Michael Franzese

And Bugsy Siegel, I mean, the great speech that... Lee Strasberg has in Godfather II, there was this kid. We started out together, did all our first work together. That was Meyer Lansky. Right, Meyer Lansky. He kind of looked up to me. I was a little older. Made a fortune. During Prohibition, we ran molasses to Canada. Your father, too. I'm really impressed with this.

He had an idea to build a city out of a desert stopover for G.I.s. This was a great man, a man of guts and vision. Someone put a bullet in his eye. That's Mo Green. That's Meyer Lansky because he's saying he's a great man because he built Las Vegas, and he did. It's his idea. It was his idea. What did he say? He said, I didn't get mad. I didn't get mad. I didn't blame anybody.

He had an idea to build a city out of a desert stopover for G.I.s. This was a great man, a man of guts and vision. Someone put a bullet in his eye. That's Mo Green. That's Meyer Lansky because he's saying he's a great man because he built Las Vegas, and he did. It's his idea. It was his idea. What did he say? He said, I didn't get mad. I didn't get mad. I didn't blame anybody.

He had an idea to build a city out of a desert stopover for G.I.s. This was a great man, a man of guts and vision. Someone put a bullet in his eye. That's Mo Green. That's Meyer Lansky because he's saying he's a great man because he built Las Vegas, and he did. It's his idea. It was his idea. What did he say? He said, I didn't get mad. I didn't get mad. I didn't blame anybody.

Headstrong, saying stupid things when I heard about it. I didn't ask who gave the order. I let it go. I said, this is the business we've chosen. You got it down. Now, that $2 million in your room. It's not here by tomorrow. It's on the table when I get out of, I'm going to take a nap. And that was a phony scene. What do you mean?

Headstrong, saying stupid things when I heard about it. I didn't ask who gave the order. I let it go. I said, this is the business we've chosen. You got it down. Now, that $2 million in your room. It's not here by tomorrow. It's on the table when I get out of, I'm going to take a nap. And that was a phony scene. What do you mean?

Headstrong, saying stupid things when I heard about it. I didn't ask who gave the order. I let it go. I said, this is the business we've chosen. You got it down. Now, that $2 million in your room. It's not here by tomorrow. It's on the table when I get out of, I'm going to take a nap. And that was a phony scene. What do you mean?

Because Maya Lansky had juice, but he would have never taken control of that meeting with other May guys in there. Never. Really? No. No way. He was a lucky Luciano's guy. You know that. What do you think about other mafias that come along? I mean, are you jealous? Do you guys have sort of beef with each other? I mean, there's a lot of Russian mafia. I got along great with them.

Because Maya Lansky had juice, but he would have never taken control of that meeting with other May guys in there. Never. Really? No. No way. He was a lucky Luciano's guy. You know that. What do you think about other mafias that come along? I mean, are you jealous? Do you guys have sort of beef with each other? I mean, there's a lot of Russian mafia. I got along great with them.

Because Maya Lansky had juice, but he would have never taken control of that meeting with other May guys in there. Never. Really? No. No way. He was a lucky Luciano's guy. You know that. What do you think about other mafias that come along? I mean, are you jealous? Do you guys have sort of beef with each other? I mean, there's a lot of Russian mafia. I got along great with them.

They were my partners. They were my partners in the gas business. That's so cynical. We made a lot of money together. The Russian mafia? Yeah. You worked with the Russians? Yeah, I had three Russian partners. Made more money with them than anybody else. They were great partners. Now, don't try to connect me to, you know, Donald Trump or something like that. But that's because they're ruthless?

They were my partners. They were my partners in the gas business. That's so cynical. We made a lot of money together. The Russian mafia? Yeah. You worked with the Russians? Yeah, I had three Russian partners. Made more money with them than anybody else. They were great partners. Now, don't try to connect me to, you know, Donald Trump or something like that. But that's because they're ruthless?

They were my partners. They were my partners in the gas business. That's so cynical. We made a lot of money together. The Russian mafia? Yeah. You worked with the Russians? Yeah, I had three Russian partners. Made more money with them than anybody else. They were great partners. Now, don't try to connect me to, you know, Donald Trump or something like that. But that's because they're ruthless?

No, they weren't ruthless. They were good businessmen. They worked 24-7. And, you know, I'll tell you what happened to the Russians. I meet them, whatever. You know the background, that I was defrauding the government out of tax. You know that. I've heard. So when I meet them, they had a number of gas stations called Gas Stop. It was their own brand.

No, they weren't ruthless. They were good businessmen. They worked 24-7. And, you know, I'll tell you what happened to the Russians. I meet them, whatever. You know the background, that I was defrauding the government out of tax. You know that. I've heard. So when I meet them, they had a number of gas stations called Gas Stop. It was their own brand.

No, they weren't ruthless. They were good businessmen. They worked 24-7. And, you know, I'll tell you what happened to the Russians. I meet them, whatever. You know the background, that I was defrauding the government out of tax. You know that. I've heard. So when I meet them, they had a number of gas stations called Gas Stop. It was their own brand.

But they couldn't get the licenses that we needed in order to collect the tax. Couldn't do it. So I cut a deal with them. And I said, here's the deal. 75% me, 25% you. There's three of them, right? Mike Markowitz, he was a Romanian. He goes, I don't think that's very fair, Mr. Michael. I said, no, it's very fair. He said, why? I said, because we're street guys.

But they couldn't get the licenses that we needed in order to collect the tax. Couldn't do it. So I cut a deal with them. And I said, here's the deal. 75% me, 25% you. There's three of them, right? Mike Markowitz, he was a Romanian. He goes, I don't think that's very fair, Mr. Michael. I said, no, it's very fair. He said, why? I said, because we're street guys.

But they couldn't get the licenses that we needed in order to collect the tax. Couldn't do it. So I cut a deal with them. And I said, here's the deal. 75% me, 25% you. There's three of them, right? Mike Markowitz, he was a Romanian. He goes, I don't think that's very fair, Mr. Michael. I said, no, it's very fair. He said, why? I said, because we're street guys.

I know you're going to steal a little bit. I said, this way, I got the major share. I said, you steal a little bit. I said, just don't let me catch you, right? He goes back, Bill. He talks to his other two Russian friends. He comes back. He says, we got a deal. And we were together seven years. We never had an argument. We made a ton of money together. There's a lot of heart in crime.