Everyone has heard of it, and Hollywood has made many movies that include it. Alas the Hollywood version is far from the real truth. The movie The Pelican Brief would have us believe that someone in the program merely steps into a private Gulfstream jet with a sackful of money and is whisked away to some idyllic location.
Sorry folks, that is not how it works!
For many reasons there are few people that have been through the process that are willing to talk about it. If you are in it, you certainly don’t want to brag about it. If you have opted out there are also good reasons to keep quiet. It is entirely possible that whoever you are being ‘protected from’ might knock on your door.
One person who has seen both sides of the coin is ex Gambino crime family member Andrew DiDonato. In 1997 he was faced with a tough decision, he had been on the run for 17 months, running not only from the Feds, but the Gambino family itself. There was a price on his head. To keep running merely delayed the inevitable, and that was death. The only question was would he die in jail, shanked by a fellow inmate, or die at the hands of a hired gun?
Andrew is not a stupid man, and with options like these he decided to turn Government Witness.
He has decided to talk to me about the Witness Protection Program, although obviously some details have to remain ‘in camera’ he has agreed to discuss the subject in generalities and some specifics.
not everyone needs a new identity, they just need a new start
Generally that involves moving from one state to another. It is a relatively simple process. Some people however do need a new identity, and that process is a different animal altogether.
Today’s wired world has made the situation even more complex. You can’t just ‘cook up’ a new drivers license with a new name on it. There is so much more that has to be done, and as Andrew says:
It has to be done legally
The name change, the SSI number, and all sorts of other documentation.
In fact on the phone with Andrew yesterday he told me a great story. To get his new life started he needed to have a bank account. So armed with his new credentials he headed for his bank of choice. They were happy to see him and all of the paperwork was filled out (well computer paperwork), suddenly he finds himself surrounded by bank security guards. “what is the problem” he asks. “This Social Security Number has not be activated” is the terse reply.
Oops! He is forced to call the US Marshalls and they extract him from the bank! They tell him to wait 3 months before using the SSN again.
It is hard to get a job at the best of times, but here was a man with a real problem, no resume (that could be used), no SSN that was valid, no bank account, and no history. That’s a hard road to hoe.
Andrew DiDonato finally opted out of the Witness Protection Program, as indeed several others have. I posed the question to him “Are you not worried that your enemies might seek retribution”?
His answer surprised me, yet I have heard it before from someone else in the program:
We all have a time to die, if it is my day, then it is my day
For those of you who do not recognize the name Andrew DiDonato he was a cog in the Gambino crime family wheel. His just released DVD Surviving The Mob is well worth watching.
BNN will be bringing some more behind the scenes stories about the Witness Protection Program in the coming days. We are also working on some current Gambino family issues, 14 of them have been busted on not just the regular RICO crimes, they are accused of running an under age prostitution operation on Craigslist.
Simon Barrett
10 users commented in " Inside The Witness Protection Program "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackWhen I lived in vegas I knew a lady in witness protection..they moved her to vegas, trained her to be a dealer and set her up working in a major casino, hi-roller area. She made over 6 figures a year in tips. Her husband was a major smuggler. true story.
hi simon hi jannie
1st!
why didn’t my comment post?
Ummm… sorry OJ’s glove, it went into moderation for some reason, but I accepted it and it is there now.
Jan Barrett
I’ll try again..
I knew a lady in WP when I lived in vegas.
she was set up in a major casino with a hi paying job courtesy fbi.
hmmmmmmmmmmmm ok
It truly would be a hard change,unless your a traveling person anyway.It would be nice to make a new life for your self,if your faced with this type danger.
But leaving some behind that you love,an not being able to contact them would be hard,also if a wife/or husband decided they didnt want to go with you,down that road.
Im sure the getting straight part has to be hard,like with SSN,an ID,an such.But if an error was made with the first number/why couldnt the Goverment just place you with another SSN,an Id.? so many Illegals can get them,why not the Goverment?
I guess easer said than done.An if all the players are in prison for life,an the crime family has decenigrated,would it truly be safe to come out of the program? Even if you went to another City.Does the Goverment contenue to dicktate what a person can,or can not do while in the Program? How do you get out of it? Just laeve,or call them an say hey im gone?
I never thought it went down like the movies.But i did think they provided,the person hiding a Home,an a car,new ID,an then they go from there,an life out their life where ever they were placed. Them working of course,for bill money,food,electric,ins,an such.
Interesting story Simon.
very interesting article simon , but i dont think ojs glove above gets it , the f.b.i have nothing to do with witness protection program, also i would like to know what percentages of former criminals succeed in the transition , starting over with all those obsticles sounds like a hard mountain to climb .
really? ok I assumed it was fbi..
its the United States Marshals Service..
happy now?
geezz, some people.
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Do people ever choose to leave the witness protection program?
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