Donnie Brasco: Inside the Bonanno Family
How did an undercover FBI agent infiltrate the Mafia for years unexposed?
4.5 (20)
150 mins
Joe Pistone, as “Donnie Brasco,” infiltrated the Bonanno crime family by posing as a criminal and earning deep mob trust. His undercover work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation led to major arrests after he was extracted in 1981.
Ep 1:
Becoming Donnie Brasco
Joe Pistone enters the FBI and is transferred to the New York hijack unit, where he volunteers for a deep undercover Mafia operation and undergoes gemology training to build a believable jewel-thief cover identity as “Donnie Brasco,” ultimately being positioned to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family.
Ep 2:
From Colombo to Bonanno
Joe Pistone enters Mafia circles through Jilly Greca, is introduced to the Bonanno crime family via Anthony Mirra, and later bonds with Lefty Ruggiero, whose trust allows Brasco to fully embed inside the organization.
Ep 3:
Inside the Bonanno Family
Joe Pistone, deep inside the Bonanno crime family, witnesses loansharking, power shifts after Carmine Galante’s murder, and violent internal hits, forcing the FBI to abort the operation before his identity is discovered.
Ep 4:
Exposure, Retribution and Legacy
Joe Pistone is pulled from the Bonanno crime family, triggering arrests, killings, and internal fallout as the Mafia realizes it was infiltrated for years. The aftermath leads to over 200 indictments and around 100 convictions, marking one of the most damaging undercover operations in FBI history.
Discussions (5)
Jared
Level 5 · 3 mo agoWell, I dunno… you call the Bonanno family a structured business, but I respectfully disagree. They are really just a bunch of violent men throwing lethal temper tantrums over bruised egos and cash 🤨
Claire
Level 2 · 3 mo agoLefty got played so hard.
Oliver
Level 9 · 3 mo agoThe Lefty situation is fucking brutal. He spent years mentoring and protecting the exact same guy that was methodically destroying his entire world.
