The Fbi's War Against the Mafia - by Frank Storey (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

With never-before-revealed information, the first-ever insider's account of how the FBI took down the Mafia's Five Families once and for all using RICO law, from their investigation's bold and brilliant inception to its epic, history-making endgame--revealed by the then-untested agent who controlled the investigation that ultimately led to the convictions of the top ranks of Cosa Nostra . . .

For over 50 years, the families Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Bonanno, and Colombo controlled organized criminal activities throughout the country. Overseen and held in check by the New York Mafia Commission, they operated without impunity. Until 1981, when Joe Pistone emerged from his six-year undercover infiltration of the Bonanno family as Mob associate "Donnie Brasco." It was then that Frank Storey, a newly assigned FBI agent spearheading Mafia investigations in New York, recognized the potential for wiping out the scourge of the Five Families once and for all.

Directing a band of 140 young and relatively inexperienced agents who would become the FBI's game changers, Storey implemented the RICO law--the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Under his directives, they created an effectively groundbreaking playbook in the fight against organized crime.

Through undercover infiltration and surveillance, they investigated over 70 murders committed by the Mafia, including that of Paul Castellano, boss of the Gambino family. Besides gathering vital witnesses, they developed the necessary evidence to record court-authorized conversations of the Mafia bosses, which revealed the specifics of their illegal activities. The task would prove formidable and dangerous--and would take its toll on the personal lives of the agents themselves.

For the first time, and with never-before-revealed information, the full story of the dismantling of the Commission is told by the one man behind the unprecedented investigation that ended the criminal reign of the Five Families--and the Mafia's bosses of all bosses--forever.

Review Quotes

Praise for The FBI's War Against the Mafia by Frank Storey

"A must-read for those who want not only a clearer understanding of the Mafia but also an insider's view of the inner workings of the FBI and how they conduct investigations of this magnitude." --Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco, former undercover FBI agent and author of Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia and The Bonannos: A Century of Murder

"Frank Storey contributes a vital chapter to the history of the Mafia and law enforcement's perpetual war, revealing how he took down the Mob in New York and Philadelphia and laid the groundwork for the systemic dismantling of organized crime nationwide." --Louis Ferrante, internationally bestselling author of the Borgata Trilogy

"Frank Storey's own career narrative is an amazing tale all on its own, even before he tells how he was tasked to lead a multinational effort to take down the Five Families of the Mafia Commission. It's fine storytelling, personal yet professional, a brick-by-brick breakdown of the FBI's final victory over the most notorious mobsters of the last century. A must-read!" --Charles Bufalino, author of Bufalino: Revelations of a Mafia Family, the Teamsters, and the Final Resting Place of Jimmy Hoffa

"One of the best and most detailed accounts of FBI work penetrating the American Mafia. If you enjoyed John Gleeson's The Gotti Wars and Jack García's Making Jack Falcone, you'll surely enjoy this book. It's extremely well written and entertaining." --RJ Roger, author of The Don: 36 Rules of the Bosses

"The FBI's War Against the Mafia is a true account of how a young FBI executive led a group of dedicated agents in their fight against the five Mafia families in New York and other cities throughout the country. Their efforts also extended internationally and assisted Italian Judge Giovanni Falcone in his investigation of the Sicilian Mafia. Through their efforts, the Mafia suffered a crippling blow to their illegal operations." --Floyd Clarke, Acting Director (Retired), FBI

"Frank Storey implemented a strategy that became the FBI's most successful weapon in fighting organized crime. In this fascinating and insightful account of the investigations he directed against the Mafia, particularly in New York, he explains how the evolution of his unique approach took down the bosses of the Five Families and led to the neutralization of the Commission, which ruled all Mafia organizations throughout the country. The battle plan he developed became the FBI's standard in conducting investigations of organized criminal enterprises." --Thomas Sheer, Assistant Director (Retired), FBI

About the Author

Frank Storey is a former FBI agent who spent over 25 years investigating, managing, and developing strategic plans to eliminate the Mafia. As agent in charge of the organized crime program in New York, he directed a workforce of over 140 agents that dismantled the Mob by adopting a new investigative solution that for the first time addressed the Commission as a continuing criminal enterprise utilizing the RICO statute. He also directed the Pizza Connection case, was a supervisor in the Philadelphia Office and directed the case that led to the indictments and convictions of Angelo Bruno's crime family, and supervised the UNIRAC investigation, which was the most significant labor racketeering investigation ever conducted by the FBI, who then institutionally adopted this approach for all similar investigations. After completing the New York Commission investigation, Storey was promoted to the position of Chief of the Organized Crime Section at FBI Headquarters and was responsible for overseeing major investigations throughout the country. He developed the FBI's National Drug Strategy, which established a national program to investigate illegal drug organizations. During his tenure with the FBI, his peers and superiors considered him the foremost expert in developing strategic plans in the investigation of organized crime enterprises. He retired from the FBI while serving as deputy assistant director in charge of the New York Division. He has appeared on PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and The Charlie Rose Show, and numerous cases he managed have been covered by many news outlets.