENT HAS EVER HAD BEFORE, 364 00:14:51,212 --> 00:14:53,114 PROOF POSITIVE THAT JOE PISTONE 365 00:14:53,147 --> 00:14:55,249 HAS PULLED OFF ONE OF THE GREATEST 366 00:14:55,283 --> 00:14:57,218 DECEPTIONS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HISTORY, 367 00:14:57,251 --> 00:14:59,120 SONNY BLACK INVITES HIM TO JOIN THE CLUB. 368 00:14:59,153 --> 00:15:00,654 Joe Pistone: Sonny tells me, you know, 369 00:15:00,688 --> 00:15:02,423 "I already proposed you for membership 370 00:15:02,456 --> 00:15:04,058 in the family." 371 00:15:04,092 --> 00:15:07,428 "You're gonna get made in December." 372 00:15:07,461 --> 00:15:10,598 He tells me, you know, "We took care of those guys." 373 00:15:10,631 --> 00:15:12,433 He said, "One got away." 374 00:15:12,466 --> 00:15:14,002 And I said "Who?" 375 00:15:14,002 --> 00:15:18,039 He says, "Bruno Indelicato." 376 00:15:18,072 --> 00:15:20,741 He said, "I'm giving you the contract to 377 00:15:20,774 --> 00:15:24,312 get Bruno Indelicato." 378 00:15:25,546 --> 00:15:28,582 Now, as an FBI agent, you can't get involved 379 00:15:28,616 --> 00:15:31,019 in acts of violence, unless you're protecting 380 00:15:31,052 --> 00:15:33,387 yourself or protecting a citizen. 381 00:15:33,421 --> 00:15:36,157 And one of the rules in mafia is that when you get 382 00:15:36,190 --> 00:15:38,559 a contract, if you turn it down you're 383 00:15:38,592 --> 00:15:42,563 gonna get killed. 384 00:15:42,596 --> 00:15:45,266 So, when I was told, "You got the contract to 385 00:15:45,299 --> 00:15:50,138 kill Bruno Indelicato," I said, "Okay, Sonny, 386 00:15:50,171 --> 00:15:52,673 where do you think he is?" 387 00:15:52,706 --> 00:15:54,742 Sonny Black: Come on, take a walk. 388 00:15:54,775 --> 00:15:57,511 NARRATOR: THE HUNT IS ON FOR BRUNO INDELICATO. 389 00:15:57,545 --> 00:15:59,247 IF PISTONE FINDS AND KILLS HIM, 390 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,049 HE'S GOING TO BECOME A MADE MAN, 391 00:16:01,082 --> 00:16:04,318 EARNING HIS PLACE IN THE BONANNO FAMILY WITH BLOOD. 392 00:16:04,352 --> 00:16:06,320 BUT OVER IN THE COLOMBO FAMILY, 393 00:16:06,354 --> 00:16:08,556 MICHAEL FRANZESE IS EARNING HIS PLACE 394 00:16:08,589 --> 00:16:10,424 WITH COLD HARD CASH. 395 00:16:10,458 --> 00:16:12,326 John Marks: Did you ever have a nickname? 396 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:14,228 Michael Franzese: You know, not till 397 00:16:14,262 --> 00:16:15,729 later on when the media tagged me as being 398 00:16:15,763 --> 00:16:18,066 the Yuppie Don, which I hated. 399 00:16:18,066 --> 00:16:20,068 But, uh, nobody would call me that to my face. 400 00:16:20,101 --> 00:16:21,502 I tell 'em, "Don't ever say that to me, 401 00:16:21,535 --> 00:16:23,337 I don't like it," you know? 402 00:16:23,371 --> 00:16:25,206 It reminded me of California and all these 403 00:16:25,239 --> 00:16:27,408 kind of weird guys out there in suits. 404 00:16:27,441 --> 00:16:29,677 Selwyn Raab: Michael Franzese was an 405 00:16:29,710 --> 00:16:32,146 immense earner for the Colombo family. 406 00:16:32,180 --> 00:16:34,315 And a guy who knew how to really deal 407 00:16:34,348 --> 00:16:36,284 with modern day capitalism. 408 00:16:36,317 --> 00:16:38,086 He was a new breed. 409 00:16:38,119 --> 00:16:40,254 Michael Franzese: All right, fellas, let's go. 410 00:16:40,288 --> 00:16:42,590 Reporter: This handsome, young mafia prince from 411 00:16:42,623 --> 00:16:45,193 New York is Michael Franzese, 412 00:16:45,226 --> 00:16:47,661 son of legendary mafia godfather. 413 00:16:47,695 --> 00:16:49,697 Edward McDonald: Michael Franzese's father 414 00:16:49,730 --> 00:16:51,432 was Sonny Franzese. 415 00:16:51,465 --> 00:16:53,467 He was a legendary figure in the world of 416 00:16:53,501 --> 00:16:56,204 organized crime, very powerful figure 417 00:16:56,237 --> 00:16:58,106 in the Colombo crime family. 418 00:16:58,139 --> 00:17:00,241 Michael Franzese: You know, my dad he 419 00:17:00,274 --> 00:17:01,809 just had that presence about him 420 00:17:01,842 --> 00:17:03,544 that people just really treated him well. 421 00:17:03,577 --> 00:17:05,479 And that's, you know, for a young guy looking 422 00:17:05,513 --> 00:17:07,348 up to your father that's who I want to emulate. 423 00:17:07,381 --> 00:17:09,350 That's how I want to be in my life. 424 00:17:09,383 --> 00:17:11,519 NARRATOR: AND ONE WAY FRANZESE HOPES TO MAKE 425 00:17:11,552 --> 00:17:14,488 MONEY IS CLASSIC MOB: THROUGH THE LABOR UNIONS. 426 00:17:14,522 --> 00:17:16,757 Michael Franzese: I had some very 427 00:17:16,790 --> 00:17:18,826 lucrative situations with unions. 428 00:17:18,859 --> 00:17:22,130 One of them, in a, a major contracting construction 429 00:17:22,130 --> 00:17:26,534 job with a major developer in, um, in Queens. 430 00:17:26,567 --> 00:17:29,537 And this is a major job, it was the biggest co-op 431 00:17:29,570 --> 00:17:31,739 conversion in the country at that time. 432 00:17:31,772 --> 00:17:33,707 And one of the guys in there, uh, 433 00:17:33,741 --> 00:17:36,210 happened to be the brother of a girl that 434 00:17:36,244 --> 00:17:38,446 I was dating at one time. 435 00:17:38,479 --> 00:17:40,214 And he got in touch with me and he said, 436 00:17:40,248 --> 00:17:43,151 "Mike, I've got this job," and he said, 437 00:17:43,151 --> 00:17:45,153 "The union is really harping on us," he said, 438 00:17:45,186 --> 00:17:46,887 "You think you can help out?" 439 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:48,756 I said yeah. 440 00:17:48,789 --> 00:17:51,725 So um, I go and meet the labor union guy. 441 00:17:51,759 --> 00:17:54,162 And I said, "You realized what we got here, right?" 442 00:17:54,162 --> 00:17:55,529 "Biggest job in the country." 443 00:17:55,563 --> 00:17:57,165 I said, "Let's work this thing." 444 00:17:57,165 --> 00:17:58,432 And he said, "Great." 445 00:17:58,466 --> 00:18:00,834 So we made a deal to keep the union out of there 446 00:18:00,868 --> 00:18:02,903 and we charged the developer so much 447 00:18:02,936 --> 00:18:05,306 for every apartment that he converted. 448 00:18:05,339 --> 00:18:07,341 We hired all the trades, we did everything and we 449 00:18:07,375 --> 00:18:09,310 made a ton of money both legitimately 450 00:18:09,343 --> 00:18:11,179 and through the unions. 451 00:18:11,212 --> 00:18:13,847 And we whacked it up among everybody. 452 00:18:13,881 --> 00:18:15,616 John Marks: Can I ask you, the term 453 00:18:15,649 --> 00:18:17,718 "whack it up," is that the same as "kick it up?" 454 00:18:17,751 --> 00:18:19,820 Michael Franzese: Whack it up, divide it up, 455 00:18:19,853 --> 00:18:22,390 cut it up, share it, yeah, that's a street term. 456 00:18:22,423 --> 00:18:23,757 You never said share it. 457 00:18:23,791 --> 00:18:25,626 It's whack. 458 00:18:25,659 --> 00:18:27,761 Whack has different forms of uh, different uses, 459 00:18:27,795 --> 00:18:29,763 I would say. 460 00:18:29,797 --> 00:18:32,200 NARRATOR: FRANZESE IS PART OF A NEW GENERATION 461 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,302 OF GANGSTERS RISING UP THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE 462 00:18:34,335 --> 00:18:36,604 AMERICAN MOB IN THE LATE 1970S. 463 00:18:36,637 --> 00:18:39,240 ANOTHER ONE IS A GUY NAMED JOHN GOTTI, 464 00:18:39,273 --> 00:18:42,243 A SMALL TIME HOOD FROM QUEENS LOOKING TO MAKE A 465 00:18:42,276 --> 00:18:44,212 NAME FOR HIMSELF AND LATCH ON TO ONE 466 00:18:44,245 --> 00:18:45,646 OF THE FIVE FAMILIES. 467 00:18:45,679 --> 00:18:48,249 Joseph Coffey: I was involved in various 468 00:18:48,282 --> 00:18:49,950 investigations of John Gotti through the years, 469 00:18:49,983 --> 00:18:51,719 from the time when he was a nothing guy. 470 00:18:51,752 --> 00:18:53,954 Salvatore Polsi: In the '70s, we were 471 00:18:53,987 --> 00:18:55,823 all wannabes, even John Gotti was a 472 00:18:55,856 --> 00:18:58,526 wannabe in the '70s. 473 00:18:58,559 --> 00:19:00,894 NARRATOR: BETWEEN SCORES GOTTI KILLS 474 00:19:00,928 --> 00:19:02,863 TIME WITH OTHER MOB WANNABES, 475 00:19:02,896 --> 00:19:05,366 SMOKING, DRINKING, PLAYING CARDS. 476 00:19:05,399 --> 00:19:07,868 Salvatore Polsi: We would be playing poker, 477 00:19:07,901 --> 00:19:09,870 his cigar would be down, he would just hold his 478 00:19:09,903 --> 00:19:11,672 cards and he wanted to play. 479 00:19:11,705 --> 00:19:13,941 And every once in a while when he got a good hand, 480 00:19:13,974 --> 00:19:16,577 this long De Nobili cigar would go up in the air 481 00:19:16,610 --> 00:19:18,312 and I would notice! 482 00:19:18,346 --> 00:19:20,248 And no one spotted it! 483 00:19:20,281 --> 00:19:21,849 And the minute we saw that cigar go up, 484 00:19:21,882 --> 00:19:23,517 we were out the door! 485 00:19:23,551 --> 00:19:24,918 We threw our hand in! 486 00:19:24,952 --> 00:19:26,720 And he could never figure out what he did. 487 00:19:26,754 --> 00:19:28,689 He was, he had a tell. 488 00:19:28,722 --> 00:19:30,258 And he was a wild gambler. 489 00:19:30,291 --> 00:19:31,325 And he would just lose every night! 490 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,361 NARRATOR: RUMORS START TO SPREAD OF AN 491 00:19:33,394 --> 00:19:34,862 OUTSIZED PERSONALITY IN QUEENS. 492 00:19:34,895 --> 00:19:36,697 Fat Sal Colombo: And all of a sudden you started 493 00:19:36,730 --> 00:19:38,532 hearing this John Gotti, John Gotti. 494 00:19:38,566 --> 00:19:39,800 John Gotti this, John Gotti that. 495 00:19:39,833 --> 00:19:41,469 We used to say who the (bleep) is 496 00:19:41,502 --> 00:19:42,570 this John Gotti? 497 00:19:42,603 --> 00:19:43,471 I ain't never heard of him. 498 00:19:43,504 --> 00:19:44,538 Salvatore Polsi: He was a wild and crazy 499 00:19:44,572 --> 00:19:47,708 flamboyant personality, high energy, charismatic. 500 00:19:47,741 --> 00:19:49,843 Joseph Coffey: He had a two-prong attack 501 00:19:49,877 --> 00:19:51,545 to become a made guy. 502 00:19:51,579 --> 00:19:53,381 In the mafia you're made either one of two ways, 503 00:19:53,414 --> 00:19:54,848 you're an earner or you do hits for them. 504 00:19:54,882 --> 00:19:57,585 If you do both, you're a huge made guy. 505 00:19:57,618 --> 00:19:59,820 He was. 506 00:19:59,853 --> 00:20:01,989 NARRATOR: IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A LEGENDARY 507 00:20:02,022 --> 00:20:03,957 CAREER IN THE AMERICAN MOB. 508 00:20:08,762 --> 00:20:11,265 NARRATOR: IN THE LATE 1970S, 509 00:20:11,299 --> 00:20:13,033 A NEW GENERATION OF GANGSTERS IS RISING UP 510 00:20:13,066 --> 00:20:14,835 THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE AMERICAN MOB. 511 00:20:14,868 --> 00:20:17,805 AMONG THEM IS A GUY NAMED JOHN GOTTI. 512 00:20:17,838 --> 00:20:20,474 Joseph Coffey: John Gotti was a low level gangster 513 00:20:20,508 --> 00:20:22,310 who was like banned from the racetracks because 514 00:20:22,343 --> 00:20:24,512 he was a mafia figure. 515 00:20:24,545 --> 00:20:26,747 He was involved in hijacking trailer trucks 516 00:20:26,780 --> 00:20:28,516 coming out of the airport, 517 00:20:28,549 --> 00:20:30,384 plus he wouldn't hesitate to kill somebody. 518 00:20:30,418 --> 00:20:32,353 Michael Franzese: I had my first business 519 00:20:32,386 --> 00:20:34,455 encounter with John Gotti. 520 00:20:34,488 --> 00:20:37,391 It wasn't a very pleasant experience. 521 00:20:37,425 --> 00:20:39,727 Two brothers came to me and they had a 522 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,062 guy that had a flea market in Brooklyn. 523 00:20:42,095 --> 00:20:45,032 This guy's partner was dealing drugs and 524 00:20:45,065 --> 00:20:47,568 it was disruptive to the market. 525 00:20:47,601 --> 00:20:50,538 So I intercede, I go meet with him and we make a, 526 00:20:50,571 --> 00:20:53,073 an arrangement and I chase his partner out. 527 00:20:53,106 --> 00:20:57,411 Two weeks later, uh John calls me up, John Gotti. 528 00:20:58,679 --> 00:20:59,947 Yeah, hello? 529 00:20:59,980 --> 00:21:01,582 He says, "Mike, I need to see you." 530 00:21:01,615 --> 00:21:03,016 I said, "Okay." 531 00:21:03,050 --> 00:21:05,052 I go meet him and he says, 532 00:21:05,085 --> 00:21:06,520 "That flea market in Brooklyn." 533 00:21:06,554 --> 00:21:07,821 "Yeah?" 534 00:21:07,855 --> 00:21:09,022 He says, "The guy you chased out." 535 00:21:09,056 --> 00:21:10,758 "Yeah," I said. 536 00:21:10,791 --> 00:21:12,360 "He's with me." 537 00:21:12,393 --> 00:21:15,095 I say, "John, come on you know he just ran to you." 538 00:21:15,128 --> 00:21:17,097 "No, no, I know the guy a long time." 539 00:21:17,130 --> 00:21:18,899 John wasn't pulling out and 540 00:21:18,932 --> 00:21:20,934 I wasn't gonna give up. 541 00:21:20,968 --> 00:21:22,936 There's no way John Gotti would walk away 542 00:21:22,970 --> 00:21:24,772 from an argument with anybody, 543 00:21:24,805 --> 00:21:26,874 including himself thinking that he lost. 544 00:21:26,907 --> 00:21:28,709 So I said "John there's no way I wanna; 545 00:21:28,742 --> 00:21:30,478 this guy's a drug addict, I don't want 546 00:21:30,511 --> 00:21:31,845 to be around him." 547 00:21:31,879 --> 00:21:33,614 I said "I'm gonna buy you guys out, 548 00:21:33,647 --> 00:21:35,816 name your price." 549 00:21:35,849 --> 00:21:38,752 And it's like I knew it. 550 00:21:38,786 --> 00:21:41,054 He said, "You don't buy me out, I buy you out." 551 00:21:41,088 --> 00:21:42,723 And that's what happened. 552 00:21:42,756 --> 00:21:44,725 He bought me out, gave me the money and 553 00:21:44,758 --> 00:21:47,895 I gave my guy money, we kept some and 554 00:21:47,928 --> 00:21:51,098 he took the market and within 3 months they closed. 555 00:21:51,131 --> 00:21:52,900 It was over. 556 00:21:52,933 --> 00:21:54,134 So that was my first business 557 00:21:54,167 --> 00:21:57,471 encounter with Gotti. 558 00:21:57,505 --> 00:22:00,007 Joseph Coffey: John Gotti was a thug. 559 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,612 IQ of maybe a mothball, but a thug. 560 00:22:04,645 --> 00:22:06,914 NARRATOR: BUT COLOMBO FAMILY MEMBER 561 00:22:06,947 --> 00:22:09,016 MICHAEL FRANZESE IS ALSO MAKING A NAME FOR 562 00:22:09,049 --> 00:22:11,719 HIMSELF AS AN EARNER AMONG EARNERS. 563 00:22:11,752 --> 00:22:14,021 HE BRINGS IN BIG SCORES THAT ATTRACT ATTENTION 564 00:22:14,054 --> 00:22:15,689 THROUGHOUT THE FIVE FAMILIES OF 565 00:22:15,723 --> 00:22:17,157 THE AMERICAN MOB. 566 00:22:17,190 --> 00:22:18,859 BUT NOTHING SO FAR COMPARES TO THE SCAM 567 00:22:18,892 --> 00:22:20,494 HE'S ABOUT TO PULL OFF. 568 00:22:20,528 --> 00:22:22,430 Michael Franzese: This guy came to me and 569 00:22:22,430 --> 00:22:24,932 he tells me, he says, "Look, we can make some money, 570 00:22:24,965 --> 00:22:26,834 I've got kind of a scheme." 571 00:22:26,867 --> 00:22:28,536 "I have gas stations." 572 00:22:28,569 --> 00:22:30,103 So I said, "Alright, let's start a new company," 573 00:22:30,137 --> 00:22:31,972 I says and "Show me how this thing works 574 00:22:32,005 --> 00:22:33,774 and I'll see if I want to pursue it." 575 00:22:33,807 --> 00:22:35,776 I'll never forget, a week or two later, 576 00:22:35,809 --> 00:22:38,546 this guy came to me and he's holding a box. 577 00:22:38,579 --> 00:22:40,814 And he used to bring me meat, he was a butcher. 578 00:22:40,848 --> 00:22:43,451 He walks in, I says, "What are we having a party? 579 00:22:43,451 --> 00:22:45,052 What we're gonna do with all this meat?" 580 00:22:45,085 --> 00:22:46,920 And he says, "Hey chief, it ain't meat." 581 00:22:46,954 --> 00:22:48,589 And he goes in and he puts it on the 582 00:22:48,622 --> 00:22:50,090 kitchen table and he opens it up. 583 00:22:50,123 --> 00:22:52,660 He said, "First week's take in the gas business." 584 00:22:52,693 --> 00:22:55,729 $380,000 in cash. 585 00:22:55,763 --> 00:22:59,066 Got my attention, right? 586 00:22:59,900 --> 00:23:02,169 Selwyn Raab: Michael Franzese was an immense 587 00:23:02,202 --> 00:23:04,805 earner for the Colombo family and 588 00:23:04,838 --> 00:23:09,042 his biggest coup was something known as the 589 00:23:09,076 --> 00:23:11,679 "Daisy Chain Gasoline Scam." 590 00:23:11,712 --> 00:23:13,647 What happened was, 591 00:23:13,681 --> 00:23:16,216 New York State, in the 1970s, 592 00:23:16,249 --> 00:23:18,819 decided to use a different way of collecting 593 00:23:18,852 --> 00:23:21,522 gasoline excise taxes every year. 594 00:23:21,555 --> 00:23:23,190 Michael Franzese: At that time, 595 00:23:23,223 --> 00:23:25,493 whoever owned the gas station was responsible 596 00:23:25,493 --> 00:23:27,027 to pay the tax on every gallon of gasoline that 597 00:23:27,060 --> 00:23:28,696 they bought and pumped. 598 00:23:28,729 --> 00:23:30,030 Selwyn Raab: And somebody hit upon the 599 00:23:30,063 --> 00:23:31,732 idea that this was stupid. 600 00:23:31,765 --> 00:23:33,701 R. Lindley Devecchio: So the legislature in New York 601 00:23:33,734 --> 00:23:35,769 said, "Well let's make distributors responsible 602 00:23:35,803 --> 00:23:37,505 for paying the taxes or whatever they 603 00:23:37,505 --> 00:23:38,739 want to levy." 604 00:23:38,772 --> 00:23:41,108 NARRATOR: BUT THE GAS COMPANIES ARE REQUIRED TO 605 00:23:41,141 --> 00:23:42,743 PAY THE TAX ON THE HONOR SYSTEM. 606 00:23:42,776 --> 00:23:44,978 SO FRANZESE FIGURES OUT ALL HE HAS TO DO IS 607 00:23:45,012 --> 00:23:47,147 SET UP DUMMY COMPANIES THAT DON'T PAY. 608 00:23:47,180 --> 00:23:49,082 IT TAKES MONTHS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO FIGURE OUT 609 00:23:49,116 --> 00:23:51,519 THE SCAM AND COLLECT AND BY THAT TIME THE 610 00:23:51,552 --> 00:23:53,854 DUMMY COMPANIES ARE LONG GONE. 611 00:23:53,887 --> 00:23:56,757 R. Lindley Devecchio: It was a fairly complicated 612 00:23:56,790 --> 00:23:58,759 scheme that involved a lot of dummy corporations, 613 00:23:58,792 --> 00:24:00,661 which made it difficult to trace back 614 00:24:00,694 --> 00:24:03,263 the original source, that being Franzese. 615 00:24:03,296 --> 00:24:05,633 Edward McDonald: And somewhere along the line, 616 00:24:05,666 --> 00:24:08,569 a stamp would come out and would say "Tax Paid." 617 00:24:08,602 --> 00:24:11,004 And it was very difficult to establish just, 618 00:24:11,038 --> 00:24:13,040 you know, which company was saying that 619 00:24:13,073 --> 00:24:14,808 they paid the tax. 620 00:24:14,842 --> 00:24:16,777 NARRATOR: THAT'S BECAUSE NO COMPANY IS 621 00:24:16,810 --> 00:24:18,612 PAYING THE TAX. 622 00:24:18,646 --> 00:24:20,113 ALL OF THE MONEY IS GOING INTO 623 00:24:20,147 --> 00:24:21,849 MICHAEL FRANZESE'S POCKETS. 624 00:24:21,882 --> 00:24:24,151 Michael Franzese: I had 18 licensed companies. 625 00:24:24,184 --> 00:24:26,554 All of them were operating um out of Panama, 626 00:24:26,554 --> 00:24:28,922 so there was no trail back to any of us. 627 00:24:28,956 --> 00:24:31,291 Selwyn Raab: The gasoline tax scam has to go down in 628 00:24:31,324 --> 00:24:34,127 history as one of the most successful coups 629 00:24:34,161 --> 00:24:37,765 ever pulled by the mafia. 630 00:24:37,798 --> 00:24:39,733 Michael Franzese: I was making a lot of 631 00:24:39,767 --> 00:24:40,934 money in the gas business. 632 00:24:40,968 --> 00:24:42,603 Millions of dollars a week. 633 00:24:42,636 --> 00:24:43,971 I had a jet plane, I had a helicopter, 634 00:24:44,004 --> 00:24:45,573 I had all the money I wanted, 635 00:24:45,606 --> 00:24:47,040 I did whatever I wanted to do. 636 00:24:47,074 --> 00:24:48,842 And word was getting out on the street 637 00:24:48,876 --> 00:24:50,744 that even though I was handing in millions, 638 00:24:50,778 --> 00:24:52,946 that I was making billions. 639 00:24:52,980 --> 00:24:55,583 News Reporter: The so-called "Franzese Group," 640 00:24:55,616 --> 00:24:57,050 a new mafia organization that federal 641 00:24:57,084 --> 00:24:59,052 prosecutors say could be behind the mob's theft. 642 00:24:59,086 --> 00:25:00,988 Michael Franzese: A story came out, 643 00:25:01,021 --> 00:25:02,856 I believe in News Day again, 644 00:25:02,890 --> 00:25:04,725 that I was becoming powerful enough to break 645 00:25:04,758 --> 00:25:06,093 away from the Colombos and start my own family. 646 00:25:06,126 --> 00:25:08,228 News Reporter: Said to be behind the mobs theft of 647 00:25:08,261 --> 00:25:09,897 hundreds of millions of dollars in 648 00:25:09,930 --> 00:25:11,765 gasoline taxes in New York. 649 00:25:11,799 --> 00:25:13,734 Michael Franzese: My dad then got out on parole. 650 00:25:13,767 --> 00:25:16,003 NARRATOR: FRANZESE'S FATHER, SONNY, 651 00:25:16,036 --> 00:25:18,038 IS RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER SERVING TIME 652 00:25:18,071 --> 00:25:20,073 FOR MASTERMINDING A SERIES OF BANK ROBBERIES. 653 00:25:20,107 --> 00:25:22,342 BUT HE'S ALSO RUMORED TO BE A COLD BLOODED KILLER, 654 00:25:22,375 --> 00:25:24,812 AN ACCUSATION FAMILIAR TO HIS SON. 655 00:25:24,845 --> 00:25:26,814 Michael Franzese: Law enforcement said he killed 656 00:25:26,847 --> 00:25:29,750 at least 30 people, back then, now I think it's 60, 657 00:25:29,783 --> 00:25:33,621 but as far as a dad, he was dad for me. 658 00:25:33,621 --> 00:25:34,922 I loved him. 659 00:25:34,955 --> 00:25:36,757 I idolized my dad. 660 00:25:36,790 --> 00:25:38,659 He was everything that I thought a man's 661 00:25:38,692 --> 00:25:41,629 man should be. 662 00:25:41,629 --> 00:25:44,632 Every child wants a reason to love their parents. 663 00:25:44,632 --> 00:25:47,067 You have to give them strong reasons not to love 664 00:25:47,100 --> 00:25:49,069 their parents and I don't have any reason 665 00:25:49,102 --> 00:25:51,639 not to love mine, regardless of anything. 666 00:25:51,639 --> 00:25:53,674 The word gets out on the street I'm becoming a 667 00:25:53,707 --> 00:25:55,809 target of law enforcement and all of the sudden the 668 00:25:55,843 --> 00:25:58,045 two Franzeses together, the son is making tons 669 00:25:58,078 --> 00:26:00,213 of money, guys start to think about it. 670 00:26:00,247 --> 00:26:02,115 You know, a double-edged sword. 671 00:26:02,149 --> 00:26:05,385 Even my own father. 672 00:26:05,418 --> 00:26:07,921 I was told he put a contract on me. 673 00:26:11,759 --> 00:26:13,727 NARRATOR: BY THE EARLY 1980S, 674 00:26:13,761 --> 00:26:15,929 COLOMBO CAPTAIN MICHAEL FRANZESE'S SUCCESS 675 00:26:15,963 --> 00:26:18,231 IN GAS TAX SCAMS HAS EARNED HIM AND THE 676 00:26:18,265 --> 00:26:20,300 COLOMBO FAMILY MILLIONS. 677 00:26:20,333 --> 00:26:22,670 BUT IN THE AMERICAN MOB, SUCCESS CAN BE AS 678 00:26:22,703 --> 00:26:25,005 DANGEROUS AS FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IF THE MOB 679 00:26:25,038 --> 00:26:27,007 THINKS YOU'RE SKIMMING THE TAKE. 680 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,342 SO WHEN MICHAEL'S FATHER, THE LEGENDARY GANGSTER 681 00:26:29,376 --> 00:26:33,781 SONNY FRANZESE, CALLS HIM, HE STARTS TO SWEAT. 682 00:26:33,814 --> 00:26:35,182 Michael Franzese: One night I get uh, 683 00:26:35,215 --> 00:26:37,217 a call from my dad and he said, "I gotta see ya." 684 00:26:37,250 --> 00:26:38,418 I said, "Okay." 685 00:26:38,451 --> 00:26:41,188 He was on parole so I go to his house. 686 00:26:41,221 --> 00:26:43,924 How ya doin, Pop? 687 00:26:43,957 --> 00:26:46,126 We're in the driveway of his house and he said, 688 00:26:46,159 --> 00:26:47,961 "Uh Junior wants to see us tonight." 689 00:26:47,995 --> 00:26:49,362 I said, "Okay, what time do you want me 690 00:26:49,396 --> 00:26:50,898 to pick you up?" 691 00:26:50,931 --> 00:26:52,933 He said, "Well, they want to do this differently, 692 00:26:52,966 --> 00:26:54,434 they want me to come in first and they 693 00:26:54,467 --> 00:26:56,103 want you to come in second." 694 00:26:56,136 --> 00:26:57,838 I said, "Why would we do that?" 695 00:26:57,871 --> 00:26:59,239 He says, "Well this is what they want." 696 00:26:59,272 --> 00:27:01,742 I said, "We're not gonna do that, dad." 697 00:27:01,775 --> 00:27:03,076 You're crazy if you're gonna do it. 698 00:27:03,110 --> 00:27:04,244 I'm not doing it. 699 00:27:04,277 --> 00:27:06,113 Finally, I remember, I threw my hands up, 700 00:27:06,146 --> 00:27:07,414 we're in the drive way. 701 00:27:07,447 --> 00:27:09,249 I said, "Alright Dad, I've been listening to you 702 00:27:09,282 --> 00:27:12,185 all my life," and I said, "I don't like it but 703 00:27:12,219 --> 00:27:13,954 if this is what you want we'll do it." 704 00:27:13,987 --> 00:27:16,256 So I leave and then Jimmy Angelina calls me and he 705 00:27:16,289 --> 00:27:20,093 tells me to meet him on uh, on 18th Avenue. 706 00:27:22,029 --> 00:27:23,864 Jimmy was a captain too at the time, 707 00:27:23,897 --> 00:27:26,800 I knew Jimmy all my life. 708 00:27:26,834 --> 00:27:28,235 I get in the car and there's a guy sitting in 709 00:27:28,268 --> 00:27:30,037 the back that I didn't know and 710 00:27:30,070 --> 00:27:32,105 uh he don't introduce me. 711 00:27:32,139 --> 00:27:33,941 And um, you know at that point I was just 712 00:27:33,974 --> 00:27:38,846 really thinking something's really bad here. 713 00:27:42,783 --> 00:27:47,755 It was a house in Brooklyn that we were going to. 714 00:27:49,122 --> 00:27:51,024 I get out of the car and I start walking. 715 00:27:51,058 --> 00:27:53,460 And Jimmy gets behind me. 716 00:27:53,493 --> 00:27:58,165 And the other guy is behind him. 717 00:27:58,198 --> 00:28:00,333 Now this is bad set up. 718 00:28:00,367 --> 00:28:01,835 And I'll be honest with you, 719 00:28:01,869 --> 00:28:03,503 I was getting really nervous. 720 00:28:03,536 --> 00:28:05,873 I wasn't a religious guy anyway but I started 721 00:28:05,906 --> 00:28:09,943 to pray because I really thought that I'm dead. 722 00:28:12,545 --> 00:28:15,783 Look, I been in the life quite a while. 723 00:28:15,783 --> 00:28:18,118 I know that you get walked into a room by your 724 00:28:18,151 --> 00:28:20,788 best friend, you don't walk out again. 725 00:28:20,821 --> 00:28:24,858 So um, door opens, I get in there. 726 00:28:24,892 --> 00:28:27,327 A couple of the guys are there and um, 727 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:29,529 they start grilling me about the gas business and 728 00:28:29,562 --> 00:28:31,398 the money and all of this and that 729 00:28:31,431 --> 00:28:33,266 and everything else. 730 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:35,268 And they're trying to make an impression 731 00:28:35,302 --> 00:28:37,004 on me that you know I'm still the boss, 732 00:28:37,037 --> 00:28:38,806 don't think you can get away with anything. 733 00:28:38,806 --> 00:28:40,007 Without saying it, they said it. 734 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:41,842 I got it. 735 00:28:41,875 --> 00:28:43,911 NARRATOR: THE MEETING ENDS AND 736 00:28:43,944 --> 00:28:46,279 TO FRANZESE'S SURPRISE, HE'S STILL ALIVE. 737 00:28:46,313 --> 00:28:48,048 Michael Franzese: So now Jimmy's gonna 738 00:28:48,081 --> 00:28:49,249 drive me back. 739 00:28:49,282 --> 00:28:50,417 I said goodbye to everybody. 740 00:28:50,450 --> 00:28:51,885 We get in the car. 741 00:28:51,919 --> 00:28:53,186 I'm ready to really open up on him. 742 00:28:53,220 --> 00:28:54,321 I was really upset with him. 743 00:28:54,354 --> 00:28:55,989 He didn't tell me anything. 744 00:28:56,023 --> 00:28:57,324 So I get in the car and I say, 745 00:28:57,357 --> 00:28:58,859 "I know you all my life. 746 00:28:58,892 --> 00:28:59,827 You don't prepare me? 747 00:28:59,860 --> 00:29:01,895 You don't tell me anything that's going on?" 748 00:29:01,929 --> 00:29:03,496 And uh, he said, "I'm gonna tell you 749 00:29:03,530 --> 00:29:04,998 something Michael." 750 00:29:05,032 --> 00:29:06,499 He says, "You're father was in there 751 00:29:06,533 --> 00:29:07,968 before you tonight. 752 00:29:08,001 --> 00:29:09,502 He didn't help you one bit. 753 00:29:09,536 --> 00:29:11,438 You were on your own in there." 754 00:29:11,471 --> 00:29:13,340 And it really affected me in a bad way. 755 00:29:13,373 --> 00:29:18,411 And I said, "Man, I can't trust my own father here." 756 00:29:20,613 --> 00:29:22,916 I kind of felt the walls closing in on 757 00:29:22,950 --> 00:29:27,420 me at that point. 758 00:29:27,454 --> 00:29:29,857 He threw me under the bus in that 759 00:29:29,890 --> 00:29:31,959 he didn't defend me. 760 00:29:31,992 --> 00:29:33,894 And that's almost as bad as indicting me, you know? 761 00:29:33,927 --> 00:29:37,464 As saying, "He did it." 762 00:29:37,497 --> 00:29:39,532 And I said, "This money that I'm making, 763 00:29:39,566 --> 00:29:41,101 what do I do?" 764 00:29:41,134 --> 00:29:42,602 "Do I stop?" 765 00:29:42,635 --> 00:29:45,172 This is like a double-edged sword for me. 766 00:29:45,205 --> 00:29:47,607 And um, I, I didn't have an answer. 767 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,310 I didn't have a solution. 768 00:29:50,343 --> 00:29:52,079 And I said, "I'm just going to keep 769 00:29:52,112 --> 00:29:53,280 doing what I'm doing." 770 00:29:53,313 --> 00:29:54,347 NARRATOR: WHILE COLOMBO CAPTAIN MICHAEL FRANZESE 771 00:29:54,381 --> 00:29:56,316 STRUGGLES WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS 772 00:29:56,349 --> 00:29:58,351 GAS SCAM, ACROSS TOWN IN BROOKLYN, 773 00:29:58,385 --> 00:30:00,587 UNDERCOVER AGENT JOE PISTONE IS ABOUT TO BECOME 774 00:30:00,620 --> 00:30:02,555 AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE BONANNO FAMILY, 775 00:30:02,589 --> 00:30:04,624 AN ORGANIZATION WHO MAKE THEIR MONEY NOT 776 00:30:04,657 --> 00:30:07,594 JUST FROM EXTORTION AND LOANSHARKING, BUT DRUGS. 777 00:30:07,627 --> 00:30:09,963 UNDER THE ALIAS "DONNIE BRASCO," 778 00:30:09,997 --> 00:30:11,899 HE'S PENETRATED THE ORGANIZATION DEEPER THAN 779 00:30:11,932 --> 00:30:14,367 ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN HISTORY. 780 00:30:14,401 --> 00:30:17,204 HE'S ABOUT TO BECOME A MADE MAN, BUT FIRST, 781 00:30:17,237 --> 00:30:20,040 TO PROVE HIMSELF, HE MUST KILL. 782 00:30:20,073 --> 00:30:21,641 Joe Pistone: When I was told, 783 00:30:21,674 --> 00:30:24,311 you got the contract to kill Bruno Indelicato, 784 00:30:24,344 --> 00:30:26,313 I accepted it because what am I gonna say? 785 00:30:26,346 --> 00:30:27,647 No, I don't want to do it? 786 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:29,216 I can't do it? 787 00:30:29,249 --> 00:30:31,084 But we had a plan in place, you know. 788 00:30:31,118 --> 00:30:32,552 Sonny sent me looking for him. 789 00:30:32,585 --> 00:30:34,087 Sonny Black: Come on, take a walk. 790 00:30:34,121 --> 00:30:35,989 Joe Pistone: If I spotted him I called the FBI 791 00:30:36,023 --> 00:30:37,624 and they come and snatch him and we'd stage a hit. 792 00:30:37,657 --> 00:30:39,192 Or if they found him, they'd snatch him 793 00:30:39,226 --> 00:30:40,928 and we'd stage a hit. 794 00:30:40,961 --> 00:30:43,063 Selwyn Raab: The FBI is faced with 795 00:30:43,096 --> 00:30:44,564 an incredible dilemma. 796 00:30:44,597 --> 00:30:46,533 What are they gonna do if 797 00:30:46,566 --> 00:30:48,601 Joe Pistone, AKA Donnie Brasco, 798 00:30:48,635 --> 00:30:50,270 is asked to go along on a hit? 799 00:30:50,303 --> 00:30:51,638 That's a no-no. 800 00:30:51,671 --> 00:30:53,040 They can't do it. 801 00:30:53,073 --> 00:30:55,375 But will it blow his cover? 802 00:30:55,408 --> 00:30:57,945 And the slightest suspicion could lead to 803 00:30:57,978 --> 00:31:00,914 Donnie Brasco's death. 804 00:31:00,948 --> 00:31:03,951 NARRATOR: SO THE FBI MAKES A DECISION. 805 00:31:03,984 --> 00:31:06,053 James Kossler: Joe was not allowed to become a 806 00:31:06,086 --> 00:31:07,654 member of La Cosa Nostra. 807 00:31:07,687 --> 00:31:10,023 The bureau decided that would not be in 808 00:31:10,057 --> 00:31:12,325 the best interest of him or the bureau, 809 00:31:12,359 --> 00:31:14,627 um and so we pulled him out of there. 810 00:31:14,661 --> 00:31:17,130 NARRATOR: AFTER SIX LONG YEARS UNDER COVER, 811 00:31:17,164 --> 00:31:19,166 THE FEDS PULL PISTONE FROM THE STREETS 812 00:31:19,199 --> 00:31:21,568 AND SHUTTER OPERATION DONNIE BRASCO. 813 00:31:21,601 --> 00:31:24,671 NOW IT'S TIME TO LET THE MOB KNOW THE TRUTH. 814 00:31:24,704 --> 00:31:26,506 Joe Pistone: When the operation was gonna be 815 00:31:26,539 --> 00:31:29,409 closed down we had a meeting with three agents 816 00:31:29,442 --> 00:31:31,544 and uh, one of them knew Sonny Black. 817 00:31:31,578 --> 00:31:33,413 So what I did was I took a picture with 818 00:31:33,446 --> 00:31:36,516 these guys with my credentials and uh, 819 00:31:36,549 --> 00:31:38,551 the agents went to Sonny Black 820 00:31:38,585 --> 00:31:41,521 [knocking sound] 821 00:31:41,554 --> 00:31:43,991 and they showed him a photograph of myself and 822 00:31:44,024 --> 00:31:46,526 the guys, uh, and they said, 823 00:31:46,559 --> 00:31:48,528 "You know Sonny, 824 00:31:48,561 --> 00:31:50,430 we just want you to know that uh this guy 825 00:31:50,463 --> 00:31:52,132 you know as Donnie Brasco is really 826 00:31:52,165 --> 00:31:53,600 Special Agent Joseph D. Pistone 827 00:31:53,633 --> 00:31:55,468 of the FBI. 828 00:31:55,502 --> 00:31:57,570 He's been working undercover for six years." 829 00:31:57,604 --> 00:32:00,473 And what Sonny said was, "Well, I don't know. 830 00:32:00,507 --> 00:32:02,509 If I see him I'll know." 831 00:32:02,542 --> 00:32:04,611 And that was it. 832 00:32:04,644 --> 00:32:06,379 Then they told him that, 833 00:32:06,413 --> 00:32:08,348 "Sonny, once this comes out you're better off coming 834 00:32:08,381 --> 00:32:13,520 with us 'cause you know you're gonna get killed." 835 00:32:13,553 --> 00:32:15,355 And he just told them, 836 00:32:15,388 --> 00:32:17,224 "Look, I don't believe it," 837 00:32:17,257 --> 00:32:19,092 and he just shrugged it off. 838 00:32:19,126 --> 00:32:20,427 And that was it. 839 00:32:20,460 --> 00:32:22,029 And they left. 840 00:32:22,029 --> 00:32:24,131 And he calls Lefty, calls the other guys in 841 00:32:24,164 --> 00:32:26,299 the crew, they all go to the Motion Lounge. 842 00:32:26,333 --> 00:32:27,600 Sonny Black: The Feds were just here. 843 00:32:27,634 --> 00:32:29,469 They say Donnie's FBI. 844 00:32:29,502 --> 00:32:32,239 Joe Pistone: And he tells 'em what happened. 845 00:32:32,272 --> 00:32:34,441 In the beginning Lefty couldn't believe it either. 846 00:32:34,474 --> 00:32:36,143 Lefty couldn't believe that I was 847 00:32:36,176 --> 00:32:37,544 an undercover agent. 848 00:32:37,577 --> 00:32:39,579 When he found out I can't say here on 849 00:32:39,612 --> 00:32:42,582 camera what his response was. 850 00:32:42,615 --> 00:32:46,486 It wasn't good, it wasn't good. 851 00:32:46,519 --> 00:32:48,488 NARRATOR: WORD SPREADS IN THE STREETS BONANNO 852 00:32:48,521 --> 00:32:50,590 ASSOCIATE DONNIE BRASCO IS ACTUALLY A FEDERAL AGENT, 853 00:32:50,623 --> 00:32:52,525 AN INFILTRATION THAT WILL SOON SHATTER 854 00:32:52,559 --> 00:32:55,062 THE AMERICAN MOB. 855 00:32:55,728 --> 00:32:58,798 INFILTRATING THE BONANNO FAMILY TO ITS CORE. 856 00:32:58,831 --> 00:33:00,800 BUT AFTER SIX YEARS UNDERCOVER, 857 00:33:00,833 --> 00:33:03,070 THE FEDS PULLS HIM OUT BEFORE HE MUST KILL 858 00:33:03,103 --> 00:33:05,372 SOMEONE OR GET KILLED HIMSELF. 859 00:33:05,405 --> 00:33:07,507 AND THE NEWS QUICKLY SPREADS IN THE STREETS 860 00:33:07,540 --> 00:33:09,642 THAT THE WISE GUY KNOWN AS DONNIE BRASCO. 861 00:33:09,676 --> 00:33:11,578 Sonny Black: They say Donnie's FBI. 862 00:33:11,611 --> 00:33:13,613 NARRATOR: ISN'T WHAT HE APPEARS TO BE. 863 00:33:13,646 --> 00:33:15,748 Michael Franzese: I remember meeting Donnie Brasco, 864 00:33:15,782 --> 00:33:17,517 Joe Pistone, with Lefty. 865 00:33:17,550 --> 00:33:19,086 We didn't have any business, 866 00:33:19,086 --> 00:33:20,653 it was hello and goodbye, he was there, 867 00:33:20,687 --> 00:33:22,322 there was nothing more discussed. 868 00:33:22,355 --> 00:33:24,524 But when we found out what happened and it was common 869 00:33:24,557 --> 00:33:26,793 knowledge on the street that he was an informant 870 00:33:26,826 --> 00:33:30,663 FBI agent, it was pretty shocking because they, 871 00:33:30,697 --> 00:33:32,365 he was almost straightened out. 872 00:33:32,399 --> 00:33:34,101 He had gotten that far. 873 00:33:34,101 --> 00:33:36,203 Joe Pistone: And then what happened once they found 874 00:33:36,236 --> 00:33:38,638 out it was me, uh, the Commission got together 875 00:33:38,671 --> 00:33:40,407 and the Commission put together a 876 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:42,775 $500,000 contract out on me. 877 00:33:42,809 --> 00:33:45,212 NARRATOR: PISTONE GETS OUT OF NEW YORK FAST, 878 00:33:45,245 --> 00:33:47,114 HIDING OUT IN FBI HEADQUARTERS IN 879 00:33:47,114 --> 00:33:48,681 WASHINGTON, DC. 880 00:33:48,715 --> 00:33:50,850 BUT WITHIN THE MOB THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 881 00:33:50,883 --> 00:33:53,386 DONNIE BRASCO'S RISE MUST PAY THE PRICE. 882 00:33:53,420 --> 00:33:55,222 Joe Pistone: Sonny had to fess up to all 883 00:33:55,255 --> 00:33:57,457 the bosses what had happened. 884 00:33:57,490 --> 00:34:00,560 So he gets a call to go to a sit down. 885 00:34:00,593 --> 00:34:02,295 He walks into the Motion Lounge. 886 00:34:02,329 --> 00:34:03,663 Bartender: Hey, Sonny. 887 00:34:03,696 --> 00:34:05,598 Joe Pistone: And tells the bartender, 888 00:34:05,632 --> 00:34:07,700 I just got called to a sit down and 889 00:34:07,734 --> 00:34:09,569 he gives him his ring, 890 00:34:09,602 --> 00:34:11,771 gives him his money, gives him his keys except 891 00:34:11,804 --> 00:34:19,146 his car keys and he calls his girlfriend and says, 892 00:34:19,579 --> 00:34:23,216 "They tell me Donnie was an undercover agent, 893 00:34:23,250 --> 00:34:25,618 I didn't believe it, now I believe it." 894 00:34:25,652 --> 00:34:27,454 If you ever see Donnie tell him I'm 895 00:34:27,487 --> 00:34:31,158 glad it was him. 896 00:34:31,758 --> 00:34:33,526 So he goes to the sit down. 897 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:34,894 And the next thing they know is 898 00:34:34,927 --> 00:34:38,831 Sonny Black is gone. 899 00:34:42,469 --> 00:34:47,374 Lefty was on his way to get killed and 900 00:34:47,407 --> 00:34:49,409 surveillance team snatched him up because 901 00:34:49,442 --> 00:34:51,611 they heard that you know when he gets here 902 00:34:51,644 --> 00:34:54,881 we're gonna kill him, whack him. 903 00:34:54,914 --> 00:34:56,816 NARRATOR: A YEAR LATER, 904 00:34:56,849 --> 00:34:59,252 LAW ENFORCEMENT MAKES A GRUESOME DISCOVERY. 905 00:34:59,286 --> 00:35:01,788 Joe Pistone: They found Sonny's body in '82 906 00:35:01,821 --> 00:35:04,591 in a body bag with his hands cut off. 907 00:35:04,624 --> 00:35:07,627 And the reason that they did that was he introduced 908 00:35:07,660 --> 00:35:11,898 me to bosses that I shook hands with. 909 00:35:11,931 --> 00:35:13,633 Did I want to see him die? 910 00:35:13,666 --> 00:35:16,769 No, I mean look, you know, that's not my job. 911 00:35:16,803 --> 00:35:18,638 My job is to gather evidence to 912 00:35:18,671 --> 00:35:21,208 put you in jail. 913 00:35:21,208 --> 00:35:23,776 Lefty, he spends his 15, 18 years in the 914 00:35:23,810 --> 00:35:26,546 can doesn't say a word. 915 00:35:26,579 --> 00:35:28,281 'Cause they took that oath and 916 00:35:28,315 --> 00:35:30,717 they believed in that oath. 917 00:35:30,750 --> 00:35:32,385 They took that oath and 918 00:35:32,419 --> 00:35:34,554 they believed in that oath. 919 00:35:34,587 --> 00:35:36,256 NARRATOR: BUT PISTONE'S NOT THE ONLY 920 00:35:36,289 --> 00:35:37,824 ONE CHOOSING A NEW PATH. 921 00:35:37,857 --> 00:35:40,227 ACROSS TOWN, MICHAEL FRANZESE, 922 00:35:40,227 --> 00:35:42,595 A CAPTAIN AND TOP EARNER IN THE COLOMBO FAMILY, 923 00:35:42,629 --> 00:35:45,598 IS BECOMING DISILLUSIONED WITH HIS WAY OF LIFE. 924 00:35:45,632 --> 00:35:47,767 BUT THAT'S THE LEAST OF HIS TROUBLES, 925 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,437 LAW ENFORCEMENT'S CLOSING IN. 926 00:35:50,470 --> 00:35:52,672 Michael Franzese: I started to feel the 927 00:35:52,705 --> 00:35:54,974 pressure in the early 80s and the government uh 928 00:35:55,007 --> 00:35:56,843 opened my eyes to it and that they had 929 00:35:56,876 --> 00:35:58,878 a major undercover operation on me, 930 00:35:58,911 --> 00:36:01,381 on this gasoline case and everything else. 931 00:36:01,414 --> 00:36:03,450 Rudolph Giuliani: It would seem that Michael Franzese 932 00:36:03,483 --> 00:36:04,917 is unfortunately following in the footsteps 933 00:36:04,951 --> 00:36:06,486 of his father. 934 00:36:06,519 --> 00:36:08,288 Michael Franzese: The FBI can allege and 935 00:36:08,321 --> 00:36:09,656 say whatever they like. 936 00:36:09,689 --> 00:36:11,491 They've been doing it for many, many years. 937 00:36:11,524 --> 00:36:13,626 Edward McDonald: Well, the FBI identified him 938 00:36:13,660 --> 00:36:14,994 as a significant target. 939 00:36:15,027 --> 00:36:17,630 Informants were providing information to 940 00:36:17,664 --> 00:36:19,932 the FBI about this up and coming, um, you know, 941 00:36:19,966 --> 00:36:22,269 sophisticated gangster. 942 00:36:22,269 --> 00:36:24,271 So the FBI came to us and said that they wanted 943 00:36:24,271 --> 00:36:25,738 to bring a case against him. 944 00:36:25,772 --> 00:36:27,840 Michael Franzese: I got a visit uh in my uh 945 00:36:27,874 --> 00:36:30,743 offices out in Long Island from two FBI agents. 946 00:36:30,777 --> 00:36:32,412 And they came in to see me and they said, 947 00:36:32,445 --> 00:36:33,580 "We need to talk to you." 948 00:36:33,613 --> 00:36:34,981 I said, "What do you want?" 949 00:36:35,014 --> 00:36:37,417 They said, "Listen, tell us what you're doing 950 00:36:37,450 --> 00:36:39,319 and we'll give you a pass." 951 00:36:39,352 --> 00:36:40,853 Yeah, right. 952 00:36:40,887 --> 00:36:42,522 And I said, "Well, I don't know what 953 00:36:42,555 --> 00:36:44,023 you're talking about with gas." 954 00:36:44,056 --> 00:36:45,692 You know? 955 00:36:45,725 --> 00:36:47,694 So I knew, and said, "This is not good." 956 00:36:47,727 --> 00:36:49,629 I mean I really got their attention now. 957 00:36:49,662 --> 00:36:51,631 Edward McDonald: We gathered evidence, 958 00:36:51,664 --> 00:36:54,301 primarily from cooperating witnesses and 959 00:36:54,301 --> 00:36:57,804 when he was faced with a lengthy trial and 960 00:36:57,837 --> 00:37:00,507 the prospect of getting a very lengthy sentence. 961 00:37:00,540 --> 00:37:02,475 Michael Franzese: People were being convicted, 962 00:37:02,509 --> 00:37:03,910 100 years, 150 years, 963 00:37:03,943 --> 00:37:05,612 I said, they're gonna give me 1,000 years 964 00:37:05,645 --> 00:37:07,547 if I go down on this. 965 00:37:07,580 --> 00:37:09,716 Edward McDonald: He decided to plead guilty 966 00:37:09,749 --> 00:37:11,784 and to make restitution payments of ten million 967 00:37:11,818 --> 00:37:13,786 dollars, which he pretty much defaulted on. 968 00:37:13,820 --> 00:37:16,423 News Reporter: Michael Franzese indicted on 969 00:37:16,456 --> 00:37:20,793 28 counts of racketeering, fraud and extortion. 970 00:37:20,827 --> 00:37:22,729 Michael Franzese: I had made two very bad 971 00:37:22,762 --> 00:37:24,397 decisions in my life. 972 00:37:24,431 --> 00:37:26,533 I trusted my father, look where it got me. 973 00:37:26,566 --> 00:37:28,735 I surrendered my life to La Cosa Nostra 974 00:37:28,768 --> 00:37:31,971 and look where it got me. 975 00:37:32,505 --> 00:37:34,707 I got death threats, hits all over me, 976 00:37:34,741 --> 00:37:36,576 the FBI hates me, everybody on the street 977 00:37:36,609 --> 00:37:38,511 hates me, my father disowned me. 978 00:37:38,545 --> 00:37:40,413 I don't have a friend in the world. 979 00:37:40,447 --> 00:37:41,981 I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in a 980 00:37:42,014 --> 00:37:43,683 6 x 8 cell. 981 00:37:43,716 --> 00:37:46,453 And it was the first and only time in my life 982 00:37:46,486 --> 00:37:51,558 that I, I really felt hopeless. 983 00:37:52,459 --> 00:37:54,594 Edward McDonald: Then he kind of shocked us, 984 00:37:54,627 --> 00:37:58,097 because he came forward and agreed to cooperate. 985 00:37:58,130 --> 00:38:00,567 And based on the cooperation he provided, 986 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:02,435 he did get his sentenced reduced. 987 00:38:02,469 --> 00:38:04,704 Michael Franzese: I got 4 years on a parole 988 00:38:04,737 --> 00:38:07,374 violation and I spent 35 months and 13 more 989 00:38:07,374 --> 00:38:10,577 days in prison, 29 months and 7 days in the hole. 990 00:38:10,610 --> 00:38:15,081 And during that time is when I, um, 991 00:38:15,114 --> 00:38:17,884 strengthened my faith and um, 992 00:38:17,917 --> 00:38:20,987 started to read the Bible. 993 00:38:21,020 --> 00:38:22,955 NARRATOR: BUT FRANZESE GETS OUT AND 994 00:38:22,989 --> 00:38:24,724 LIVES TO TELL THE TALE. 995 00:38:24,757 --> 00:38:26,459 Michael Franzese: Do I find it surprising 996 00:38:26,493 --> 00:38:27,827 that I'm alive? 997 00:38:27,860 --> 00:38:29,529 I feel I'm the most blessed guy 998 00:38:29,562 --> 00:38:30,963 walking the streets. 999 00:38:30,997 --> 00:38:32,432 What should my fate have been? 1000 00:38:32,465 --> 00:38:33,966 I should either be dead or in prison 1001 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:35,768 for the rest of my life. 1002 00:38:35,802 --> 00:38:37,770 NARRATOR: THE SON WHO ONCE FOLLOWED HIS GANGSTER 1003 00:38:37,804 --> 00:38:39,739 FATHER BLINDLY INTO THE LIFE NOW WALKS AWAY 1004 00:38:39,772 --> 00:38:41,808 FROM THE MOB FOREVER, UNSCATHED. 1005 00:38:41,841 --> 00:38:43,743 Edward McDonald: I cannot explain how 1006 00:38:43,776 --> 00:38:45,712 Michael Franzese was able to do what he did. 1007 00:38:45,745 --> 00:38:47,847 The only speculation we have 1008 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:49,516 is that he paid his way out. 1009 00:38:49,549 --> 00:38:52,419 Somehow he was able to persuade people in the 1010 00:38:52,419 --> 00:38:54,654 Colombo crime family not to do anything to him. 1011 00:38:54,687 --> 00:38:56,756 Michael Franzese: Really, the only way that ends is 1012 00:38:56,789 --> 00:39:00,427 when you end and you're in a coffin, it's over. 1013 00:39:00,460 --> 00:39:02,161 NARRATOR: HOW MICHAEL FRANZESE 1014 00:39:02,194 --> 00:39:04,063 GOT OUT OF THE AMERICAN MOB WITH 1015 00:39:04,096 --> 00:39:05,898 HIS LIFE REMAINS A MYSTERY TO THIS DAY. 1016 00:39:05,932 --> 00:39:07,867 BUT THE WORST DEEDS OF FRANZESE'S 1017 00:39:07,900 --> 00:39:09,001 PAST STILL HAUNT HIM. 1018 00:39:09,035 --> 00:39:10,803 ESPECIALLY THE MURDER OF A CLOSE FRIEND, 1019 00:39:10,837 --> 00:39:12,639 "CHAMPAGNE" LARRY CARROZZA. 1020 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:16,075 Michael Franzese: Larry Carrozza was someone 1021 00:39:16,108 --> 00:39:17,677 very close to me. 1022 00:39:17,710 --> 00:39:20,079 I mean the kid loved me and I loved him. 1023 00:39:20,112 --> 00:39:21,948 I baptized his kids. 1024 00:39:21,981 --> 00:39:24,984 He baptized my daughter. 1025 00:39:25,017 --> 00:39:27,053 Unbeknownst to me, he was having 1026 00:39:27,086 --> 00:39:29,489 an affair with my sister. 1027 00:39:29,522 --> 00:39:31,991 I was brought in and it was told to me 1028 00:39:32,024 --> 00:39:33,926 that this is what was going on. 1029 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:35,562 Man: The word is on the street. 1030 00:39:35,595 --> 00:39:37,697 NARRATOR: NO ONE MESSES WITH MOB WOMEN. 1031 00:39:37,730 --> 00:39:40,933 THOSE WHO DO PAY A HEAVY PENALTY. 1032 00:39:40,967 --> 00:39:42,769 Michael Franzese: I was told he disrespect you 1033 00:39:42,802 --> 00:39:44,971 and he disrespected your father and that's 1034 00:39:45,004 --> 00:39:47,474 something that uh, we don't stand for in 1035 00:39:47,507 --> 00:39:48,908 this life and I said, 1036 00:39:48,941 --> 00:39:50,643 "But you know, he's not a made guy." 1037 00:39:50,677 --> 00:39:52,044 Stupid. 1038 00:39:52,078 --> 00:39:53,780 And how do we know what really happened and 1039 00:39:53,813 --> 00:39:55,648 let me talk to my sister," and "Nope. 1040 00:39:55,682 --> 00:39:57,750 You want to take care of it, you take care of it. 1041 00:39:57,784 --> 00:39:59,486 If not, we'll take care of it." 1042 00:39:59,519 --> 00:40:01,120 And I said, "I don't wanna do it." 1043 00:40:01,153 --> 00:40:03,523 I says, "The guy's too close to me." 1044 00:40:06,092 --> 00:40:08,461 NARRATOR: LARRY CARROZZA'S BODY IS 1045 00:40:08,495 --> 00:40:10,797 FOUND NEAR HIS CAR. 1046 00:40:10,830 --> 00:40:13,199 HE IS SHOT A SINGLE TIME BEHIND THE EAR. 1047 00:40:13,232 --> 00:40:15,768 Michael Franzese: His murder, that's probably 1048 00:40:15,802 --> 00:40:17,470 something that uh has been the 1049 00:40:17,504 --> 00:40:18,638 heaviest on my heart. 1050 00:40:18,671 --> 00:40:20,840 NARRATOR: THESE DAYS IT'S FAITH THAT HELPS 1051 00:40:20,873 --> 00:40:22,642 FRANZESE COPE WITH THE DARKNESS OF HIS PAST. 1052 00:40:22,675 --> 00:40:24,076 Michael Franzese: Guys, be honest. 1053 00:40:24,110 --> 00:40:25,678 You don't come to church but you figure, 1054 00:40:25,712 --> 00:40:27,179 "Hey, Sopranos is off the air, let me go 1055 00:40:27,213 --> 00:40:29,516 see what the real mob guy is all about, right?" 1056 00:40:29,549 --> 00:40:30,883 [laughter]. 1057 00:40:30,917 --> 00:40:32,652 Michael Franzese: That's your only interest. 1058 00:40:32,685 --> 00:40:34,987 What I did, I did and that's it. 1059 00:40:35,021 --> 00:40:37,223 As Christians, we happen to believe that we can be 1060 00:40:37,256 --> 00:40:39,058 forgiven for what we've done in the past. 1061 00:40:39,091 --> 00:40:41,628 So I believe with all my heart that 1062 00:40:41,661 --> 00:40:43,863 I've been forgiven. 1063 00:40:43,896 --> 00:40:45,765 NARRATOR: A LINE THAT'S HARD FOR A LOT 1064 00:40:45,798 --> 00:40:47,166 OF PEOPLE TO SWALLOW. 1065 00:40:47,199 --> 00:40:48,901 Michael Franzese: People can say it's a 1066 00:40:48,935 --> 00:40:50,837 phoney thing and it's a scam and you know 1067 00:40:50,870 --> 00:40:52,739 fortunately, in the end, 1068 00:40:52,772 --> 00:40:54,707 they're not gonna be the ones that judge me. 1069 00:40:54,741 --> 00:40:56,709 But I can't fool God, [laughs] you know? 1070 00:40:56,743 --> 00:40:57,877 God bless you all. 1071 00:40:57,910 --> 00:40:59,846 Host: Thank Michael Franzese, thank you. 1072 00:40:59,879 --> 00:41:02,014 NARRATOR: MICHAEL FRANZESE IS OUT OF THE LIFE TODAY, 1073 00:41:02,048 --> 00:41:04,083 BUT HIS FATHER SONNY NEVER WALKED AWAY. 1074 00:41:04,116 --> 00:41:06,719 Michael Franzese: You know, my dad's 96 years old. 1075 00:41:06,753 --> 00:41:08,588 He's the oldest living mob guy in America. 1076 00:41:08,621 --> 00:41:10,823 I think he's part of this life 66 or 67 1077 00:41:10,857 --> 00:41:13,025 years ago he took the oath. 1078 00:41:13,059 --> 00:41:15,061 Edward McDonald: He just recently was convicted 1079 00:41:15,094 --> 00:41:17,129 at the age of 96, I think he was convicted 1080 00:41:17,163 --> 00:41:19,131 on racketeering charges and was incarcerated 1081 00:41:19,165 --> 00:41:21,968 again, uh, was active until the age of 96 1082 00:41:22,001 --> 00:41:24,036 and it's absolutely amazing. 1083 00:41:24,070 --> 00:41:26,205 Michael Franzese: He is a treasure trove of mob 1084 00:41:26,238 --> 00:41:29,041 stories, if you can get him to talk about them. 1085 00:41:29,075 --> 00:41:31,611 NARRATOR: SONNY FRANZESE IS A LAST HOLD-OVER 1086 00:41:31,644 --> 00:41:33,813 FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE AMERICAN MOB, 1087 00:41:33,846 --> 00:41:35,915 AN ERA THAT ENDS WITH THE SUCCESS OF OPERATION 1088 00:41:35,948 --> 00:41:38,618 DONNIE BRASCO, THE HISTORIC INFILTRATION OF 1089 00:41:38,651 --> 00:41:40,687 THE BONANNO FAMILY BY UNDERCOVER AGENT 1090 00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:42,589 JOE PISTONE. 1091 00:41:42,622 --> 00:41:44,724 Michael Chertoff: Up until 1970, 1092 00:41:44,757 --> 00:41:46,292 all you could do with the mafia is, 1093 00:41:46,325 --> 00:41:48,695 like you know men with their eyes closed trying 1094 00:41:48,728 --> 00:41:50,162 to feel an elephant. 1095 00:41:50,196 --> 00:41:51,931 You would get a little piece of it, 1096 00:41:51,964 --> 00:41:53,733 but all you could prove was someone who actually 1097 00:41:53,766 --> 00:41:55,835 committed a particular crime. 1098 00:41:55,868 --> 00:41:57,870 Joe Pistone did something unique, 1099 00:41:57,904 --> 00:42:00,339 which is he infiltrated the Bonanno Family, 1100 00:42:00,372 --> 00:42:02,308 the organized crime family, 1101 00:42:02,341 --> 00:42:04,611 with such success that he was on the verge 1102 00:42:04,644 --> 00:42:06,913 of being made as a member. 1103 00:42:06,946 --> 00:42:09,816 In doing that not only did he collect direct 1104 00:42:09,849 --> 00:42:12,619 evidence of crimes against the Bonanno Family, 1105 00:42:12,619 --> 00:42:14,987 but he was able to talk knowledgeably 1106 00:42:15,021 --> 00:42:18,758 about the structure of the whole mafia. 1107 00:42:19,158 --> 00:42:22,228 Joe Pistone: This undercover case was 1108 00:42:22,261 --> 00:42:26,132 the beginning of the unravelling of the mafia 1109 00:42:26,165 --> 00:42:30,102 in America as we knew it, as it once was. 1110 00:42:30,136 --> 00:42:32,705 NARRATOR: ALL IN ALL, THE INFORMATION PISTONE 1111 00:42:32,739 --> 00:42:35,041 PROVIDES LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADS TO OVER 200 1112 00:42:35,074 --> 00:42:37,276 INDICTMENTS AND MORE THAN 100 CONVICTIONS 1113 00:42:37,309 --> 00:42:38,945 OF MAJOR MOB FIGURES. 1114 00:42:38,978 --> 00:42:40,780 BUT IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE 1115 00:42:40,813 --> 00:42:42,281 GOVERNMENT'S ALL OUT ASSAULT ON 1116 00:42:42,314 --> 00:42:43,950 THE AMERICAN MOB. 1117 00:42:43,983 --> 00:42:46,218 James Kossler: Joe Pistone's role as 1118 00:42:46,252 --> 00:42:49,121 Donnie Brasco was historic in the FBI. 1119 00:42:49,155 --> 00:42:51,758 Historic in law enforcement. 1120 00:42:51,791 --> 00:42:53,693 Rudolph Giuliani: Pistone broke the 1121 00:42:53,726 --> 00:42:55,327 confidence of the mafia. 1122 00:42:55,361 --> 00:42:57,664 He broke the mystique that you 1123 00:42:57,697 --> 00:42:59,398 couldn't infiltrate the mafia. 1124 00:42:59,431 --> 00:43:01,267 That mystique was very, very important in getting 1125 00:43:01,300 --> 00:43:03,102 people to cooperate, 'cause now all of a sudden 1126 00:43:03,135 --> 00:43:05,371 it isn't this impregnable organization 1127 00:43:05,404 --> 00:43:07,974 that nobody's ever penetrated. 1128 00:43:08,007 --> 00:43:10,242 Steve Salmieri: Joe Pistone and his case, 1129 00:43:10,276 --> 00:43:13,913 was the perfect storm for organized crime. 1130 00:43:13,946 --> 00:43:15,882 Joe Pistone: We, we kicked the (bleep) out of them. 1131 00:43:15,915 --> 00:43:18,851 We really did. 1132 00:43:23,189 --> 00:43:25,024 NARRATOR: BUT THE AMERICAN MOB STILL HAS 1133 00:43:25,057 --> 00:43:26,993 ENORMOUS POWER IN NEW YORK CITY AND 1134 00:43:27,026 --> 00:43:29,161 AROUND THE COUNTRY IN THE 1980'S. 1135 00:43:29,195 --> 00:43:30,863 Leonetti: You always have to use your brain 1136 00:43:30,897 --> 00:43:33,132 and you always have to use the gun. 1137 00:43:33,165 --> 00:43:35,134 NARRATOR: IN CITIES LIKE PHILADELPHIA, 1138 00:43:35,167 --> 00:43:37,203 HOME TO THE MOST VIOLENT MOB FAMILIES IN 1139 00:43:37,236 --> 00:43:38,705 THE UNITED STATES. 1140 00:43:38,738 --> 00:43:40,406 Leonetti: We live by our own set of rules. 1141 00:43:40,439 --> 00:43:42,308 NARRATOR: AND A MAJOR BATTLEGROUND IN 1142 00:43:42,341 --> 00:43:44,276 LAW ENFORCEMENT'S WAR TO END THE RULE OF COSA NOSTRA. 1143 00:43:44,310 --> 00:43:47,046 Pichini: His reign becomes a reign of terror. 1144 00:43:47,079 --> 00:43:48,815 Nick Scarfo: I invoke my right and decline to 1145 00:43:48,848 --> 00:43:50,249 answer the question. 1146 00:43:50,282 --> 00:43:51,784 Leonetti: We got away with murder. 1147 00:43:51,818 --> 00:43:53,252 [gunshots].