635: Joe Barone | Living in Dread Between the Mob and the Feds Part Two

FBI Deals

Joe Barone's collaboration with the FBI was fraught with ethical dilemmas and challenges. He recounts how the FBI allowed him to engage in illegal activities under the guise of maintaining his cover, often leaving him in precarious situations. Joe explains, "They gave it to me, once, in front of another FBI agent," highlighting the implicit approval for actions that were technically illegal 1. Despite the risks, Joe's work with the FBI was not financially rewarding, as he was reimbursed minimally for his expenses, contrasting sharply with the potential earnings from his previous life in the mafia 2.

   

Legal Struggles

Joe faced significant legal challenges due to his role as an informant, including betrayal and arrest. After his long-time handler retired, Joe was arrested on false charges of a murder-for-hire plot, a situation he describes as a betrayal by the FBI 3. He shares the harrowing experience of surviving prison, where he was exposed as a cooperator and subjected to harsh conditions, including contracting MRSA and undergoing surgery without anesthesia 4. Joe's legal battles were intense, but he ultimately prevailed, with the government dropping charges in a case he describes as flimsy and unjust 5.