Episode 021: John Ligato – Mob Guys and Strip Clubs

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In this episode, retired agent John Ligato reviews his eight-year role as a deep undercover agent, wherein he operated strip clubs in Memphis to gather evidence against bikers selling drugs and stolen property and in Cleveland in order to infiltrate the mob.

His efforts in Cleveland resulted in one of the Bureau’s largest and most significant public corruption cases involving members of law enforcement.

John Ligato served in the FBI for 20 years. He spent most of his career working organized crime and narcotics investigations. He was also a Bureau pilot for four years. John recently released a crime novel—Dirty Boys—about a group of former Marines with roles in law enforcement who uncover a terror plot that cannot be defeated by traditional methods.

Special Agent (Retired)

John Ligato

9/13/1982 – 01/03/2003

The following links are to newspaper articles about the FBI cases around the country that benefitted from John Ligato’s work as an undercover agent in the role of an owner/operator of strip clubs:

44 Officers are charged after Ohio sting operation

Expert Doubts Philly Mob’s Art Connection (Stolen Lamborghini mentioned toward end of article)

Learn more about how and why FBI investigations sometimes feature strip clubs:

The FBI and Strip Clubs?