Working with the Russian Mafia, Franzese sold millions of gallons of gas. The family would collect the state and federal gas taxes, but keep the money instead. At the same time, they were often selling the gas at lower prices than at legitimate gas stations. In the mid-1980s, Fortune Magazine listed Franzese as number 18 on its list of the "Fifty Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses.michael was a lowlevel soldato is it possible that he could make money more than the underboss sonny franzese?

Russians! Funny thing was all LCN used them for was thuer names fir the books! Yes they did start the scam. However ince perfected LCN jumped in feet first and took over. Funari and Casso played ghis game for a long time.

So Michael Franzese is a liar? casso was an underboss therefore it would make sense. I can't see michael as a top money making boss while a low level soldato. makes no sense at all.

No he's not a liar at all. Most of not all the families were involved! Ever been to NYC? Especially the Burroughs? There's a gas station every ten feet. If there was ever a racket where there was money for everyone it was this one!

wish i had a hand in that racket

Yeah! I'm from nyc sonny franzese was as greedy as he was covert so I ax miself this question was sonny's son michael collecting money for his father? making sonny franzese the top making boss! sumting aint right? sonny franzese would have done shot u if he thought u used his name

Not sure if I follow you here, but Sonny was a captain at the time and in prison most of the time when his son started to earn.
I recommend the "Blood Covenant" book (the Michael Franzese story).

that much I now sonny and the snake have been away for along time. well sonny being the higher up should had gotten the bulk of them fazzoules. had anyone such as gaspipe or the robe hoird about a soldato making more than em there would have been a sit down in manhattan.

Same here lol

Gaspipe was a Lucchese and Robe was a Genovese. The Franzeses were Colombos. That´s three different Families. Don´t see why Casso and Gigante would have had ill feelings for Michael for his earning abilities. And also, Michael was upped to captain, heading his own crew (within the Colombos).

The truth? Michael Franzese made more off that scam in a relatively short period of time (a couple years), than most bosses make in their entire careers. It was a once in a lifetime thing. Right place, right time, etc.

In my opinion, the only recent scam/score that came close in numbers was Tore's phone card racket. But that was many, many years later.

So they could never pull off these gas scams today?

Gaspipe was a Lucchese and Robe was a Genovese. The Franzeses were Colombos. That´s three different Families. Don´t see why Casso and Gigante would have had ill feelings for Michael for his earning abilities. And also, Michael was upped to captain, heading his own crew (within the Colombos).[/quote]

some of them were family heads gaspipe being the underboss of the lucchese, whether or not michael franzese was a captain at the time I'll never know thats fir sure. columbos are that way underboss acting underboss underboss at the time forgettaboutit thats who they are cos thats how they operate perfuckit. imagine had the immortal known that franzese was earnin more than him.

^^ Tru Tru ..What up O.G.

Gout's acting up. Back hurts. In laws might be moving back in. Wife's in Florida spending my money while I'm up here in the cold. Kids won't talk to me.

But you know me, I can't complain.

most bosses would have taken him off that operation and given it to someone with more experience while putting him on a smaller operation until he's more sure of himself.

Well you know what they say..when all else fails just sit on your hands

I thought I read somewhere that he made like $8-10 million in a few years off this scam. They would move the stations around and have various shell companies so the tax collector could never catch them...Plus if you hijack a gas truck you have a zero cost basis, lol..

For the record, Michael Franzese was acting captain of that crew. Not just a low level soldier after a certain point.

Why would they take the brains of the operation off of it? He perfected that game! Knew the players. Knew where others could cheat him etc. take him off so they could earn less?

Why would they take the brains of the operation off of it? He perfected that game! Knew the players. Knew where others could cheat him etc. take him off so they could earn less?[/quote]

when you have thousands of ppl,families living off a multimillion dollar operation, the screw up factor goes up with a young whipper snapper skipper at the helm of the family ship.
especially if he's new at it, everybody swepts floors, everybody worked behind the bar and everybody has sipped whisky at 7 a.m in the morning at the bar what you did will put ur name at the top of the book and when they open the book u've got 1st dibbs.
remember everybody had a good thing going for them at one point only to be passed on to another assignment for the good of the family.

when you have thousands of ppl,families living off a multimillion dollar operation, the screw up factor goes up with a young whipper snapper skipper at the helm of the family ship.
especially if he's new at it, everybody swepts floors, everybody worked behind the bar and everybody has sipped whisky at 7 a.m in the morning at the bar what you did will put ur name at the top of the book and when they open the book u've got 1st dibbs.
remember everybody had a good thing going for them at one point only to be passed on to another assignment for the good of the family. [/quote]


No not how it works. You work your own scams. They Boss don't care who eats or who starves as long as he gets his! There's no book of scams! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You grow what you plant. And truth be told. I think all the families made out of this. And they put the smartest guy for the smart jobs and the tough guys on the toughest.

you got weight in what ur saying alot of it, no denying it and probably ur right. however I'm more skeptical then ever tell you what eastharlemital I'm with you on this one. I'll give in forgetaboutit.