Joseph Valachi began cooperating after he became afraid that Vito Genovese had marked him for death. Rumors had spread that Valachi was helping authorities, even though he had not yet become an informant. In June 1962 Valachi attacked another prisoner with an iron pipe because he mistakenly thought that the man had been sent to kill him. After the killing led to a murder charge, Valachi asked to speak with federal narcotics authorities and offered information about organized crime.
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