This article appeared in the NJ Star ledger regarding Mike Russell and his book, Undercover Cop:
Tell-all book on infiltrating the mob may have some bullet-sized holes in it
Print By Dan Goldberg/The Star-Ledger
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on August 25, 2013 at 7:30 AM, updated August 25, 2013 at 4:21 PM

Mike Russell writes that he helped take down wiseguy Vincent 'The Chin' Gigante, who is pictured here. Russell is not in this photograph.
Star-Ledger file photo

As an undercover New Jersey state trooper, Mike Russell says he infiltrated the mob and brought down dozens of wiseguys, all after taking a .32-caliber bullet to the head. It is quite the tale told in "Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos," which was released Aug. 6.

Publisher's Weekly gave it a glowing review, writing, "This tell-all page-turner is all the better for being true."

Except it's not entirely true. Some important facts are at best stretched, at worst fabricated.

Mike Russell was never employed as a New Jersey state trooper, according to State Police Sgt. Brian Polite.

That isn't to say he didn't work with, or for, the State Police, but he was never a trooper as he claims on Page 3.
Nor was he ever a Newark cop, according to Newark Sgt. Ron Glover, as Russell claims to have been on Page 86.

Russell, in a phone interview from his home in Florida, acknowledged the error.

"The titles were bouncing all over the place," he said, but he maintained the crux of the story is about him and the mob, not the agency he worked for.

Speaking of titles, the book refers to Russell's State Police contact James "Big Jim" Sweeney as a Master Sergeant -- a rank that does not exist in the New Jersey State Police.

The crux of the story, if not the details, appears to be accurate. Russell, who says he was known as "Mikey Ga-Ga," was indeed influential in helping take down major figures in organized crime, said retired State Police Capt. Nick Oriolo, whose name is misspelled in the book.

Oriolo was his handler and described Russell's role as more akin to a confidential informant than a trooper. That doesn't diminish his importance in the case, the retired trooper said.

Russell did infiltrate the mob and did pass on valuable information, Oriolo said. But Oriolo estimates that only about 20 percent of the book is true. He does not recall Russell being shot in the head, which the book describes as a very emotional moment for the State Police sergeant, who was "blubbering" at Russell's bedside.

Oriolo remembers the scene differently. He remembers Russell being beat up almost beyond recognition, but not shot in the head.

"I never talked to (Russell's) wife about being shot," Oriolo said. "Real-life Sopranos? This reads more like his real-life fantasy."

Russell writes that the bullet, fired at point-blank range, did relatively little damage, entering his skull, bouncing off bone and exiting an inch above the entrance wound.

"Note to would be hitmen," he writes. "If you're going to whack someone, use a round that can kill."

The book is published by Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press, a division of Macmillan, and the publisher is standing by the story.

Mike Russell was shot in the head, said Joe Rinaldi, associate director of publicity at St. Martin's Press.

"Mike Russell's publisher has every reason to believe `Undercover Cop' is substantially accurate," Rinaldi said in an e-mail. "According to Mike Russell's account, which is consistent with the 1988 HBO documentary, Mike was a New Jersey cop who worked undercover for the New Jersey State Police. The main focus of his book is an undercover operation that resulted in numerous mobsters pleading guilty and doing jail time."

Inconsistencies

Except -- in many places -- the book is not consistent with the HBO documentary in which Russell said he was a truck driver before his undercover work began, not a Newark cop. The movie, which can be found on YouTube, finds Russell saying he received 60 stitches because of the bullet wound he suffered in 1980. In the book, it's down to 28 stitches and though the year isn't mentioned, it is implied that it is the mid '80s.

In the documentary, Russell says he was an East Orange cop before trying something else with his life. That part checks out. He was, in fact, an East Orange cop, though his stint with that local department is never mentioned in the book.

There are other inconsistencies between the documentary and the book as well. Talking to HBO cameras, Russell says he made contact with Andy Gerardo, a top man in the Genovese crime family, after coming upon him at the scene of an auto accident where he was being attacked by "two black guys."

In the book, the two black men are mugging Gerardo when Russell intervenes. In the documentary, this is the genesis of the undercover work. In the book, Russell has been on the job for months, looking for a way to infiltrate the mob.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/0 ... ld_up.html

I have The Godfather and the book at the Family Secrets trial, also have the ebook version of The Sixth Family but not sure if I could trade it as I think it is a locked down version. I wouldn't mind trading for the Anguilo book if anybody has it on the computer.

Good day gentlemen. I'm glad I found this site. I'm looking for some credible books to read.

I've read wiseguy, murder machine, donnie brasco, blood and honor, five families, man of honor (bonanno's book).

Anything New York, Philly, Chicago/Vegas would be what i'm looking for.

I ask because I know in this world there's a lot of nonsense and a lot of books and people that lack total credibility, so i'm trying to stick with books that people who know more about this than I do think are reputable (so basically I won't read anything by phillip carlo because his reputation is not good).

Also is there some place to share thoughts on specific books/stories? or Does it all get contained in this thread? I just finished blood and honor and obviously have many thoughts i'd like to discuss but am unsure where to take these opinions for discussion.

I liked, Underboss, Surviving the Mob, Five Families, The Velachi Papers, Boss of Bosses, Making Jack Falcone, The Westies, anything by Capeci.

I used to love rading books with guys i know in em... alot of new england reads... but the inconcistences make me sick to my dick... any wannabe junkie fool can write a book and claim these days.... i just dont bother...

Mark silverman being the junkiest joker out of all of them

hope some one runs into in his HVAC company truck and stick some sheet metal up his rear end....

Currently reading Deal With the Devil and I think its great.


Thinking of reading Five Families...worth it? From the few reviews I saw earlier in the thread looks like people enjoyed it.

Anybody got Underboss on their computer?

The Gravano book? I have it as a pdf file.

Looks good but for some reason they stripped the pictures out of it. Not sure why.

Pretty small file...only around 1.5 MB.

As far as Chicago/Vegas are concerned, check out Casino, the book the movie was based on and When the Mob Ran Vegas.



Five Families is the Bible of mafia books, so... yes, get it. I read my copy once a year.

Anyone have 'Making Jack Falcone'?

I just bought "Mob Boss: The Life of Little Al D'Arco, the Man Who Brought Down the Mafia" by Jerry Capeci on my kindle. Should be a great read today

i have it, good read...recommended

only thing is he makes himself to be the best undercover ever like they all do

Got the darco book hairy, he cousin put his name in when the books open in74 they had 20 spots to fill he.got nixed he says cause frank manzo nixed cause he was a ice cream scooper good read so far. He mad alot guys got made like the guy torty.

Yeah it's a great read. The SingSing segments are really intriguing so far. Can't wait to get to the Tony Ducks/Casso/Amuso parts.

The Quiet Don by Matt Birbeck. First true book on Russell Bufalino. Finished it yesterday...INCREDIBLE!

I too got it on Kindle and so far it looks like it's going to be a good one. Enjoy

Thanks, you too

Did it talk about Frank Sheehan banging his wife while Russel watched smoking a pipe

Not that I read!!! Sheerhan was obviously mentioned.

He ate dinner at Russel's a lot. Slept in his bed too.

I knew he was a very close confidant of Russell's, but sleeping in his bed? Where'd you get that info?

Looking forward to this book. Gaspipe insists that some of D'Arco's testimony is made up. Casso claims that the feds took his information and fed it to D'Arco to tell on the stand as if they were his experiences.

For the cheapos, like me, check out your local library. That's how I'm getting my copy.

reading D'Arco now

Alright finished darcos book. Nothing new. Find out alittle bout his son everything he tells has been written in the papers over 20yr. I thought al was gonna have stories nope he had a cousin,uncle who was a old powerfull soldier in the garment district. All rode his coattail.. Nepotism the guy told vario to put his name in 74 when the books open. All he did was arson for hire the guy never killed somone till 89 an he hit the guy wit a pipe neck shot guy. His kid was a dope fiend got made in 88 with the gemini twins senter n. Tester. Guy was weak so gas n vic killed bruno and mike salerno cause they were threats, stuck lil al in as acting boss and that was the end of brooklyn holding the power. Wish he talked more about the prince st guys they were the drug guys joe beck.

I´m still waiting for the book to arrive. Been under the impression the book is a good read. Well, we´ll see...

It is a good read if you haven't lived in a hole for 2o years and read all these newspaper articles with a magnifying glass.

Funny story from the book: Casso was at a restaurant and wanted to order the most expensive wine/champagne they had. So the waiter comes back with a $10 000 bottle and asks Casso if he wants it because he tells him if he pops it he'll have to pay for it. He says sure. Then Casso orders a glass of cola and while the waiter is watching pours the cola in the glass with champagne/wine and the waiter nearly fainted, lol.

Why would he nearly faint? Did he have to pay that money out of his own pocket? I'm assuming Casso didn't pay

Mixing Cola and wine/champagne is called Bamboos over here. But you do that only with cheap wine/champagne, not the expensive ones. Casso...the classy guy...

Yeah, Casso had a sick twisted humour. I won't spoil anything, but he was sort of funny, in a twisted cruel way.

this is dead on