Search Bethpage Obituaries. But he sent his son. Or Johnny Boy.. Excerpt from Born To The Mob by former Mob Associate Frank Saggio: "There was a meeting down in Marilou's. Sonny Franzese went down there to see them [music executives] over some business. He also launched a foundation for helping the youth. He pulled stickups, smoked discarded cigarettes, and turned tricksanything to finance another $12 vial of bazooka crack. He was always John Franzese Jr. Its true, okay? His eyes narrow. He was just settling in when an acquaintance hed put up discovered his diary, freaked out, and told her boyfriend she was living with a mobster hiding from assassins. Theyd shared a bunk bed as kids, and commiserated about their moms obsessive housekeeping. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. John was seeking a high when he arrived at the palatial house in Los Angeles that Michael shared with his wife and kids. He stuck close to Odessa House, in part because hed fallen for one of its staffers, Denyce Rodriguez, an ex-addict. Later, he publicly renounced organized crime and turned into a devoted Christian and a motivational speaker. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Youre always leakin oil.. Michael tried to rein John in. The envelope-stuffed-with-cash thing felt oddly familiar. According to John, after Sonny went to prison and Carmine left home for a hippie commune, Michael dropped out of Hofstra University and took on all of his fathers responsibilities. The top spot had been a revolving door since the 1990s, when an intrafamily power struggle known as the Third Colombo War wrought havoc. Stay away from us.. Franzese was accused of murdering low-level New York mobster and hitman Ernest Rupolo, who worked for the Genovese crime family and later turned an informant testifying against the then-capo and future boss Vito Genovese. That someone would get killed, is that right? Lind asked. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Anybody who vouches for a guy who goes bad, Catapano said, that guy goes too.. By then, he had become the only centenarian in federal custody and the oldest federal prisoner in the US. He had a prized mentor in Michael, whose meteoric career trajectory was only partly due to his surname. A fellow 12-stepper delivered John to Odessa House, a sober-living facility that at that time provided free housing and treatment exclusively to recovering addicts in the music industry. His son, Michael, is a former New York mobster and caporegime from the Colombo crime family, who operated Franzeses rackets while Franzese was in prison during the 1980s. But he made a point of looking straight at everyone. Never in my life have I been so embarrassed, Sonny raged. Michael Franzese grew up as the son of the notorious Underboss of New York's Colombo crime family and became a made-member in his twenties. Im disappearing, he wrote in 2016. Brother, you can stay under two conditions, Michael said. Another son of Franzese, John, Jr, was also a Colombo family associate and later turned into an FBI informer. found in New York, New York, Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. I didnt get paid no half a million, John said. carmine franzese sr. Post author: Post published: junho 10, 2022 Post category: the gridlessness family Post comments: eyal lalo net worth eyal lalo net worth John was good with that. Hill was so paranoid that he jumped out of Johns car and screamed: I know youre here to kill me, Johnny! To many, he is one of the most darkly iconic mobsters ever. Persico had planned to place Franzese on this panel, but in August 1986, Franzese was sent . Thats when Richard Lind, the lawyer for the Colombo underboss, suggested that the gangsters son, 50-year-old John Franzese Jr., decided to rat on his dad only because authorities were paying for his HIV treatments. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. He was about 16 in 1976 when Michael revealed that he was a made member of the Colombos, the most violent of New Yorks five families; that he had sworn a blood oath to honor omert, a code of silence; and that their father was the Colombos most feared and powerful captain, or capo. While cruising through Brooklyn, hed point out places where hed done work. He always spoke in code; sometimes he punctuated the message by pantomiming pulling a gun from his waistband. But he didnt listen. To use this feature, use a newer browser. How a mob life wreaked havoc on Sonny Franzese's family. John chose faith over flight. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. And Jesus. Tutti the Lion passed away sometime in the late 1950's or early 1960's. After dismembering a corpse in a kiddie pool, Sonny said, body parts should be dried in a microwave and crushed in a garbage disposal. Carmine became the boss of the family during the 1960s or earlier. When Lewicki happened into a local bakery, Sonny offered him bread and cakes. You need to go to a doctor, he said. By the late 60s, the Franzeses were the most famous family in town. (That guy, Im gonna see him.), Michael was the front man; John was the pleaser who kept things light and friendly. He died on 26 September 1990, in his hometown, at the age . Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather, http://books.google.ie/books?id=0ZygQJNYnte&f=false, http://s14.postimg.org/b3wgksahd/image_1.jpg. The family is taking this very hard, his older brother told a reporter. Wandering around the second floor, he spotted a group of patients watching the news. You dont understand whats going on with my brother, Michael argued. Number one, dont talk to me about business. Hey, Johnny Boy, Lewicki said. Onufrio Franzese is 55 years old today because Onufrio's birthday is on 05/04/1967. He wavered. Asked to finger his once-feared father in court, Franzese Jr. a former wiseguy-turned-FBI informant said only, Hes sitting there in the yellow shirt.. I make a car look good because Im in it.. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Its over. Watch. He stayed for nine months. Naples, Citt Metropolitana di Napoli, Campania, Italy, New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA. My names John, he said. There was a problem getting your location. His personality was so relatable, and his intel was so good, that the two men formed a kind of friendship. You got to rip the guts out, Sonny said, because itll come back to haunt you.. During their conversation, Franzese said that he had killed several persons and would apply nail polish on his fingertips before the murders, so that his fingerprints were not found at the crime scene. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). . He and John were both North Shore guys. Bill, as he was known . John "Sonny" Franzese, Sr. was born in Naples, Italy, to Carmine "The Lion" Franzese and Maria Corvola. Out went the vibrato; in came fistfights and football. Despite all better judgment, he couldnt shake the urge to see his old man one last timeor to die trying. The feeling, he says. Most people assumed hed bought his way out, in a seven-figure waya charge Michael denied. The latter called Michael: Do you know where your brother is? And he wanted to tell his family why hed done what hed done. Thanks for your help! The Franzeses were cautionary tales. An old-timer of the Colombo crime family, Franzese was associated with organized crime for over six decades. John, listen, Lewicki said. Images from Getty/AP. But theres a different story to me., Sonnys son, they called him. But his nerves calmed the instant Michael spotted him and dissolved into tears. John found a small apartment in Santa Monica. The younger Franzese recalled becoming a Colombo bagman by 18, with all the trappings . May 27, 2018 - Carmine Franzese(Brother of Sonny Franzese) May 27, 2018 - Carmine Franzese(Brother of Sonny Franzese) May 27, 2018 - Carmine Franzese(Brother of Sonny Franzese) Pinterest. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Mug shot of John Franzese taken after his arrest. Suge Knight vs Sonny Franzese. They are loosely based on the real Gambino and Lucchese crime families. Franzese Sr. is standing trial on charges of shaking down a pair of strip clubs and a pizzeria on Long Island. I know they sent you to kill me!, John would have to shed everything (his relationships, his identity) and vanish overnight. He spent about nine months drying out in jail. The property is 113 years old, which is 22 year older than the average age of a building in Brooklyn 11211HUD. read he was a Colombo and was really tight with massino, theres some pics of him on here. There is some confusion regarding his birth year. But it was conditional. The mafia initiation ritual of Franzese happened in 1949. He was 23 and driving a cream Cadillac Biarritz. Try again later. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. A conviction linked to his gas bootlegging scam earned him a 10-year sentence and $14.7 million in restitution fees. The FBI, in a 1965 report, described him as the most noticeable and burgeoning loan shark in the Greater New York area, who through his shylocking enterprise, was gradually acquiring the night clubs of New York. Thus began a yearslong spiral of homelessness, depravity, and delusion. is dead. Make sure that the file is a photo. He pursued his new life with compulsive precision: rise early, feed the cat, smoke, begin writing. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. But he says the main selling point came when Lewicki suggested that Johns cooperation might take legal heat off his parents. But Ill shield you., John detailed the familys inner workings and its various scams. You can always change this later in your Account settings. But you expected her to act like someone that was well., Son, he said, referring to drugs, you really stopped doing that shit?, Im proud of you. Today. Soon he said to hell with the money and took coke instead. Sonny died in February 2020, at age 103. After three hours, John pointed out the time. Family members linked to this person will appear here. I thought he was Louis son but no. This life absorbs you. If at any time we find out youre using drugs, Lewicki said, this stops immediately.. He dealt heroin and robbed drug dealers, one of whom opened fire on him. John (Sonny) Franzese. Carmine Salvatore Franzese Birth 9 Nov 1881. So Sonny ditched Ann in 1959 for a teenage cigarette girl he reportedly met at the Stork Club. "Tutti" Franzese Jr. is actually Carmine Franzese III, he is a grandson of Carmine "Tutti the Lion" Franzese Snr and son of Carmine Franzese Jnr. He attended 12-step meetings twice a day. I'm gonna do the whole 50. He was released on parole several times since then, beginning in 1978. He helped run one of Sonnys loan-sharking operations and started shaking down club owners who were selling coke. He dressed immaculately and got the best tables at the Russian Tea Room and the Copacabana. But occasionally, when visited by certain sights or sounds, he feels a primal shudder unique to anyone whos spent years in the Federal Witness Protection Program, living a ghostly life of assumed identities and midnight relocations. Johns final destination remained a mystery as a fortified vehicle deposited him in 2006 and Lewicki in the bowels of the Federal Building in L.A., where two U.S. marshals took over. Throughout his entire adult life, he was involved in organized crime and other criminal. It wasnt like in the movies, when they implant a microchip in your ear or hide a bug under your cazzone. Shortly after he returned home, he picked up a message on his answering machine. These guys are so duplicitous they don't know where their own truth end and the bullshit begins. Although he remained a civilian, Johns status as Sonnys son and Michaels wingman gave him VIP access to any nightclub in town. During the trial, records produced by the prosecution claimed that Franzese had killed around 30 to 50 people. The fracas came hours after Franzeses son dropped a bombshell during his testimony inside a Brooklyn courtroom after admitting he has HIV with the defense arguing that the star witness turned on his aging dad because authorities agreed to help pay for his treatment. Gender: but I don't think he sonny kids cause Michael f gave a million interviews and mentions everyone but him, including his mom dad sister brother with the hiv ect. He was even portrayed in Goodfellas, in the famous scene in which Henry Hill enters the Bamboo Lounge. Such is the familys grip that John never fully escaped it, because he never wanted to. I don't know about Tutti, but John Franzese's father's nickname appears to have been "Tudie" as in "Tudie the Lion". Two concrete blocks were attached to his legs, and his hands were tied before being thrown into the water. They dont like Italians, Tina said. He married Carolina Pedata De Pompeis on 22 February 1938, in Naples, Naples, Italy. Keep your receipts.. Whenever Sonny heard about similar cases, hed explain that air gets into sunken bodies and floats them to the surface. I would have grabbed [Quagliariello] and told him, Look, you motherfucking rat bastard, Sonny replied. "Tutti" Franzese Jr. is actually Carmine Franzese III, he is a grandson of Carmine "Tutti the Lion" Franzese Snr and son of Carmine Franzese Jnr. Sonny didnt believe him. My own son turned on me.. His fake steroids ring was flush. And suites at the Waldorf. As of March 2023, Michael Franzese's net worth is approximately $1 million, making him the 16th richest criminal on the list. Lewicki handed John a black gizmo the size of a garage-door opener. This is your new life.. They were the parents of at least 1 son. Wouldve killed rats. Tutti Franzese did the killing, said Massino. Carmine had 5 siblings: Salvatore Franzese, Margaret Franzese and 3 other siblings. Did Dad kill anyone? John asked. His checks from the FBI had since run out. Facebook gives people the. But to be a rough-hewn New York paesan in Indianapolis was to draw notice. If Lewicki was a bit more persistent with John, he had his reasons. The lion had six sons with John Franzese being the last one born. He got there first thing in the morning, when he knew Sonny would be alone and not surrounded by visitors. There is a problem with your email/password. He didnt want John to get a smoother face. 2023 Cond Nast. We take stock of the best rom-coms everfrom. I dont agree with anything hes doing, said Michael. Hours later, Gia died of a cocaine overdose. He loved her and berated her; she responded by spending his money. Hes still a wiseguy after all these years. Franzese who now has a pacemaker, hearing aids and a broken hip had been tipped in the 1960s as a potential new Colombo boss. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Rupolo was shot and stabbed several times. While in prison, he remained the acting underboss of the Colombo crime family, from 1983 to 1987. But this time felt different, especially when he met a guy named Darryl. He made $50,000. His small, semimonastic life is devoted to living clean and transcending his legacy as a criminal and a rata word that agitates him far more than his lingering fears he has about personal safety. A previously unreleased FBI document details each of Johns 85 taped meetings. The old man was a pain in the ass, constantly ordering John to check the rearview for feds. But relations with John remained raw. Temperatures had cooled, and everyone had come to appreciate the degree to which Sonnys reign of terror had ravaged the family. John had connected with his old acquaintance a few years earlier, while Hill was hiding out in Los Angeles. He clung to his quiet life and still answered to Matexcept during a few nervy calls to some of his siblings. Tina reportedly followed Sonny into the bathroom and urged him to plead guilty and give John a break. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. That May, Michaels wife, Cammy, seized the moment and invited a surprise guest to Michaels lavish 70th birthday party. He considered them fine places to bum smokes and pick up women. Rian Johnson, Halle Berry, and More Share Their Inspiration, From the Archive: The Man Who Kept Marilyns Secrets (1991), Listen toVFsLittle Gold MenPodcast for Unrivaled Awards-Season Coverage. However, he was not arrested for the crime. That Michael was the one who told him the truth only made sense. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. GREAT NEWS! Born a year apart, theyd grown up in the same area at the same time; theyd chased the same girls and cheered for the Jets. So you realize that it was a possibility for your father, yet you had him vouch for you. There are a lot of Carmine Franzese during the 70's and 80's. A life of stealth and fear, he felt, was no life at all. Hed already been hitting the clubs and booze too hard when a buddy offered him a line of cocaine. I am a rat. He served as underboss of the Colombo family from 1963 until he was sentenced to 50 years in prison . You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Saint John Cemetery and Mausoleum. They were fiercely loyal to Sonny, who by now was the Colombos underboss. Please try again later. In 1942, during the Second World War, the United States Army discharged Franzese for showing "homicidal tendencies. A few years later, in 1947, court papers accused him of committing rape. But as John moves through the restaurants parking lot, he stops cold; a half smile tightens his aquiline features. The elder Franzese is one of the oldest Mafia bosses to ever go on trial. John scanned the liner notes until he found the special-thanks section, which included his name. At other times, John was overcome with gratitude and grace. Please dont run, Sonny said. and his mob protector, ex-Colombo captain Michael Franzese, both of whom eventually became . Menu Log In Sign Up John exited witness protection quietly at first. Hed braced for this moment since 2008, when hed hurriedly packed another 40 pounds and relocated from South Carolina to Indianapolis. He was 103. They would provide a means for me to change my life.. She followed the mobster into the mens bathroom and thats when the two started yelling at each other. John followed protocol even when he heard the last thing he wanted to hear at a meeting: Johnny Boy! He turned to see two Brooklyn guys hed known back in the day. Date of Birth: Oct 27, 1940 - Jun 10, 2002 (61 years old) Place of Birth: The Bronx. based on information from your browser. The trials most excruciating moment came when Lind homed in on the taped conversation in which Sonny acknowledged the Colombos new penalty for those who vouched for rats. What are you doing here? If doing so earned him a bullet, then hed die as John Franzese. I killed a lot of guys, Sonny told him. Burial. Sonny was frequently jailed for parole violations; Tina was suspected of credit card fraud. John couldnt believe it. By now Sonny and the Colombos were aware that John had flipped. Franzese was an associate producer of the 2002 movie This Thing of Ours. A nephew to John and cousin to Michael. They sent him to New York with real pills, for the sake of appearance, and stacks of cash that would become the Colombos cut.. According to his son, Michael, after hearing about his sentence, Franzese had declared, "You watch. John didnt read the papers. Franzese has since then become a devoted Christian and created a foundation for helping youth. Things got hairier when John and Catapano met Sonny for a meal at Sal Ds restaurant on Long Island. Franzese also said that wearing a hairnet during a murder would prevent hair from falling at the crime scene and would thus save the murderer from DNA analysis of hair strands. John says he helped facilitate a deal for a rising R&B singer named Christopher Williams. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. The mobster in our midst read the headline. Franzese also financed the 1972 American pornographic film Deep Throat and the 1974 American horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. He was credited as the associate producer of the 2003 crime drama This Thing of Ours.. Explore. Thats why Sonny allegedly asked an associate, Guy Fatato, to help find and kill John. Soon John got proposedthe first official step toward becoming made. The Lupertazzi crime family consists of an administration and eight known crews. He was linked by law enforcement to multimillion-dollar . Sonny adopted Michael, Tinas son who was said to be from a previous marriage, but who Michael attests was his biological father. His arms became streaked with rainbow-colored bruises, and hed contracted HIV. I thought he was Louis son but no. Franzese and the former acting boss of the Genovese crime family, Matthew Ianniello, were said to be long-standing partners in the adult entertainment business until the latter was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1988. Youre not talking about 4, 5, 6, 10. He suggested how to avoid leaving fingerprints (wear nail polish) or DNA (use a hairnet). Try again later. The boys were forbidden from reentering their bedroom after shed tidied it up. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Which city? By now John knew that Sonny had made his bones by carrying out hits for the bosses; that hed been discharged from the Army due to pronounced homicidal tendencies; and that his taste for DIY work continued even as he ascended to capo, when he began ordering hits. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Ill try and avoid asking you direct questions about your father. Andrew 'Andy Mush' Russo is one of the most influential members of the Colombo crime family to date, with a criminal career dating back to the 1960s as a confidante of longtime Colombo family boss Carmine Persico, and has continued into the 21st century as the family's most recent "street boss. I don't think he was ever above the rank of soldier, but someone might know more about him. After eight years in prison, Sonny Franzese was released on parole in 1978. According to John, his plane ticket and ID card said that he was Michael Carter, a passenger boarding a plane in Burbank. The younger Franzese recalled becoming a Colombo bagman by 18, with all the trappings and riches that came from being connected to a powerful mobster. He was born to Assunta Plantamura and Carmine John Persico Sr. Carmine's father was a legal stenographer for various law firms. Sonny didnt realize that Fatato was himself a cooperating witness, wired by the FBI. A new rule was enacted. The terms of Sonnys parole prohibited him from associating with other crooks, so being his go-between was a big deal. The mob life would kill him, one way or another. Multiple Colombo family members died, numerous were arrested, and even civilians got caught in the cross fire. Carmine John Persico Jr. (Italian: [karmine prsiko]; August 8, 1933 - March 7, 2019), also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", was an American mobster and the longtime boss of the Colombo crime family in New York City from 1973 until his death in 2019. However, his son Michael Franzese says that his father was actually born in 1919. He was released on parole and returned to jail for parole violations on several occasions. Sonny promptly installed John as his driver and messenger. Thanks HairyKnuckles..Hmmmm! Wearing garbage bags as shoes, he wandered along Queens Boulevard and stared at phone booths, which he viewed as portals that linked him to family and friends. 19.4k Followers, 1,776 Following, 1,026 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Julia Marie Franzese (@juliegrls) Despite Johns proteststhe phone held his family and personal photosthe marshal filled the sink with water and submerged the device. I thought Tutti the Lion was Sonny Franzese's father. Print Share. His family celebrated with a coming-out party at a Manhattan nightclub, where Champagne . John "Sonny" Franzese Sr. is a powerful Italian-American mobster, who is a longtime member of the Colombo crime family. Minutes earlier, hed been working the room in his particular way, greeting waiters by name and ordering off-menuthe anchovies with garlic and tomatoes for himself, the carbonara for his guestwhile a Buddy Greco song played in the background. Youre Sonnys son.. found in U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010. former underboss of the Colombo Crime FamilyParent(s) Carmine Franzese and Maria CorvolaAllegiance Colombo crime familyConviction(s) Bank robbery (1967)Extortion (2011)Criminal penalty 50 years' imprisonment (1967)Eight years' imprisonment (2011), Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. He was 100, the oldest inmate in the federal prison system, when he made parole. I did it to save it. Eventually, John came to embrace his new reality publicly. You gotta go, Sonny said. Sonny was facing two separate trialsone for murdering a snitch, the other for masterminding bank robberies. The Indianapolis Star profiled his until-then anonymous life and work in recovery in 2019. I thought you might like to see a memorial for John Sonny Franzese Sr. I didnt do it to hurt the family, John would say. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Always did. To be Sonnys son was to be cocooned by the knowledge that dad owned an enviable dry-cleaning business. John idolized Michaelnine years older, handsome, whip-smart, take-charge. This mornings testimony came a day after the 93-year-old mobster sat stoically while his son ratted him out for his life of crime. His mother returned his gaze. Nobody believed anybody, because everybody lied. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Would a CD with my name in the credits be enough? John asked. Get the latest chatter, from Kensington Palace and beyond, straight to your inbox. Anyone who read the papers knew hed killed upwards of 50 people, and that the New York mob bosses viewed him as their coming king, as Newsday put it. Cristina Capobianco Franzese, who has been separated from the mobster for the past two years, confronted her mobster hubby as he exited the courtroom at the end of todays testimony. Months later, John was back to his old ways. His new life of sobriety and repentance generally keeps him too busy to dwell on the past. Plus $15,000 a month on silk T-shirts, suits, and shoes. You know she wasnt well., We all knew she wasnt well, John replied. We've received your submission. In 1986, after Carmine Persico was sentenced to 139 years in prison, he created a 3-man Ruling Panel to oversee the Colombo family. But if youre asked to kill someone, Michael said, you got to., Theres never been a mob family in America like the Franzese family, says Johns former FBI handler, Robert Lewicki. Sorry! Sonnys father was also named Carmine, died in the 1950s or 1960s. It was recognized as the Profaci crime family back then and later became famous as the Colombo crime family. In 1938, Franzese faced his first arrest, for assault. He eschewed nickel-and-dime scams, landing lucrative (and sometimes legitimate) stakes in construction, car dealerships, unions, and the music industry. Sonnys given name was John Franzese Sr. Drag images here or select from your computer for John Sonny Franzese Sr. memorial. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. He servedas the underboss of the Colombo crime family that is involved in organized crime activities in New York City, US. Greg Scarpa, Sr. - "the Grim Reaper" and 30 Year FBI Informant Posted on August 17, 2015 August 24, 2018 by Mike Dickson Greg Scarpa, Sr., was born on May 8, 1928 near Venice, Italy and immigrated to the United States with his parents and brother Salvatore at a young age. Franzese had eight children. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Sonny's given name was John Franzese Sr. To defy Sonnys decrees was to feel his wrath. And number two, dont ever dare bring a drug around your nieces and nephews.. John 'Sonny' Franzese, Sr ., an Italian-American mobster who served as a Colombo crime family underboss and even had his finger in the movie biz . Michael thinks that his wife, faith, and refusal to testify against former associates has safeguarded him. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Re: Who the heck is "Tutti" Franzese of Colombos? All rights reserved. A conviction seemed tantamount to a death sentence. He was sentenced to fifty years in prison for masterminding several bank robberies. He served as underboss of the Colombo family from 1963 until he was sentenced to 50 years in . John says Michael recruited him; Michael says he wanted John to shun the underworld. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. His human interactions were limited to 12-step meetings, diner chitchat, and covert trial-prep sessions with prosecutors. He is about 15 yrs younger and was a Colombo soldier and associate of joey massino. Cristina succumbed to cancer in 2012, while serving a prison term. Peter Franzese.