Michael Franzese

Well, of course, if someone is successful in their field, that will advance their career.

That's not in and of itself proof of corruption.

Arresting people that were in the mafia does not make the streets safer.

Listen, our neighborhoods were the safest neighborhoods around.

There was no street crime going on unless we were doing it, and we weren't doing it like that.

We didn't hurt people.

We helped people in our community and our neighborhoods.

You know, a lot of people think, you know, when we take that oath, it's an oath of silence.

It's not an oath to lie, steal, kill, murder.

That's not the oath.

Do things like that happen?

Yes.

But that's not the oath that we take.

So we didn't go around creating street crimes all over the place.

That's not what we were involved in.

We were a bit more sophisticated than that.

And my dad was a very powerful figure in the Colombo family. He was the underboss, which is the second in command.

And my dad was a very powerful figure in the Colombo family. He was the underboss, which is the second in command.

I mean, there were five families throughout New York and we were based mostly in Brooklyn and then Long Island. And my dad was very, very high profile. He was throughout my childhood, always under investigation, major target of law enforcement. I always say he was kind of like the John Gotti of his day. And in and out of prison, constantly getting indicted.

I mean, there were five families throughout New York and we were based mostly in Brooklyn and then Long Island. And my dad was very, very high profile. He was throughout my childhood, always under investigation, major target of law enforcement. I always say he was kind of like the John Gotti of his day. And in and out of prison, constantly getting indicted.