Michael Franzese is a former Caporegime with the Colombo crime family of New York City. In 1986, Vanity Fair named him one of the biggest money earners the Mob had seen since Al Capone. At the age of thirty-five, Fortune magazine listed him as number eighteen on its list of the “Fifty Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses,” just five places behind John Gotti.

At his peak, Michael earned millions in cash every week with brilliant scams on the edge of the legitimate business world. He was involved in several industries, including auto dealerships, construction, financial services, and the sports and entertainment business. After successfully defending himself from multiple indictments, Franzese pled guilty to racketeering charges, accepted a ten year prison sentence, and publicly walked away from the Mob. He is the only high ranking official of a major crime family to ever walk away without protective custody and survive.

Michael credits his wife, Camille, with his religious conversion. He is in great demand as a public speaker, sharing his life, experiences, and inspiring messages with church groups, professional and student athletes, and corporate executives across the country.

Mafia Democracy is Michael’s fifth book.