Michael Franzese

That was one case, yes.

Never on tape.

Had wiretaps, but never able to use anything against me.

For indictment.

They were never able to use those wires to implicate me in a crime.

Let me tell you something.

You're dealing with guys on the street who will do, many of them will do anything for money.

And what you mean to tell me is that when you're paying this informant, you're not giving him incentive to lie?

Let me tell you, no, let me back this up.

i was indicted uh for a huge fraud case in the gasoline business my partner okay was with me we created this scheme to defraud the government he was a paid informant they paid him two and a half million dollars of stolen gas tax money to be a witness against who did that case feds fbi fbi did the case so that two and a half million dollars was paid

They didn't seize any money as far as, they didn't seize any money from me.

They paid him two and a half million dollars.

I took a plea.

Long story, because I took a plea because I knew that my former life was falling apart.

The RICO Act was devastating to many people.

I had just beaten a RICO case brought on by Rudy Giuliani, and I knew that the life was in trouble.

I had a 14-agency task force assigned to bring me down, and I knew that I wasn't long for that life because I had such a target.

I was arrested 18 times and had seven indictments.

Yeah, I was guilty of crimes, yeah.

So what does that have to do with it?