Matthew Cox | Inside True Crime Podcast Inside the Mind of a Mafia Informant: Corruption, Betrayal & Regret
Apr 11, 2025
Joseph Barone Jr., the longest-running informant in American mafia history, shares riveting insights from his life. He reveals the complexities of loyalty and betrayal within organized crime, recounts his emotional journey facing his father's suspicious death, and highlights the treacherous balance of being an informant. Barone discusses personal experiences with incarceration and his transformative journey, capturing the allure and dangers of the gangster lifestyle while reflecting on the implications of greed and choices in a world fraught with corruption.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Growing Up Surrounded by Crime
- Joseph Barone Jr. describes spending his childhood around clubs with his father, learning to play pool and feeling special around his father's friends.
- He recalls his father's illicit activities like hijacking trucks and loan sharking, though as a child he did not fully understand them.
Father’s Arrest and Family Impact
- Joseph Barone Jr. shares how his father got arrested for drug trafficking and served three years and six months in prison.
- He explains his father’s connection with the Lucchese family and living with his grandparents during this time.
Early School Troubles and Rebellion
- Joseph recalls getting suspended for pulling a fire alarm in 6th grade and other trouble in school including fighting with teachers.
- He describes anger and defiance in his youth, setting the stage for his later life of crime.
