FBI on The Sopranos
Encyclopedia
A major plotline on the fictional HBO drama The Sopranos
has been the Federal Bureau of Investigation
's (FBI's) ongoing pursuit of the DiMeo
(New Jersey) and Lupertazzi (Brooklyn) crime families. The Bureau's investigations have met with varying degrees of success. This article lists both characters who have acted as FBI informants and FBI agent characters and as such is an expansion of the main article List of characters from The Sopranos.
FBI chief of New Jersey division who is constantly looking for new insight on the ongoing Soprano/DiMeo case. He successfully coordinates a mission to put the Soprano residence under surveillance by the use of an old lamp in their basement. The operation ends when Meadow takes the old lamp to college. He also pressures Adriana La Cerva
into wearing a wire which leads to her confession and death. When Agent Sanseverino worries after Adriana disappears, Cubitoso decides it is time to move on. He also was the agent whose idea it was to bug Green Grove Retirement Community when Tony Soprano and several other Dimeo family capos move in their mothers, despite other agents skepticism.
Agent Harris' new partner in Counter Terrorism.
An agent who handled Eugene Pontecervo before his suicide.
An FBI agent who handled mob capo Raymond Curto. During a raid on the Soprano residence, Grasso broke a bowl from the kitchen refrigerator. Immediately after, he and Tony developed a grudge when Tony noted his last name and insulted him in Italian. He is an homage to famous New York City Detective Sonny Grosso
who helped reveal the French Connection
.
An FBI agent who handled Big Pussy Bonpensiero. When Pussy begins to confide more and more to Skip as a friend, Skip tries to tell him that he is not his friend and he is there to help the federal government. Chief Cubitoso warns Lipari that he could be risking getting too close to Bonpensiero himself. Lipari may have suspected that Bonpensiero was involved in the Matthew Bevilaqua
murder, but apparently did not report it. Skip says that his father was a plumber.
Agent Harris' partner from 2000 to 2001 while working on the Soprano/DiMeo crime family investigation.
An FBI agent who handled Adriana La Cerva
after she became very resentful against Agent Ciccerone. Agent Sanseverino explains to Adriana that she became an FBI agent because her sister was paralyzed by her boyfriend's reckless use of a gun. In order to take a stand against men like him, she became an agent. She has a daughter who was unknown to Adriana. She also handled capo Raymond Curto just before his death from natural causes.
Agent sometimes present at meetings about the Soprano/DiMeo crime family investigation.
A special agent who went undercover as "Danielle" to befriend Adriana and to find out information about Christopher Moltisanti's relationship with Tony Soprano. She poses as a wealthy hopeful trophy wife girlfriend or mistress. Her usefulness as an undercover agent ended after Christopher made a pass at her causing Adriana to break off their relationship. However, she continued to work on the Soprano task force.
Husband and fellow FBI agent of Deborah Ciccerone Waldrup. Takes care of their baby when Deborah talks to Adriana on a special phone line.
Instrumental in placing a listening device in Tony Soprano's basement hidden inside a lamp. Later involved in monitoring this device until it was unwittingly neutralized by Meadow Soprano as she removed it from the house. Throughout the show he usually dons disguises as a plumber, air conditioning repair man, hydro department employee or gardener.
has been a major target of the FBI throughout the run of the series. At the end of Season One, the titular head of the DiMeo family was indicted on federal racketeering charges, partly on information derived from snitch Jimmy Altieri. The Bureau attempted to flip Junior and get him to testify that his nephew, Tony Soprano
, was the street boss and, in fact, the de facto head of the family. However, being both "old school" and loath to admit that his nephew held the real power, Junior refused. Junior's trial unfolded over the ensuing three seasons of the series.
In season four the FBI inserted an agent into Junior's physicians office as a nurse - Junior used the office to conduct meetings while under house arrest. Junior learned of this from his attorney and ended his practice of meeting there. After unsuccessfully arguing that he lacked capacity to stand trial as a result of a fall he suffered on the courthouse steps, Junior was able to obtain a mistrial in the Season Four finale thanks to a hung jury which was tampered with by Junior's lieutenant, Bobby Baccalieri
. The government quickly announced its intention to retry Junior. However, Junior's mental condition has taken a turn for the worse and he was rendered unfit to stand trial.
, had been an FBI informant for some time. On the strength of his information, the government undertook major indictments against the Lupertazzi family that would have reached the former boss, Carmine Lupertazzi
, himself if he had still been alive. Sacrimoni, the new boss, was held in federal custody awaiting a major RICO trial. His lawyer negotiated a 15 year sentence in exchange for asset seizures and an allocution
.
The Organized Crime Division of the FBI's New Jersey office has had Tony Soprano in its crosshairs since the show's inception, yet has been unable to make anything stick against the New Jersey boss.
In Season One, after Tony survives an assassination attempt, the Bureau attempts to flip Tony by revealing to him that it was his uncle and his mother who had orchestrated the foiled hit. Tony, however, refuses to break omerta
and seeks his own kind of revenge.
In Season Two, Tony and soldier Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero
murder mob associate Matthew Bevilaqua
in an abandoned shack in Hacklebarney State Park
after Bevilaqua attempted a hit on Christopher Moltisanti
. Unbeknownst to Tony, a civic-minded civilian was at the park that night, heard the gunshots, and saw Tony drive away, and reported what he saw to the local police. However, the witness recanted when he learned that Tony was in the mob, and Tony was able to evade any charges.
It is also revealed in Season Two that Big Pussy, perhaps Tony's best friend, had been an FBI informant for several years. A major plot point during the season involves Tony's suppressed awareness that his friend is a rat and his reluctance to face that unsavory fact. For his part, Bonpensiero's feelings oscillate from extreme guilt over betraying his close friend to bitterness towards Tony over being passed over for promotion (which, ironically, was because of Tony's suspicions that Pussy was a rat) to touches of Stockholm Syndrome
, resulting in delusions of one day having a career in law enforcement. Ultimately, in the Season Two finalé ("Funhouse"), Tony lures his friend out to sea under the pretense that he needs his opinion on a boat he's considering buying. There, Bonpensiero is confronted and executed by the three men who once considered him a "brother": Tony, Silvio Dante
, and Paulie Gaultieri.
Tony, however, ran into trouble when his mother was detained at airport security for using tickets he gave her from the Scatino bust out. The FBI acquired a search warrant for the Soprano home and found the rest of the tickets from the bust out in Tony's Chevy Suburban. On the eve of his daughter's high school graduation, Tony was taken into federal custody. Tony made bail and, ultimately, was able to beat the charges (although this is never explicitly shown).
With their major asset within the DiMeo family, Pussy Bonpenseiro, eliminated, the feds took a new approach in Season Three in their efforts to build a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO) case against Tony Soprano. After getting a warrant to wire the Soprano home, agents broke in while the family was out and place a bugged lamp in the basement, where Tony would often discuss business. However, the plan was derailed when Meadow Soprano
, during an argument with her parents, took the lamp to use in her dorm room at Columbia University
.
The Bureau then targeted Adriana La Cerva
as a possible conduit through which it could ensnare and flip her fianceé, Christopher Moltisanti
, to testify against Tony. Special Agent Debora Ciccerone was sent in undercover to get close to Adriana in hopes of gaining information that could be used to turn Christopher. However, the operation came to an abrupt end when Adriana broke off her friendship with Ciccerone, whom she believed had attempted to seduce Christopher. The feds, however, brought Adriana in and presented her with an ultimatum: either turn informant or be sent to prison on drug charges.
Adriana selected the former option. For the most part, Adriana avoided giving up any serious information to the Bureau, primarily because Christopher didn't share the details of his work with her. Nevertheless, the situation proved to be a tremendous strain for Adriana, who would develop irritable bowel syndrome
because of her duplicity. In the next-to-last episode of Season Five, Adriana was caught on tape (the FBI had her club under surveillance) disposing of evidence in a drug-related homicide that occurred at her club. The Bureau brought her in and threatened to give her up to the Long Branch Police Department as an accessory to murder unless she gave the FBI full cooperation in its investigation of Tony Soprano, including a requirement that she wears a wire. Adriana offered a counter proposal: she claimed Christopher was unhappy with his place within the family and that she could get him to flip if they were given immunity and relocated to another part of the country. The government agreed.
Adriana revealed to Christopher that she had been working as a government informant, and Christopher, awash in anger and shock, responded by strangling and nearly killing his fianceé. Christopher then broke down sobbing and apologized to Adriana. After discussing their possible future in the witness protection program all night, Christopher left his apartment to get some fresh air, leaving Adriana under the impression that he would cooperate. Ultimately, Christopher's loyalty to the family won out over his love for Adriana. Christopher informed Tony of Adriana's status as a rat, and Tony then telephoned Adriana and told her that Christopher had attempted suicide. Tony sent Silvio Dante
to pick her up under the pretense Silvio would take her to Christopher. Instead, Silvio drove Adriana out to the woods and executed her.
In the first episode of Season Six ("Members Only"), longtime rat Raymond Curto died of a stroke in the front seat of FBI Agent Robyn Sanseverino's car. Curto is known to have been an informant since at least the beginning of Season Three ("Proshai, Livushka"). His final act was to pass on a recording of Tony discussing the Angelo Giacalone murders that may have needed some explanation by Curto himself to be of any use.
In that same Season Six episode it was revealed that DiMeo soldier Eugene Pontecorvo was an FBI informant. However, Pontecorvo committed suicide at the end of the episode after both Tony and the Bureau refused his requests to retire with his family to Florida. It is not known how long Pontecorvo was an informant or what information he gave the FBI.
In the final episode of The Sopranos, "Made in America
", it is revealed that Carlo Gervasi (cousin to the late Burt Gervasi) agreed to testify against Tony Soprano. It remains unclear if Carlo Gervasi had been an informant for some time or rather he had been pressured by the FBI using his son's recent legal troubles as a bargaining tool. The ramifications of his testimony and the futures of both him and Tony Soprano were left a mystery.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
has been the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
's (FBI's) ongoing pursuit of the DiMeo
DiMeo Crime Family
The DiMeo crime family, later referred to as the Soprano crime family, is a fictional Mafia family from the HBO series The Sopranos. It is thought to be loosely based on the DeCavalcante crime family, a real New Jersey Mafia family....
(New Jersey) and Lupertazzi (Brooklyn) crime families. The Bureau's investigations have met with varying degrees of success. This article lists both characters who have acted as FBI informants and FBI agent characters and as such is an expansion of the main article List of characters from The Sopranos.
FBI informants
Being an FBI informant on The Sopranos is a risky proposition, often ending in death. Lupertazzi crime family consigliere, James Petrille and Soprano family capo, Carlo Gervasi are the only known FBI informants to survive until the series end. Raymond Curto deserves notice for being a long time informer before dying of natural causes without ever being suspected. Listed below are characters who are known to have been FBI informants and their respective fates. Note that Albie Cianflone was likely an informant, but he should not be included on the list because his cooperation (if any) is debatable, unconfirmed and unknown.| Informant | Position | Status | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabian "Febby" Petrulio aka Fred Peters | Former soldier, turned State's Witness, kicked out of witness protection | Deceased | Executed in the Season 1 episode "College College (The Sopranos episode) "College" is the fifth episode of the first season of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, which originally aired on February 7, 1999. It was written by co-producer James Manos, Jr. and series creator/executive producer David Chase and directed by Allen Coulter.The episode was rated as the... " by Tony Soprano Tony Soprano Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely... . |
| Jimmy Altieri | Capo, DiMeo family DiMeo Crime Family The DiMeo crime family, later referred to as the Soprano crime family, is a fictional Mafia family from the HBO series The Sopranos. It is thought to be loosely based on the DeCavalcante crime family, a real New Jersey Mafia family.... |
Deceased | Executed in the Season 1 episode "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano" by Silvio Dante Silvio Dante Silvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure... . |
| Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero | Soldier, DiMeo family | Deceased | Executed in the Season 2 episode, "Funhouse Funhouse (The Sopranos episode) "Funhouse" is the twenty-sixth episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the thirteenth and final episode of the show's second season. It was written by series creator/executive producer David Chase and co-producer Todd A. Kessler, and was directed by frequent The Sopranos director... " by Tony Soprano, Silvio Dante, and Paulie Gualtieri. |
| Adriana La Cerva Adriana La Cerva Adriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:... |
Fiancée of Christopher Moltisanti Christopher Moltisanti Christopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:... and Crazy Horse club manager |
Deceased | Executed in the Season 5 episode, "Long Term Parking" by Silvio Dante. |
| Raymond Curto Ray Curto Raymond "Buffalo Ray" Curto, played by George Loros, is a fictional character on the HBO original series The Sopranos. An older Capo in the DiMeo Crime Family, Curto was an FBI-informant throughout almost the entire series.... |
Capo, DiMeo family | Deceased | Died as a result of a stroke in the Season 6 episode, "Members Only Members Only (The Sopranos episode) "Members Only" is the sixty-sixth episode of the HBO series The Sopranos, and the first of the show's sixth season. Written by Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, it aired originally on Sunday March 12, 2006.-Guest starring:... ". |
| Jack Massarone | Business associate, construction | Deceased | Executed in the Season 5 episode, "Rat Pack Rat Pack (The Sopranos episode) "Rat Pack" is the fifty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the second of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner, directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on March 14, 2004.-Guest starring roles:... " on orders from Tony Soprano. |
| Jimmy Petrille | Consigliere, Lupertazzi family | Unknown, presumably Petrille has since entered the Witness Protection Program (although this has not been mentioned). | N/A |
| Eugene Pontecorvo | Soldier, DiMeo family | Deceased | Committed suicide by hanging in the Season 6 episode, "Members Only Members Only (The Sopranos episode) "Members Only" is the sixty-sixth episode of the HBO series The Sopranos, and the first of the show's sixth season. Written by Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, it aired originally on Sunday March 12, 2006.-Guest starring:... ". The amount of information that he contributed, if any, is highly questionable. |
| Carlo Gervasi | Capo, DiMeo family | Unknown. Turned informant on the series finale "Made in America Made in America (The Sopranos) "Made in America" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos and the series finale. It is the eighty-sixth overall episode of the series and the ninth episode of the second part of the sixth season, which was broadcast in two batches with a break... ". His future and the ramifications of his testimony against Tony are unknown. |
Became informant due to son being arrested for drug dealing. |
Chief Frank Cubitoso
- Played by: Frank PellegrinoFrank PellegrinoFrank Pellegrino is an American actor and restaurateur.Born in East Harlem, Pellegrino has often acted in law and gangster-themed film and television productions. He was a member of an early sixties singing group called The Holidaes. There is a rare recording of a song called "Never" that appears...
- Appears in: "I Dream of Jeannie CusamanoI Dream of Jeannie Cusamano (The Sopranos episode)"I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano" is the thirteenth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the finale of the show's first season. It was written by David Chase, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on Sunday April 4, 1999....
", "The Knight in White Satin ArmorThe Knight in White Satin Armor (The Sopranos episode)"The Knight in White Satin Armor" is the twenty-fifth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the twelfth of the show's second season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on Sunday, April 2, 2000.-Starring:* James Gandolfini...
", "FunhouseFunhouse (The Sopranos episode)"Funhouse" is the twenty-sixth episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the thirteenth and final episode of the show's second season. It was written by series creator/executive producer David Chase and co-producer Todd A. Kessler, and was directed by frequent The Sopranos director...
", "Mr. Ruggerio's NeighborhoodMr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood (The Sopranos episode)"Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood" is the twenty-seventh episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the first of the show's third season. It was written by David Chase, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on Sunday March 4, 2001....
", "Another ToothpickAnother Toothpick (The Sopranos episode)"Another Toothpick" is the thirty-first episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the fifth of the show's third season. It was written by Terence Winter, directed by Jack Bender and originally aired on Sunday March 25, 2001.-Guest starring roles:...
", "...To Save Us All From Satan's Power...To Save Us All From Satan's Power (The Sopranos episode)"...To Save Us All from Satan's Power" is the thirty-sixth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the tenth of the show's third season...
", "The Army of One", "No ShowNo Show (The Sopranos episode)"No Show" is the forty-first episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the second episode of the show's fourth season. It was written by David Chase and Terence Winter, and was directed by John Patterson...
", "Watching Too Much TelevisionWatching Too Much Television (The Sopranos episode)"Watching Too Much Television" is the forty-sixth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the seventh of the show's fourth season. Its teleplay was written by Nick Santora and Terence Winter from a story by Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess, Terence Winter and David Chase...
", "Rat PackRat Pack (The Sopranos episode)"Rat Pack" is the fifty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the second of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner, directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on March 14, 2004.-Guest starring roles:...
", "Irregular Around the MarginsIrregular Around the Margins (The Sopranos episode)"Irregular Around the Margins" is the fifty-seventh episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the fifth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on April 4, 2004....
", "Long Term ParkingLong Term Parking (The Sopranos episode)"Long Term Parking" is the sixty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the twelfth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Terence Winter, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on May 23, 2004...
"
FBI chief of New Jersey division who is constantly looking for new insight on the ongoing Soprano/DiMeo case. He successfully coordinates a mission to put the Soprano residence under surveillance by the use of an old lamp in their basement. The operation ends when Meadow takes the old lamp to college. He also pressures Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:...
into wearing a wire which leads to her confession and death. When Agent Sanseverino worries after Adriana disappears, Cubitoso decides it is time to move on. He also was the agent whose idea it was to bug Green Grove Retirement Community when Tony Soprano and several other Dimeo family capos move in their mothers, despite other agents skepticism.
Agent Ron Goddard
- Played by: Michael KellyMichael Kelly (American actor)Michael Joseph Kelly is an American actor.-Early life:Kelly was born in Philadelphia and raised in Lawrenceville, Georgia, the son of Maureen and Michael Kelly. He has one brother and two sisters . He graduated from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia...
- Appears in: "Members OnlyMembers Only (The Sopranos episode)"Members Only" is the sixty-sixth episode of the HBO series The Sopranos, and the first of the show's sixth season. Written by Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, it aired originally on Sunday March 12, 2006.-Guest starring:...
", "Join the ClubJoin the Club (The Sopranos episode)"Join the Club" is the second episode of the sixth season and sixty-seventh episode overall of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, which premiered on March 19, 2006 in the United States...
", "Stage 5Stage 5 (The Sopranos episode)"Stage 5" is the seventy-ninth episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the second episode of the second half of the show's sixth season, the fourteenth episode of the season overall...
", "Walk Like a ManWalk Like a Man (The Sopranos episode)"Walk Like a Man" is the eighty-second episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the fifth episode of the second half of the show's sixth season, the seventeenth episode of the season overall. It was written and directed by executive producer Terence Winter in his directorial debut...
", "The Second ComingThe Second Coming (The Sopranos episode)"The Second Coming" is the nineteenth episode of the sixth season and eighty-fourth episode overall of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos. The sixth season was broadcast in two parts; it is the seventh episode of the second part of the season. It was written by executive producer Terence...
", "Made in AmericaMade in America (The Sopranos)"Made in America" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos and the series finale. It is the eighty-sixth overall episode of the series and the ninth episode of the second part of the sixth season, which was broadcast in two batches with a break...
"
Agent Harris' new partner in Counter Terrorism.
Agent Ron Gosling
- Played by: Matt Pepper
- Appears in: "Members OnlyMembers Only (The Sopranos episode)"Members Only" is the sixty-sixth episode of the HBO series The Sopranos, and the first of the show's sixth season. Written by Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, it aired originally on Sunday March 12, 2006.-Guest starring:...
"
An agent who handled Eugene Pontecervo before his suicide.
Agent Frank Grasso
- Played by: Frank PandoFrank PandoFrank Pando is a Chilean American actor. Pando's acting career debuted in 1999 in the TV series The Sopranos as Agent Frank Grasso. Also, he is scheduled to appear in the 2012 movie Man on a Ledge as a cameraman for Kyra Sedgwick's role, a newsperson....
- Appears in: "The Legend of Tennessee MoltisantiThe Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti (The Sopranos episode)"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti" is the eighth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It was written by David Chase and Frank Renzulli, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on Sunday February 28, 1999.-Starring:...
", "I Dream of Jeannie CusamanoI Dream of Jeannie Cusamano (The Sopranos episode)"I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano" is the thirteenth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the finale of the show's first season. It was written by David Chase, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on Sunday April 4, 1999....
", "D-GirlD-Girl (The Sopranos episode)"D-Girl" is the twentieth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the seventh of the show's second season. It was written by Todd A. Kessler, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on Sunday, February 27, 2000.-Starring:...
", "Mr. Ruggerio's NeighborhoodMr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood (The Sopranos episode)"Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood" is the twenty-seventh episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the first of the show's third season. It was written by David Chase, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on Sunday March 4, 2001....
", "Proshai, LivushkaProshai, Livushka (The Sopranos episode)"Proshai, Livushka" is the twenty-eighth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the second of the show's third season. It was written by David Chase, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on Sunday March 4, 2001.-Starring:...
", "The Army of One", "Whoever Did ThisWhoever Did This (The Sopranos episode)"Whoever Did This" is the forty-eighth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the ninth of the show's fourth season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on Sunday, November 10, 2002...
", "WhitecapsWhitecaps (The Sopranos episode)"Whitecaps" is the fifty-second episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the thirteenth and final episode of the show's fourth season. It was written by series creator/executive producer David Chase, and executive producers Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, and was directed by...
", "Rat PackRat Pack (The Sopranos episode)"Rat Pack" is the fifty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the second of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner, directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on March 14, 2004.-Guest starring roles:...
", "Irregular Around the MarginsIrregular Around the Margins (The Sopranos episode)"Irregular Around the Margins" is the fifty-seventh episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the fifth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on April 4, 2004....
", "All Due RespectAll Due Respect (The Sopranos episode)"All Due Respect" is the sixty-fifth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the finale of the show's fifth season. It was written by David Chase, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on Sunday June 6, 2004.-Guest starring roles:* Jerry Adler...
"
An FBI agent who handled mob capo Raymond Curto. During a raid on the Soprano residence, Grasso broke a bowl from the kitchen refrigerator. Immediately after, he and Tony developed a grudge when Tony noted his last name and insulted him in Italian. He is an homage to famous New York City Detective Sonny Grosso
Sonny Grosso
Salvatore "Sonny" Grosso is a movie and television producer and former New York City Police Department detective, noted for his role in the case immortalized in the book and movie versions of the French Connection...
who helped reveal the French Connection
French Connection
The French Connection was a scheme through which heroin was smuggled from Turkey to France and then to the United States. The operation reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it provided the vast majority of the illicit heroin used in the United States...
.
Agent Skip Lipari
- Played by: Louis LombardiLouis LombardiLouis Lombardi is an American actor.Lombardi was born in The Bronx, New York City, the son of Louis Lombardi, Sr. On television, Lombardi had a recurring role on The Sopranos as Agent Skip Lipari, and guest starred on such shows as Entourage, Heroes and CSI. He was a cast member of a 1990s...
- Appears in: "Do Not Resuscitate", "Commendatori", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "D-Girl", "From Where to Eternity", "Bust Out", "The Knight in White Satin Armor", "Funhouse", "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood"
An FBI agent who handled Big Pussy Bonpensiero. When Pussy begins to confide more and more to Skip as a friend, Skip tries to tell him that he is not his friend and he is there to help the federal government. Chief Cubitoso warns Lipari that he could be risking getting too close to Bonpensiero himself. Lipari may have suspected that Bonpensiero was involved in the Matthew Bevilaqua
Matthew Bevilaqua
Matthew Bevilacqua, played by Lillo Brancato Jr., is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Background:Matthew Bevilacqua, a.k.a. Matt Drinkwater, was Sean Gismonte's partner-in-crime and an associate in the Soprano Crime Family. Matt and Sean were from West Orange, New Jersey....
murder, but apparently did not report it. Skip says that his father was a plumber.
Agent Joe Marquez
- Played by: Gary Perez
- Appears in: "House Arrest", "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood"
Agent Harris' partner from 2000 to 2001 while working on the Soprano/DiMeo crime family investigation.
Agent Robyn Sanseverino
- Played by: Karen YoungKaren Young (actress)Karen Young is an American actress.Born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, Young studied at Rutgers University. After graduation she moved to New York City and became an actress, appearing in such films as 9½ Weeks, Jaws: The Revenge, Daylight, Mercy and Hoffa. Her ex-husband is Tom Noonan...
- Appears in: "Pie-O-MyPie-O-My (The Sopranos episode)"Pie-O-My" is the forty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the fifth of the show's fourth season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Henry J...
", "Watching Too Much TelevisionWatching Too Much Television (The Sopranos episode)"Watching Too Much Television" is the forty-sixth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the seventh of the show's fourth season. Its teleplay was written by Nick Santora and Terence Winter from a story by Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess, Terence Winter and David Chase...
", "The Strong, Silent TypeThe Strong, Silent Type (The Sopranos episode)"The Strong, Silent Type" is the forty-ninth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the tenth of the show's fourth season. Its teleplay was written by Terence Winter, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess from a story by David Chase...
", "WhitecapsWhitecaps (The Sopranos episode)"Whitecaps" is the fifty-second episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the thirteenth and final episode of the show's fourth season. It was written by series creator/executive producer David Chase, and executive producers Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, and was directed by...
", "Rat PackRat Pack (The Sopranos episode)"Rat Pack" is the fifty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the second of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner, directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on March 14, 2004.-Guest starring roles:...
", "Where's Johnny?Where's Johnny? (The Sopranos episode)"Where's Johnny?" is the fifty-fifth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the third of the show's fifth season. It was written by Michael Caleo, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on March 21, 2004.-Guest starring roles:...
", "Irregular Around the MarginsIrregular Around the Margins (The Sopranos episode)"Irregular Around the Margins" is the fifty-seventh episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the fifth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on April 4, 2004....
", "Unidentified Black MalesUnidentified Black Males (The Sopranos episode)"Unidentified Black Males" is the sixty-first episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the ninth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner and Terence Winter, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on May 2, 2004....
", "Cold CutsCold Cuts (The Sopranos episode)"Cold Cuts" is the sixty-second episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the tenth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, directed by Mike Figgis and originally aired on May 9, 2004....
", "Long Term ParkingLong Term Parking (The Sopranos episode)"Long Term Parking" is the sixty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the twelfth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Terence Winter, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on May 23, 2004...
", "Members OnlyMembers Only (The Sopranos episode)"Members Only" is the sixty-sixth episode of the HBO series The Sopranos, and the first of the show's sixth season. Written by Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, it aired originally on Sunday March 12, 2006.-Guest starring:...
"
An FBI agent who handled Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:...
after she became very resentful against Agent Ciccerone. Agent Sanseverino explains to Adriana that she became an FBI agent because her sister was paralyzed by her boyfriend's reckless use of a gun. In order to take a stand against men like him, she became an agent. She has a daughter who was unknown to Adriana. She also handled capo Raymond Curto just before his death from natural causes.
Agent Smyj
- Played by: Brian Smyj
- Appears in: "Proshai, Livushka", "Army of One" "Whoever Did This"
Agent sometimes present at meetings about the Soprano/DiMeo crime family investigation.
Agent Deborah Ciccerone Waldrup
- Played by: Lola GlaudiniLola GlaudiniLola Glaudini is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Elle Greenaway on the hit CBS series Criminal Minds, and for her role as Agent Deborah Ciccerone on the award winning HBO series The Sopranos....
, Fairuza BalkFairuza BalkFairuza Alejandra Balk is an American film actress. She made her theatrical film debut as Dorothy Gale in Disney's Return to Oz...
(1 episode, scenes replaced) - Appears in: "Army of One", "For All Debts Public and Private", "No Show", "Christopher", "Pie-O-My", "Watching Too Much Television", "Rat Pack", "Irregular Around the Margins"
A special agent who went undercover as "Danielle" to befriend Adriana and to find out information about Christopher Moltisanti's relationship with Tony Soprano. She poses as a wealthy hopeful trophy wife girlfriend or mistress. Her usefulness as an undercover agent ended after Christopher made a pass at her causing Adriana to break off their relationship. However, she continued to work on the Soprano task force.
Agent Mike Waldrup
- Played by: Will ArnettWill ArnettWilliam Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
- Appears in: "For All Debts Public and Private" and "No Show"
Husband and fellow FBI agent of Deborah Ciccerone Waldrup. Takes care of their baby when Deborah talks to Adriana on a special phone line.
FBI Tech
- Played by: Gary Evans
- Appears in: "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood", "Proshai, Livushka", "Employee of the Month", "Another Toothpick"
Instrumental in placing a listening device in Tony Soprano's basement hidden inside a lamp. Later involved in monitoring this device until it was unwittingly neutralized by Meadow Soprano as she removed it from the house. Throughout the show he usually dons disguises as a plumber, air conditioning repair man, hydro department employee or gardener.
Junior Soprano
Corrado "Junior" SopranoJunior Soprano
Corrado John Soprano, Jr., played by Dominic Chianese, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Usually referred to as "Junior" or "Uncle Jun", he is the mentor and surrogate father for capo Tony Soprano. A younger Corrado sometimes appears in flashbacks and is played by Rocco...
has been a major target of the FBI throughout the run of the series. At the end of Season One, the titular head of the DiMeo family was indicted on federal racketeering charges, partly on information derived from snitch Jimmy Altieri. The Bureau attempted to flip Junior and get him to testify that his nephew, Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
, was the street boss and, in fact, the de facto head of the family. However, being both "old school" and loath to admit that his nephew held the real power, Junior refused. Junior's trial unfolded over the ensuing three seasons of the series.
In season four the FBI inserted an agent into Junior's physicians office as a nurse - Junior used the office to conduct meetings while under house arrest. Junior learned of this from his attorney and ended his practice of meeting there. After unsuccessfully arguing that he lacked capacity to stand trial as a result of a fall he suffered on the courthouse steps, Junior was able to obtain a mistrial in the Season Four finale thanks to a hung jury which was tampered with by Junior's lieutenant, Bobby Baccalieri
Bobby Baccalieri
Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri, Jr., played by Steve R. Schirripa, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was a Capo and later the acting underboss of the DiMeo Crime Family, as well as Tony Soprano's brother-in-law...
. The government quickly announced its intention to retry Junior. However, Junior's mental condition has taken a turn for the worse and he was rendered unfit to stand trial.
John Sacrimoni
At the end of Season Five, the FBI conducted a raid on the home of John Sacrimoni, the boss of the Lupertazzi crime family (Brooklyn), while Sacrimoni was having a meeting with Tony Soprano. Soprano was not a target of the raid and was able to escape unscathed. It was revealed that Jimmy Petrille, the Lupertazzi family ConsigliereConsigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
, had been an FBI informant for some time. On the strength of his information, the government undertook major indictments against the Lupertazzi family that would have reached the former boss, Carmine Lupertazzi
Carmine Lupertazzi
Carmine Lupertazzi, Sr., played by Tony Lip, was the fictional Boss of the Brooklyn-based Lupertazzi crime family on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Biography:...
, himself if he had still been alive. Sacrimoni, the new boss, was held in federal custody awaiting a major RICO trial. His lawyer negotiated a 15 year sentence in exchange for asset seizures and an allocution
Allocution
Generally, to allocute in law means "to speak out formally." In the field of apologetics, allocution is generally done in defense of a belief. In politics, one may allocute before a legislative body in an effort to influence their position on an issue...
.
Tony Soprano
In Season One, after Tony survives an assassination attempt, the Bureau attempts to flip Tony by revealing to him that it was his uncle and his mother who had orchestrated the foiled hit. Tony, however, refuses to break omerta
Omertà
Omertà is a popular attitude and code of honour and a common definition is the "code of silence". It is common in areas of southern Italy, such as Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, and Campania, where criminal organizations defined as Mafia such as the Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita, and...
and seeks his own kind of revenge.
In Season Two, Tony and soldier Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero
Sal Bonpensiero
Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, played by Vincent Pastore, was a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Not to be confused with fellow New Jersey mobster "Little Pussy" Malanga, Big Pussy was one of the men who worked for Tony Soprano and the two were close friends.-Biography:The...
murder mob associate Matthew Bevilaqua
Matthew Bevilaqua
Matthew Bevilacqua, played by Lillo Brancato Jr., is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Background:Matthew Bevilacqua, a.k.a. Matt Drinkwater, was Sean Gismonte's partner-in-crime and an associate in the Soprano Crime Family. Matt and Sean were from West Orange, New Jersey....
in an abandoned shack in Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
300px|right|thumb| One of the waterfalls at Hacklebarney State Park, New JerseyHacklebarney State Park is state park of the U.S. state of New Jersey, located between Long Valley and Chester in Morris County. The park contains of land in a glacial valley carved by the Black River and its...
after Bevilaqua attempted a hit on Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:...
. Unbeknownst to Tony, a civic-minded civilian was at the park that night, heard the gunshots, and saw Tony drive away, and reported what he saw to the local police. However, the witness recanted when he learned that Tony was in the mob, and Tony was able to evade any charges.
It is also revealed in Season Two that Big Pussy, perhaps Tony's best friend, had been an FBI informant for several years. A major plot point during the season involves Tony's suppressed awareness that his friend is a rat and his reluctance to face that unsavory fact. For his part, Bonpensiero's feelings oscillate from extreme guilt over betraying his close friend to bitterness towards Tony over being passed over for promotion (which, ironically, was because of Tony's suspicions that Pussy was a rat) to touches of Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
, resulting in delusions of one day having a career in law enforcement. Ultimately, in the Season Two finalé ("Funhouse"), Tony lures his friend out to sea under the pretense that he needs his opinion on a boat he's considering buying. There, Bonpensiero is confronted and executed by the three men who once considered him a "brother": Tony, Silvio Dante
Silvio Dante
Silvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...
, and Paulie Gaultieri.
Tony, however, ran into trouble when his mother was detained at airport security for using tickets he gave her from the Scatino bust out. The FBI acquired a search warrant for the Soprano home and found the rest of the tickets from the bust out in Tony's Chevy Suburban. On the eve of his daughter's high school graduation, Tony was taken into federal custody. Tony made bail and, ultimately, was able to beat the charges (although this is never explicitly shown).
With their major asset within the DiMeo family, Pussy Bonpenseiro, eliminated, the feds took a new approach in Season Three in their efforts to build a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) case against Tony Soprano. After getting a warrant to wire the Soprano home, agents broke in while the family was out and place a bugged lamp in the basement, where Tony would often discuss business. However, the plan was derailed when Meadow Soprano
Meadow Soprano
Meadow Mariangela Soprano , played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Character:Meadow is the first-born child of Tony and Carmela Soprano...
, during an argument with her parents, took the lamp to use in her dorm room at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
The Bureau then targeted Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:...
as a possible conduit through which it could ensnare and flip her fianceé, Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:...
, to testify against Tony. Special Agent Debora Ciccerone was sent in undercover to get close to Adriana in hopes of gaining information that could be used to turn Christopher. However, the operation came to an abrupt end when Adriana broke off her friendship with Ciccerone, whom she believed had attempted to seduce Christopher. The feds, however, brought Adriana in and presented her with an ultimatum: either turn informant or be sent to prison on drug charges.
Adriana selected the former option. For the most part, Adriana avoided giving up any serious information to the Bureau, primarily because Christopher didn't share the details of his work with her. Nevertheless, the situation proved to be a tremendous strain for Adriana, who would develop irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements...
because of her duplicity. In the next-to-last episode of Season Five, Adriana was caught on tape (the FBI had her club under surveillance) disposing of evidence in a drug-related homicide that occurred at her club. The Bureau brought her in and threatened to give her up to the Long Branch Police Department as an accessory to murder unless she gave the FBI full cooperation in its investigation of Tony Soprano, including a requirement that she wears a wire. Adriana offered a counter proposal: she claimed Christopher was unhappy with his place within the family and that she could get him to flip if they were given immunity and relocated to another part of the country. The government agreed.
Adriana revealed to Christopher that she had been working as a government informant, and Christopher, awash in anger and shock, responded by strangling and nearly killing his fianceé. Christopher then broke down sobbing and apologized to Adriana. After discussing their possible future in the witness protection program all night, Christopher left his apartment to get some fresh air, leaving Adriana under the impression that he would cooperate. Ultimately, Christopher's loyalty to the family won out over his love for Adriana. Christopher informed Tony of Adriana's status as a rat, and Tony then telephoned Adriana and told her that Christopher had attempted suicide. Tony sent Silvio Dante
Silvio Dante
Silvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...
to pick her up under the pretense Silvio would take her to Christopher. Instead, Silvio drove Adriana out to the woods and executed her.
In the first episode of Season Six ("Members Only"), longtime rat Raymond Curto died of a stroke in the front seat of FBI Agent Robyn Sanseverino's car. Curto is known to have been an informant since at least the beginning of Season Three ("Proshai, Livushka"). His final act was to pass on a recording of Tony discussing the Angelo Giacalone murders that may have needed some explanation by Curto himself to be of any use.
In that same Season Six episode it was revealed that DiMeo soldier Eugene Pontecorvo was an FBI informant. However, Pontecorvo committed suicide at the end of the episode after both Tony and the Bureau refused his requests to retire with his family to Florida. It is not known how long Pontecorvo was an informant or what information he gave the FBI.
In the final episode of The Sopranos, "Made in America
Made in America (The Sopranos)
"Made in America" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos and the series finale. It is the eighty-sixth overall episode of the series and the ninth episode of the second part of the sixth season, which was broadcast in two batches with a break...
", it is revealed that Carlo Gervasi (cousin to the late Burt Gervasi) agreed to testify against Tony Soprano. It remains unclear if Carlo Gervasi had been an informant for some time or rather he had been pressured by the FBI using his son's recent legal troubles as a bargaining tool. The ramifications of his testimony and the futures of both him and Tony Soprano were left a mystery.