Mob FilesPublic-domain archive of American organized crime

Joseph Pistone

FBI Special Agent who worked undercover as "Donnie Brasco." A federal court wrote in 1998 that "In 1976, FBI Agent Joseph D. Pistone assumed the identity of Donnie Brasco ... and infiltrated the Bonanno Crime Family" for some six years; he testified at the 1982 New York trial, at a Milwaukee trial, and before the Senate in 1988.

Aliases
Donnie Brasco
Role
FBI Special Agent working undercover "under the alias Donnie Brasco," as the Seventh Circuit states (1985)
Source
United States v. Balistrieri, 778 F.2d 1226 (7th Cir. 1985)
Rights
This person may be living. The page is limited to what federal court opinions, FBI and Justice Department records and his own sworn 1988 testimony state, and gives no personal details beyond them.

On the record

  • 1976/1981 — United States v. Balistrieri, 778 F.2d 1226 (7th Cir. 1985): "Between 1976 and 1981, FBI Special Agent Joseph Pistone was operating under the alias Donnie Brasco as an undercover agent investigating organized crime activities in New York City." He developed "a close working relationship with Ruggiero" and "mentioned to Ruggiero that Cobb had moved to Milwaukee and was trying to open a vending machine business there." Court opinion.
  • 1976 — Cerasani v. Sony Corp., 991 F. Supp. 343 (S.D.N.Y. 1998): "In 1976, FBI Agent Joseph D. Pistone assumed the identity of Donnie Brasco, a jewel thief and burglar, and infiltrated the Bonanno Crime Family. Remarkably, he remained undercover for some six years." Court opinion.
  • 27 August 1978 — United States v. Balistrieri, 779 F.2d 1191 (7th Cir. 1985), records that at the Milwaukee gambling trial "the government offered the testimony of Joseph Pistone, a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who worked undercover as part of the Strike Force investigation," about a conversation on August 27, 1978 with Frank Balistrieri and Steve DiSalvo. Court opinion.
  • late 1970s — The FBI's Tampa field office history: the division "began a major undercover operation called COLDWATER. New York FBI undercover agent Joe Pistone participated in the operation, helping to gather information and intelligence on the Bonanno crime family as it looked to begin operations on Florida's western coast." FBI history page.
  • 26 July 1981 — The FBI's story of March 13, 2008: "On July 26, 1981, he and his fellow wise guys" (Dominick Napolitano and his associates) "learned that Donnie Brasco ... was actually FBI Agent Joe Pistone." In 1988 Pistone testified: "we terminated the operation, I think it was July 27." FBI statement; testimony.
  • 1982 — Cerasani v. Sony Corp.: "Pistone told his story from the witness stand in a series of organized crime cases, beginning with the 1982 trial of United States v. Napolitano here in the Southern District of New York." Court opinion.
  • 13 October 1982 — FBI Director Webster's Georgetown lecture (NARA 118567890) describes, without naming him, the agent who "assumed his role six years ago. In his undercover role, he was known as 'Donnie Brasco.'" FBI Director's lecture.
  • January 1983 — Director Webster's statement of November 29, 1983 (S. Hrg. 98-914, p. 94): "Joe Pistone, our undercover Agent who led a dangerous double life for six years, received the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award last January." FBI Director's statement.
  • 26 February 1985 — The FBI's briefing outline on the Commission indictment (NARA 118568050) lists among the proofs "Testimony of UCAs (Pistone)." FBI document.
  • 22 April 1988 — Pistone's answers to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (S. Hrg. 100-906, pp. 207-217): "I had been proposed for membership, I was due to become a made member of the Bonanno family in December and we terminated the operation." He testified that Napolitano gave him a contract to find Bruno Indelicato, and that the FBI meant to "arrest him for his own protection." Testimony.

The two Seventh Circuit opinions describe his undercover work only as it bears on the Milwaukee cases. The Southern District of New York’s opinion in Cerasani v. Sony (1998) gives the court’s account of the whole operation and of his testimony at the 1982 trial. The FBI’s own pages and Director Webster’s statements of 1982 and 1983 are the Bureau’s accounts and are cited as such. His 1988 Senate answers are sworn testimony, not findings; where they differ from a court record, as on Bruno Indelicato’s sentence, this archive follows the court.

The FBI Vault’s Operation Donnie Brasco file, Part 01, says that investigation was opened in March 1980 on information from the Milwaukee and Tampa divisions. Its teletypes call him only “UCA,” the undercover agent, and redact his name. The full section is Donnie Brasco and the Bonanno cases. His memoir and the 1997 film are not sources here.

Records

itemCerasani v. Sony Corp., 991 F. Supp. 343 (S.D.N.Y. 1998)Judge Denny Chin dismisses a libel suit over the 1997 film "Donnie Brasco." In doing so the court sets out the federal record of the 1982 trial, stating that "In 1976, FBI Agent Joseph D. Pistone assumed the identity of Donnie Brasco ... and infiltrated the Bonanno Crime Family."itemUnited States v. Napolitano, 552 F. Supp. 465 (S.D.N.Y. 1982)Judge Robert W. Sweet's pretrial rulings of January to July 1982 in the RICO case against Dominick Napolitano, Benjamin Ruggiero and others, charged as members or associates of "the Bonanno Family of La Cosa Nostra." The opinion records that "Ruggiero had been told that an FBI agent, Donnie Brasco, had infiltrated his activities."itemUnited States v. Ruggiero, 754 F.2d 927 (11th Cir. 1985)The Eleventh Circuit rejects Benjamin Ruggiero's and John Cerasani's double-jeopardy challenge to a 1983 Florida RICO indictment. It summarizes the 1982 New York case, in which Ruggiero was convicted of RICO conspiracy and sentenced to fifteen years, and says "Ruggiero was a member of the 'crew' captained by Napolitano."itemFBI story, "Using Intel to Stop the Mob, Part 3" (March 13, 2008)The FBI's dated 2008 story on Joe Pistone. It says that on July 26, 1981 Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano and his associates learned that "Donnie Brasco" was an FBI agent, and that the operation "ultimately led to more than 100 federal convictions."itemFBI Tampa field office history: Operation COLDWATERThe FBI's history of its Tampa division says that in the late 1970s it began an undercover operation called COLDWATER, in which "New York FBI undercover agent Joe Pistone participated," and set up an undercover social club called King's Court.itemFBI history, "Crime and Corruption Across America, 1972-1988"The FBI's institutional history of 1972 to 1988 names "the courageous work of undercover agents like Joe Pistone—who almost became a 'made' Mafia member while gathering invaluable intelligence as 'Donnie Brasco' for nearly six years."itemWilliam H. Webster, Thomas F. Ryan Lecture, Georgetown University Law Center, October 13, 1982FBI Director Webster's lecture "The Informant, Electronic Surveillance, and the Undercover Agent," in a White House Counsel folder at the Reagan Library. Without naming him, he describes the agent who "assumed his role six years ago. In his undercover role, he was known as 'Donnie Brasco.'"itemStatement of FBI Director William H. Webster, November 29, 1983 (S. Hrg. 98-914, pp. 94-95)FBI Director Webster's statement to the President's Commission on Organized Crime, reprinted in a 1984 Senate hearing. He says undercover agent Joe Pistone "was able to work his way into the family's confidence" and that the investigation led to the convictions of "Benjamin Ruggiero, a capo in the New York Bonanno organized crime 'family,'" and two of his soldiers.itemFBI announcement and briefing outline, "LCN Commission Indictment," February 26, 1985The FBI's announcement of the Commission indictment, forwarded to John Roberts at the White House, lists "Philip Rastelli, Boss, Bonnano Family." Its briefing outline says the Commission "authorized the murders of" Galante, Coppola, Alphonse Indelicato, Trinchera, Giaccone and "Anthony Indelicato, solider," and lists "Testimony of UCAs (Pistone)."itemJoseph D. Pistone, answers to the subcommittee, April 22, 1988 (S. Hrg. 100-906, pp. 207-217)Pistone's answers to Senators Nunn and Roth after his opening statement, testifying behind a screen. He describes the 1979-1981 struggle "within the Bonanno family," the contract he was given to find Bruno Indelicato, and the end of the operation, "I think it was July 27."itemTestimony of FBI supervisor James Kossler on the GENUS project, 1988 (S. Hrg. 100-906, pp. 190-191)James Kossler of the FBI's New York division tells the Senate subcommittee that in 1981 the office chose to attack "the hierarchy and the infrastructure of the Bonanno LCN family." "This project was called the Genus Project."itemUnited States v. Balistrieri, 778 F.2d 1226 (7th Cir. 1985)Seventh Circuit opinion of November 20, 1985 affirming the extortion convictions of Frank, John and Joseph Balistrieri from an FBI sting in Milwaukee, in which an agent ran the Best Vending Company and was introduced to Frank Balistrieri through Benjamin Ruggiero, whom FBI agent Joseph Pistone ("Donnie Brasco") knew in New York.itemUnited States v. Balistrieri, 779 F.2d 1191 (7th Cir. 1985)Seventh Circuit opinion of November 12, 1985 affirming Frank Balistrieri's Milwaukee sports-gambling convictions, with the court's account of his attempts to disqualify the trial judge. It records no Las Vegas events.itemFBI Vault, Operation Donnie Brasco, Part 01 (1980-1982)Part 01 of the FBI Vault's "Operation Donnie Brasco" file: heavily redacted teletypes among the Brooklyn, Tampa, Milwaukee and headquarters offices. A teletype says the investigation "was instituted in March, 1980, based on information furnished by the Milwaukee Division" and the Tampa Division.itemTestimony of Joseph D. Pistone, former FBI Special Agent (22 April 1988)The retired FBI agent who worked undercover as "Donnie Brasco" testified from behind a screen that his undercover work began in September 1976, that he infiltrated the Colombo and then the Bonanno families, and that his testimony in over 10 trials resulted in more than 200 indictments and over 100 convictions.itemUnited States v. Ruggiero, 726 F.2d 913 (2d Cir. 1984)The Second Circuit reviewed Bonanno family RICO convictions arising from FBI agent Joseph Pistone's undercover work as "Donnie Brasco." It recounts statements made to Pistone, including Dominick Napolitano's after the May 1981 murders of three captains, and upholds their admission.itemUnited States v. Salerno, 868 F.2d 524 (2d Cir. 1989)Second Circuit opinion on the appeal from the Southern District of New York trial of Anthony Salerno and seven other defendants, decided January 31, 1989.itemFBI history: "Joe Pistone, Undercover Agent"FBI history page on Special Agent Joseph Pistone's undercover work as "Donnie Brasco" from 1976. It says the Bonanno crew learned on July 26, 1981 that Brasco was an FBI agent and that the operation "ultimately led to more than 100 federal convictions."itemJoe Pistone with Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, 1970s (FBI)FBI photograph of Special Agent Joe Pistone seated with Dominick Napolitano during the 1970s undercover investigation. An unidentified woman is also in the frame. A copy is stored here.itemJoe Pistone, undercover agent (FBI)FBI photograph of Special Agent Joe Pistone, captioned "Undercover agent Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco." Published on the FBI's history page on his undercover work.