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In this episode, retired legendary undercover agent Joaquin “Jack” Garcia shares his thoughts about being honored on November 21, 2024, by the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) as their Distinguished Service Honoree and, reviews his early undercover roles and his last assignment infiltrating the New York mob as “Jack Falcone,” during a replay of his first interview on FBI Retired Case File Review.
The G-Man Honors event benefits the FBIAA’s two charitable funds – the Memorial College Fund and the Membership Assistance Fund, and makes a difference in the lives of Agents and their families. Thank you!
Support the FBIAA’s two charitable funds by texting FBIAA to 50155 or visit the FBIAA Ways to donate page.
FBI Director Wray Delivers Remarks at FBI Agents Association’s G-Man Honors Dinner
Special Agent (Retired)
Joaquin “Jack” Garcia
1980 – 2006
“When you start to wonder if you can trust someone or not, that’s when you already know you don’t. So even though they pat you down and find nothing, do you think that distrust is going to go away?”—Retired Agent Jack Garcia
Jack Garcia served in the FBI for 26 years. During his career, he was assigned to the Newark, San Juan, Philadelphia, and New York Divisions. However, for 24 out of his 26 years of service, he traveled all around the country successfully working undercover in over 100 FBI operations.
During this UCA role, Jack played a self-described Sicilian jewel thief and drug dealer from Miami, Florida. In New York, after gaining the trust of mobster Greg DePalma, Jack was able to penetrate the Gambino crime family for nearly three years. The case resulted in the arrest and conviction of 35 mobsters, including the top members of the Gambino crime family.
Jack played his undercover role so convincingly that he was proposed for membership into La Cosa Nostra.
Jack Garcia’s history as an undercover agent is extensive. He is also renowned for his roles in successful cases against corrupt politicians in Atlantic City, New Jersey; corrupt police officers in the Hollywood Police Department, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office; Boston Police Department and in the San Juan, Puerto Rico Police Department. He has also worked undercover against hundreds of drug dealers and leaders of both Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, while posing as either a money launderer, transporter or trafficker. He has done undercover work on national and international terrorism cases as well as National Security investigations. Garcia has also worked undercover against Russian and Asian organized crime groups and several Murder For Hire Investigations. Most remarkably, Garcia worked on many of these cases simultaneously as he juggled his various undercover identities and roles.
Jack is a guest speaker and lecturer at the FBI Academy, the FBI National Academy, and the FBI Citizens Academy on Sensitive Operations and Undercover Agent Training.
He has appeared on 60 Minutes, the Investigative Discovery Channel, CBS Evening News, CBS Early Show, and on Fox’s Good Day New York.
Jack is author of the New York Times bestseller, “Making Jack Falcone,” where he tells the incredible true story of his attempt to become only the second agent (after “Donnie Brasco”) to become a made man in the Mafia.
His story has been optioned by Paramount Studios for a feature film with Academy award Director Steven Soderbergh and Actor, Benicio Deltoro.
The following are links to articles about FBI undercover agent Jack Garcia and some of the cases he worked:
CBS Early Show (VIDEO) – 10/13/2008: FBI Agent Sang To Beat The Mob
New York Sun – 3/1/2007: Meet the FBI’s ‘Best Undercover Agent’
The Mob Museum – TOP 5 UNDERCOVER AGENTS WHO INFILTRATED THE MOB
How Do I Become A… – 8/07/2012: THE 10 GREATEST FBI AGENTS IN HISTORY
New York Post – 5/16/2007: ‘BRASCO’ FED’S INSIDE STORY DINED WITH MARIAH AS HE FOOLED MOB
New York Post – 7/25/2005: STEAMED MUSCLE – MOB EXTORTED POSH GREENWICH EATERY
New York Post – 5/17/2006: G-MAN HAD IT ‘MADE’ – CAPO EYED HIM FOR MOB
New York Times – 4/21/2006: Guilty Plea Is New Blow to the Once-Feared Gambinos
Miami New Times – 8/27/1998: Right Out of a Movie
Philadelphia Inquirer – 5/7/1992: Cocaine ring with Colombian ties destroyed federal officials claim
Jack Garcia’s expertise as an undercover agent was discussed during these past episodes:
134: Michael J. Anderson – Juror Bribery, Obstruction of Justice
198: James Gagliano – Going Undercover, Living the Dream
Images from the FBIAA G-Man Honors Salute To Heroes dinner and from Jack’s amazing FBI undercover career:
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