Battling terrorists on the front lines and participating on panels with the Pope: how did a world karate champion end up here? No, this isn’t a reference to the plot of a James Bond movie, but not far from it. Instead, it’s a tale of a former spy and an enigma to the public, Tony Schiena. It was hard to track down this man, who jumps from country to country, mainly because he works with private security sectors while aiding the government.
As the son of an Italian businessman and a Dutch housewife, Tony Schiena has the quintessential chiseled features that can be mistaken for actor Daniel Craig in his portrayal of James Bond or the masculinity of an Italian tough guy.
Tony’s background and achievements are undoubtedly impressive and diverse. His multicultural upbringing and fluency in multiple languages have likely contributed to his ability to navigate different cultural and business contexts. His work combating sex trafficking through his NGO is admirable, as it addresses a severe human rights issue that affects many vulnerable individuals. As the owner of a private military intelligence firm, he exhibits a deep understanding of security and defense issues and evinces his familiarity with government agencies and international organizations.
Tony certainly personifies his action roles in his newest film, The Weapon (starring Cuba Gooding Jr.), which Tony directed and starred in. Released in February, audiences already want more. Dallas, played by Schiena, seems to be a determined and skilled individual seeking justice for his girlfriend’s abduction by the Vegas mob boss. He appears to be on a quest to take down biker gangs and meth labs, possibly for revenge or to achieve his goals. Despite being tortured, he remains steadfast and refuses to reveal his motives or the people he works for.
Tony has a long and successful career in law enforcement, with experience in various specialized areas such as the ICAC (internet crimes against children) federal task force and serving as a Lieutenant and Special Detective for the Pennsylvania joint-county drug interdiction task force. His numerous affiliations and memberships suggest a dedication to continued learning and professional development within the field. His appointment to command and advise the Counter Terrorism division of the NSA Sheriff’s Global Center for Public Safety is a testament to his expertise and leadership skills.
His experience as a spy and CIA asset has given him valuable skills in intelligence gathering, analysis, and covert operations. In addition, his development in physical strength, discipline, and mental toughness contributed to his triumphant portrayal of action movie fight scenes over Hollywood’s humorous romanticization.
Schiena said, “As a child, I wanted to be the actual characters in the action movies I watched. That is the beauty of film – escapism, aspiring to be the hero that we would watch over and over. It’s a powerful thing.”
James Bond could have been written about Schiena and his life. Schiena has so little time to fit everything into his schedule that on December 26th, 2022, in the most identifiable James Bond way, he flew from Rome to NYC on Christmas to grab his climbing gear and make his next flight to Santiago, Chile. Tony traveled on a charter plane to Punta Arenas from Chile before landing in Antarctica. Once reaching Antarctica, he used his climbing gear to attempt climbing its highest mountain, Vinson Massif.
With a life like his, it begs the question, what hasn’t Tony Schiena done?
