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Former mobster Michael Franzese speaks to a crowd at Bear Creek Community Church on Saturday. He also spoke at both services Sunday, drawing more than 1,000 people. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)
From Mafia to minister: Michael Franzese now hits the churches — with a message
Michael Franzese spent 17 years on the mean streets as the leader of a New York-based Mafia group. He admits masterminding everything from financial scams with auto dealerships to union kickbacks, gambling, loan sharking and corporate crimes.
But he met a woman in Florida who believed in God, and he decided to get out of the Mob and turn to the Lord.
More than 1,000 people turned out to Bear Creek Community Church on Sunday to listen to Franzese tell how he transformed his life despite having a contract out on his life while he sat in prison in the early 1990s.
"I got what I deserved and earned in my life," Franzese said from the pulpit at Bear Creek on Sunday.
Franzese, 57, said he survived dozens of grand jury appearances, three major racketeering indictments, five criminal trials and seven years in prison.
Talking in a thick Brooklyn accent that resembles actor Tony Danza's, Franzese spoke of how he entered the Mob in 1975. He was the captain of the Cosa Nostra, also known as the Mafia, from 1980 until 1992.
"The mob isn't a business. It's a whole way of life," he said.
'It's all about redemption'
"The Bible is all about redemption," Pastor Bill Cummins told more than 1,000 people who came to Bear Creek Community Church to see former Mobster Michael Franzese.Cummins had a laundry list of people in the Bible who did bad things, but turned their lives around through God. They include:
Cummins cited Franzese as the most recent example of a ne'er do well finding the Lord and becoming a good citizen.
"His life epitomizes redemption," Cummins said.
Source: Pastor Bill Cummins, Bear Creek Community Church
Franzese spent five years in prison for violating parole, with 29 months of his sentence in solitary confinement because prison authorities feared he would be killed if he was in the yard with the other prisoners.
"God said he got me in the hole because there was no other way to get His attention," Franzese said.
He began reading a Bible given to him by a corrections officer, scribbling note after note. He said he felt hopeless, but God changed that.
After Sunday's first service, which attracted an overflow crowd, Tracie Howard, of Lodi, said she was impressed with how Franzese went into such detail about his life and didn't try to sugar-coat anything.
"He did what he did, and he repented," said Lodi resident Cetara Mettler. "He still does struggle, but God is with him. Everybody struggles with their faith."
Dave Powell, of Lodi, saw it a little differently.
"I've always wanted to be a Mafia member," Powell said. "But it was cool that he turned his life around. He got to keep some of the money. He can say, 'I'm rich, but I'm not dead.'"
Justyn Mettler, of Lodi, added, "His word sways audiences. What he went through allows him to do what he does today."
Franzese has been out of prison for 10 years. He was previously in prison for tax fraud and racketeering, making $300 million for the mob in the wholesale gas business. He says he charged customers gasoline tax, but he never paid those taxes.
Cetara Mettler, left, Dave Powell, center, and Justyn Mettler said they were impressed with Michael Franzese's story of how he turned to God to get away from life as a mobster. (Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel)
He and his wife of 24 years have five children, and he says he is a typical suburban dad who coaches little league and travels across the country as a motivational speaker.
Franzese spent Saturday night at an invitation-only gathering with young people from Stockton who are in danger of becoming gang members because that lifestyle is all around them, he said after the second service.
Bear Creek Community Church partners with the Stockton Peacekeepers, whose primary focus is trying to get young people out of gangs.
Franzese has written a book on his life called "Blood Covenant," and had a DVD made. He will also release another book, this one about insider business called "I'll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse," on March 17.
His books and DVD are available at www.michaelfranzese.com.
Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.
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Lodian wrote on Feb 16, 2009 6:12 PM:
jbhiker wrote on Feb 16, 2009 4:35 PM:
Mystery Girl wrote on Feb 16, 2009 4:25 PM:
" I'm curious as to how he walked away from the mob alive. Especially holding the rank he did. If he has truly found God and turned his life around that's great. ">>>
Even Mafia don't kill ministers and they have nothing to fear from a man turned to Christ.
<<4AStrongLodi wrote on Feb 16, 2009 2:10 PM:
" Yes, isn't it interesting how they always find god...once they get caught. ">>>
In all fairness the man has remained with his faith. Not really an example of someone suddenly finding faith to get out of serving a sentence.
MG.x "
OTH wrote on Feb 16, 2009 3:32 PM:
opinion wrote on Feb 16, 2009 2:59 PM:
4AStrongLodi wrote on Feb 16, 2009 2:10 PM:
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