Former FBI Agent Reveals Dangers of Undercover Mafia and Cartel Work

Joaquin Garcia spent 24 years infiltrating criminal organizations, but fears the Mexican cartels most.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Joaquin Garcia, a former FBI agent, spent 24 of his 26 years with the agency working undercover, infiltrating the Italian Mafia, Mexican and Colombian cartels, Russian and Asian organized crime groups, and more. While his work with the mafia required cultural immersion, his cartel investigations focused on narcotics trafficking and large-scale drug transactions. Garcia says he feared the Mexican cartels the most, as they are "simply brutal" and engage in extreme violence like beheadings and hanging people from bridges, unlike the mafia's more structured chain of command and accountability.

Why it matters

Garcia's experiences highlight the significant risks and dangers that FBI agents face when working undercover to infiltrate some of the world's most dangerous criminal organizations. His insights provide a rare firsthand look at the stark differences between the Italian mafia and Mexican drug cartels, and the unique challenges agents must navigate when embedding themselves in these illicit networks.

The details

During his time undercover, Garcia became the driver and close confidant of a Gambino crime family captain, requiring him to create a Sicilian backstory and go through "mob school" to learn Italian customs and pronunciations. In contrast, his cartel investigations focused more on his ability to move drugs and money rather than cultural immersion. Garcia recounted a tense drug deal where nine additional cartel members unexpectedly showed up, forcing him to quickly call in the FBI for backup. While the mafia had a strict chain of command and accountability, Garcia says the cartels' brutality, including beheadings and hanging victims from bridges, far exceeded anything he witnessed from the Italian mob.

  • From 2002 to 2005, Garcia embedded himself inside the Gambino crime family as "Jack Falcone".
  • Garcia retired from the FBI in 2006 after 26 years of service.
  • In 2024, Garcia received the FBI Agents Association Distinguished Service Award.

The players

Joaquin Garcia

A former FBI agent who spent 24 of his 26 years with the agency working undercover, infiltrating various criminal organizations including the Italian Mafia and Mexican drug cartels.

Greg DePalma

A Gambino crime family captain that Garcia became the driver and close confidant of while undercover.

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What they’re saying

“Mexican cartels are just simply brutal.”

— Joaquin Garcia, Former FBI Agent (Business Insider)

“You had to make sure your i's were dotted, and your t's were crossed because one slight move, then you're in the back of a trunk of a car.”

— Joaquin Garcia, Former FBI Agent (Business Insider)

“They'll come after your whole family.”

— Joaquin Garcia, Former FBI Agent (Business Insider)

What’s next

Garcia has co-written a memoir, "Making Jack Falcone: An Undercover FBI Agent Takes Down a Mafia Family," which became a New York Times bestseller. He has also received the FBI Agents Association Distinguished Service Award in 2024.

The takeaway

Garcia's experiences provide a rare firsthand account of the stark differences between the structured hierarchy and accountability of the Italian mafia compared to the extreme brutality and violence of Mexican drug cartels, highlighting the immense risks and dangers that FBI agents face when working undercover to infiltrate these powerful criminal organizations.