Michael Franzese grew up the son of the notorious Underboss of New York's violent Colombo crime family. As Franzese rose within the ranks, he was estimated to have been making $5-8 million per week from a gasoline bootlegging scheme, involving the Russian Mafia. He survived countless Grand Jury appearances, 3 state indictments, 2 federal racketeering trials, 8 years in prison, and a Mafia death sentence. In 2014, he founded Michael Franzese Ministries.