Lou Ferrente (pictured) used to be in the Mafia. He was then arrested and did time for about 10 years. While in prison, like any other prisoner who will be released one day, Ferrente needed a plan as to what to do once on the outside. The first place he had to look was at his strengths and how to turn them into a fortune.
Which explains him hosting Inside the Gangster Code, a show that attempts to reveal the hidden secrets of the criminal underworld. Being a member of a criminal gang, Ferrente knows how to approach his sources and what to look for. Some of his sources have obviously been made inside prison, giving him leads on what or who to search out once he had done his time.
His passion is in bringing to light the roots of gang culture and how some gangs have control over governments and economies. His investigation is not limited to one geographical area, as gangs are a worldwide phenomenon. So you will see him in El Salvador, the Philippines, Poland and Italy, scoping out the gang scenes and teaching us about a secret world.
If you watched Mario Puzo’s The Godfather films, then you’ll know how serious some of these criminals can be. They do not stop at anything to get their way. And if anything gets in their way, they “take care” of it. In their eyes, what Ferrente has turned out to be is nothing but a snitch. It might appear as if he is just trying to make a living, but his job choice threatens the existence of the discreet gangs. Most of them are probably under the watchful eye of the law and any leaking of information may send some mobsters to prison for lengthy terms. So just how Ferrente gets it right without upsetting the criminals is why you should watch this show.
His first investigation starts with his prison sources who help him immerse himself in any group he intends to investigate on the outside. He also gets close to the guards without them knowing what he is after. His patient mole activities get him close to the head of organisations in each episode. You will feel as if you are with Ferrente on these missions with hidden cameras and no defence mechanism should anything go wrong.
This is a brilliant yet dangerous venture and soon or later the exposed organisations will want revenge and Ferrente should be ready to face the music.
I doubt we will see many seasons of this show, so let’s enjoy it while we can, because if any of Puzo’s stories are drawn from the true nature of the Mafia, then Ferrente is in way too deep.
• Inside the Gangster Code, Thursday, Discovery (DStv channel 121), 9.21pm.