Making Jack Falcone: An Undercover FBI Agent Takes Down a Mafia Family

by Joaquin "Jack" Garcia, Michael Levin, Joaquín "Jack" García

Book Overview

"Petey Chops wasn't kicking up. And if he didn't start soon, he was going to get whacked." So beginsMaking Jack Falcone,the extraordinary true story of an undercover FBI agent's years-long investigation of the Gambinos, which resulted in a string of arrests that crippled the organized crime family.But long before Joaquin "Jack" Garcia found himself wearing a wire with some of the Mafia's top capos, he was one of the FBI's unlikeliest recruits. A Cuban-born...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416551638
• ISBN13: 9781416551638
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 263 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Amazing- and TRUE!

A fun and exciting first person account of an FBI undercover agent's infiltration of an infamous NYC mafia family. Another reviewer said it should be made into a movie. As I understand it, Paramount has acquired the rights to do just that. Reminiscent of the story of Donnie Brasco (which was made into a Johnny Depp movie) it is amazing how Jack Garcia was able to work several undercover cases- simultaneously- and it raises many questions about why the FBI shut down the case just before Jack was about to be a "made" man. Though the case was still able to bring dozens of mafia members to justice, more might have been done and those questions are not answered- but that is certainly not the author's fault. He seems evenhanded in expressing compliments and criticism to his higher-ups at the Bureau. Most interesting for readers is that, not only does the author provide insight into the inner workings of the mafia, but also what he had to do to engage them and, eventually, become part of their inner circle. Kind of like a fascinating look into the world of a real-life Tony Soprano.

Quick, Entertaining Read

Mr. Garcia doesn't glamorize the mob, but portrays them as the greedy thugs that they are. Still, it is an interesting read. I am going to try some of the Italian restaurants mentioned in the book when I am in the NY area.

If you love true crime...you will love this book!

I cruised through this book in two days. This book is a very fun read and his story is captivating. I'm a huge fan of true crime and mafia based stories and this one is definitely on the top of my list. Stephen Soderburg optioned his rights and is going to make a movie about him. Can't wait!

Great Read!

I bought "The Making of Jack Falcone" because I saw Mr. Garcia on 60 minutes..Talk about impressive! I ordered buy the book that night! I can tell you that 60 minutes didn't even scratch the surface of what this Giant of a Man accomplished! I consider the 60 Minutes piece a just teaser because there is so much more to his story then just taking down the Gambinos. When you read about all the other undercover personas that this Hero, (FYI consider anyone who puts the bad guys away to make us safe a Hero)it is just truely unbelivable! I couldn't put it down! From Drug Lords to Wise Guy's Agent Garcia could do it all. If he wasn't an FBI agent I think we would see him as an Oscar winning actor. Speaking of which I just read that they are doing a movie based on the book. If so I predict it wil be the next great Mob Classic film. Can't wait! I highly recommned this book!!It is a terrific read and flows nicely.. Even if you are not into Mob books,it is a great read about a truly unique indivudual!

RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "A MAFIA SMACK-DOWN IN BLOOMINGDALE'S!"

The author Jack Garcia has retired after twenty-six years as a special agent for the FBI. The preponderance of that time was spent undercover infiltrating every type of organized crime imaginable... drug distribution... weapon sales... jewelry theft... counterfeit money... counterfeit cigarettes... government corruption... police corruption... and in perhaps his greatest achievement of all... not only infiltrating the infamous Gambino Mafia crime family... but being next in line to be crowned a "MADE-MAN"... "A WISE GUY"... "A-KNOCK-AROUND-GUY... but then the FBI pulled the plug on the operation despite Jack's vociferous objections. Jack was only the second FBI agent to ever be accepted as a Mafia undercover "ASSOCIATE". The first was the legendary Joe Pistone: aka Donnie Brasco. What helped Jack be so successful in his undercover status, in addition to ice cubes in his veins and a giant pair of "brass-ones" was the fact that he just DID NOT LOOK LIKE AN FBI AGENT. The FBI has strict physical guidelines that must be met including a certain height and weight ratio. It took Jack two tries to make it into the FBI because of his weight. Jack was originally six-feet-four and two-hundred-fifty pounds. Jack was told he had to lose forty pounds and come back. Jack lost the weight... came back and made the cut... but that weight class would be a forgotten memory down the road. The FBI actually conducted a "MOB-SCHOOL" to teach potential undercover agents how to be a mobster. How to talk... how to walk... how to dress... proper slang... and... how to eat like a Mafioso. As Jack would learn firsthand, eating was almost a full-time job in the Mafia. So eat is what Jack did... and at one point his weight came very close to the FOUR-HUNDRED-FIFTY-POUND MARK! Like I said... he DID NOT look like an FBI agent. Jack's undercover name "FALCONE" was selected in honor of a "courageous Sicilian judge who had been murdered by the Mafia along with his wife and three police bodyguards a few years earlier. The FBI had honored Judge Falcone with a bronze bust at the FBI Academy because of his fortitude in his fight against the Italian Mafia." In addition to the sheer terror that Jack faced every day and night gaining influence in the Gambino family... additionally... it is an almost "IMPOSSIBLE-TO-BELIEVE" fact that he was *SIMULTANEOUSLY* working undercover in four other major cases... all with different persona's... in different parts of the country from Florida to New York... involving among other things the counterfeiting of United States one-hundred-dollar bills in North Korea using the same ink and the same paper as the U.S. Treasury. "In the eyes of the Secret Service, they were as good as real." "COUNTERFEIT MONEY POSES A GREATER THREAT THAN PRACTICALLY ANY OTHER CONTRABAND WHEN IT COMES TO NATIONAL SECURITY. IF NORTH KOREA FLOODED THE UNITED STATES WITH THESE FAKE BILLS, IT COULD TAKE DOWN THE ENTIRE U.S. ECONOMY. THESE BILLS WERE THAT GOOD." Meanwhile Jack "