<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Hollywood goodfella]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://af11.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[af11]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://af11.wordpress.com/author/af11/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Badfella&#8217;s]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[It's the only way that they can win the war on organized crime, period," Fiato says. "It's the only way. (An agent) told me that without informants, what he calls friends, without them the FBI wouldn't stand a chance against the mob. Even with all the technology, all the surveillance and wiretaps, all the equipment. There would be no important cases without informants. You don't get them from the outside because the way the mob operates you can't walk right in, sit down and start listening. Without informants, they wouldn't stand a chance. The only way the mob can be taken down is from the inside out."
      The mafia's oft-maligned code of silence, omerta, would have far more meaning if it weren't for the devastating effect of having top mobsters, such as Flemmi, exposed as cooperating witnesses and FBI listening posts.
      "Turning Flemmi was a huge score for the FBI," Fiato says. "You're talking about one of the most important criminals in all of New England. The man was trusted in Whitey Bulger and Howie Winters' Winter Hill Gang, and in Raymond Patriarca's family. He was capable of doing plenty of work (committing multiple murders) and he was an earner. Together, Stevie Flemmi and Frankie Salemme were so well-respected by the other killers. They were tough guys, really tough guys." 
      Ask about Salemme's reputation, and Fiato laughs again.
      "You want to talk about tough? Frankie Salemme gets out of the penitentiary and announces he wants to be]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://i1.wp.com/af11.wordpress.com/files/2008/09/new-af.jpg?fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[218]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[330]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>