Famous NBA referee hid past as undercover FBI informant against the mob
From blowing a whistle against the likes of Michael Jordan to blowing the whistle on the mob, Bob Delaney has had an adventurous life and career.
He was a hotshot high school basketball player from Paterson, N.J. who went on to go undercover with the FBI to infiltrate the mob in the 70s.
This former New Jersey state trooper’s life changed dramatically when he joined an FBI sting operation in 1975.
Delaney went undercover for three years, all with the intention of gathering intelligence to eradicate the mob. His undercover operation was called Project Alpha.
The object was to breakup illegal operations and cuff those behind them. Using the front of a made-up trucking business called “Alamo Transportation”, Delaney teamed up with John DiGilio, a made man from the Genovese crime family. He also infiltrated the Colombo family.
He dealt with life-and-death situations. He never carried a gun, but instead wore a wire which would be instrumental in putting over 30 crime-family members behind bars.
Delaney’s return to normal life was not easy. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result, he was put in contact with another former undercover agent, Joe Pistone, whose life was later made into the 1997 movie “Donnie Brasco”.
In the early 80s, Delaney became a detective and eventually an NBA referee for 24 years. At first he was concerned about retaliation from the guys he put in prison, but says after much thought he was not going to let his past dictate how he would live the rest of his life.
He says he has received death threats from some of the guys he put in jail. However there are currently safety precautions in place for his protection. Delaney is now the vice president of NBA referee operations and helps the younger officials coping with their stresses on and off the court.
http://pix11.com/2015/05/07/bob-delaney-famed-nba-referee-hid-past-as-fbi-mob-whistleblower/
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