The Sopranos: Ranking All FBI Informants in the Show

Article Overview

The Sopranos portrayed informants and rats as villains, despite them doing the right thing by helping the FBI.

In contrast to other shows, The Sopranos uniquely portrayed the enduring resilience of its main character, Tony Soprano, rendering the efforts of informants futile throughout the years. Numerous informants within the series either met tragic fates or were unsuccessful in their endeavors to dismantle Tony Soprano and his criminal empire.

The storylines revolving around informants and rats in The Sopranos created intense drama throughout the series. However, unlike typical mafia shows, The Sopranos focused on the criminals themselves, making the protagonists the bad guys. Tony Soprano served as the main character who viewers followed, while the informants and rats, despite doing the right thing by assisting the FBI, were portrayed as villains.

Unfortunately, the Sopranos rats proved to be ineffective in helping the FBI bring down Tony Soprano and his crime family. Unlike shows such as The Shield and Breaking Bad, where the "heroes" face consequences for their actions, Tony is allowed to continue living his life. Although there are theories suggesting that Tony Soprano may have died, it was not as a result of police or court intervention. Consequently, the informants who risked everything to gather evidence against Tony did so in vain, as most of them ended up dying without providing the police with what they needed.

10. Febby Petrulio

Though he only appeared in the series for a combined total of 15 minutes,

9. "Black" Jack Massarone

is famously known as the traitor whom Tony Soprano violently choked to death in the highly acclaimed episode "College." While searching for colleges with his daughter Meadow, Tony unexpectedly encountered

9. "Black" Jack Massarone

at a gas station.

9. "Black" Jack Massarone

had betrayed the DiMeo family by providing evidence to the FBI, resulting in numerous convictions. Despite being in the witness protection program,

9. "Black" Jack Massarone

proved to be the most detrimental FBI informant as he jeopardized his secure situation. By engaging in possible drug dealings,

9. "Black" Jack Massarone

exposed himself to dangerous circumstances, ultimately allowing Tony to execute him.

Tony effortlessly manipulated Jack Massarone, the owner of a construction company. In a cunning move, the mob boss instigated a protest at Jack's business, compelling him to seek assistance from the powerful DiMeo family to put a stop to it. In exchange for putting an end to the demonstrations, Tony demanded a share of the company's profits. Although Jack reluctantly agreed initially, he soon grew dissatisfied with the arrangement. Gradually, he started providing information to Tony while concealed beneath a wire-equipped baseball cap during their meetings. However, Jack's lack of confidence raised suspicions, ultimately exposing him as an informant to Tony.

Tony ultimately commissioned a hit, resulting in Massarone's body being discovered in a car trunk along with a targeted message intended for the FBI. Massarone's minimal involvement in The Sopranos, combined with Tony's swift detection, rendered him incapable of causing harm to the Soprano crime family.

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8. Eugene Pontecorvo

Eugene had a decent career as a made man until he unexpectedly inherited his late aunt's fortune. His wife, wanting a peaceful life in Miami, urged him to leave the mafia. Despite his plea to Tony, he was denied and it later came to light that Eugene was also working with the FBI. However, it remained unclear when he became an informant, seemingly out of nowhere. The show did not portray him as a rat, leaving viewers feeling that the added tension was forced.

There was no depiction of Eugene's success as an informant on the show. His desire to leave the mafia was hindered by both the feds, who prevented him from relocating with his wife, and Tony, who used him to bring down his own family. Feeling trapped by both sides, Eugene ultimately chose to end his own life as a means of escape.

7. Jimmy Altieri

Capo Jimmy Altieri's brief stint as an informant for the Sopranos primarily stemmed from the disapproval of his superiors. When a corrupt FBI agent informed Tony that Big Pussy was betraying them, Tony initially believed the agent had mistaken Jimmy for Sal due to their similar physiques. Jimmy's constant questioning only fueled Tony's suspicion towards him.

Unfortunately, before Tony could confirm the agent's intended target, the agent passed away. As a result, Tony ultimately concluded that Jimmy was the informant, not Sal. It later came to light that both Jimmy and Sal were indeed working for the FBI. Ultimately, Silvio and Christopher took it upon themselves to eliminate Jimmy, although his actual involvement with the FBI remains a mystery, as his activities never seemed to hold any significance beyond being a distraction from Salvatore.

6. Salvatore Bonpensiero

Big Pussy, the show's beloved character, turned out to be the FBI's top informant after a few years of deceiving his colleagues. This secret would have remained hidden for longer if Tony hadn't had a strange dream hinting at Big Pussy's betrayal. Initially, Big Pussy did an impressive job of covering his tracks, even going as far as eliminating a fellow mob member who suspected his interaction with the FBI handler. When he disappeared for a period, he concocted a lie about seeking medical treatment in a foreign country.

Salvatore, facing a lifetime in prison, chose to become an informant to avoid the harsh punishment. This revelation shocked fans, considering Sal was one of Tony's most popular crew members throughout the series. In his final days, however, Sal became overly enthusiastic about his undercover work and started chasing suspects like a police officer, ultimately leading to his discovery and execution on a boat. The extent of the information he provided to the authorities over the years remains unknown, but his unfortunate fate showed that he wasn't as skilled as he believed himself to be.

5. Adriana

Adriana's fate was undeserved. Despite the FBI's attempts to get her cooperation, they were unsuccessful. Initially, they assigned a female agent to form a friendship with her, but their plan unraveled when Christopher made advances towards the agent, causing their bond to crumble. In a last-ditch effort, the FBI resorted to using force to make Adriana cooperate, but she cleverly evaded providing the agents with any valuable information. Even when faced with the threat of imprisonment for concealing a murder, she remained defiant and refused to cooperate.

Trusting Christopher with her secret turned out to be a grave mistake. Instead of protecting her, he betrayed her trust by informing Tony, who then ordered Silvio to eliminate her. Adriana remained loyal to the Soprano family until the end, making her story one of the most tragic tales in the entire show. Despite her unwavering loyalty and innocence, the constant presence of informants within the family forced them to eliminate any perceived threats. Adriana's untimely death was an immense injustice, making her portrayal as an informant all the more poignant.

4. Larry 'Lorenzo' Barese

Lorenzo, often seen as a reserved and funny member of the DiMeo crime family, surprised everyone when it was later revealed that he was actually an informant. Assisting the FBI, the leader of the Barese crew helped locate the body of a victim murdered by Tony more than 25 years ago, once Larry was arrested for multiple parole violations. Unlike most informants, Lorenzo managed to stay alive, although he was still awaiting trial by the end of the series.

Due to his ability to provide the FBI with what they needed and his survival, he was more successful than the majority of informants. Only a handful of individuals who betrayed Tony managed to come out alive, so the fact that Lorenzo handed over only a small piece of evidence and still made it to the end of the series speaks volumes about his effectiveness as a rat. Interestingly, Anthony Borgese, the actor who portrayed Larry Barese, was a real-life member of the Gambino crime family (via Reuters).

3. Carlo Gervasi

It's impossible to sympathize with the homophobic Carlo Gervasi. He publicly reveals Vito's homosexuality, forcing the mobster to go into hiding to avoid being murdered. In addition, despite being entrusted with significant responsibilities, Carlo proves to be inept at his job, consistently failing to generate substantial profits. Carlo's story takes a tragic turn when he betray his colleagues in the series finale after years of unwavering loyalty. He decides to cooperate with the FBI, seeking leniency for his son who was arrested for drug-related offenses. Despite his irritating characteristics, Carlo manages to evade death, earning him the distinction of being one of the most successful informants in the Sopranos' syndicate.

2. Jimmy Petrille

In the Season 5 finale, it was revealed that the consigliere had been secretly sharing information with the authorities since 1981. This meant that Petrille had been acting as an informant for a whopping 23 years by the time the events of the episode unfolded in 2004. Petrille's cooperation provided the FBI with valuable information that allowed them to target the Lupertazzi underboss, Johnny Sack. When the police conducted a raid on Johnny's house while he was with Tony, Tony managed to narrowly escape. It was only later that Tony discovered that Petrille was the snitch, but despite this revelation, Petrille never revealed any information about the DiMeo family.

Petrille's demise wasn't a consequence of betrayal either; however, it is believed that he entered the witness protection program following a significant operation. The presence of numerous informants within the Soprano crime family is certainly surprising, and Jimmy's revelation added to this astonishment. His ability to carry out this role for more than twenty years without detection, only being discovered when he sought refuge, is a testament to his remarkable efficiency as an informant.

1. Raymond 'Buffalo Ray' Curto

Ray was renowned as the ultimate informant, skillfully avoiding detection by his fellow mobsters. Unfortunately, his secret perished along with him when he suffered a stroke while being transported in an FBI agent's vehicle. Considering his advanced age and frequent appearances, it is highly likely that he provided the FBI with a wealth of incriminating information. Although the reason behind Ray's decision to betray his compatriots remains undisclosed, it is hinted that his motive revolved around his son's costly medical treatment. Ray had to maintain his position on the outside to continue earning and cover his son's medical expenses. Remarkably, Ray managed to be one of the rare informants from the Sopranos who successfully kept his actions shrouded in secrecy throughout the entirety of the show.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the portrayal of FBI informants in The Sopranos. On the one hand, I understand that they are doing the right thing by helping the FBI to bring down a criminal empire. On the other hand, I can't help but feel sympathy for them, as they are often portrayed as villains in the show.

I think it's important to remember that these informants are often put in impossible situations. They are forced to choose between their loyalty to their family and friends and their duty to uphold the law. It's no wonder that so many of them end up meeting tragic fates.

Overall, I think The Sopranos does a good job of portraying the complex moral issues that come with being an FBI informant. It's a reminder that there is no easy answer when it comes to fighting crime.