MICHAEL Franzese once ran the streets of New York City as a caporegime (captain) for the Colombo crime family.
Back in the 1970s, the city was a hotbed for organised crime, and now, years later, the former mob boss has opened up about it all on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast.
Who is Michael Franzese?
Michael Franzese was born on May 27, 1951.
He was a caporegime, also known as a captain, for the Colombo crime family and is the son of a former underboss, otherwise known as second-in-command, John Franzese, who died in February 2020 aged 103.
After his father was sent to prison for bank robbery in 1967, Michael soon followed in his father’s footsteps as he moved up the chain and became a force to be reckoned with in the criminal world.
One of his biggest schemes was defrauding the government out of gasoline taxes in the 1980s, which he said earned him at least $8million USD a week.
But he soon paid for his exploits as he was arrested in December 1985.
Michael spoke to British entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den investor Steven Bartlett on his Diary on a CEO podcast in August 2024.
He revealed the “three words” that helped him survive prison, as he shared insights from his time behind bars, including a 29-month stint in solitary confinement.
He recalled advice from his father: “You know, my father taught me again.
“He said, ‘Mike, I’m gonna tell you three things that are gonna help you when you go to prison because you’re gonna go one day’.
“He said three words that are gonna go a long way – please, thank you, excuse me.
“And he said the reason for that, he said all these guys in prison that never got respect on the street, they want it all in there.”
He went on to stress the importance of politeness: “They want to show they’re people, you know, that they’re tough guys or whatever.
“You bump into somebody, ‘Excuse me’; you wanna cut somebody on the line, go to eat whatever, said, ‘Do you mind?’”
He added: “You know, ‘Excuse me; please, if I can come in front of you?’
“Don’t ever just get in front of them, you know, and somebody hands you… ‘Hey, thank you, thank you very much’. Be cordial.”
Where is he now?
After pleading guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax conspiracy in March 1986, Michael was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison before he was released on parole in 1989.
That wasn’t his last stint behind bars as he violated his probation requirements and was sentenced to four years in 1991, before he was freed in 1994.
“I could have been locked away for the rest of my life or had a bullet in my head.”
Michael Franzese
In 1990, Michael was portrayed by Joseph Bono in the Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas.
Michael co-authored his first book, an autobiography titled Quitting the Mob in 1992.
In it, he opens up about his criminal past and his complex relationship with his father.
By 1995, he then decided enough was enough and retired from the Mafia with his family.
This came at a cost as he previously revealed his father disowned him when he chose to leave the life of crime behind.
Since then, the ex-captain has released seven books about his time in the Mafia and has also become a motivational speaker.
As of 2020, Michael Franzese’s net worth is approximately $1 million.
Speaking about his experiences to The New York Times in 2001, he said: “I’m very lucky.
“I could have been locked away for the rest of my life or had a bullet in my head.”
He also told the publication how he was able to be spared from further repercussions from the Mafia because he did not testify against his former colleagues.
When asked if he was worried about retribution from the mob, he added: “I really don’t worry about dying.
“But you know what? Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow? I don’t know.”
Who is Michael married to and how many children does he have?
Michael is married to actress Camille Garcia, his second wife.
She is a devout Christian and is at the head of the new family business of fitness.
The two tied the knot in July 1985 after meeting on the set of Knights of the City in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Michael has seven children, four with Camille.
