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Séamus McElearney began his distinguished career with the FBI in 1998, joining Squad C-10 of the New York Organized Crime Branch. Tasked with investigating the Bonanno and DeCavalcante crime families—infamously known as “the real Sopranos”—Séamus quickly made his mark.
In December 1999, he was assigned to arrest Anthony Capo, a violent soldier in the DeCavalcante family, as part of a sweeping indictment. Not only did he safely execute the arrest, but he also achieved a historic breakthrough: persuading Capo to become the first made member in the family’s century-long history to cooperate with law enforcement. This unprecedented move triggered a domino effect of cooperation that ultimately led to the dismantling of the DeCavalcante family. In all, 71 defendants were convicted, 11 murders were solved, and seven trials transpired. As a result, Séamus and the team received the U.S. Attorney’s Office Director’s Award.
Following this six-year investigation, Séamus was promoted to lead Squad C-38, overseeing the Colombo crime family. Under his leadership, the squad dismantled the Colombos through a series of operations—including spearheading the largest Mafia takedown in FBI history. The Bonanno squad was later merged into C-38 under his command.
As Supervisor, Séamus oversaw investigations that led to the conviction of more than 200 defendants, the resolution of 20 murders, and nine successful trials—driven by relentless teamwork.
Throughout his career as an Agent and Supervisor, Séamus helped convict ten Mafia bosses, recover five bodies, and solve the murder of an NYPD officer. He was part of historic FBI teams that dismantled three organized crime families—an achievement no one else can claim.
In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the fight against organized crime, Séamus was invited to the White House in 2013, where he was personally commended by the President. His work has earned numerous honors, including:
• Service to America Medal Finalist
• Federal Executive Board Outstanding Supervisor Award
• NYPD Chief of Detectives Achievement Award
• Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Investigator of the Year
• FBI Medal of Excellence
• Irish Echo Top 50 Leader in Law Enforcement
• Commendations from the Italian National Police and Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA)
• Numerous citations from U.S. Attorney’s Offices of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
After completing his term as Supervisor in 2013, Séamus returned to casework, shifting to violent crime. He led the first-ever RICO indictment against a Mount Vernon street gang, resulting in its dismantlement. In 2016, he transitioned to white-collar, leading numerous fraud investigations until retiring from the FBI in 2019.
Currently, Séamus is the Global Head of Corporate Security for a major financial institution.
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