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Flipping Capo: How the FBI Dismantled the Real Sopranos
Séamus McElearney's early days on an FBI organized crime squad were full of grunt work.
For months he was mired in administrative tasks, including the transcription of secret recordings of the DeCavalcante and Bonanno crime families. Eighteen months later, McElearney assisted in his squad's arrest of thirty-nine Mafia suspects; he led the team arresting Anthony Capo, a DeCavalcante soldier linked to stock fraud and conspiracy to commit murder.
Barely a week after Capo's arrest, McElearney accomplished what no other law enforcement agent had ever done in the hundred years of the DeCavalcante crime family's he flipped one of their made men. Anthony Capo confessed to dozens of illegal activities, including two murders and eleven murder conspiracies, and agreed to work with the government to bring down his former family.
What followed was a spiral effect of cooperation as McElearney and colleagues flipped three more DeCavalcante associates, one captain, and an acting boss. Flipping Capo resulted in the Bureau solving eleven murders, convicting seventy-one defendants, and dismantling the DeCavalcante crime family.
Thanks to the redemptive relationship he built with Capo, McElearney helped unmask a criminal network that led to the RICO convictions of the entire DeCavalcante hierarchy, just as the world was coming to know them as the "real Sopranos."
For months he was mired in administrative tasks, including the transcription of secret recordings of the DeCavalcante and Bonanno crime families. Eighteen months later, McElearney assisted in his squad's arrest of thirty-nine Mafia suspects; he led the team arresting Anthony Capo, a DeCavalcante soldier linked to stock fraud and conspiracy to commit murder.
Barely a week after Capo's arrest, McElearney accomplished what no other law enforcement agent had ever done in the hundred years of the DeCavalcante crime family's he flipped one of their made men. Anthony Capo confessed to dozens of illegal activities, including two murders and eleven murder conspiracies, and agreed to work with the government to bring down his former family.
What followed was a spiral effect of cooperation as McElearney and colleagues flipped three more DeCavalcante associates, one captain, and an acting boss. Flipping Capo resulted in the Bureau solving eleven murders, convicting seventy-one defendants, and dismantling the DeCavalcante crime family.
Thanks to the redemptive relationship he built with Capo, McElearney helped unmask a criminal network that led to the RICO convictions of the entire DeCavalcante hierarchy, just as the world was coming to know them as the "real Sopranos."
352 pages, Hardcover
Published October 28, 2025
11 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 28, 2025
So often, these true-life accounts of law enforcement efforts read dry. That's definitely not the case in this instance. There's a good mix of personal anecdotes from the FBI Agent's perspective and the details of the investigation, which give you real insight into the life and career of an FBI Agent.There’s genuine humor and humanity woven throughout, keeping the pages turning.
October 27, 2025
Genuinely interesting, but don’t expect to be too gripped; it’s not ‘The Sopranos’.
Honestly? I don’t much care for ‘The Sopranos’ -it’s good, it’s just not for me- but I’m much more so drawn in by the “real-life” counterparts in book or documentary form. This book ticks that box, and if you’re worried about spoilers for the television show you’ve been meaning to watch for years, you can still read this book.
It’s a dry book, more so than I anticipated, but it’s never uninteresting. I felt it read as a memoir of McEarney’s career, with his work with Mafia soldier Capo to dismantle the DeCavalante crime family being the central story.
Obviously this book has an eventful and interesting plot, I personally wish the writing style had reflected that, but I suspect a lot of people will enjoy the matter-of-fact delivery.
🎧I enjoyed this book on audio. That’s my preferred format for this genre, and whilst I would recommend the audio format, I don’t feel it added enough to the experience to recommend as better on audio.
⏩️I chose to listen at 1.25x speed but the 1.0x speed was well paced.
🎙️Eric Smie’s narration is unemotive, crisp, and clear, which suits the tone of the book. His voice’s for each character are distinct, and the “mafia accents” don’t feel too corny. I would note, the delivery sounds a touch robotic -enough that I did confirm the narrator was a human voice actor- but I didn’t notice that after the first ten minutes of listening.
This book has Christmas present for [insert male relative here] written all over it -but this thirty-year-old woman liked it, so give it a try if you’re intrigued by investigations like this one.
With thanks to Tantor Media and NetGalley for the gifted audiobook in exchange for sharing an honest review.
Honestly? I don’t much care for ‘The Sopranos’ -it’s good, it’s just not for me- but I’m much more so drawn in by the “real-life” counterparts in book or documentary form. This book ticks that box, and if you’re worried about spoilers for the television show you’ve been meaning to watch for years, you can still read this book.
It’s a dry book, more so than I anticipated, but it’s never uninteresting. I felt it read as a memoir of McEarney’s career, with his work with Mafia soldier Capo to dismantle the DeCavalante crime family being the central story.
Obviously this book has an eventful and interesting plot, I personally wish the writing style had reflected that, but I suspect a lot of people will enjoy the matter-of-fact delivery.
🎧I enjoyed this book on audio. That’s my preferred format for this genre, and whilst I would recommend the audio format, I don’t feel it added enough to the experience to recommend as better on audio.
⏩️I chose to listen at 1.25x speed but the 1.0x speed was well paced.
🎙️Eric Smie’s narration is unemotive, crisp, and clear, which suits the tone of the book. His voice’s for each character are distinct, and the “mafia accents” don’t feel too corny. I would note, the delivery sounds a touch robotic -enough that I did confirm the narrator was a human voice actor- but I didn’t notice that after the first ten minutes of listening.
This book has Christmas present for [insert male relative here] written all over it -but this thirty-year-old woman liked it, so give it a try if you’re intrigued by investigations like this one.
With thanks to Tantor Media and NetGalley for the gifted audiobook in exchange for sharing an honest review.
September 30, 2025
I was fortunate enough to receive an early pre-launch copy of this book and all I can say is that I was totally rapt from page 1 through the end. Such a fascinating story with all the juicy details a mafia/true crime buff could ask for. As a huge Sopranos fan as well, it felt like getting a behind the scenes look at the show—almost like getting more episodes!
100% recommend for anyone who loves true crime and wants to learn about the REAL SOPRANOS!
100% recommend for anyone who loves true crime and wants to learn about the REAL SOPRANOS!
October 23, 2025
Thank you netgally for this ALC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
A book Seamus McElearney and what it took for him and the FBI to take down the real sopranos.
This was great. Loved the narrator, thought he did a great job.
The book was very informative, and at some points emotional. I cried a little at the end ngl.
There was a part where he was talking about the tragedy that was 9/11.
I just thought the overall information and the inner workings of the FBI and Mafia families was interesting.
Even though this read like a fiction story which is what kept it going and entertaining to me, I had to remind myself that this was real life. The things discussed in here, the stories, the murders, the tragedies, they were real. Real people, with real things happening to them.
A book Seamus McElearney and what it took for him and the FBI to take down the real sopranos.
This was great. Loved the narrator, thought he did a great job.
The book was very informative, and at some points emotional. I cried a little at the end ngl.
There was a part where he was talking about the tragedy that was 9/11.
I just thought the overall information and the inner workings of the FBI and Mafia families was interesting.
Even though this read like a fiction story which is what kept it going and entertaining to me, I had to remind myself that this was real life. The things discussed in here, the stories, the murders, the tragedies, they were real. Real people, with real things happening to them.
November 7, 2025
An extremely well-written and informative book on the FBIs efforts to bring a Mafia family to justice in New York. I listened to this book and was amazed of the job the author did in narrating his own book. In my opinion, this made the book more enjoyable, because not only did you get the information, but the author/narrator made you feel as if you were there. The efforts the FBI and DAs put in to get members of the Mafia family to become informants and witnesses in the trials was amazing. The actions of the Mafia family, their callous treatment of others, as well as the inside look on how the family actually functioned were a fascinating story. For the true crime fan, I would highly recommend this book.
As I stated, the book was an audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. I would definitely read/listen to more books by this author.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
As I stated, the book was an audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. I would definitely read/listen to more books by this author.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
October 22, 2025
An enjoyable read from an interesting point of view.
Ive read mafia books from ex members telling their stories or ‘experts’ on the topic but never a member of the FBI so this felt quite refreshing.
As i mentioned I’ve read a few books on the mafia so I don’t think I learnt anything i didn't know before but it was enjoyable all the same.
Audio book - narrator was great, felt atmospheric without being corny.
Thanks to Netgalley for this
Ive read mafia books from ex members telling their stories or ‘experts’ on the topic but never a member of the FBI so this felt quite refreshing.
As i mentioned I’ve read a few books on the mafia so I don’t think I learnt anything i didn't know before but it was enjoyable all the same.
Audio book - narrator was great, felt atmospheric without being corny.
Thanks to Netgalley for this
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews