---
category: Authors & Journalists
summary: Gates conducted a wiretap of MCA under the supervision of U.S.
tags:
- Person
- Journalist
---

[Thomas Gates](/people/thomas-gates/) was an [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) agent in Los Angeles who played a significant role in the investigation of [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) for organized crime penetration and was a key contact for investigative journalist [Danny Casolaro](/people/danny-casolaro/).[1]

Gates conducted a wiretap of [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) under the supervision of U.S. Attorney [Marvin Rudnick](/people/marvin-rudnick/) and later [Richard Stavin](/people/richard-stavin/). He, along with Rudnick and Stavin, believed that [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) had been penetrated by organized crime, based on the wiretaps. These wiretaps recorded communications between [Robert Booth Nichols](/people/robert-booth-nichols/) and [Eugene Giaquinto](/people/eugene-giaquinto/), then president of [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) home entertainment division, revealing connections to [La Cosa Nostra](/organizations/la-cosa-nostra/), including the [Gambino Crime Family](/organizations/gambino-crime-family/) and [Bufalino Crime Family](/organizations/bufalino-crime-family/).[1]

Gates had frequent conversations with [Danny Casolaro](/people/danny-casolaro/) until three days before Casolaro's death. Casolaro reportedly told Gates that [Robert Booth Nichols](/people/robert-booth-nichols/) had warned him to drop his investigation into "[The Octopus](/concepts/the-octopus/)." Gates was also involved in learning about [Michael Riconosciuto](/people/michael-riconosciuto/)'s statement to the [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) in October 1992, which implicated Nichols, Glenn Shockley, [Jose Londono](/people/jose-santacruz-londono/), [Gilberto Rodriguez](/people/gilberto-rodriguez-orejuela/), and [Michael Abbell](/people/michael-abbell/) in illicit financial activities.[1]

Despite the evidence gathered, the [DOJ](/organizations/department-of-justice/) sealed the wiretaps, and no prosecutions were pursued in the [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) organized crime investigation. The Los Angeles Organized Crime Strike Force was disbanded, and Gates closed the [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) investigation. He was one of the investigators who found themselves on a collision course with the [Justice Department](/organizations/department-of-justice/) when their inquiries led to high-level organized crime, drugs, and money laundering.[1]

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[1] Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.