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Crusade: Undercover Against the Mafia and KGB
Crusade is the action-packed autobiography of a smart, tough undercover agent who has become one of the world's foremost authorities on organized crime, covert operations, the CIA, and the DEA. Tom Tripodi has been involved in such famous cases as the French Connection, the Pizza Connection, and the Valachi hearings.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 3, 2023
Some material in this autobiography is extremely difficult to find elsewhere
regarding Che Guevera and Fidel Castro
worked at the FBN CIA DEA
Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1960s New York, Washington Baltimore Miami
Drug Enforcement Agency Sicily
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Publishers Weekly
Tripodi worked undercover for the CIA, the DEA and other federal drug-enforcement agencies. In this shapeless memoir, written with thriller novelist DeSario ( Limbo ), he recalls his experiences with paramilitary Cuban exiles in Florida and with Tibetan guerrillas in Colorado, and serving as a member of the interrogation team that attempted to establish the authenticity of KGB defector Yuri Nosenko. His most important assignment, he notes, occurred in 1978 when he undertook a precedent-setting solo mission to Palermo, Italy, to fight the Mafia heroin trade. Though Tripodi's reluctance to go much beyond generalities is perhaps understandable (he was, after all, an undercover agent), the memoir is frustratingly incomplete for readers expecting the usual plethora of dramatic anecdotes in a book of this kind. Tripodi retired in 1985 after 27 years as a federal agent.
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Library Journal
Tripodi worked for 27 years, until 1985, for various federal drug enforcement agencies and the Central Intelligence Agency. His anecdotal memoirs are wide-ranging, covering his work with anti-Castro Cubans, questioning KGB defector and possible double agent Yori Nosenko, and helping to prepare drug cases against the Mafia in Sicily. An underlying theme is criticism of the federal bureaucracy, which he feels hampered the efforts of motivated agents. Tripodi's undercover work was actually quite sporadic and not especially successful. Despite novelist DeSario's ( Sanctuary , LJ 7/89) efforts, a lack of personal details and sustained drama as well as an absence of well-known cases is likely to limit the general appeal of this book. Appropriate for large law enforcment collections.
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Amazone
Very interesting, especially since I knew the author. Served with him in the service 1954-56. Could understand the large portions left out since he did do undercover and didn't want to expose his family. Was in touch with him on several occations after service and while he was in DC. Sorry he passed at what I consider a young age. Tom Tripodi was a true Americn and loved his country. He gave it his all in everything he did and it's sad that the powers to be are looking out for themselves and not giving due credit to the guys in the trenches. People like Tom Tripodi don't come along every day and it's time these fat cats in goverment start listening. What we need are people like this running the different units in the federal goverment.
Jack Thompson
regarding Che Guevera and Fidel Castro
worked at the FBN CIA DEA
Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1960s New York, Washington Baltimore Miami
Drug Enforcement Agency Sicily
---
Publishers Weekly
Tripodi worked undercover for the CIA, the DEA and other federal drug-enforcement agencies. In this shapeless memoir, written with thriller novelist DeSario ( Limbo ), he recalls his experiences with paramilitary Cuban exiles in Florida and with Tibetan guerrillas in Colorado, and serving as a member of the interrogation team that attempted to establish the authenticity of KGB defector Yuri Nosenko. His most important assignment, he notes, occurred in 1978 when he undertook a precedent-setting solo mission to Palermo, Italy, to fight the Mafia heroin trade. Though Tripodi's reluctance to go much beyond generalities is perhaps understandable (he was, after all, an undercover agent), the memoir is frustratingly incomplete for readers expecting the usual plethora of dramatic anecdotes in a book of this kind. Tripodi retired in 1985 after 27 years as a federal agent.
---
Library Journal
Tripodi worked for 27 years, until 1985, for various federal drug enforcement agencies and the Central Intelligence Agency. His anecdotal memoirs are wide-ranging, covering his work with anti-Castro Cubans, questioning KGB defector and possible double agent Yori Nosenko, and helping to prepare drug cases against the Mafia in Sicily. An underlying theme is criticism of the federal bureaucracy, which he feels hampered the efforts of motivated agents. Tripodi's undercover work was actually quite sporadic and not especially successful. Despite novelist DeSario's ( Sanctuary , LJ 7/89) efforts, a lack of personal details and sustained drama as well as an absence of well-known cases is likely to limit the general appeal of this book. Appropriate for large law enforcment collections.
---
Amazone
Very interesting, especially since I knew the author. Served with him in the service 1954-56. Could understand the large portions left out since he did do undercover and didn't want to expose his family. Was in touch with him on several occations after service and while he was in DC. Sorry he passed at what I consider a young age. Tom Tripodi was a true Americn and loved his country. He gave it his all in everything he did and it's sad that the powers to be are looking out for themselves and not giving due credit to the guys in the trenches. People like Tom Tripodi don't come along every day and it's time these fat cats in goverment start listening. What we need are people like this running the different units in the federal goverment.
Jack Thompson
Displaying 1 of 1 review