Episode 090: John Terry – Philadelphia Mob, Ralph Natale and Ron Previte

Retired agent John Terry served 25 years with the FBI. After a short stint in the Richmond Division, John was assigned to the Philadelphia Division where he developed an expertise in working International White Collar Crime investigations involving sophisticated schemes conducted by organized crime groups from eastern Europe. After a few years he was moved to the Organized Crime Squad where he investigated the Philadelphia mob. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, John Terry reviews his investigation of Ralph Natale, the first sitting mob boss ever to cooperate with and testify for the FBI. John also talks about his relationship with informant Ron Previte, also known as the “Fat Rat.” John Terry was later promoted to supervise the Organized Crime Squad. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, John Terry was appointed as the FBI’s On-Scene Commander at the Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, where he managed  25 task force investigators from various federal agencies conducting counter-terrorism and terrorist financing investigations. Later in his Bureau career, John served as the program manager responsible for covert operations utilizing all aspects of physical security to include locks, alarms, and video surveillance systems in support of counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence and criminal investigations throughout the United States. Currently, John Terry is employed as the Global Manager of Compliance Investigations for Ingersoll Rand.

Supervisory Special Agent (Retired)

John Terry

2/9/1987 – 2/29/2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following are links to a video and newspaper articles about Ron Previte and Ralph Natale’s cooperation with the Philadephia FBI’s Organized Crime Squad:

Philadelphia Inquirer – Originally published  2/20/2001: From the archives: Key witness? Wiseguy Ron Previte

Mob Talk Sitdown 4: John Terry talks about the life and death of Philly mobster Ron Previte with Dave Schratwieser and George Anastasia.

Philadelphia Inquirer – August 29, 2017: Ron Previte, wiseguy informant who brought down Philly mob bosses, dead at 73. John Terry with Previte during his testimony about the status of organized crime in New Jersey before a State Commission of Investigations. (Photo Credit Jennifer Midberry, Philadelphia Daily News)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerri Williams

View posts by Jerri Williams
Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, jokes that she writes about the FBI to relive her glory days. After 26 years with the Bureau specializing in major economic fraud and corruption investigations, she calls on her professional encounters with scams and schemers to write police procedurals inspired by true crime FBI cases in her Philadelphia FBI Corruption Squad crime fiction series featuring flawed female FBI agent Kari Wheeler. Jerri’s FBI for Armchair Detectives nonfiction series enables readers to discover who the FBI is and what the FBI does by debunking misconceptions about the FBI in books, TV, and movies. Her books are available as ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks wherever books are sold. She’s also the host of FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast with more than 300 episodes available on all popular podcast apps and YouTube.

2 Comments

  1. carcan pascalNovember 7, 2017

    Still a beautiful story rewarding, and thank you for these beautiful pictures of the FBI Tour a dream for me.
    Pascal.

    Reply
    1. Jerri WilliamsNovember 7, 2017

      It was fun going back to FBIHQ. The FBI Experience is worth the trip to D.C. I hope you’ll get the chance to visit. John Terry was fantastic at explaining what’s required to do the job.

      Reply

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