Interesting Quotes from Michael Franzese's Reddit IAmA

"Where Hoffa at?"

"They will NEVER find Hoffa's body. trust me on that one."

--Michael Franzese, in a Reddit  IAmA subreddit


Early in 2014, Michael Franzese participated in Reddit's much vaunted IAmA -- basically a real time session in which those on Reddit, called redditors, ask questions of someone who is famous or noteworthy for some kind of achievement or notoriety or both.

Michael Franzese discusses the Mafia, Goodfellas and meatballs.

Reddit [reddit] is an entertainment, social networking service and news website where registered community members can submit content, such as text posts or direct links. Also, registered users, called redditors, vote submissions "up" or "down" to organize the posts and determine their position on the site's pages.




The only problem with this forum is that, context is everything. Redditors don't seem to know much about the Mafia, especially Michael's role in the organization -- when, where, why and how he fits into the overall history of America's Cosa Nostra.

So, you get lots of questions like the above about Hoffa, as well as Goodfellas and cooking.

IAmA ("I Am A") is among the most popular of subreddits. Users may post "AMAs" (for "Ask Me Anything"), or similarly "AMAAs" ( for "Ask Me Almost Anything") – prompts for others to ask questions about any topic.

A number of notable individuals have participated in the IAmA subreddit, including President Barack Obama (while campaigning for the 2012 election), Madonna, Chris Hadfield (who answered questions from the International Space Station), Bill Gates, Ron Paul, Stephen Colbert, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Maddow, Renée Fleming, and Louis C.K.

Your fearless editor went through Michael's Reddit questions and responses, sifting tons of sand for the occasional sliver of gold, which I serve up to you, here and now. But please, feel free to mine the turf for yourself, here: Iam Michael Franzese.


Michael introduced himself posting the following:
Hi redditors, I'm Michael Franzese. I'm here to answer your questions. I am the son of one of the most feared Mafia bosses to ever walk the streets of NY. He was an enforcer known to be cold blooded and extremely deadly. I followed in my dad's footsteps and took on the mob life. As a made member I made money for the mob; tons of money. 
A quote about me from Life Magazine: 
"From the time he took a blood oath that bound him body and soul to New York's Colombo crime family, Franzese became a force to be reckoned with in organized crime. Named one of the biggest moneymakers in the mob since Al Capone by Vanity Fair, he quickly crept into the upper echelon of Mafia authority in this country. At age 35, he was the youngest mobster listed on Fortune Magazine's survey of the 50 most powerful and wealthy Mafia bosses in America. Franzese hit the list at number 18, only five spots behind the infamous John Gotti. At the height of his operation, federal authorities claim Franzese generated close to a billion dollars a year in a gas-tax scheme he masterminded... "
That was then -- A young Christian woman I met on the set of a movie changed my life and caused a transformation in me that only God could have engineered...
I know the mob life as well or better than most. I am also a person of strong faith. I'm ready to answer ALL your questions. Ask me anything you like. No bounds, no limits. I have been asked everything under the sun. If I choose not to answer I know how to take the fifth. I've done that many times in my former mob life. But I assure you I won't this time. So join me today and fire away! 

Q: What was it like walking away from the mafia, was it accepted or were you threatened or hounded in any way? Also what were the actual logistics of your gas tax scam. how were neither the irs or any federal agency not able to successfully audit you?

A: I struggled mightily for years after walking away. my father disowned me. the family put a hit on me. the feds tried to make me a witness. lots of pressure. very tough. and very tough for me personally. even though i didn't hurt anyone, i felt like i betrayed my oath and it really troubled me. only God and time were able to fix that. gas tax scheme was complicated, but we were way ahead of the authorities, they could not figure out what we were doing. if my partner didn't turn snitch, they would never figured out the scam


Q: Sooo did the family just cancel the hit on you? was the hit like a 2 year contract considered null and void if you weren't killed within the 2 year term? i kid, but seriously, how is the mob ok with you walking away and ultimately telling stories about what it's like? that seems like you're breaking rule #1...

It's just like Grand Theft Auto. He just has to wait and hide in his apartment. Then he is clear to go.

A: i can't go back to brooklyn to live, or in NY in general. wouldn't last. but i don't live in fear. i am a person of strong faith now. God has had my back. remember, i am the only made man, a caporegime, that i know of who has walked away from the life, publicly, not entered a witness protection program and lived. it's a God thing, my friend. not coincidence.


I'm guessing since you were so well respected in the past, the mob figured you could keep secrets and not turn on them, hence just leaving you alone. But then again, what do I know?

Any stories of interaction with other organized crime "families", such as Russian mob, Yakuza, Outlaw bike clubs, mexican prison gangs, etc?

A million. Spent 20 years in the life. Organized the Russian mob from Brighton beach in the gas business. Best partners I ever had. I taught them how to defraud the government out of hundreds of millions of dollars of tax money back then. They now are deep into medicare fraud, setting up fraudulent medical clinics all over the country. Would take hours to tell you all the stories. Take care.


Does the mafia still have a big presence in the US? Are they just better at hiding it now?

yes. not nearly as big as when I was active in the 70's - early 90's. but still exists. don't count it out. very resourceful.


What is the process of becoming a "Made Man" like?

Very intense. very solemn, very serious. I took an oath with a picture of a saint burning in my hands. My thumb was cut with a knife and blood dropped on the floor. The oath is never to violate the brotherhood of La Cosa Nostra.


What is the scariest situation you have been in?

Walked into a room one night and thought I was going to get killed. I was called in by my boss over money I generated in the gas business. That's how it goes, you walk in and never walk out when you are in real trouble. I was in the right, proved it and her I am. But, brother, my heart was pounding, knees weak... Still don't know why I went. I guess just a product of my life back then.


How nice is your mom's cooking? She make good spaghetti?

my mom and grandmother were the best. grandma's meatballs cannot be duplicated and mom could whip up a delicious meal in minutes. miss them both! but my wife is a great cook. blessed!


I see this question asked all the time, but never to a legitimate former Mafia boss. How accurate are most mob movies/television shows? If you could recommend one to watch for authenticity, which would it be?

Most authentic - Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco. They mention my name in Goodfellas. The bar scene. I knew those guys very well. My era. saved Henry Hill's life 2 x. I knew Paul Vario and Jimmy Burke well, also. And Left Guns Ruggerio was a good friend. Those two are the most accurate depiction of that part of the life.

secret! i watch it every time it's on!

Go get ya fuckin shine box!

pesci is the best. he lights up the screen. the most authentic mob guy by far.


Yes! Is Goodfellas actually pretty close or is it just bullshit?

Very close. However, Henry hill never looked so good as he did in that movie. he was a low level guy, an associate. not nearly as close with Paul vario as the movie depicted. other then that, the Lufthansa robbery and all that followed was pretty accurate. "Do I amuse you?" Funny how? He was terrific!


Was Tommy DeSimone really that psychotic or was Pesci being over the top?

pesci was a bit over the top, but i loved it. tommy was crazy, but pesci made him bigger then life.


Michael is actually in goodfellas, well someone plays him. In that scene where they are introducing all the guys they introduce him but pronounce it Francese instead of Franzese.

That was supposed to be me, yes!


In a Court TV online chat session, Henry [Hill] said the following about the Sopranos, "The Sopranos is the closest thing to the real life that I've ever seen. And if Tony Soprano would move into Bensonhurst or Harlem he would fit in as a Capo. His cookbook sucks, though. It's the only thing phony about the show."

that's henry. but then again, Goodfellas made him a lot more important then he really was. he was an associate, not a made guy.


How can I tell if the steak house across the street from me is a mob joint? Are there any tell-tale signs? It supposedly was a hot spot in the 80s and is still rumored to be.

easy. who hangs out there? mob guys like to eat where they are comfortable with ownership and the clientele. and of course, the food has to be good.



Readers of Cosa Nostra News (and anyone they care to extend this offer to) are invited to meet Michael Franzese and his wife Cammy to discuss the new movie about Michael's life and times in the Mafia, "God the Father," over breakfast.

To register click on this link: Attend Breakfast with Michael Franzese.


What would you ask Michael?

Comments

  1. Good Job....Hmmm what would I ask him.....Wow that is a very good question when you first started saying your were trying to set this up I had a million questions....now with all the great info you have shared and the movie not sure what I would ask.....I guess if you gave me only one question it would be.... If you could do it all over again would you?? and if yes Why.....

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  2. Where did the rest of the money go? Thats the question I would ask. According to kenji gallo's book Breakshot, kenji said Michaael tricked the govt in his plea deal in how much money he saved up from the gas tax scam. Also I would ask him the details of his restitution agreement.

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  3. I've had my eye on Breakshot for quite a while but haven't gotten around to it yet. I think I'll order it from Amazon.

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  4. I would ask him what he knows about the origins of the Profaci family. Was formed by Salvatore DiBella from nothing or was it part of a larger Palermitani family that later split to become what would be the Gambino and Colombo families as asserted in the May issue of the Informer magazine.

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  5. It's out of publication - I'd order it asap before prices go up.... it's worth it!

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  6. Have all your questions, sending them to Michael.....

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  7. @mario
    Who did Gotti, Jr. rat on? I haven't heard this before.

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  8. Wait Ed, I am curious how him n the fakster Brian Duval Gambino suddenly found God , ????

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  9. I have a question for Michael: Back in your day (about 3 decades or so), a guy from your old neighborhood growing up (around the corner from you and Schettino) got stabbed. The victim was the son of your dad's partner. In turn, they hit that kid a couple of weeks later. Do you know where they buried him? If so, is there any truth to a certain "swimming pool"?

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  10. Any response from him as to what he knows about the origins of the Profaci / Colombo family?

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  11. Folks, it's clear Michael is not answering any of my questions or giving me an interview as was agreed. I tried my best to promo his stuff but he's not giving me anything else.

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