Joe Valachi was an American mobster and the first member of the Mafia to publicly acknowledge its existence. His testimony before the U.S. Senate in the early 1960s, known as the Valachi Hearings, provided a detailed account of the inner workings of the Mafia and its operations in the United States. Valachi's revelations led to increased government efforts to combat organized crime and brought public awareness to the extent of Mafia influence in America. His story has been the subject of books, films, and ongoing discussions about the history of organized crime in the United States.