How infiltrating the mafia actually works, according to a former FBI agent

"Garcia talks to Business Insider about his unconventional entry into the FBI, including challenges with his weight and Cuban background. He discusses the 'mob school' he attended to learn about the mannerisms and foods of New York's Italian mafia."

"Garcia's close relationship with the Gambino captain Greg DePalma and key events such as a violent assault in a Bloomingdale's led to the indictment of 32 mobsters. He recounts being proposed for membership in the family before the FBI prematurely ended the investigation."

"He contrasts the romanticized Italian mob with the greater brutality of drug cartels and discusses other major cases he worked, including police corruption in Hollywood, Florida, and Boston."

Joaquin 'Jack' Garcia, a retired FBI agent, spent 24 of his 26 years in the bureau working undercover. He infiltrated the Gambino crime family for three years under the alias 'Jack Falcone,' developing a close relationship with captain Greg DePalma. Garcia attended specialized training to master Italian mafia mannerisms and cultural knowledge. A violent assault incident at Bloomingdale's became pivotal evidence leading to the indictment of 32 mobsters. Garcia was proposed for family membership before the FBI ended the investigation. He later worked major cases involving police corruption in multiple cities and contrasted Italian mob operations with drug cartel brutality. After retiring in 2006, Garcia authored the New York Times bestseller 'Making Jack Falcone.'

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