Posted on 03/28/2019 8:35:58 AM PDT by Phlap
Longtime Colombo under-boss John “Sonny” Franzese is the living embodiment of the ultimate mob rule — bragging in an interview about refusing to rat despite it making him the oldest federal prisoner at the age of 100.
Wheelchair-bound Franzese, now 102 and living in a nursing home, told Newsday about his life of crime — and how he stuck to the “Goodfellas” adage of “Never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut” despite facing 50 years behind bars.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Your remarks remind me of not only The Sopranos but also the story line of Breaking Bad, if you've seen it... not to go into too much detail for anyone who hasn't.
"I'm only doing this to help my family."
Reminds me of a scene from True Lies...
Harry (Arnold Shwarzenegger) the spy and his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) have been captured and tied up by Muslim terrorists. He’s just admitted to her that he is a spy. She asks him “You’ve killed people?” He replies, “Yeah, but they were all bad!”
One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies!
After I left the Corps a couple of high school friends and I unknowingly rented a house from a Chicago mob boss. We thought it odd that he demanded the rent in cash but the price was right and we were on 6 acres.
He told us he was in the excavation business and he’d need to get some loads of dirt from time to time from the back of the property. He told us to “make yourselves scarce when my guys are working.” So we did.
We lived there for nearly 3 years when one night we were watching the local news. “The FBI announces a major strike against organized crime with the indictment of Robert Bellavia for loan sharking, extortion, and 2 counts of murder.” He beat two men to death with a baseball bat in his basement.
We moved out of that house not long after as the Feds seized it. But we paid the rent for 3 months after just to cover our bases with Mrs. Bellavia.
L
That excuse (not saying it’s a good one) might have worked even until the 50s.
Some would argue until the 70s as there were still some pretty low income Italian neighborhoods that saw crime as a legitimate way of making a living.
It hasn’t been that way for a long time.
The only thing I will say about the much older mob generation (at this point 85 and up) is that they for the most part did value family and were very respectful in general towards civilians they knew.
My mom and pop knew Carmine Perisco. Some I know had closer relations with him.
Mom said he was ALWAYS a gentleman to her.
Then he’d go and kill someone two hours later.
Looks like a Chicago Democrat.
You mean the ones that survive long enough to be long time prisoners.
“Does murdering dinner meals count?”
My wife treats me like a Greek god. Every morning for breakfast I get burnt offerings.
Badoom-TISH!
“To become a capo you usually have to have a murder under your belt.”
I think that is a 1%er in a bike gang. You can become a capo by making money for the boss. Most men moving up don’t want to get their hands dirty. You have people for that.
You’re right. I am mistaken.
I may have been thinking of made men
That used to be a HARD and FAST rule.
I would be lying if I said I ever worked for a capo.
I did some petty crime and kicked up but it was never directly to someone that high up.
And it completely ended by my mid 20s. thank God.
Hello again! It's so very strange that a story about Sonny Franzese and "the life" came up. Just the other day you and I were swapping stories, although my experiences pale next to yours. You had family members who came very close to that, and growing up where you, I can imagine what you saw and experienced.
The reason it's strange to me is that while we were talking the other night, I was going to bring up the subject of Michael Franzese, who is Sonny's son as you know, and whom you mentioned.
I have listened to several interviews with Michael about his life story, and his conversion to becoming a Christian. He also was featured on several episodes of "Inside the American Mob" on A&E.
Here is one such interview with Michael:
Highest Paid Mafia Boss Tells the TRUTH About the Life
One more:
Mafia Boss Tells All - Jimmy Hoffa, JFK Assassination and Much More
Yes - you are 100% correct. Michael came up with the "Gas Tax Scam", which was one of the biggest money makers in mob history.
Essentially, gas stations in NJ, NJ, and CT had to pay their state taxes through a system that Michael was able to subvert by setting up shell companies. Then, he convinced the distributors to deliver to gas stations he controlled, or purchases, and they would all split the profits on the "tax." Michael made so much money that he became, as you said, a threat to the mafia bosses. He almost was killed for it, even though he never stiffed them on their cut. But as a young man, he was so rich he had his own fleet of helicopters and jets.
In jail, he found the Lord. I have listened to his testimony about how he found Christ, and I am completely convinced he is sincere.
Sonny, his father, was one of the most feared and ruthless mobsters in American history.
Michael was pretty much betrayed by his father (this betrayal almost got him killed). His father would not defend him to the mafia bosses who thought Michael was stealing money and became too powerful for them to control. But still loves him to this day.
Michael believes the only reasons he is alive today is twofold:
1. He never ratted on anyone
2. God intervened in his life and has protected him
Michael is brilliant, but he used his intelligence (before) for crime. While other mobsters were shaking down some poor grocery store owner for a C note or breaking into parking meters for change, Michael came up with many ways to make the mob millions.
Just a "for example." He went to the shipping companies, and found out that they paid insurance for their 40' containers. These containers are periodically damaged or lost, and they transport everything in our economy.
He set up shell companies in Panama and elsewhere, and came up with a scam whereby the companies could report damage and losses to containers to the insurance companies. These included real invoices, insurance adjuster reports, photos, and receipts.
The companies and the mob would then split the profits. It scammed millions.
And this was a just a side "business."
However, none of this is to be glamorized. This kind of fraud hurts everyone, especially the consumer.
Today, Michael Franzese tells the truth about the mob, in all its brutal evil.
He once said: "Everyone I knew from those days, every single one, is either dead or in jail. That's the mafia life."
The same goes for the Caribbean pirates of old. A bunch of Errol Flynns and Johnny Depps they weren't.
#25 so who was buried on those 6 acres? : )
I don’t know and I don’t want to know. In the decades since I lived in that house it’s been torn down and an old folks home has been built on that property. But it’s not on the spot where we saw earth moved.
So, who knows. I only know I have no intention of getting involved in any way, shape, or form.
L
You might end up in the Pine woods of New Jersey. Maybe have to be dug up later on as some new construction is being done.
Since I’m from the Chicago area a corn field in Indiana would be more likely. A la the Spilatro brothers.
L
That’s the bad thing about FR.
I had to go out and all I really wanted to do is continue this conversation.
Now I’m choosing FR over being physically among other human beings :)
And I’m good with that.
I hope we can continue this conversation another day.
I am still stuck out with other human life forms.
Ciao
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