[24] This gasoline supplied between one third and one half of all gasoline sold in the New York metropolitan area. [61] Slices serves Sicilian style square pizzas with ingredients sourced from Naples and Campania, with ovens from Venice. Franzese later expressed admiration for Gotti, citing his strict mobster lifestyle and his overwhelming ego. [24] He is the first son of a New York mobster to turn state's evidence and testify against his father. A Different Type Of Mobster. Michael Franzese spearheaded one of the [8], Franzese became acquainted with his father's friends such as Joseph Colombo, and according to Franzese, later became inducted as a made man on Halloween night 1975 under acting boss Tommy DiBella. He also enjoyed reading, traveling, sports, American history, classic movies, collecting comic books, and listening to the golden oldies. By Art Marroquin | Orange County Register October 31, 2014 at 3:10 p.m. ANAHEIM. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. [28] Franzese was released from the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, on June 23, 2017, at the age of 100; he was the oldest federal inmate in the United States and the only centenarian in federal custody at the time of his release. Research genealogy for Michael Franzese of New Jersey, as well as other members of the Franzese family, on Ancestry. [52] In the book, Franzese discusses his criminal activities, life with his father, and meeting his second wife, Camille Garcia. [27] On March 21, 1986, Franzese pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax conspiracy. Michael Franzese 1958-2005 - Ancestry He dropped out of University to become a mob member after he grew tired of the police harassing his father and crime boss John Franzese. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Franzese claimed he first met Sharpton through the Genovese crime family mobster Daniel Pagano. Inside the American Mob, a six-part series released by the National Geographic Channel in June 2013, includes the story of Michaels rise in the Mafia hierarchy. We encourage you to research and examine these records . After leaving the mob, he became a target for the crime family. In the 1950s and 1960s, Franzese listed his official occupation as an owner of a dry-cleaning store in Brooklyn. [54] He has since become a motivational speaker for youth, at schools, prisons, and other venues. Camille helped Franzese work on his faith during his two stints in prison. [56] Later in 2013, he appeared in Inside the American Mob, a National Geographic documentary. [57][58][59], In 2017, he played a reformed mobster in the Kevin Sorbo film Let There Be Light. Franzese's role was to intimidate existing and prospective clients. Michael Franzese - Ancestry.com [32], By 1980, Franzese was a partner with booking agent Norby Walters in his firm. Reaction to Newsday's "Franzese Family Falls Apart" | Mob - YouTube The franchise started in California, and includes five branches across the country including Dallas, Texas. Franzese also suggested wearing a hairnet during the murder so as to avoid leaving any hair strands at the crime scene that could be DNA analyzed. Michael recently told DJ Vlad that Amanda once harbored dreams of joining the police force the organization that Michael tried to evade for most of his early life. [10] After he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1986, Michael was ultimately released in 1994 and retired to California in 1995. He served as underboss of the Colombo family from 1963 until he was sentenced to 50 years in prison for orchestrating a string of bank robberies across the country in 1967. Franzese was enrolled in a pre-med program at Hofstra University, but dropped out to make money for his family after his father was sentenced to 50 years in prison for bank robbery in 1967. Check out the store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ Today's Mob Story Monday, Michael Franzese sits down and discusses his reaction to Newsday's ser. Researching Michael Franzese He spoke about his wealth, but also the impact of being a member of the Colombo crime family had on his family, and that was why he turned away from organized crime. Family History Learning Hub ; My Trees ; Start a New Tree ; Upload a GEDCOM ; Search & Browse. Michael was known to be a very kind and generous person with an outgoing, upbeat personality and an indomitable spirit. After another arrest, Michael chose to take plea, and was handed a ten-year sentence. ", "A Godfather Betrayed by His Namesake, Part II", "Hundred-year-old mobster's daughter gushes over dad's freedom", "John Franzese, Mafioso Who Consorted With Celebrities, Dies at 103", "Geriatric NY gangster, 93, gets 8 years in prison", "Legendary Colombo underboss John (Sonny) Franzese sees his holiday bid for bail whacked", "Italian mob boss freed from prison at 100-years-old", "Al Sharpton's Secret Work As FBI Informant", "At 100, mob underboss Sonny Franzese gets out of federal prison", "2 Nabbed in Heist of Elmhurst Bank; Cosa Link is Seen", "Franzese Is Said to Have Killed '30 or 40 or 50' Persons", "NEW BREED SAID TO EMERGE IN ORGANIZED CRIME", "Franzese and 4 are found guilty; Albany jury convicts them in bank robberies", "Five Mafia Families Open Rosters to New Members", Feds want jury to hear Sonny talk about mob murders", "Crime Figure Seized on L.I. [62], In July 2020, he appeared in the Fear City: New York vs The Mafia Netflix docuseries. Michaels mother succumbed to cancer in 2012 when his father was in prison. He had criminal dealings with Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano; future Gambino crime family boss John Gotti; and Genovese crime family underboss Anthony Fat Tony Salerno. Michael FRANZESE Obituary (2015) - New York, NY - Daily News - Legacy.com He died in a New York City hospital on February 24, 2020, at the age of 103. How her mother fled Vietnam in a sinking boat, What is Gervonta Davis ethnicity? He has also spoken to professional athletes associated with the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and Major League Baseball (MLB). Death of John Franzese. [37], Franzese was the president of Miami Gold, a film production company that produced the 1986 film Knights of the City. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. At a meeting he agreed to hand over $50,000 in return for a 25 percent interest from the sports agency. Camille said: It took him 10 to 12 years to actually be okay with grace and forgiveness and that he was forgiven and that Gods mercy was for him too.