Taking Down the Real Sopranos: How an Undercover Officer Infiltrated a New Jersey Mafia Family
Former New Jersey undercover officer Giovanni Rocco tells his story of infiltrating the DeCavalcante crime family, one of the inspirations for The Sopranos television series. Rocco successfully worked his way into the DeCavalcante hierarchy, collecting enough evidence to eviscerate the Mafia organization. Rocco describes dramatic moments and provides insights into the dangerous world he inhabited, which keeps him in hiding to this very day.
Giovanni Rocco was an undercover law enforcement officer who spent most of his twenty-six-year career as a member of state and federal task forces targeting organized crime. The culminating role of his service was the successful infiltration of one of America’s most violent and long-standing Mafia families. At the conclusion of this landmark investigation, Giovanni retired from law enforcement and moved his family to a location that remains undisclosed. Douglas Schofield holds degrees in history and law. He has worked for many years as a criminal trial lawyer, prosecuting and defending countless cases of serious crime and, more recently, conducting complex cross-border civil litigation. He has written several novels.
This program will take place in the Museum’s Historic Courtroom. A book signing in the Retail Store will follow.