He was not a draft dodger. He was 4F.
I heard that, too. 4F. I especially liked some of his early musicals. I'm lol at the thought of him with that suitcase of 70,000 $50's. He was so slight, so thin and fragile looking in his early life. But I'd always heard it the other way around. That he didn't volunteer for the mob, but that the mob 'volunteered' him. And that the kidnap of his son was 'encouragement' to continue in their help. Also, that early on in his career, mob guys tried to 'own' him and his career, but he fought against being owned. However much of my info came from many die-hard-fan friends from NY who looooved him like some people adore Elvis.