FBI Retired Case File Review with Jerri Williams

Former FBI agent Terry Hake officially served seven years with the FBI. However, his service to the Bureau, the Department of Justice, and other federal law enforcement agencies actually spanned more than 23 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Terry is interviewed about working undercover as a crooked defense attorney in the largest public corruption investigation in America. When the investigation—code named Operation Greylord—was initiated, Terry was a young Assistant State’s Attorney fed up with corruption in the Cook County, Illinois court system. He wore a wire for three-and-a-half years fully aware that he could have been jeopardizing his reputation and law career in doing so. At the conclusion of the undercover operation, Terry testified in 23 trials over the next 10 years and eighty-three judges, lawyers, court personnel and policeman were convicted for accepting bribes to fix court cases. Terry has written a book—Operation Greylord: The True Story of an Untrained Undercover Agent and America’s Biggest Corruption Bust— about his experiences and provides an insider’s look into the case. Terrence Hake Special Agent (Former) 2/2/81 – 2/1/88                   Operation Greylord Several newspaper articles about Operation Greylord, along with an overview of the case found on the FBI website are linked below: Investigations of Public Corruption Rooting Crookedness Out of Government 22 More Indicted In Greylord Operation Greylord Winds Down Operation Greylord Documentary (Video)                                                                                                             Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philad...

Retired agent Cary Thornton served in the FBI for 21 years. He spent his career working undercover on Bureau cases throughout the country and as a technically trained agent. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Cary is interviewed about an undercover sting and insurance fraud investigation he worked in Detroit for nearly three years where he and two other undercover FBI agents played the roles of owners and operators of an auto wrecking company willing to dispose of cars for cash so their owners could file fraudulent insurance claims. The case was given the Bureau code name Operation Steamclean, which incorporated the term, steaming, slang used to describe dumping a vehicle for the insurance payoff. The case resulted in more than 50 indictments charging individuals with fraudulent claims exceeding $100 million. We talk about his memoir – An Oath of Office.   Special Agent (Retired) Cary L. Thornton, Jr. 9/17/1979 – 3/31/2001                     Cary worked on the Operation Steamclean undercover sting for three years. As information about the fictitious company S & C Auto Brokers spread throughout the Detroit area, potential customers would reach out to the undercover agents day and night to arrange for their cars to be “stolen.” Below are newspaper articles about the case: FBI Sting Junks Insurance Ring In Detroit F.B.I. Charges 170 In Car Insurance Fraud                                                                                                                                               Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.

Retired agent Bob Bazin served in the FBI for 28 years. He spent most of his career working property crimes cases and developed a specialized interest in art crime. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Bob talks about studying the “masters” at the Barnes Foundation and investigating and recovering stolen art from all over the world while assigned to the Philadelphia Division. He reviews a case he worked with the Philadelphia Police Department of the armed robbery by gunpoint from the Rodin museum of the priceless sculpture—Mask of the Man with the Broken Nose. Special Agent (Retired) Robert R. Bazin 1/6/69 – 3/31/1997                     During most of his Bureau career, Bob, along with a few agents in the New York Division worked art crime cases. He retired many years before the FBI created its rapid deployment Art Crime Team in 2004. The following is an article about Bob’s Rodin armed robbery case, a profile on recent Art Crime Team members and a link to the FBI website overview of the Art Crime Program. Cops Bust Man In Rodin Museum Hold-up, Recover ‘Mask’ Anything Can Break Bad: An FBI Special Agent Has Learned the Difference Between the Art World and the Mafia Art Theft – It’s Like Stealing History                                                                                                                   Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.   This episode was sponsored by FBIRetired.com – the only on-line directory made available to the general public featuring “retired” FBI AGENTS / ANALYSTS interested in showcasing their ski...

Retired special agent John Ligato served in the FBI for 20 years. He spent most of his career working organized crime and narcotics investigations. He was also a Bureau pilot for four years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, John is interviewed about his eight-year role as a deep undercover agent, wherein he operated strip clubs in Memphis to gather evidence against bikers selling drugs and stolen property and in Cleveland in order to infiltrate the mob. His efforts in Cleveland resulted in one of the Bureau’s largest and most significant public corruption cases involving members of law enforcement. John recently released a crime novel—Dirty Boys—about a group of former Marines with roles in law enforcement who uncover a terror plot that cannot be defeated by traditional methods. Special Agent (Retired) John Ligato 9/13/1982 – 01/03/2003                       The following links are to newspaper articles about the FBI cases around the country that benefitted from John Ligato’s work as an undercover agent in the role of an owner/operator of strip clubs: 44 Officers are charged after Ohio sting operation Expert Doubts Philly Mob’s Art Connection (Stolen Lamborghini mentioned toward end of article)                                                                                                                                                                                         Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is  a...

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Harry Garcia served in the FBI for 22 years. Throughout most of his Bureau career, Harry, an accountant and a former IRS revenue agent, worked complex financial investigations, including bank fraud and bank failure cases involving public corruption. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Harry Garcia is interviewed about a multiagency Southwest Border Taskforce investigation—code named “Port Sweeper” and “Boiling Point”—initiated in the 1990s that resulted in sentences of life imprisonment and 27 years in prison for the main subjects—two corrupt inspectors assigned to the Calexico border patrol station and the seizure of $1.2 million in cash. Harry points out that the IRS played a significant role in investigating the money laundering violations and determining the illicit net worth increases of corrupt inspectors. Harry also served as an ALAT and Acting Legat in the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, where he supported Bureau cases and worked investigations involving U.S. Citizens kidnapped by the terrorist group known as the FARC.  Prior to his retirement, Harry supervised the CART (Computer Analysis and Response Team) team in Los Angeles.     Supervisory Special Agent (Retired) Harry Garcia 01/05/1981 – 09/03/2003                         The following are links to newspaper articles about the case Harry worked targeting corrupt inspectors assigned to the Colexico border, arrested for accepting bribes from drug traffickers to allow them to bring illegal drugs into the U.S. Former INS Inspector Convicted 2 Inspectors at Border Charged in Drug Probe U.S. Crackdown on Corrupt Officers at Border Widens                                                           Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.   This episode was sponsored by FBIRetired.com – the only on-line directory made available to the general public featuring “retired” FBI AGENTS / ANALYSTS interested in showcasing their skills to secure business opportunities.

Retired Special Agent Jesse Coleman served in the FBI for nearly 28 years. He spent most of his career working drug investigations targeting organized crime figures and pursuing high-profile, violent drug gang members. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Jesse is interviewed about the two-year period he went undercover as a drug dealer buying cocaine and heroin from made members of the Sicilian mob. During the undercover investigation, he secretly recorded more than 200 conversations between him and the subjects. Jesse’s efforts resulted in the arrest and conviction of 20 members of the mob family operating in the U.S., in addition to the head of the family who lived in Sicily, Italy. Jesse was awarded the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Agent of the Year in 1991 for his undercover role in this investigation.   SPECIAL AGENT (RETIRED) JESSE L. COLEMAN 9/23/1979 – 6/1/2007                     The following links are to newspaper articles that provide additional details about the Sicilian mob case Jesse worked in the late 1980’s. Also listed below are links to two articles written after Jesse retired.  These articles review his “legendary” status in FBI’s Philadelphia Division and his extensive network of confidential informants. Tough Talk About Cheap Lives And Costly Highs FBI agent tells court how he gained trust of mob drug dealers Drug-Worlds-Nightmare-Calls-It-Quits FBI tip improves on ‘The Legend’                                                                                     Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.   This episode was sponsored by FBIRetired.com – the only on-line directory made available to the general public fe...

Retired Special Agent Barbara Verica served in the FBI for 30 years. Barbara worked counter-intelligence matters for the first 15 years of her career and investigated economic crimes for the last fifteen. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, she is interviewed about the two years she worked undercover in Manhattan gathering intelligence and the evidence needed to prove that her neighbor, a diplomat for an unidentified foreign country, was selling secrets to the former Soviet Union. She actually befriended the wife of the diplomat and Barbara talks about how difficult it was, at times, to maintain her cover while betraying her “friend.” This case reminds me of the FX TV show The Americans, about two KGB spies posing as a married American couple living next door to a FBI counter-intelligence agent. Barbara also discusses an $5 million investment fraud case she investigated where in the subject harassed and threatened to sue everyone involved, including the investment firms, victims of the fraud, a local judge, a federal judge and Barbara. I recommend the legal thriller The Last Good Girl by Allison Leotta.   —-  Jerri   SPECIAL AGENT (RETIRED) BARBARA R. VERICA 08/24/1979 – 07/31/2009                     Barbara Verica is unable to reveal case specifics or provide written narrative accounts of her time as an undercover spy in the early 1980’s. However, she supplied below links to two newspaper articles about the investment fraud case she worked later in her career: Wall St. swindler receives jail term The Plymouth Meeting man, called “utterly incorrigible” by the judge, was also ordered to make restitution. Scam artist is guilty again Steven A. Schwartz, who has a record of check kiting and fraud, was convicted of bilking investors of about $1 million.                                                                                                                       Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Ron Nolan served in the FBI for 21 years. Ron spent the early part of his career in the Philadelphia Division as a member of the SWAT Team, working violent crime, and as the Criminal Informant Coordinator. Later Ron was reassigned to the Newark Division where he supervised a Violent Crimes and Fugitive Taskforce and the Evidence Response Team. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Ron Nolan reviews cases that occurred while he served as the Legal Attaché in Lagos, Nigeria – the investigation of the death of a teenage girl from New Jersey who dies while on a school trip in Ghana and the frequent kidnapping of American oil and utility workers in Nigeria. During his four years in the LEGAT Lagos position, Ron represented the FBI and the Department of Justice on matters involving eight African countries. He also served on Director Mueller’s LEGAT Advisory Committee representing all 56 countries on the continent of Africa. SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT (RETIRED) RONALD N. NOLAN 4/22/1990 – 7/31/2011                       While LEGAT Lagos, one of Ron’s most challenging cases involved the death of a Teaneck, New Jersey teen visiting Accra, Ghana on a school service mission. When the girl is discovered dead at the bottom of the hotel pool, Ron feels emotionally connected to the investigation and is determined to answer the parents’ number one question – was it an accident or foul play? Below are links to newspaper articles about the tragic incident: HS TRIP TRAGEDY MURDER: PARENTS Teaneck student’s death on school trip spurs legislation                                                                                           Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.   This episode was sponsored by FBIRetired.com – the only on-line directory made available to the general public featuring “retired” FBI AGENTS / ANALYSTS interested in showcasing their skills to secure business opportunities.

Retired Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) John Cosenza served in the FBI for 22 years. John spent much of his career working counterterrorism cases and extraterritorial jurisdiction investigations. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, John explains how extraterritorial jurisdiction authorizes the FBI to investigate crimes against Americans on foreign soil, such as murders and kidnappings, if the crimes were based on an act of terrorism. These extraterritorial jurisdiction and counterterrorism cases took John around the world to numerous countries and international venues. He talks about one case in particular involving a Tunisian operative and a European terrorist cell that he worked out of Milan while assigned as the Assistant Legal Attaché (ALAT) in Italy. This case was unique in that it was worked jointly between the FBI and the Italian National Police, with assistance from NCIS. The successful investigation resulted in charges of conspiracy, arms and explosive trafficking, and the use of fraudulent documents. Assistant Special Agent in Charge (Retired) John M. Cosenza 2/24/91 – 11/21/13                     John traveled around the world working Extraterritorial Jurisdiction investigation. Below are links to numerous articles regarding the investigation, arrest and conviction of Tunisian operative Essid Sami Ben Khemais:   Arrested Italian cell sheds light on Bin Laden’s European network Suspected Bin Laden Operative Put on Trial 4 Tunisians Convicted On Terror Charges  From al Qaeda in Italy to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia                                                                                                                   Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Pl...

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Mike Carbonell served in the FBI for 28 years.  In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Mike is interviewed about his investigation of a toddler kidnapped for ransom from his parents place of business in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Mike also talks about working with investigator Richard DiBenedetto from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to locate fugitive Ira Einhorn in Europe and return him back to the United States to be prosecuted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. Mike spent most of his Bureau career working bank robberies, violent crime and fugitives. Prior to retiring, he was the supervisor of the Philadelphia Violent Crimes and Fugitive Task Force which teamed FBI agents with officers and troopers from Philadelphia Police Major Crimes, the Philadelphia Warrant Unit and the Pennsylvania State Police. Supervisory Special Agent (Retired) Michael Carbonell 9/23/79 – 1/3/2008                       Mike tells us that it is rare that people, especially children, are kidnapped for ransom. Below are links to newspaper articles about the Andy Siu kidnapping case and the capture and return of long-time fugitive from justice, Ira Einhorn: A Kidnapping Undone Two Plead Guilty In Kidnapping Of A Son Of Chinatown Merchant FBI Rescues Boy; 150g Kidnap Fails 2 Plead Guilty In Kidnapping Investigator in Einhorn case savors a victory long delayed                                                                                                                                     Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and

Retired Special Agent in Charge Wayne Davis served 25 years with the FBI and during his career ran the Detroit and Philadelphia Offices. SAC Davis was among the first group of African-American agents to attend the FBI Academy. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he provides a fascinating personal and historical account of diversity in the FBI and his private meeting with Director J. Edgar Hoover in 1965, at which time the Director openly expressed his views about Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. Special Agent in Charge (Retired) Wayne G. Davis 8/26/63 – 11/3/88                       Prior to 1962,  the FBI had no “fully qualified” African-American Special Agents and Director Hoover was under pressure by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and the Department of Justice to diversify its professional federal law enforcement ranks.  The first two black special agents to attend the FBI Academy, Aubrey Lewis and James Barrow, entered on duty together in the summer of 1962.  A year later in the summer of 1963, Wayne Davis and another black candidate, John Cary, attended the FBI Academy and joined the Bureau. When Director Hoover died in 1972, he was succeeded by Acting Director L. Patrick Gray who immediately ordered the hiring of women as special agents and re-emphasized minority recruitment. Wayne Davis was appointed as one of the executive managers in the Administrative Division at FBI Headquarters to head up those efforts. During this interview he explains the importance of the FBI maintaining a diverse workforce. According to FBI Headquarters, as of April 2016 13,401 Special Agents are employed by the Bureau.  Here’s a breakdown of diversity in Special Agent position in today’s FBI: Total Men – 10,731 or 80.08% Total Women – 2,670 or 19.92% Total Minorities – 2,226 or 16.61%  (Includes all Hispanic/Latino, Black/African-American, Asian, Am. Indian/Alaska Native, Hawaiian/Pac. Islander, and Multi-Racial men and women) FYI, if I were in the FBI today I would be one of 134 black women making up 1% of the Special Agent ranks. I encourage all listeners interested in joining the FBI to apply, especially women and minorities.   —   Jerri                                                               Director Hoover summoned Wayne Davis to FBI Headquarters for a meet and greet.  His “audience” with  Hoover was memorable not only because of its historical significance, but also because of the pre-meeting conversation Wayne Davis had with Hoover’s “gatekeeper” Sam Noisette beforehand.                                                                                  

Retired agent Jerry Clark served 21 years in federal law enforcement.  He was an NCIS agent, DEA agent and finished his career as a FBI agent. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Jerry is interviewed about one of the most bizarre bank robbery schemes in the history of the FBI. Known officially as COLLARBOMB, the case involves a pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank with a time bomb locked around his neck.  It took Jerry and his partners from AFT and the Erie Police Department several years to unravel the complicated plot. At the end of the case there were a total of three dead bodies. Jerry has a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and is currently an Assistant Professor Criminal Justice at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. He and his co-author Ed Palattella have written two true crime books, Pizza Bomber – The Untold Story of America’s Most Shocking Bank Robbery and A History of Heists – Bank Robbery in America.   Special Agent Gerald C. Clark, Jr. 01/1990 (NCIS, DEA, FBI) Retired – 06/30/2011                       Jerry worked violent crime and bank robbery cases for most of his federal law enforcement service. The Pizza Bomber case was the most challenging and long-term investigation of his career                                                                                                                                                               Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.   This episode was sponsored by

Gerry Downes served 25 years with the FBI. Gerry worked in the Child Abduction and Serial Killer Unit (now known as the BAU)  for 11 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he talks about travelling with several team members to Accra, Ghana in May 2001 to assist in the identification of a serial killer responsible for the horrific murders of more than 30 woman. During the two weeks that Gerry and the FBI team were in Ghana, a suspect was arrested.  The suspect confessed to committing several of the murders. While in the country, the FBI team also trained Ghanaian police investigators in evidence collection and interrogations techniques. Gerry also mentions that when he returned to Ghana several years later he was impressed with the advances made.  Later in his career, Gerry left the BAU for a three-year  assignment at the Legal Attaché (Legat) Ottawa sub-office in Vancouver, Canada. Special Agent Gerard F. Downes 06/18/1984 – 07/31/2009                     Gerry worked in the Child Abduction and Serial Killer Unit, now known as the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). In 2001, he and several members of the unit travelled to Accra, Ghana to assist in the identification of a serial killer. Two articles about the case, FBI assistance and the arrest of the subject are linked below: Fear grips Ghana as ritual killer claims 34th victim Serial Killer Arrested                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on

Retired Special Agent Edward Shaw served 25 years with the FBI. Ed is fluent in Japanese and was appointed as the Assistant Legal Attaché (ALAT) in Tokyo, Japan from 1999 to 2004 and promoted to the Legal Attaché (LEGAT) from 2009 to 2012.  In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Ed talks about two cases he worked while in Japan. One focused on the capture of an American fugitive who had fled to Taiwan after murdering his wife in Vermont and the other involved the investigation of the theft of an Allosaurus dinosaur fossil illegally exported from the U.S. Each of these cases shows from beginning to end what a Legat does when handling the overseas aspect of an international FBI investigation. You can visit the FBI website for an Overview of the Legal Attaché Program. Ed’s blog Tokyo2020OlympicsSecurity.com provides insight in to how Japanese intelligence and law enforcement departments and security agencies handle terrorism investigations as they prepare to host the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. His most recent post comparing gun laws in Japan and with gun laws in the United States was quite thought-provoking.     Special Agent Edward Shaw 4/3/1989 – 2/28/2014                                                                               Here are a couple of articles containing more details about the two investigations Ed discussed during his about his assignments with the FBI in Japan: Kimmick Will Return To Face Murder Charge The Case of the Missing Dinosaur – How We Put the Pieces Together                                                                                                                                                                     Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File R...

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Kathy Lambert served 20 years with the FBI. Prior to joining the Bureau, Kathy had earned a Ph.D. in Political Science with a concentration in Counterterrorism. Her entire FBI career was focused on counter-terrorism investigations.  In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review,  she is interviewed about supervising the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in Philadelphia and South Jersey and working on several high-profiled cases, including the investigation and prosecution of  the infamous homegrown terrorists known as Jihad Jane. Kathy reviews the Jihad Jane case, her TDY assignments around the world, and the importance of local, state and federal law enforcement partners working together to combat the threat of terrorism in the United States.     RETIRED SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT KATHRYN M. LAMBERT 11/26/1995 – 11/30/2015                     Kathy’s counterterrorism cases include the investigation of a suspected terrorist living in Philadelphia and of the homegrown terrorist known as Jihad Jane. Articles related to these investigations are linked below: Pakistani woman jailed for lying about husband ICE REMOVES AN ADMITTED TERRORIST AND A MEMBER OF OUTLAWED MILITANT GROUP TO PAKISTAN U.S. woman known as Jihad Jane sentenced to 10 years in plot                                                                                                                       Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing crime fiction and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime podcast available for subscription on iTunes and Stitcher. Her novel—Pay To Play— about a female agent investigating corruption in the Philadelphia strip club industry is available at Amazon.com.   This episode was sponsored by FBIRetired.com – the only on-line directory made available to the general public featuring “retired” FBI AGENTS / ANALYSTS interest...