The Insider

Billy Breen was the FBI's secret weapon. After 25 years of surrepticious observing, reporting, manoeuvring and manipulating, Breen surfaced to tell his story to Donald Goddard, journalist and ex-editor of "The New York Times". An ex-cop who has done time for robbery and armed robbery (to protect his family and his cover), Breen could enter any low-life bar in any state and hook into the local criminal network before ordering his second drink. Despite reservations about the FBI, his work for them made him a crime-busting legend, and he gained his satisfaction not from financial reward or fame, but just from seeing the mob heads roll - hundreds of them.