Worst of all, he gives false stories to the media about being forced to destroy evidence by the fbi. The story revolves around a covert fbi investigation into a massive global price fixing scheme involving a number of companies, chief among which is a highly profitable. The basic story, that the large agribusiness archer daniels midland adm was caught in an international pricefixing scam for food additives would merit coverage in business week but little else. It truly was a team effort, says mazur, and my brother emir. The book is about a sixyear fbi investigation of an international pricefixing conspiracy by archer. Mark edward whitacre born may 1, 1957 is an american business executive who came to public attention in 1995 when, as president of the decatur, illinoisbased. In the true crime book above suspicion, author joe sharkey provides a detailed account of putnams crime of passion, its aftermath, and his eventual confession. Its a true story based on mark whitacre who was a whistleblower on a huge corporations pricefixing scheme in the 1990s. White boy rick whitewashes the real story of richard. Oftentimes, when i start a new book my initial enthusiasm gets me through the first chapter or two. It is based on a true story first described by journalist kurt eichenwald in his 2000 nonfiction book of the same title the movie concerns itself with mark whitacre damon, an employee of adm, a food production company. The true story of barry seal, a twa pilot who became a drug smuggler and government informant, played by tom cruise in american made. Meticulously researched and richly told by new york times senior writer kurt eichenwald, the informant recreates the drama of the story, beginning with the secret recordings, stakeouts, and interviews with suspects and witnesses to the power struggles within adm and its boardincluding the highprofile chairman dwayne andreas, f.
A probe into a possible sabotage turns mark into a whistleblower for the fbi, as part of. Eichenwald does a masterful job to get the reader through the twists and turns of an emotionally complicated and unstable central figure, mark whitacre, who becomes the fbi informant and then the target of justice deptfbi probes. Burns, the film stars matt damon as the titular informant named mark whitacre, as well as scott bakula, joel mchale and melanie lynskey. From an awardwinning new york times investigative reporter comes an outrageous story of greed, corruption, and conspiracywhich left the fbi and justice department counting on the cooperation of one man. Kurt eichenwald talked about his book the informant.
The infiltrator movie vs true story of robert mazur, emir. The informant is a true story about archer daniels midland adm and their alleged price fixing in a variety of agricultural markets. Kurt eichenwald, a seasoned whitecollarcrime reporter for the new york times, opens his gripping book with a quote from pirandellos six characters in search of an author, the first. Kurt eichenwald, a seasoned whitecollarcrime reporter for the new york times, opens his gripping book with a quote from pirandellos six.
It went in my tbr bookcase where it languished for years. Mark whitacre, a top executive of adm, is the informant. Some true stories although being a surreal experience for the people involved in them are not interesting or easy to read some people are just not born to be writers. So reads the cover of this highpowered true crime story, an accurate teaser to a bizarre financial scandal with more plot twists than a john grisham novel. Since it cost practically nothing and looked mildly interesting, i bought it. In 1992 the fbi stumbled upon mark whitacre, a top executive at the archer daniels midland corporation who was willing to act as a government witness to a vast international pricefixing. Whitacre assisted the fbi in compiling hundreds of audio and video tapes, documenting adms price fixing this book was a tradeout between me and a friend. The only hitch was that whitacre turned out to be a weebit bonkers. Its the kind of book youll stay up all night to finish. He had trouble staying grounded to reality as he lied, doubledealed and embezzled his way into millions of dollars and lots of legal troubles.
The twist is that while whitacre was working for the fbi, he was also embezzling money from his employer adm. National bestseller soon to be a major motion picture from warner bros. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Set squarely in the american heartland, delving into the inner sanctum of a global corporation, it explores the shifting boundaries of truth and deception, loyalty and betrayal. The story of the fbi agent who strangled his informant. The real story of the infiltrator is still ongoing. A pageturning true story of international scandal and corruption at. Kurt eichenwald chronicles the fbis attempts to infiltrate one of americas most powerful corporations, using information supplied to them by one of the companys employees. The informant is a nonfiction whitecollar crime book written by journalist kurt eichenwald and. In the informant, awardwinning investigative reporter and new york times bestselling author kurt eichenwald tells the outrageously true story of greed, corruption, and conspiracy that left the fbi and justice department counting on the cooperation of one man.
Eichenwald has told it masterfully, with the narrative drive of a novel. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the informant. The key to the story is the informant himself, mark. A true story kurt eichenwald from an awardwinning new york times investigative reporter comes an outrageous story of greed, corruption, and conspiracywhich left the fbi and justice department counting on the cooperation of one man. Buying the best true story books involves lots of research and a quick flick through the pages to make sure you connect with the story being told. Kurt eichenwald it was one of the fbis biggest secrets. Archer daniels midland company, supermarket to the world, was pricefixer to the world during the 1990s when this story of corporate and personal greed unfolded. Incredible story and a true page turner about price fixing and other corporate misdeeds at archer, daniels, midland, a fortune 500 company. The true story was the fbi had discovered through surveillance and informant tips that a young white kid named rick wershe was a frequent visitor to the home of. A true story is a long book over 500 pages, but i never once noticed what page i was on. The infiltrator is a true story, but its also a movie with a beginning, middle and an end. It depicts whitacres involvement as a whistle blower in the lysine pricefixing conspiracy of the mid1990s as described in the 2000. Whitacre came forward as a cooperating witness to the fbi, telling them that his company, archer. This story in itself promises a potent account of corporate espionage, but in the informant, thats not the half of itor even an eighth, for that matter.
The author, kurt eichenwald, has obviously done a considerable amount of research to present the details of the investigation of mark whitacre, an archer daniels midland adm executive whose greed overcame his ability to. Soon to be a film starring game of thrones star emilia clarke, the murder of susan smith is also a landmark case. Host liane hansen speaks to investigative writer kurt eichenwald, whose book, the informant. Though the story seems tailormade for an adam mckay movie or bestselling book, it remained largely hidden for years, in part because news of the investigation dropped right before 911. The true story of mark whitacre, an executive with adm who was involved in the price fixing of lysine worldwide with other companies. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the informant. The key to the story is the informant himself, mark whitacre, the president of one of adms largest and most successful divisions. But it is a true story, one that will rivet your attention and leave your head spinning. A true story, is the subject of the new movie starring matt damon. The infiltrator true story reveals that john leguizamos character, emir abreu is based on mazurs reallife partner. The book tells the true story of mark whitacre who became an fbi informant regarding price fixing among lysine an enzyme commonly used in animal feed producers. The informant is superb reporting in the service of a great story, one with the drama and suspense of a le carre novel.