SCOTT CURTIS/TESTIMONIALS
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January 21, 2011
“Federal agents in New York pulled off the biggest one-day Mafia roundup in US history yesterday, simultaneously bringing the hammer down on more than 120 reputed wiseguys — a takedown so enormous it required a Brooklyn Army fort to book them all.”
New York Post / Read Full Article
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January 20, 2011
Associated Press television coverage of record mafia takedown spearheaded by Scott Curtis on January 20, 2011.
“The targets, officials said, ran the gamut from what they called small-time bookmakers and shakedown artists to mob middle managers and the entire current leadership of the Colombo crime family.”
New York Times / Read Full Article
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February, 2011
CNN television coverage of record mafia takedown spearheaded by Scott Curtis on January 20, 2011.
“Big Anthony [Russo] initially spurned a request from Scott Curtis, the lead FBI agent in the Colombo purge, to cooperate before he was snared in the monstrous Mafia takedown last month. But he changed his mind soon after he was detained without bail.”
Gang Land columnist Jerry Capeci in the Huffington Post / Read Full Article
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June 2018
“Extraordinary and devoted leadership, relentless pursuit of justice, and unwavering dedication to protecting our community from the scourge of organized crime and public corruption. Your tremendous work has resulted in the dismantling of an organized crime family responsible for numerous murders and other crimes, and the disruption of a massive corruption scheme that violated the public trust among many other crimes that you solved and prevented.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office/EDNY Award citation
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JANUARY 20, 2011
ABC-TV television coverage of record mafia takedown spearheaded by Scott Curtis and ensuing press conference by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on January 20, 2011.
“This largest single-day operation against La Cosa Nostra sends the message that our fight against traditional organized crime is strong and our commitment is unwavering.”
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Press Conference/ Read Full Article
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December 2017
“Hardest hit by the raid was the Colombo family, considered to be one of the mob's bloodiest outfits. . . in a single day, the entire Colombo hierarchy [dismantled] – the boss, underboss, consigliere, five captains, and seven soldiers. West Point grad Scott Curtis had presented [the informant] with his options: Go back to prison for the rest of your life or come work for Team America.”
Men’s Journal / Read Full Article
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March 2013
“The Colombos can breathe a little easier with the reassignment of a hard-charging FBI agent who has left the crime family in ruins after more than a decade of mob-busting.”
New York Daily News / Read Full Article
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March 2013
Takedown day, 2011.
“Special Agent Scott Curtis was a scourge of the Colombo family, participating in the arrests of more than 100 gangsters, but more importantly, convincing at least a dozen wiseguys to reject their mafia oath and become government informants.”
New York Daily News / Read Full Article
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March 2013
“Special Agent Curtis played a pivotal role in the fight against organized crime, in particular the Colombo family, and the reach and influence of that criminal enterprise has been significantly diminished based on his tireless work.”
Fmr. Deputy U.S. Atty. General Greg Andres in the New York Daily News / Read Full Article
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August 2012
“Thank you for helping to give my brother a voice to make known the truth about what happened to him. and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
Family member of a murder victim
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September 2007
“Supremely intelligent and determined efforts in the investigation of a group of virulent boiler room crews which, for over ten years, bilked millions from investors. [An] Eliot Ness-like prosecution.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office/EDNY Award citation
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June 2014
“Outstanding efforts in the investigation and successful prosecution of United States v. Thomas Gioeli, et al., resulting in the dismantling of a ruthless and lethal crew of the Colombo organized crime family responsible for eight murders, including the murder of New York City Police Officer Ralph Dols.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office/EDNY Award citation
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February 2009
“Tireless efforts and unselfish endeavors On behalf of the members of the NYPD Honor Legion. We acknowledge with gratitude and appreciation this support which [has] contributed immeasurably to the welfare of New York’s Finest.”
New York City Police Dept. Honor Legion Award citation for solving Ralph Dols murder
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April 2009
“Untiring and selfless efforts put forth on behalf of the members of the Detectives’ Endowment Association.”
New York City Police Dept. Detectives Endowment Assoc. Award citation for solving Dols murder
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January 2009
“Outstanding investigative performance exemplifying skill, perseverance, and dedication to public service.”
New York City Police Dept. Detective Bureau Award citation for solving Dols murder
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January 2011
“Listen, Scott Curtis was here. He came here like a gentleman. I’ve had agents come to me before, you know, come in, knock on the door. Never said, like, hey, maybe you want to help yourself? Never.
This was the first time anybody ever asked me if I wanted to help myself.”
Covert recording, Colombo crime family captain
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February 2020
Program cover, EOUSA Director’s Award Ceremony 2020.
The FBI’s Scott Curtis is one of six “recognized for leading the successful corruption prosecutions of the mayors of Pennsylvania’s third and fifth largest cities, Allentown and Reading. . . [and] during some of our most austere and challenging times. [They] exemplify the best in federal service. Worked diligently and selflessly to protect the rights of Americans.”
Dept. of Justice/Exec. Office of the U.S. Atty. (EOUSA) Director’s Award / Read Program
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June 2018
“Outstanding service and dedication in the Allentown and Reading corruption cases.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office/EDNY Award citation
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July 2017
“Pay-to-play was the order of the day in Allentown and in Reading. This years-long investigation illuminated troubling conduct for which all of those indicted must now answer.”
Michael Harpster, Special Agent in Charge/FBI's Philadelphia Division
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March 2018
Special Agent Scott Curtis (far left) at Acting U.S. Attorney Louis Lappen’s press conference after Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski was found guilty of selling his office.
“The mayor tried to cover up his crimes by destroying evidence, lying to the FBI agents investigating him, and lying to jurors who heard his case. prosecutors and law-enforcement partners worked extremely hard to investigate this case resulting in 10 guilty pleas.”
Acting U.S. Attorney/Eastern District of Pennsylvania Louis D. Lappen
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January 2009
“I just want to say thank you for your help in changing my husband’s life around. I’m sad that he did the crimes he did, but I’m happy that he came forward with the truth.”
Spouse of a cooperating witness
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September 2010
Scott Curtis accepts his badge from FBI Director Louis Freeh.
“Special Agent Curtis serves as a mentor for agents providing them with the benefit of his vast experience. He is a relentless investigator.”
FBI performance review
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March 2013
“Tireless dedication, extraordinary efforts, professionalism, and leadership in the investigation and prosecution of the leadership, members, and associates of La Cosa Nostra over the past 16 years.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office/EDNY Award citation
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June 2018
“One way the New York and Allentown cases diverge is Curtis’s semi-celebrity status in New York. In the city’s courtrooms and in the pages of its local tabloid newspapers, he was mentioned almost as often as the men and women he was investigating. In Allentown, Curtis earned a reputation for being highly aggressive.”
Allentown Morning Call / Read Full Article
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June 2018
“A square shooter.”
Defense Attorney Eric Dowdle in the Allentown Morning Call / Read Full Article
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September 2023
“I want to thank you for your selflessness and service on one of the darkest days in this nation’s history. As the purest expression of service over self, you ran toward danger in the midst of chaos and uncertainty in an effort to rescue as many as you could. It is my somber privilege to acknowledge the heroic role you played on September 11, 2001.”
9/11 First Responder citation, Director of the FBI Christopher A. Wray