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Befriend and Betray #2
The Fat Mexican: The Bloody Rise of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club
From the #1 national bestselling author of Befriend and Betray , an intimate exposé of a criminal empire and the massacre that nearly started a global biker war.
Having once infiltrated the Bandidos for three years in a landmark police operation, Alex Caine is uniquely positioned to reveal the untold story of the Hells Angels’ fiercest rivals.
Grounded in the crucible of the little understood Shedden massacre of 2006 and one unlikely prospect’s descent into the biker lifestyle, The Fat Mexican exposes the violent criminal history of the Bandidos motorcycle club, the Hells Angels’ fiercest their violent beginnings, the terror their aggressive expansion caused rivals and innocents alike, and the internal politics and rivalries that drive them to this day.
Having once infiltrated the Bandidos for three years in a landmark police operation, Alex Caine is uniquely positioned to reveal the untold story of the Hells Angels’ fiercest rivals.
Grounded in the crucible of the little understood Shedden massacre of 2006 and one unlikely prospect’s descent into the biker lifestyle, The Fat Mexican exposes the violent criminal history of the Bandidos motorcycle club, the Hells Angels’ fiercest their violent beginnings, the terror their aggressive expansion caused rivals and innocents alike, and the internal politics and rivalries that drive them to this day.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
29 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 16, 2019
A deep look at foundation and functional history of Bandidos MC. Many people don't know that in early years of it's excellence, it was an official Bandidos MG (Motorcycle Gang) rather than MC (Motorcycle Club).
This transition states that it isn't an organisation like other outlaw MCs, which were primarily about biker lifestyle and enthusiasm which gradually drifted towards crime and drug dealing. In fact Bandidos MC,
founded by Don Chambers a hardcore biker, was more of a group of individuals of whom motorcycles weren't their only interest.
Alex Caine was contract agent who successfully infiltrated into Bandidos MC. However this book doesn't tell His own story. It's rather a journal about foundation and expansion of Bandidos into other countries.
Major part of book consists novelisation of Shedden Massacre, Canada. Jamie Flanz along with other 7 bikers was killed by his so called brothers from Winnipeg chapter, Wyne Kalestine and associates. Both parties were Bandidos but it was Jamie Flanz's badluck when he found cocaine worth millions dollars which eventually belonged to Hells Angels.
Bandidos MC is certainly fast growing club. Their open race/ethnicity policy is clearly playing its part. This is the reason that they have more than one chapters in Bangkok, Thailand. They are notorious and violent. However their competitors Hells Angels are different class. Unlike Bandidos they don't just have muscle and guns. They have brains too. A lot of their senior members have ties with Hollywood celebrities. They even have sensible and diplomats like George Christie. Hells Angels have many of legitimate businesses which clearly tell us that they have moved to next level.
This transition states that it isn't an organisation like other outlaw MCs, which were primarily about biker lifestyle and enthusiasm which gradually drifted towards crime and drug dealing. In fact Bandidos MC,
founded by Don Chambers a hardcore biker, was more of a group of individuals of whom motorcycles weren't their only interest.
Alex Caine was contract agent who successfully infiltrated into Bandidos MC. However this book doesn't tell His own story. It's rather a journal about foundation and expansion of Bandidos into other countries.
Major part of book consists novelisation of Shedden Massacre, Canada. Jamie Flanz along with other 7 bikers was killed by his so called brothers from Winnipeg chapter, Wyne Kalestine and associates. Both parties were Bandidos but it was Jamie Flanz's badluck when he found cocaine worth millions dollars which eventually belonged to Hells Angels.
Bandidos MC is certainly fast growing club. Their open race/ethnicity policy is clearly playing its part. This is the reason that they have more than one chapters in Bangkok, Thailand. They are notorious and violent. However their competitors Hells Angels are different class. Unlike Bandidos they don't just have muscle and guns. They have brains too. A lot of their senior members have ties with Hollywood celebrities. They even have sensible and diplomats like George Christie. Hells Angels have many of legitimate businesses which clearly tell us that they have moved to next level.
June 26, 2019
The fat Mexico is an interesting read, for someone interested in the topic. And although informative, some information and accounts are based on biased terms which is expected due to the author being a cop. So take everything with a grain of salt, a lot of it is facts, but being able to destiny between fact and oppinion is helpful when reading
July 9, 2019
I've read other books by the author and was expecting more of a ''here's what happened to me'' type of book, instead of the factual and historical account. It's interesting, but pretty dry at times when the author explains how X or Y chapter came to be and who was involved. A lot of names and a bit less action than I would have wanted. Still a good reference in the genre.
January 20, 2020
I know several of Caine's stories in this book are not true and the rest is nothing that could not be gained from reading articles on the internet.
July 16, 2010
The Bloody Rise of the Bandidos
"The Fat Mexican" refers to the club logo -- a chubby cartoon character who wears a sombrero and is armed with both a knife and a gun.
In his first book "Befriend and Betray", Mr Caine relates how in the early 80's working undercover he infiltrated the Bandidos MC and gained their trust. The author has a first hand knowledge on how gangs are organized and maintain their power.
In this, his second book, he analyses the events that led to and triggered the massacre that took place April 2006 on a farm in the town of Shedden, Ont. Evidences eventually led to a conviction of six members and associates for the slaughter of eight bikers, four have since launched appeals.
The war started when a junior member of the Bandidos hijacked a truck that caught his eye. Things quickly turned ugly when senior members of his gang realized the truck and its valuable contains belong to one of their arch competitors. This fractured a delicate truce between rival motorcycle gangs. Mr Caine narrates a complex story backed with facts and describes the complicated and cruel world of bikers.
In addition to talking about the Shedden killings the book provides a detailed history of the 43 year old club which has grown to global proportions since 1966. They have chapters in the U.S.A., Europe, Asia and Australia, in Canada the remaining Bandidos have since "patched over" (switched allegiances) to rival motorcycle clubs. They may have changed colours but they are still around.....
The book unearths the politics, the rivalries and the violent history of the Bandidos and their battle with the Hells Angels, their arch rivals. It is a chilling, gritty and remarkable story. Canadians will appreciate and can relate to this book it was gruesome headline news, others who are drawn into the motorcycle club phenomena will also find it an exciting read.
"The Fat Mexican" refers to the club logo -- a chubby cartoon character who wears a sombrero and is armed with both a knife and a gun.
In his first book "Befriend and Betray", Mr Caine relates how in the early 80's working undercover he infiltrated the Bandidos MC and gained their trust. The author has a first hand knowledge on how gangs are organized and maintain their power.
In this, his second book, he analyses the events that led to and triggered the massacre that took place April 2006 on a farm in the town of Shedden, Ont. Evidences eventually led to a conviction of six members and associates for the slaughter of eight bikers, four have since launched appeals.
The war started when a junior member of the Bandidos hijacked a truck that caught his eye. Things quickly turned ugly when senior members of his gang realized the truck and its valuable contains belong to one of their arch competitors. This fractured a delicate truce between rival motorcycle gangs. Mr Caine narrates a complex story backed with facts and describes the complicated and cruel world of bikers.
In addition to talking about the Shedden killings the book provides a detailed history of the 43 year old club which has grown to global proportions since 1966. They have chapters in the U.S.A., Europe, Asia and Australia, in Canada the remaining Bandidos have since "patched over" (switched allegiances) to rival motorcycle clubs. They may have changed colours but they are still around.....
The book unearths the politics, the rivalries and the violent history of the Bandidos and their battle with the Hells Angels, their arch rivals. It is a chilling, gritty and remarkable story. Canadians will appreciate and can relate to this book it was gruesome headline news, others who are drawn into the motorcycle club phenomena will also find it an exciting read.
May 15, 2015
An explosive and tragic opening which reads more like crime fiction than fact yet is very real sets the theme for this true account of life inside the bloody underbelly of a criminal organisation.
As is evident by the opening line, this book is the bloody truth of biker gangs:
"Jamie Flanz was scared, but he didn't stop scraping his broom back and forth across the blood-stained barn floor."
Author Alex Cain worked as an undercover operative who managed to infiltrate the Bandidos motorcycle club in North America. His intimate knowledge of the biker life is splashed across the pages of the book in honest and brutally clear quality.
Using sources, public access material and accounts from various court proceedings, Cain is able to craft a scarily insightful look into the murder and mayhem that takes place within the inner sanctum of criminal bikie gangs.
Using a fiction writers adept skills to polish these horrendous facts makes for enjoyable if not cringe inducing reading. The topical nature if this book wont suit all readers but is nonetheless hard to put down.
What starts with a mass murder ends in similar fashion - linked to the Canadian massacre of the Toronto Bandidos chapter, making for a continuous thread of related stories throughout the book. This was a clever way of formatting the fact into an easily readable book akin to crime fiction.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
As is evident by the opening line, this book is the bloody truth of biker gangs:
"Jamie Flanz was scared, but he didn't stop scraping his broom back and forth across the blood-stained barn floor."
Author Alex Cain worked as an undercover operative who managed to infiltrate the Bandidos motorcycle club in North America. His intimate knowledge of the biker life is splashed across the pages of the book in honest and brutally clear quality.
Using sources, public access material and accounts from various court proceedings, Cain is able to craft a scarily insightful look into the murder and mayhem that takes place within the inner sanctum of criminal bikie gangs.
Using a fiction writers adept skills to polish these horrendous facts makes for enjoyable if not cringe inducing reading. The topical nature if this book wont suit all readers but is nonetheless hard to put down.
What starts with a mass murder ends in similar fashion - linked to the Canadian massacre of the Toronto Bandidos chapter, making for a continuous thread of related stories throughout the book. This was a clever way of formatting the fact into an easily readable book akin to crime fiction.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
September 18, 2013
I get the impression this book was originally meant to be about a specific incident in Shedden, Ontario, Canada where several bikers were murdered. Then the scope of the book got expanded and the title played on that for an attempt at broader appeal.
There is a general history of motorcycle gangs, with more detail about the Bandidos. However, most of the book is about the Shedden incident. For me, being Canadian, it was interesting to have the book focus mostly on details within Canada.
It was an interesting read overall, but not as good as Alex Caine's previous book (Befriend and Betray) about his work undercover with bike gangs. First person testimony is just that much more interesting.
There is a general history of motorcycle gangs, with more detail about the Bandidos. However, most of the book is about the Shedden incident. For me, being Canadian, it was interesting to have the book focus mostly on details within Canada.
It was an interesting read overall, but not as good as Alex Caine's previous book (Befriend and Betray) about his work undercover with bike gangs. First person testimony is just that much more interesting.
June 15, 2011
I really had a hard time getting thru this book. The author supposedly was an undercover cop within the organization, so why doesnt he have any inside information? The book was dry. Like, Sahara dry. It read like a police report. I kept waiting for him to set the stage and get on with the good stuff. Never happened.
Often the author references stuff that sounds interesting but gives no detail. I found myself constantly googling for more information. If I am reading a book on a subject, I shouldnt need to continually google.
Just disappointing overall.
Often the author references stuff that sounds interesting but gives no detail. I found myself constantly googling for more information. If I am reading a book on a subject, I shouldnt need to continually google.
Just disappointing overall.
May 8, 2013
An investigators account of the rise of Bandidos within the world. Great book if you are into crime, violence, jail and other nefarious biker activities. I don`t have much to say about it because there are spoilers. Great book for non fiction crime lovers and people who want insight into biker culture. A must read for the curious reader.
July 27, 2010
Pretty interesting story about the rise of the Bandidos gang. A little boring and over-done in parts. Mostly forgettable, but sure reminds you how vicious those gangs can become under the right circumstances.
July 22, 2013
It was a good book on the criminal history of the Bandidos and their rivals although I thought it wasn't well written and all over the place. I would still recommend it if you are interested in the biker world.
January 8, 2016
Read like a police report. Really missed the mark on depicting the biker culture and it's characters simply described there misdeeds. Love reading on this topic but won't be reading any more of this author. Actually enjoyed the dictionary the author added to the back more than the narrative lol!
April 20, 2013
A little dry but alright overall.
June 5, 2013
Interesting read about the history and internal workings of motorcycle clubs but seemed to just skim the surface. I will be looking for his book regarding his undercover life with the Bandidos.
May 29, 2015
Terrible! Couldn't finish it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews