Sonny Franzese Convicted Of Racketeering

John “Sonny” Franzese, the 93-year-old reputed Colombo underboss, has been convicted on federal racketeering charges involving the shake down of two NYC strip clubs and a loan shark operation as reported by Janon Fisher for the New York Post:  “Jurors apparently didn’t believe defense claims that Franzese was a doddering old man living off Social Security.”  The jury also convicted “co-defendants, Joseph DiGorga, John Capolino and Christopher Curanovic . . . of various charges, including extortion”as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News.  After the verdict, Federal Judge Brian Cogan revoked Franzese’s bail as reported by Tom Robbins for The Village Voice:

Franzese . . . slid his belt out of his pants. The alleged underboss of the Colombo crime family then leaned back in his chair and reached into his pockets. First the wallet came out of the back pocket, then a handful of coins from the left front. An inch-thick wad of bruised business cards fastened by a rubber band emerged from the front right. He passed these items to his attorney, Richard Lind. This is how wiseguys prepare for prison where these things are either unnecessary or not allowed.

On a historical note, the Colombo crime family long has been involved in the smut rackets — massage parlors, porn distribution, sex clubs — and Sonny Franzese allegedly had an interest in the porn classic Deep Throat.  At one time Franzese allegedly did business with reputed Genovese capo Matthew Ianniello who was a dominant player in the gay bar industry.  An October 8, 1967 article (“Mafia Increasing Investments in Business on L.I.”) by Charles Grutzner from the New York Times states: ‘”Franzese is reported to have a concealed stake in several bars, motels and cocktail lounges, including places patronized by homosexuals. A sideline in the operation of such spots is the blackmailing of wealthy or prominent patrons.”  Steve Ostrow, the owner of the infamous Continental Baths at 230 West 74th Street in the Hotel Ansonia, alleges in his 2007 memoir Live at the Continental:  The Inside Story of the World-Famous Continental Baths that the Colombo family provided his gay bathhouse with protection from rival mob families after he agreed to install its vending machines on the premises.

Joseph Colombo was shot by Jerome Johnson, a black mobster wannabe, during a rally of the Italian American Coalition at Columbus Circle on June 28, 1971.  Following the shooting Colombo remained in a coma for nearly seven years until he finally expired.  Many theories abound on the motivation for the hit, and perhaps it was the result of the violent war at the time between the Colombo and Gambino crime families for control over Times Square massage parlors and strip joints.  The shooter, Jerome Johnson, was attempting to become involved with the porn rackets through his friend Gambino associate Mike Umbers, and maybe Johnson was told that the price of admission for a piece of the action was the murder of Colombo.  Johnson, however, never reaped the benefits for his deed:  he was shot and killed by a presumed Colombo bodyguard at the assassination scene.