Until the 1997 film Donnie Brasco was released, the story of FBI agent Joe Pistone remained relatively unknown. ‘Donnie Brasco’ was the alias that Agent Pistone (played by Johnny Depp) used to infiltrate the Mafia in New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The Mafia boss was played by none other than Al Pacino.As is usually the case with Hollywood adaptations, the true story of Pistone and his exploits were far more interesting than a single film can capture. Pistone and his operation played a key role in laying the groundwork for the FBI’s use of undercover agents in future operations.
Pistone grew up in working-class Paterson, New Jersey and spoke fluent Italian, both of which would come in handy later on in his FBI career. He joined the FBI in 1969 and helped break up a massive truck hijacking ring on the east coast by going undercover. His next undercover mission arrived in 1976… penetrate the powerful Bonanno crime family. Pistone’s Sicilian roots and his Jersey upbringing made him a good candidate to infiltrate the Mafia.
Pistone created a backstory and was reborn as Donnie Brasco, an expert jewel thief. The FBI erased Pistone’s entire identity and he simply disappeared into the underworld of organized crime in New York City in 1976. Pistone set his sights on Little Italy in Manhattan and began to make friends in…
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