Pistone stated that he would have become a made member of the Bonanno family if he had murdered capo Phillip Giaccone in December 1981. It is based on the 1988 nonfiction book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia by Joseph D. Pistone.. Pistone was an FBI agent for 27 years and is considered to be an FBI legend. He also said that he did not perspire under pressure and was aware of the Mafia's codes of conduct and system.

At the same time that Pistone was investigating the Bonanno crime family, Bob Delaney of the New Jersey State Police, under the ruse of "Bobby Covert" and also known as "Bobby Smash", began investigating the New Jersey organized crime scene. Ruggiero was to be killed as well, but was arrested by the FBI while on his way to a meeting, in order to prevent his death. Pistone's operation was ordered ended after six years undercover. The hit was called off, but Pistone was later contracted to murder "Sonny Red" Alphonse Indelicato's son, Anthony Indelicato, who previously evaded a meeting which left Indelicato, Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera dead. [1] The book was re-released in a second edition the same year the film was released. Brasco struggles in his personal life because he does not see his real family often, spending months without seeing his wife and three daughters. Louis DiGiaimo, a casting director who worked on The Godfatherand a childhood friend of Pistone, consulted on the book and film. Pistone is featured in the eighth episode of UK history TV channel Yesterday's documentary series Mafia's Greatest Hits. ISBN 0-340-66637-4) is a 1988 autobiographical crime book written by Joseph D. Pistone (assisted by Richard Woodley) about his story as an FBI agent going undercover and infiltrating the Mafia. Anthony Mirra, who initially brought Donnie Brasco into the family, was also killed. Donnie Brasco is a 1997 American crime drama movie directed by Mike Newell. Since only a few people knew of Pistone's real identity, FBI and NYPD investigations had Pistone down as an actual Mafia associate called Don Brasco. Pistone was selected to be an undercover agent because he was of Sicilian heritage, fluent in Italian and acquainted with the mob from growing up in New Jersey. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Donnie Brasco is a 1997 American crime drama movie directed by Mike Newell.It stars Al Pacino and Johnny Depp. After the success of the operation, the FBI and Pistone consider going undercover and infiltrating truck hijacking gangs and the Mafia. When the Mafia Commission Trial saw the top leadership of the Five Families sent to prison, the Bonanno family was the only major family whose leadership was not decimated because the family had been kicked off the Commission. Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, and Anne Heche appeared in supporting roles. The Bonannos, particularly captain Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, are happy with Brasco's work and are prepared to sponsor him for membership into the mafia. The boss who led that resurgence, Joseph Massino, was convicted in 2004 of ordering Napolitano to be killed for allowing Pistone into the family. It is based on the 1988 nonfiction book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia by Joseph D. It stars Al Pacino and Johnny Depp. Brasco decides it would be a better choice for the operation to go with Mirra, so he starts hanging out more with Mirra. It was by doing this that Ruggiero inadvertently provided much evidence to Pistone, as Mafia members will not normally talk to non-members about the inner workings of the Mafia. He has also written several works of fiction such as Deep Cover, Mobbed Up and Snake Eyes. Pistone detailed his undercover experience in his 1988 book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia. The evidence collected by Pistone led to over 200 indictments and over 100 convictions of Mafia members. Pistone was selected to be an undercover agent because he was of Sicilian heritage, fluent in Italian and acquainted with the mob from growing up in New Jersey. As of 2019, according to former Captain in the Colombo crime family Michael Franzese, the American Mafia increased the murder contract on Pistone to $2 million. A Secrets of the Dead episode, "Gangland Graveyard," features Pistone and his infiltration of the Mafia as part of the long-running investigation into the murder of three Mafia captains by Massino. Pistone stated that it was not the original aim to penetrate the Mafia; rather, the focus was to be on a group of people fencing stolen property from the large number of truck hijackings taking place each day in New York (five to six a day). He wanted to continue at least until he became a made man; he believed Napolitano would lie about him "making his bones," participating in a mafia-ordered hit to prove his loyalty, and felt the FBI would never again have the opportunity to humiliate the Mafia by revealing that an agent had been inducted into the ranks.

After months of preparation, the FBI erases Pistone's personal history and he goes undercover as Donald Brasco, an expert jewel thief from Miami, Florida. Pistone was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Paterson, New Jersey. He graduated from Paterson State College (now William Paterson University) with a B.A. In 1997, the book was made into a feature film titled Donnie Brasco, starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. The operation pays off when the FBI arrests one of the largest and most profitable theft rings in history.[2]. Pistone wants to stay at least until he gets "made", in order to prove that the mafia is not invincible.
[4], To become a made man, Brasco is ordered to kill Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato, although Bruno has fled New York. Although the infiltration of Donnie Brasco nearly destroyed the Bonanno family, it later became a blessing in disguise for the family. https://mafia.wikia.org/wiki/Joseph_D._Pistone?oldid=40999. Franzese has stated that the Five Families has paid millions of dollars to dozens of Federal Agents, private detectives, contract killers, professional assassins, and U.S. Marshalls around the country just to find Pistone and kill him. By dodging this bullet, the family kept its leadership intact and was able to consolidate its power once again. He first goes undercover to infiltrate a theft ring. He is responsible for several lucrative business ventures, including the Kings Court Bottle Club in Florida, which begins a good relationship with the Bonannos and Santo Trafficante. He also said that he did not perspire under pressure and was aware of the Mafia's codes of conduct and system. Through Mirra, Brasco meets another Bonanno soldier called Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero. He moves on to Jilly Greca's crew, who are associates in the Colombo crime family. Donnie Brasco is a crime drama staring Al Pacino (Lefty), and Johnny Depp (Donnie) set in the Mafia gangland of 1970's New York. In 2008, Italian artist Rossella Biscotti interviewed Pistone in her video The Undercover Man. Pistone joined the FBI in 1969; after serving in a variety of roles, he was transferred to New York in 1974 and assigned to the truck hijacking squad. Only after Pistone departed did FBI agents Doug Fencl, Jim Kinne and Jerry Loar inform Napolitano and Ruggiero that their longtime associate was an FBI agent. Franzese also stated that the Five Families came very close to murdering Pistone several different times. A play based on Donnie Brasco opened at the Pennsylvania Playhouse. [3] A family dispute breaks out over who "owns" Donnie Brasco.

Hanging out at known crime spots, such as bars and social clubs, he eventually befriends a bartender and joins a crime gang.

Operation Donnie Brasco leads to more than 200 indictments and over 100 convictions of mafia members. Shortly thereafter, Napolitano was murdered for having allowed an FBI agent to infiltrate the family; he was shot dead and his hands were cut off. The operation was given the code name \"Sun-Apple\" after the locations of its two simultaneous operations: Miami (\"Sunny Miami\") and New York (\"The Big Apple\"). However, in the book Unfinished Business, he said that he went to New York while working as a consultant on the movie Donnie Brasco and mentions that some people recognized him. In September 1976, Pistone walked out of the FBI office and did not return for the next six years. In 1997, the book was made into a feature film titled Donnie Brasco, starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. He will not set foot in any location with high Mafia presence. Ruggiero became very close friends with Pistone and told him that he would "die with him". The name Donald ("Donnie") Brasco was chosen to be Pistone's alias. He has served as an executive producer on movies relating to the Mafia, including the 2006 film 10th & Wolf. After six years undercover, the operation becomes increasingly dangerous. The Mafia put out a $500,000 open contract on Pistone and his family, and the American Mafia kicked the Bonanno family off the Commission. ISBN 0-340-66637-4) is a 1988 autobiographical crime book written by Joseph D. Pistone (assisted by Richard Woodley) about his story as an FBI agent going undercover and infiltrating the Mafia. His penetration of the group led to the arrest of over 30 people along the Eastern Seaboard in February 1976 - described at the time as one of the largest and most profitable theft rings ever broken in America. Joseph Dominick Pistone, alias Donnie Brasco, (born September 17, 1939), is a former FBI agent who worked undercover for six years infiltrating the Bonanno crime family and to a lesser extent the Colombo crime family, two of the Five Families of the American Mafia in New York City. Sonny didn't have any ill feelings toward you." in elementary education social studies in 1965, then worked as a teacher for one year before taking a position at the Office of Naval Intelligence. There are six weeks left until Brasco is revealed to be an FBI agent. His co-workers, friends, and informants had no idea what had happened to him. Napolitano's girlfriend Judy later contacted Pistone and told him, "Donnie, I always knew that you weren't cut out for that world because you carried yourself different, you had an air of intelligence, you know? When Mirra is sent back to prison, Brasco and Lefty become close friends.

Mirra claims he owns him since he brought him in, Lefty says he owns him because he was the first to put a claim on him, and Sonny Black as the captain says Brasco belongs to him.

It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. An imposing mafia hit man, one Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero needs some advice on a jewel he as been given as collateral. Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia (Hodder & Stoughton. The book was the basis for the critically acclaimed 1997 film Donnie Brasco, starring Johnny Depp as Pistone and Al Pacino as "Lefty" Ruggiero, and for the short-lived 2000 TV series Falcone, starring Jason Gedrick as Pistone (whose mob alias was changed from "Donnie Brasco" to "Joe Falcone" for copyright reasons).