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CNN Live Today
Interview With Michael Franzese
Aired September 24, 2003 - 11:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now from the fictional world of "The Sopranos" to a real life story about the Mafia. It's the story a man who quit the mob and then lived to tell about. At age 24 Michael Franzese sworn oath to the Columbo crime family. And by 35 Franzese was listed as among the wealthiest mob bosses in America.
Well now he is on a crusade against the scams and illegal activities that once made him millions. And he tells his story in the new book "Blood Covenant" which has been out since February. And he joins us here this morning to talk about all that. Good to see you this morning.
MICHAEL FRANZESE, AUTHOR: Good to be here.
HARRIS: Must make a comment. I was watching you as we watched that film clip from "The Sopranos." How realistic is that? Is that what life was like when you were inside the mob?
FRANZESE: Not really. The characters -- it's cast well. The story line is not realistic. Believe me, if a mob boss was visiting with a psychiatrist, he wouldn't be around too long to tell about it, that's for sure.
HARRIS: Well I'm amazed to hear your story. And amazed to see that you're still around. You say that you were the first person to have left the mob and lived to tell about it. Are you sure you're the only one who has ever done it?
FRANZESE: As far as I know. There hasn't been others that haven't entered into a witness protection program and were around to tell about it. Of course I don't do surveys of this thing. But in my experience and certainly what other people have told me, there's never been anybody that's been able to walk away.
HARRIS: Are you pushing your luck now then? You're writing a book, you're out here publicly telling the story and telling about what you did. Are you concerned that you might be pushing your luck at all to be out here publicly?
FRANZESE: No, I don't think so. I mean this is not -- I'm not on a mission to discredit the mob. I'm just doing what I feel is right and what I've been called to do. And it's been ten years now. So, you know, I just don't concern myself with it.
HARRIS: What happened? Tell us the story quickly, if you can, about exactly what it was that led you to get out. As I understand it, it was a family thing. Your father was all in the mob. FRANZESE: Yes. My dad was a pretty powerful figure in the Columbo back in the '60s. I entered that life. Originally was supposed to be a doctor. That's what he wanted. But circumstances changed. He got a 50-year prison sentence and I left college and got involved in the life.
And you know I was in it for quite some time. In 1985 I met a young lady, who is now my wife. She was a young girl of faith and just really turned me around. And so many things have happened in the past ten years that kind of added to that decision. And I just was able to walk away.
HARRIS: So by getting religion, basically, is what made you to get out of the mob?
FRANZESE: Yes. Yes.
HARRIS: How does that transition happen? If this is something that you've been doing for most of your life, that you've been familiar with most of your life how do you do that?
FRANZESE: Well again, it wasn't easy and it was a process for me. But it was a question of faith, no doubt. And I just got seriously, through my wife, became knowledgeable about my faith and realized that what I was doing was the wrong thing and I was going to try to make change. And over a period of time I was able to do that.
HARRIS: But you went to jail, right? As I understand it, you turned yourself in.
FRANZESE: Yes, that's correct. I did seven years in prison.
FRANZESE: While you were in prison, were there any threats made on you? Was there ever any time when you might have gotten whacked, if I can use that term?
FRANZESE: Well, I never felt threatened in prison and I never had any instances. However, the prison was very concerned because my walk away from the life was public. So they kept me locked down about 29 months out of that seven years. They kept me in isolation.
So it wasn't easy. I mean it was touch and go for awhile. And you know I heard lot of rumors and the FBI would say, You know, we've got information, you're in trouble and things like that. But I just moved forward.
HARRIS: So what do you do now? I can't imagine there's some sort of an easy or natural transition to life outside the mob. What is it you're doing now with your time?
FRANZESE: It's not easy and you have your struggles. And you know you're still -- I'm still a Brooklyn guy at heart, but...
HARRIS: Yes, I can hear the accent.
FRANZESE: Yes, it doesn't leave you. But I've been blessed in that I have had an opportunity to write a book. I speak a lot at universities throughout the country about gambling. I speak to a lot of student athletes.
HARRIS: As a matter of fact, I understand you're going to be talking to LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony two -- No. 1, No. 2 draft picks in the NBA no doubt. You're going to talk to them about, what, mob activity?
FRANZESE: About gambling and why they should stay away from it and how they can get entrapped and how they're made a target by gamblers and organized crime. And I've been addressing the NBA rookies now for six years.
HARRIS: Is the mob involved in the NBA? Is the mob making money off the NBA?
FRANZESE: They're not involved in the NBA, not, no, not to my knowledge. But they wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a player if it could help in a gambling situation.
HARRIS: Fascinating story. I kind of wish we had more time to talk. Michael Franzese, author of "Blood Covenant." Great story. Great to see you here to tell it.
FRANZESE: Thank you. Good to be here.
HARRIS: Take care, good luck to you.
FRANZESE: Thanks a lot.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 24, 2003 - 11:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now from the fictional world of "The Sopranos" to a real life story about the Mafia. It's the story a man who quit the mob and then lived to tell about. At age 24 Michael Franzese sworn oath to the Columbo crime family. And by 35 Franzese was listed as among the wealthiest mob bosses in America.
Well now he is on a crusade against the scams and illegal activities that once made him millions. And he tells his story in the new book "Blood Covenant" which has been out since February. And he joins us here this morning to talk about all that. Good to see you this morning.
MICHAEL FRANZESE, AUTHOR: Good to be here.
HARRIS: Must make a comment. I was watching you as we watched that film clip from "The Sopranos." How realistic is that? Is that what life was like when you were inside the mob?
FRANZESE: Not really. The characters -- it's cast well. The story line is not realistic. Believe me, if a mob boss was visiting with a psychiatrist, he wouldn't be around too long to tell about it, that's for sure.
HARRIS: Well I'm amazed to hear your story. And amazed to see that you're still around. You say that you were the first person to have left the mob and lived to tell about it. Are you sure you're the only one who has ever done it?
FRANZESE: As far as I know. There hasn't been others that haven't entered into a witness protection program and were around to tell about it. Of course I don't do surveys of this thing. But in my experience and certainly what other people have told me, there's never been anybody that's been able to walk away.
HARRIS: Are you pushing your luck now then? You're writing a book, you're out here publicly telling the story and telling about what you did. Are you concerned that you might be pushing your luck at all to be out here publicly?
FRANZESE: No, I don't think so. I mean this is not -- I'm not on a mission to discredit the mob. I'm just doing what I feel is right and what I've been called to do. And it's been ten years now. So, you know, I just don't concern myself with it.
HARRIS: What happened? Tell us the story quickly, if you can, about exactly what it was that led you to get out. As I understand it, it was a family thing. Your father was all in the mob. FRANZESE: Yes. My dad was a pretty powerful figure in the Columbo back in the '60s. I entered that life. Originally was supposed to be a doctor. That's what he wanted. But circumstances changed. He got a 50-year prison sentence and I left college and got involved in the life.
And you know I was in it for quite some time. In 1985 I met a young lady, who is now my wife. She was a young girl of faith and just really turned me around. And so many things have happened in the past ten years that kind of added to that decision. And I just was able to walk away.
HARRIS: So by getting religion, basically, is what made you to get out of the mob?
FRANZESE: Yes. Yes.
HARRIS: How does that transition happen? If this is something that you've been doing for most of your life, that you've been familiar with most of your life how do you do that?
FRANZESE: Well again, it wasn't easy and it was a process for me. But it was a question of faith, no doubt. And I just got seriously, through my wife, became knowledgeable about my faith and realized that what I was doing was the wrong thing and I was going to try to make change. And over a period of time I was able to do that.
HARRIS: But you went to jail, right? As I understand it, you turned yourself in.
FRANZESE: Yes, that's correct. I did seven years in prison.
FRANZESE: While you were in prison, were there any threats made on you? Was there ever any time when you might have gotten whacked, if I can use that term?
FRANZESE: Well, I never felt threatened in prison and I never had any instances. However, the prison was very concerned because my walk away from the life was public. So they kept me locked down about 29 months out of that seven years. They kept me in isolation.
So it wasn't easy. I mean it was touch and go for awhile. And you know I heard lot of rumors and the FBI would say, You know, we've got information, you're in trouble and things like that. But I just moved forward.
HARRIS: So what do you do now? I can't imagine there's some sort of an easy or natural transition to life outside the mob. What is it you're doing now with your time?
FRANZESE: It's not easy and you have your struggles. And you know you're still -- I'm still a Brooklyn guy at heart, but...
HARRIS: Yes, I can hear the accent.
FRANZESE: Yes, it doesn't leave you. But I've been blessed in that I have had an opportunity to write a book. I speak a lot at universities throughout the country about gambling. I speak to a lot of student athletes.
HARRIS: As a matter of fact, I understand you're going to be talking to LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony two -- No. 1, No. 2 draft picks in the NBA no doubt. You're going to talk to them about, what, mob activity?
FRANZESE: About gambling and why they should stay away from it and how they can get entrapped and how they're made a target by gamblers and organized crime. And I've been addressing the NBA rookies now for six years.
HARRIS: Is the mob involved in the NBA? Is the mob making money off the NBA?
FRANZESE: They're not involved in the NBA, not, no, not to my knowledge. But they wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a player if it could help in a gambling situation.
HARRIS: Fascinating story. I kind of wish we had more time to talk. Michael Franzese, author of "Blood Covenant." Great story. Great to see you here to tell it.
FRANZESE: Thank you. Good to be here.
HARRIS: Take care, good luck to you.
FRANZESE: Thanks a lot.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
