Did You Know That If You Defraud the Government, You Can Still Have Your Own Podcast?

You can by no means actually escape the mafia and ABC's 'Truth and Lies: The Last Gangster' proves it. So, who is Michael Franzese, what did he do, and the place is he now?

Does a person sign up for the mafia, or does the mafia join the particular person? Maybe it's each. ABC's Truth and Lies: The Last Gangster is a two-hour special about the Gambino crime circle of relatives told directly from the horse's (head) mouth. Sammy "The Bull" Gravano is a former member of the notorious crime family and he's making a song like a canary. The particular also invites different former mobsters similar to Michael Franzese, who is not shying clear of the limelight.

Who is Michael Franzese, what did he do, and where is he now? We have the answers.

Who is Michael Franzese?

Sometimes the circle of relatives part of the mafia is literal. Michael Franzese's father, John "Sonny" Franzese, used to be an underboss in the Colombo crime family. In a surprising show of good parenting, Michael's father didn't need him to practice in his footsteps, so Michael to start with studied pre-med at Hofstra University. He ended up throwing in the towel when his father used to be sentenced to 50 years in jail for financial institution theft in 1967.

By 1985, Michael used to be fascinated about a scheme that defrauded the federal govt of gasoline taxes, which earned him roughly $1.26 million per 30 days. (That's about $3.26 million in 2022 bucks.) He was once so just right at his "job" that Fortune ranked him 18 on their "50 Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses" listing. According to Business Inquirer, he also had "legitimate businesses such as car dealerships, leasing companies, auto repair shops, restaurants, nightclubs, movie companies, travel agencies, and video stores."

Eventually the fuel scam stuck up with Michael who, in 1986, was ordered by the state of New York to pay $14.7 million in restitution on top of being sentenced to 10 years in jail. Because the fuel tax scheme used to be additionally working in Florida, he was once sentenced to some other 9 years in prison and extra restitution bills of $3 million. He additionally needed to sell his belongings which included a jet.

Believe it or now not, Michael used to be a multi-tasker who had two scams going. Since 1980, he have been working with a booking agent named Norby Walters. Michael was once liable for, let's just say, leaning on current and potential clients. Evidently, he was able extort a role for Norby in a tour by way of Michael Jackson and his brothers. It needed to have been the 1984 Victory Tour. Eventually the FBI figured this one out as well, subpoenaing Michael to testify towards Norby in exchange for immunity.

After Norby was once convicted, Michael used to be released in 1989 after most effective serving forty three months. But do not be concerned, he completely violates his parole. Due to those violations, Michael was once no longer qualified to be a federal cooperating witness, so it was back to jail for him in 1991. While there, he was a born-again Christian (identical to the Son of Sam), and likewise wrote his first e book Quitting the Mob.

Where is Michael Franzese now?

Somehow, all through his wild and loopy life, Michael met his spouse, Camille Garcia, in 1984 while filming Knights of the City, a movie he produced. Wait, he's also a movie manufacturer? What hasn't this man executed? In 1994, they moved to California because Michael received multiple dying threats, however he truly grew to become his life around. Michael had three children from his first marriage and had four with Camille. He also was a motivational speaker, writing a number of books about his life.

By 2003, he was virtually solely freed from the mafia, most commonly because everyone was once both lifeless or in jail. That'll do it! Today he has his own YouTube display called Michael Franzese: Stories & Lessons From a Former Mobster the place he interviews other people like actor Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale).

Michael was interviewed by The Straits Times in 2014, the place he published that Joe Pesci is the best possible gangster. Nobody does it higher. He was once additionally requested how he wish to be remembered, to which he said, "I like to be remembered as a good family man, a good husband, and good father. Someone who started out bad but ended up better and contributed something positive to the world."

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