A former high-ranking member of the Mafia, Michael Franzese, will be headlining a coveted show in Bristol to unveil his trials and tribulations from the mob to motivational speaking. Famously portrayed in the Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas, Franzese was once listed among Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses’.
Until a life-changing occurrence being convicted of racketeering, he had long lived a mobster lifestyle as he defrauded the US Federal Government of upwards of $350 million during the height of his illegitimate career. However, after being imprisoned in 1991, he rediscovered Christianity which led to his unprecedented decision to denounce the mob and walk away for good.
As the first high-ranking official member of a major crime family to have walked away without protective custody, Franzese survived to tell the tale and he now aims to continue doing so, in order to make a difference. His upcoming show in Bristol, titled ‘An Evening with Michael Franzese’, is a part of a series of multi-city gala events across the United Kingdom launched by indie production company Mandala Ventures.
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Franzese will be speaking at the Marriott Hotel City Centre on July 29 as part of the UK tour, where he will be sharing an enthralling range of untold stories about his past life working with one of the most feared crime families in New York. The author and motivational speaker will discuss his journey growing up as the son of former underboss Sonny Franzese, in addition to his shocking tales as a former ‘Caporegime’ (Captain) of the Colombo crime family, who ran New York for multiple decades alongside four other mob families.
From his high-profile political and celebrity associations, criminal operations to run-ins with the law, Franzese bares it all as he details his eventual path to finding faith and redemption. Speaking of his talk in Bristol, Franzese is looking forward to visiting Bristol to share his experiences, in the hopes of protecting vulnerable youths from entering a life of crime and violence.
He said: “I’m really excited to be landing in Bristol and to share a unique experience with everyone as we unearth some of the untold truths of the Mafia. There are not many people who can say they’ve sat on both sides of the divide between the Mafia and the law and lived to tell the tale. It was like a rite of passage for me to become part of the criminal underworld, or as we called it, ‘the family business’.
“But I’ve seen the destruction caused by ‘the life’. The pain, suffering, loss it leaves in its wake. I’ve seen families devastated, and wars on the streets. I’ve been marched into a room, expecting never to walk back out. But now, I’m ready to share my story with people and give an insight into what that life really means – and why I simply had to get out.”
More details about the show, An Evening with Michael Franzese - The Real Goodfella, can be found on the tour website, which lists ticket prices as 'from £100'.
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