To give nearly 60 million to his charity, and it all began with one simple story. Its a beautiful story, and its a lie. We wanted to talk to mortenson about that and some other things, but he didnt want to talk to 60 minutes. Steve kroft. Nice to meet you. How you doing . Thanks. Got five minutes for us today . Um. [ticking] we wondered how the man who could whistle up a Corporate Jet on a whim. Lets rock. Or throw a 2 Million Birthday Party was doing in his reduced circumstances. Whats it like to go from king of the world to prisoner number 05a4820 serving 8 to 25 years behind bars . In my wildest imagination, when i would project myself into my late 50s and early 60s, where i would be or what i would be doing, if i make a list of 100 different places or 100 different things, here would never make that list. Welcome to 60 minutes on cnbc. Im morley safer. In this edition, we look at stories of crime, punishment, and what money can buy. First, the highstakes world of japanese organized crime, where big dollars saved the life of an infamous gangster. Then we investigate how bestselling author and philanthropist Greg Mortenson used some of the assets of his multimilliondollar charity. And finally, we talk to Dennis Kozlowski, the former ceo who once made headlines for illegal corporate excess. We begin with the yakuza, japans notsosecret version of the mafia. American Law Enforcement keeps a close eye on the yakuza, and that includes keeping tabs on a ruthless gang leader named Tadamasa Goto. As lara logan reported in the fall of 2009, goto not only got into the country; he was first in line for a lifesaving liver transplant. [haunting wooden flute music] this is the godfather, Tadamasa Goto, at a rarely seen ritual of the yakuza. Filmed by the mobsters for their own private viewing, the top bosses are gathered to pay homage at an ancient succession ceremony. The events steeped in tradition. What does it mean in japan to be a yakuza . [speaking japanese] to be a yakuza in japan is to live an unalterable way of life. Its not an occupation. Its to follow and explore the lives of the samurai, the code of the samurai. This man is a yakuza boss, a rival of gotos, who only agreed to an interview if we masked his identity. How do you recognize a yakuza . How do you know if someone is a yakuza . Its the smell. Its the smell . Yes. What kind of smell . The smell of another beast. When you join the yakuza, they become your family. No american knows more about the inner workings of the yakuza than Jake Adelstein. He spent years in tokyo, investigating and writing about the mob. Generally speaking, yakuza get rid of bodies by dumping them in the foundations of buildings. They own lots of construction companies. So, you know, youre pouring a new building, you throw the body in the cement, and nobody ever finds it. So when you look around at all these Tall Buildings in tokyo. You could be looking at a graveyard. Its impossible to miss the mark of a yakuza severed fingers. Tradition demands when a mistake is made, they chop off their own finger to atone and present the severed part to their boss. Many have ornate tattoos that often cover the entire body, marking them for life. [traditional japanese music] but unlike the mafia in america, yakuza dont hide their membership in the mob because its not illegal in japan to be a member of organized crime. And they are so much a part of japanese culture, they parade openly. Right now, we dont hide the fact that were yakuza. This yakuza boss was introduced to us by Jake Adelstein in downtown tokyo. Beneath his expensive suit, he later showed us, his body is a canvas, like many yakuza, covered with intricate tattoos. Physically, the tattoos take their toll on your body. The tattoos are so so dense that its very hard to sweat, which means when you cant get rid of the toxins in your body, thats also very hard on liver. Whats also hard on the liver is the hedonistic lifestyle of the yakuza. This is traditional yakuza turf. They run everything here, from the girls to the sex to the drugs, but the modern yakuza is a different animal, adding corporate takeovers, financial fraud, and Insider Trading to their criminal portfolio. Thats how Tadamasa Goto made most of his money according to Japanese Police files, an estimated billiondollar fortune amassed through nearly 100 Front Companies. Hes one of the richest and most violent godfathers, known to u. S. Law enforcement as the john gotti of japan. But there was one thing gotos power and money couldnt buy him in his homeland. He had Liver Disease and desperately needed a transplant. Culturally, the japanese dont believe in organ donation, so to get a new liver, he needed to come to the u. S. For a yakuza, that should have been a problem, says mike cox. He was the chief of immigration and customs at the u. S. Embassy in tokyo. We want to be a welcoming country in the United States, but certainly, we dont want the yakuza coming to the United States. Because theyre criminals . They have extensive criminal histories here in japan. They are members of criminal organizations. For both of those reasons, they would be ineligible to enter the United States. How did he get around that . According to Jake Adelsteins reporting, which we confirmed, Tadamasa Goto made a deal with the fbi. He offered to become a rat and inform on his yakuza brothers. Goto said, heres the deal. I need to get in the United States to get my liver transplant, or im gonna die. I will give you the names of all our Front Companies in the United States. So in terms of not only criminal intelligence but sort of, you know, pure, i dont know, covert intelligence, goto represented a real find for the fbi. So the fbi made this deal . And they gave him a special visa to come into the United States. Getting into the u. S. Was one thing, but getting a liver transplant at a leading American Medical Center like ucla was Something Else altogether. Whats the average waiting time for someone in california waiting for a liver transplant . Its probably realistically three years, and it could be much longer. Not for Tadamasa Goto, who got a liver in just six weeks. California attorney Larry Eisenberg finds that surprising, especially since goto was number 80 on the waiting list. It should not be possible that an unsavory character from out of the country with ties to organized crime comes into the United States and gets a priority and obtains a transplant. These two families, eisenbergs clients, both lost loved ones waiting for livers at another transplant center in the same area. Salvador ceja was number two on the waiting list. John rader was number five. Do you think, for one second, that this was legitimate, that they stood in line and waited just like your husband did . Absolutely not. No . Absolutely not. No, because nobody gets a liver that quickly. I think they were playing god. Now i think they were picking and choosing whoever they wanted to give a liver to. So in your minds, what was this about . Money. Money spoke loud and clear. [ticking] coming up, the cost of a liver for a japanese gangster. According to police documents and sources, a Million Dollars for goto. A Million Dollars. Thats ahead when 60 minutes on cnbc returns. [ticking] two years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. Bp has paid over twentythree billion dollars to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. Today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. And bps also committed to america. We support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. Were working to fuel america for generations to come. Our commitment has never been stronger. If youre a man with low testosterone, you should know that axiron is here. The only underarm treatment for low t. Thats right, the one you apply to the underarm. Axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18. Axiron can transfer to others through direct contact. Women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant, and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. Report these signs and symptoms to your doctor if they occur. Tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medications. Do not use if you have prostate or Breast Cancer. Serious side effects could include increased risk of prostate cancer; worsening prostate symptoms; decreased sperm count; problems breathing while sleeping; and blood clots in the legs. Common side effects include skin redness or irritation where applied, increased red blood cell count, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and increase in psa. See your doctor, and for a 30day free trial, go to axiron. Com. [ticking] american journalist Jake Adelstein uncovered a dangerous secret when he learned that Tadamasa Goto had cut a deal with the fbi. According to adelstein, the japanese crime boss had promised to disclose yakuza activities in the u. S. In exchange for entry into the country to get a liver transplant. And as lara logan reports, his case was not unique. Three of gotos yakuza cronies also got liver transplants at ucla. For them, money was no object. Ucla says each of their transplants cost about 400,000. The yakuza all paid cash. The hospital also acknowledged goto and another yakuza each made 100,000 donations to the transplant center. Jake adelstein says goto paid even more. How much money are we talking about . According to police documents and sources, 1 million for goto. 1 million. 1 million for one liver . 1 million for one liver. Did ucla know who these people were . When you see guys with lots of tattoos, missing fingers wouldnt it occur to you, like, oh, this guy is a gangster. I cant believe they didnt know. Attorney eisenberg says transplant rules require extensive background checks on every patient, yet ucla insisted to federal investigators they had no knowledge that goto or his cronies had ties to japanese organized crime. Ucla declined all our requests for interviews. The only thing the Medical Center will say on the record is that their program has been reviewed and found to be in total compliance with liver transplant rules. The hospital told us in my opinion, the Medical Center has a moral and ethical obligation to determine the source of those funds. A moral and ethical obligation, but apparently, no legal obligation . Well, its not addressed in the rules specifically. Because the quality of livers and the eligibility of patients vary widely, any wrongdoing in the cases of the yakuza would be very difficult to prove. The fbi also declined our requests to talk about the Tadamasa Goto case, which, for them, adelstein says, did not turn out as planned. As soon as he got his liver and was better, hes back to japan, and he only gave the fbi a fraction of what he promised. Maybe 1 10. Maybe 1 20. Not a complete failure, but certainly not what the fbi wanted. Tadamasa goto returned to his life of crime as a yakuza godfather, and it all stayed hidden until adelstein was tipped off. It took him years to piece together the details for a newspaper story. Then, when word got out that adelstein knew, the yakuza tried to buy his silence, offering him 1 2 million. Were you tempted . Of course im tempted, you know . When someone offers you 1 2 million not to write something . But then again, you know, i dont want to be owned by organized crime the rest of my life. Adelstein wrote the story for the washington post, and it eventually made its way back to japan. The news infuriated the yakuza bosses. For goto, it was a humiliating blow from which he would never recover. I heard from someone very close to him that as he was leaving and getting in his car, he said, that you know, that goddamn american jew reporter. I want to kill him. Japanese and u. S. Law enforcement agents took gotos threat seriously. Adelstein now lives under tokyo police protection. Are you concerned that there is an american citizen here whose life is at risk . Very much so. We think the Japanese Police are doing what they can to make sure that no harm comes to mr. Adelstein. I mean, we certainly dont want to see anything happen to him. What do you have to do in your daily life to stay alive . You have to keep your rooms shuttered because you dont want a sniper to pick you off across from somebodys house. So do you live in darkness . When im up in my room typing, yes. All the rooms are shuttered. I try to avoid open windows. You got to be very careful on rainy days, because when yakuza take people out, they like to do it on rainy days, because fewer people are on the streets, and the rain washes away the trace evidence. Even in disgrace, Tadamasa Goto still has a small army of loyal soldiers and a hit out on Jake Adelstein. The yakuza say he will never be safe. So if jake had done that to you, you would get rid of him . Absolutely. According to Jake Adelsteins police sources, Tadamasa Goto has resurfaced as boss of a new gang and is currently under investigation by the tokyo police in connection with two murders. And theres a sad twist. While goto remains healthy years after his liver transplant, Jake Adelstein was diagnosed with early stage liver cancer. Hes responded to treatment and continues his work exposing yakuza activities. [ticking] coming up, the memoirs of Greg Mortenson fact or fiction . The story as mr. Mortenson tells it is that he was held for eight days and won you over by asking for a koran and promising to build schools in the area. Is that true . This is totally false, and he is lying. He was not kidnapped. Thats ahead, when 60 minutes on cnbc returns. [ticking] can i help you . I heard you guys can ship ground for less than the ups store. Thats right. Ive learned the only way to get a holiday deal is to camp out. You know weve been open all night. Is this a trick to get my spot . [ male announcer ] break from the holiday stress. Save on ground shipping at fedex office. [ male announcer ] break from the holiday stress. Try running four. Ning a restaurant is hard, fortunately weve got ink. It gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at Office Supply stores. Rewards we put right back into our business. This is the only thing weve ever wanted to do and ink helps us do it. Make your mark with ink from chase. [ male announcer ] everyone deserves the gift of all day pain relief. This season, discover aleve. All day pain relief with just two pills. Mom . Dad . Guys . [ engine turns over ] [ engine revs ] hell be fine. [ male announcer ] more people are leaving bmw, mercedes and lexus for audi than ever before. Take advantage of exceptional values during the season of audi event. [ticking] in 2011, steve kroft reported this story that caused quite a stir about bestselling author and philanthropist Greg Mortenson. It was the result of a sevenmonth investigation into the way mortenson ran his nonprofit organization, the Central Asia Institute. Our investigation also questioned whether some of the most inspiring and dramatic stories in his books like three cups of tea were even true. Though Greg Mortenson would soon be engulfed in controversy, when the story first aired, he was at the height of his popularity. Greg mortensons books have made him a publishing phenomenon and a soughtafter speaker on the lecture circuit, where he has attained a cultlike status. [applause] he regularly draws crowds of several thousand people and 30,000 per engagement, and everywhere mortenson goes, he brings an inspirational message built around a story that forms the cornerstone of three cups of tea and his various ventures how, in 1993, he tried and failed to reach the summit of k2, the worlds second tallest mountain, to honor his dead sister; how he got lost and separated from his party on the descent and stumbled into a tiny village called korphe. My pants were ripped in half, and i hadnt taken a bath in 84 days. And i stumbled into a Little Village called korphe, where i was befriended by the people and. They gave me everything they had their yak butter, their tea. They put warm blankets over me, and they helped nurse me back to health. Mortenson tells how he discovered 84 children in the back of the village writing their School Lessons with sticks in the dust. When a young girl named cho cho came up to me and said. Could you help us build a school . I made a rash promise that day, and i said, i promise ill help you build a school. And little did i know that it would change my life forever. Its a powerful and heartwarming tale thats motivated millions of people to buy his books and, by 2011, to contribute nearly 60 million to his charity. Its a beautiful story, and its a lie. Jon krakauer is also a bestselling author and mountaineer who wrote into thin air and into the wild. He was one of mortensons earliest backers, donating 75,000 to his nonprofit organization, but after a few years, krakauer says he withdrew his support over concerns that the charity was being mismanaged, and he later learned