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I've been meaning to write you for awhile to thank you both for Michael's excellent talk to the student-athletes at Wake Forest in January. I sent you the incredibly positive comments by our student-athletes, so I know you understand what an impact Michael's speech had on them.
What I want you to understand though, is just how pleased I was with Michael's talk and how much easier you both made my job! My credibility is always on the line when I bring a speaker. If the speaker is not perceived as pertinent and does not relate to the student-athletes, then our student-athletes will tune them out. Not only is it a waste of their time, but the next time I try to make a speaker mandatory, I have a difficult time convincing the staff that it is necessary. I will hear for months about "that awful speaker" that Julie made us go hear!
I was concerned about Michael only because our athletes did not perceive gambling as a problem at Wake Forest, so they didn't see a reason to have to sit through a speech about the dangers of gambling. Michael's first hand experience and passionate delivery grabbed our athletes from the minute he started talking. They were mesmerized by his story and took his warnings to heart. Instead of athletes complaining, our athletes were thanking me for bringing him to Wake and making them aware of potential dangers even in the most innocent seeming pick up card game.
Michael's talk made a difference in the attitudes and perceptions of our student-athletes! My Athletic Director and Compliance officer were pleased not only with the message, but also with the response of our student-athletes. We definitely will have Michael back at Wake Forest and next time, our athletes will look forward to his entertaining and educational talk. I will look forward to the talk for same reasons, but also secure in the knowledge of how professional you both are and how easy you are to work with. Thank you!!
- Wake Forest University
I just wanted to thank you again for your presentation in my MBA ethics classes. Now that our semester has concluded, I am better able to assess the impact of the course. Your words had a deep and, I believe, lasting impact. In their final papers, my students frequently returned to your personal story and your lessons. Perhaps most important was your comment that you never needed to approach a business person; that they always came to you. The dangers of a personal sense of entitlement really hit home. My students were able to your admonition to heart Many of my students reflected on their own experiences in the light of your story. The results were powerful and positive. I stress that ethics is all about personal choice. You truly helped make that message real.
Thanks! - Vanderbuilt University
As a faculty member that specializes in teaching and researching areas related to white-collar crime, I am frequently asked by members of the university community, as well as members of the local community, to speak on the topic. Inevitably, members of my audience remember me, not for anything that I did, but as the man who introduced Mike Franzese during his presentation last October. So strong was the message that people are still talking about him nearly one year later.
His discussion about financial scams and fraud amazed many of the 300+ audience members in attendance. The most incredible aspect of his visit was the hour and half he spent answering questions for approximately 50 students after the conclusion of the regular question and answer session. He even signed autographs for several of the audience members. He was gracious with his time and passionate about his mission. We would love to have him come back to Washington State University either this spring on next fall, depending on his time availability.
I would also like to strongly recommend him to other university communities throughout the country. In the areas of criminal justice, law, management, and accounting, Michael Franzese will captivate students with his stories of white collar crime and his ascension as a La Cosa Nostra crime boss.
On campus and in the community, I am referred to as the man who brought the Mafia to Pullman, Washington. Michael Franzese was an exciting addition to the various speakers on our campus. - Washington State University
Michael Franzese presents the hard-hitting facts of the life of a former mobster and the perils of gambling in an attention getting fashion. Using real-life examples from his days in the mob, Mr. Franzese captivated our audience of student-athletes and coaches with stories from his past; ranging from multi-million dollar deals to influencing student-athletes to fix games. This mix of real-life experiences, intertwined with NCAA rules and recent high-profile NCAA gambling scandals, kept the audience keenly tuned to his message regarding the consequences of gambling, whether they are financial, legal, or even physical. Mr. Franzese mixed humor with the serious subject matter, allowing the audience to see him as a real person who has transformed his life to help others.
Mr. Franzese's delivery, engaging personality and obvious passion for speaking makes him an excellent choice for any teacher, manager, coach, or CEO looking for a presentation about the evils of gambling. - University of Maryland
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Bio
Michael Franzese was alternately referred to by the media and members of law enforcement alike, as the New York Mob's "Long Island Don" and "The Prince of the Mafia." He was once the primary target of a massive, fourteen agency government task force that "had one assignment—-to bring down the Mafia's youngest and most financially powerful new superstar, Michael Franzese." At the height of his mob activity, Michael was "one of the biggest money earners the mob had seen since Al Capone, and the youngest individual on Fortune magazine's survey of "The Fifty Biggest Mafia Bosses."
—Vanity Fair Magazine
A brief look into Michael's background provides insight as to why he is sought after to speak about many topics related to organized crime, gambling, business fraud, and legal strategies.
THE PRINCE OF THE MAFIA
The son of a kingpin in New York's Colombo crime family, the smart, sophisticated Franzese was long considered an heir apparent to the family's vast power. Becoming a sworn, made member at the age of 24, he avoided the traditional Mafia domains in favor of the enormously lucrative edges of the legitimate business world.
SCAMS, SCHEMES, AND CAMMY GARCIA
He masterminded brilliant scams, from auto dealerships to union kickbacks, from financial services to the worlds of sports and entertainment, to a multi-billion dollar gasoline tax scheme, all with the help of ambitious tycoons and his own remarkable acumen. His operations in gambling, loan sharking and corporate crime became a target of Manhattan's famed federal prosecutor, Rudy Giuliani, who indicted Michael on racketeering charges only to come up empty handed in court. More indictments would follow, however, and in a dramatic turn of events for the onetime Mob caporegime, Michael decided to plead guilty to yet another racketeering indictment, accept a 10 year prison sentence, and then vowed to do the unthinkable-quit the mob.
"He earned millions a week at his apex and used his wits and charm to keep the likes of John Gotti from encroaching on his operations. Though frequently indicted, he was never convicted of any crime until he met Camille Garcia, a beautiful dancer in one of his films. He fell in love with her, doggedly pursued her and eventually they married. How she convinced him to take the rap on a racketeering charge and how he managed to become the only high ranking official of the Mafia to ever quit the mob, refuse government protection and live to tell about it makes Michael Franzese a truly absorbing and fascinating addition to the speaker's circuit." (Jacket cover - Quitting The Mob, Harper/Collins Publishing.)
MAN ON A MISSION
Michael's first book, Quitting The Mob, (Harper/Collins Publishing ) , was released in 1992, providing a glimpse at the life Michael left behind.
His most recent book, BLOOD COVENANT (Whitaker House, Mar. 2003-now in the third printing), looks at that story from 10 years of changed life, providing insight only time allows. It captures Michael's life from beginning through today, offering a powerful look at the why and how he left his past, and how he is still alive today. In the words of Paul Harvey, it is "the rest of the story."
Michael candidly describes for audiences how he survived dozens of grand jury appearances, 3 major racketeering indictments, 5 criminal trials, 7 years in prison and a Mafia death sentence. He tells how he engaged bankers, corporate executives, union officials and professional and student athletes in a wide variety of financial scams. His open and honest presentations are fresh and unique. Audiences are captivated by stories of his personal experiences in organized crime and genuinely affected by his powerful anti-crime messages and eye opening revelations.
Franzese is now a man on a mission. Determined to use the compelling experiences of his former life for the benefit of at-risk youth, professional and student athletes, corporate executives and for anyone seeking the inspiration to beat the odds and make positive changes in their lives, he has become a highly regarded motivator and a source of invaluable information.
It began when Michael got an offer he couldn't refuse. One afternoon, while he was walking in the prison yard, a command dreaded by all inmates blared over the loudspeaker.... "Michael Franzese, report to the Warden's office." This order is rarely followed by good news. His heart sank when he entered the office and was met by two FBI agents dispatched from headquarters in Washington DC., which would normally mean even worse news. Not on this day.
The agents were there to recruit Michael to participate in a program designed to educate professional athletes about the dangers of gambling. Michael knew the world of gambling and sports - he knew it from first hand knowledge from the side of the Mafia. That meeting with the FBI was the beginning of something very new for Michael. He recorded a video taped message that would be presented to
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