A FORMER mafia boss has told of his life at the top, from earning $8 million dollars a week to sitting in “someone else’s underwear” in a prison cell.

Michael Franzese, 71, grew up into the Colombo crime family in New York from 1971 due to the involvement of his father Sonny as an underboss in the group.

Michael rose through the ranks and ran more than 350 petrol stations in New York and New Jersey as the mafia defrauded the government of millions of dollars by not paying tax on millions of gallons of petrol.

He was eventually jailed for ten years due to his involvement in this in 1985 and decided to turn his back on the mafia. Approved by his own father, the mafia immediately ordered a hit on Michael.

The Argus: Michael Franzese was in the mafia from 1971Michael Franzese was in the mafia from 1971

He moved to California and became the first high-ranking mobster to walk away from the mafia without police protection and survive.

Michael told The Argus: “I have been at the very top, the operation I ran was grossing between 8 million to 10 million a week at its height. I had my own jet plane, helicopter and houses in three different states.

“I had 300 guys under me so I reached a pretty high plateau in that life. Then I lived in someone else’s underwear in a cell for eight years so I have experienced it all, the highs and the lows.

“It has taught me one thing, we never know from one day to the next when we get too full of ourselves, it gave me a good perspective on life.

“People are very interested in both sides of it, how you deal with those situations.”

The Argus: His dad Sonny approved a hit on him when he left the mafiaHis dad Sonny approved a hit on him when he left the mafia

Michael told of the moment his father went along with a hit on him after he decided to walk away from the mafia life after he was released from prison.

“My dad went along with the hit on me, according to the feds. When I walked away from that life, something you cannot do, my boss at the time did put a contract on me and my father went along with it. He didn’t put the initial order.

“I’m 71 years old, I don’t worry about being killed now. I live each day of my life one day at a time. My fear came during that life, when you’re in that life. There’s a difference between being fearful and scared.

“When you’re scared you turn and run, when you’re fearful you are aware that in any moment something can happen to you which you try to safeguard against.

The Argus: The familyThe family

“I know that because I saw a lot of guys come and go. That’s a rough part of the life.

“When I got out the life, it wasn’t a question of being fearful. I wasn’t there anymore. I was a lot less fearful coming out of the life than when I was in the life.”

Michael is doing a talk this evening at the Hilton Brighton Metropole in Kings Road.

Tickets can be bought on his website: Michaelfranzesetour.com