John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. Colombo Family Underboss FBI Files & Congressional Material

Description

The Life and Times of Sonny Franzese

1917:

• John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. is born.

1930s:

• Franzese works for Joseph Profaci, boss of the Profaci crime family (later renamed the Colombo family).

1942:

• Franzese is drafted into the U.S. Army but is soon discharged under the classification “psychoneurotic with pronounced homicidal tendencies.”

1950:

• Franzese becomes a “made man” in the Profaci/Colombo crime family.

Early 1960s:

• Joseph Colombo appoints John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. as Colombo Family underboss.

1963:

• Franzese officially holds the position of underboss of the Colombo crime family.

1964:

• Ernest Rupolo, a Genovese crime family member believed to be an informant, is murdered. It is believed Vito Genovese ordered Franzese to commit the murder.

1966:

• Franzese is arrested for the 1964 murder of Ernest Rupolo.
• During his trial, prosecutors present records suggesting Franzese had killed between 30 and 50 people.

1967:

• Franzese is convicted for his role in four bank robberies and is sentenced to 50 years in prison.
• The United States Supreme Court reports on the appeal of John “Sonny” Franzese Sr.’s 1967 conviction (Franzese v. The United States).

1968:

• Michael Metzger (assistant district attorney of New York) and Nathan Sackin (owner of dry cleaning establishments indebted to John Franzese) provide testimony at the “Impact of Crime on Small Business” Senate Hearing.

1978:

• Franzese is released from prison on parole.
• He subsequently returns to prison on parole violations six times.

1993:

• Congressional hearings on “Corruption in Professional Boxing” take place, including witness testimony.

1996:

• Congressional hearings on “Russian Organized Crime in the United States” take place, including witness testimony.

2005:

• Franzese becomes Colombo family underboss again.

2011:

• At the age of 93, Franzese is convicted on charges of extorting two Manhattan strip clubs, running a loan shark operation, and extorting a pizzeria on Long Island.
• His son, John Franzese Jr., testifies against him during this extortion trial, which is key to his prosecution.

June 23, 2017:

• Franzese is released from the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, at the age of 100. At this time, he is the oldest inmate in the Federal prison system and the only centenarian in federal custody.

February 24, 2020:

• John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. dies at the age of 103.

Cast of Characters

• John “Sonny” Franzese Sr.: (1917-2020) The central figure, former underboss of the Colombo crime family. He was involved in racketeering, fraud, and loansharking. He served multiple prison sentences, including a 50-year sentence for bank robbery and a later conviction for extortion. He was known for his longevity, becoming the oldest inmate in the federal prison system and dying at 103.
• Joseph Profaci: The original boss of the Profaci crime family, which was later renamed the Colombo family. Franzese worked for him in the 1930s.
• Joseph Colombo: The boss of the Colombo crime family who appointed Franzese as underboss in the early 1960s.
• Ernest Rupolo: A member of the Genovese crime family who was believed to be an informant and was murdered in 1964. John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. was arrested for his murder, which was reportedly ordered by Vito Genovese.
• Vito Genovese: A prominent figure in organized crime, believed to have ordered Franzese to kill Ernest Rupolo.
• John Franzese Jr.: Son of John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. He testified against his father in the 2011 extortion trial, which was crucial for the prosecution.
• Carmine “Tutti” Franzese: Nephew of John “Sonny” Franzese Sr., mentioned in the FBI files related to the Colombo Family.
• Michael Metzger: Assistant District Attorney of New York, who provided testimony at the 1968 Senate hearing on the Impact of Crime on Small Business.
• Nathan Sackin: An owner of dry cleaning establishments in New York City who became indebted to John Franzese and provided testimony at the 1968 Senate hearing on the Impact of Crime on Small Business.
• “Bobby”: A cooperating government witness whose identity was hidden during congressional hearings.
• Michael Franzese: Son of John “Sonny” Franzese Sr., who was a witness in congressional hearings.

John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. Colombo Family Underboss FBI Files & Congressional Material

This collection contains 616 pages of material.

John “Sonny” Franzese Sr. (1917-2020) was the former underboss of the Colombo crime family, from 1963, until he was sentenced to 50 years in prison for bank robbery charges in 1967. Franzese operated out of New York City and New Jersey and was involved in racketeering, fraud, and loansharking. He was paroled in 1978 and became Colombo family underboss again in 2005, until he was convicted of extortion in 2011. During his extortion trial, his son John Franzese Jr. testified against his father. Franzese was released from prison on June 23, 2017, at the age of 100. At the time he was the oldest inmate in the Federal prison system and the only centenarian in federal custody. Franzese died on February 24, 2020, at the age of 103.

In the 1930s Franzese worked for Profaci crime family boss Joseph Profaci. The Profaci family was later renamed the Colombo family. In 1942 he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was soon discharged under the classification, “psychoneurotic with pronounced homicidal tendencies.” He became a made man in 1950. In the early 1960’s he was appointed Colombo Family underboss by its boss Joseph Colombo.

In 1966 Franzese was arrested for the 1964 murder of Ernest Rupolo. It is believed that Vito Genovese ordered Franzese to kill Rupolo, a Genovese crime family member who became an informant.  Rupolo was shot and stabbed several times before his feet were attached to two concrete blocks and his hands tied before being dumped into Jamaica Bay. During his trial prosecutors presented records that suggested that Franzese had killed between 30 and 50 people.

In 1967 Franzese was convicted for his role in four bank robberies and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. In 1978 he was released on parole but returned to prison on parole violations six times.

In 2011 Franzese at age of 93 was convicted on charges of extorting two Manhattan strip clubs, running a loan shark operation, and extorting a pizzeria on Long Island. Key to his prosecution was testimony given by his son John Jr. He was released from the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, on June 23, 2017, at the age of 100.

FBI Files

420 pages of FBI files encompassing John “Sonny” Franzese Sr., his nephew Carmine “Tutti” Franzese and the broad web of the Colombo Family. Files date from 1960 t0 1980, mostly from the first half of 1970’s. They cover the criminal history of the Franzeses. Composed largely of summaries from other FBI files, physical surveillance reports and synopses of information obtained from informants.

Congressional Hearings

124 pages of excerpts of testimony and transcripts of questioning of witnesses from three Senate hearings: Impact of Crime on Small Business Senate Hearing (1968); Corruption in Professional Boxing (1993) and Russian Organized Crime in the United States (1996). Witnesses include: Michael Metzger, assistant district attorney of New York; Nathan Sackin an owner of dry cleaning establishments in New York City who became indebted to John Franzese; A cooperating government witness whose identity was hidden and was only referred to as “Bobby” and John Franzese’s son Michael.

Records and Briefs of the United States Supreme Court – Franzese v. The United States (1967)

The United States Supreme Court’s reporting on the appeal of John “Sonny” Franzese Sr’s 1967 conviction.