How
do we cripple national and international organized crime syndicates that
strangle free enterprise and raise the level of violence, fraud, and corruption
in our cities? By using every capability and tool we’ve got: undercover
operations; surveillance; confidential sources; intelligence analysis and
sharing; forensic accounting; multi-agency investigations; and the power
of racketeering statutes that help us take down entire enterprises. We
also work closely with our international partners—in some cases,
swapping personnel—to build cases and disrupt syndicates with global
ties.
Thirty years ago, a major FBI investigation into organized crime on the eastern seaboard, code-named "UNIRAC" (for union racketeering), led to more than 110 convictions of union leaders and mobsters. It was a fascinating case, with our undercover operations exposing Mafia dealings in New York City saunas, and an important one, signaling a new investigative strategy that saw us start to target entire criminal enterprises instead of just individuals. Read the full story and listen to former Director Louis Freeh talk about his experiences in the case.