Guys connected with the mob make a living at lying, cheating, and stealing - I'm not so inclined that they are a better source of information than the feds. How well do you trust your sources? Since you claim to have first-hand knowledge, there is a chance you may be naturally and unwittingly inflating the importance of your associates and their activities. Similar to an Iraqi or Desert Storm vet seeing some action and thinking it was the most frightening thing imaginable when there are vets from WWII and Nam with stories that put the others to shame. It's all a matter of perspective.