A former high-ranking member of New York’s organized crime world has revealed explosive allegations about how his father became a primary target of federal law enforcement. Michael Franzese, who once served as captain in the Colombo crime family, claims that Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy personally directed FBI resources against his father following an intimate encounter involving legendary actress Marilyn Monroe. The account, passed down directly from his late father John “Sonny” Franzese, suggests that the underboss had a romantic involvement with Monroe after meeting her at Manhattan’s famous Stork Club. According to the younger Franzese, his father maintained this connection remained unknown to authorities until a fateful night that changed everything.
The alleged incident occurred during an encounter between Monroe and Robert F. Kennedy. Franzese recounts his father’s version of events, stating that during an intimate moment between the actress and the attorney general, Monroe inadvertently called out Sonny Franzese’s name. This unexpected revelation reportedly enraged Kennedy, who immediately contacted FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover with explicit instructions. “She said at that point he got on the phone with Hoover, and he said, ‘I don’t know who this Sonny guy is, but put him in jail,'” Michael Franzese shared, repeating his father’s exact words.
Revelation came after mother’s death in 2012
The bombshell story remained hidden for decades. Michael Franzese only learned about the Monroe connection after his mother passed away in 2012. The conversation began when he questioned his father about the intense federal surveillance their family endured for years. While other prominent organized crime figures operated with less scrutiny, the Franzese household faced constant monitoring from federal agents. “I said, ‘Why you? I mean Colombo was there, all these other guys, Genovese, but you?'” Franzese recalled asking. His father’s response came with a caveat about respect for his deceased wife. “First time I ever asked him that. So he said to me, ‘I didn’t want to tell you while your mother was alive, because I’m respectful.'”
Despite initial skepticism about some details, Michael Franzese acknowledged the explanation made sense within the historical context. He referenced the well-known fact that J. Edgar Hoover publicly denied the existence of organized crime for years, allegedly because the mob possessed compromising information about the FBI director. This background lent credibility to his father’s claim that personal animosity from Robert F. Kennedy, rather than standard investigative procedures, drove the intense federal focus on Sonny Franzese.
Criminal conviction and prison sentences spanned decades
The federal pressure Sonny Franzese faced ultimately resulted in significant legal consequences. Authorities arrested him in 1967 on charges related to orchestrating multiple bank robberies across the United States. Following his conviction, a judge sentenced him to 50 years in federal prison. However, he eventually secured parole and returned to civilian life. His freedom proved temporary. In 2011, prosecutors brought new charges against the aging mobster, this time for racketeering conspiracy. He received another prison sentence and remained incarcerated until his death in 2020 at the remarkable age of 103.
- Arrested in 1967 for orchestrating bank robberies nationwide
- Received 50-year federal prison sentence but gained parole
- Convicted again in 2011 on racketeering conspiracy charges
- Died in 2020 at age 103 while serving sentence
- Spent majority of later life under federal supervision or incarceration
Gas tax scheme generated millions weekly
Beyond the Monroe allegations, Michael Franzese discussed his own criminal activities during his time with the Colombo family. He detailed an elaborate gas tax scheme that generated extraordinary profits for the organization. The operation involved collecting gasoline taxes from consumers but never remitting those funds to government authorities. This straightforward yet highly illegal arrangement produced massive cash flow. Franzese disclosed that the scheme generated millions of dollars each week for the crime family. His personal take from the operation reached between three million and four million dollars weekly, making him one of the highest-earning figures in organized crime during that era.
The younger Franzese eventually left organized crime and became one of the most prominent former mobsters to publicly discuss the inner workings of the Mafia. His willingness to share details about both his own criminal activities and his father’s experiences has made him a notable figure in true crime discussions. The allegations about Robert F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and the subsequent federal targeting of his father add another layer to the complex relationship between organized crime, Hollywood, and political power during the 1960s.
Historical context connects Kennedy family and Monroe
The alleged connection between the Kennedy family and Marilyn Monroe has long fueled speculation and conspiracy theories. Monroe died in August 1962 under circumstances that remain debated to this day. Her relationships with powerful men, including rumored affairs with both President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, have been subjects of countless books, documentaries, and investigations. While concrete evidence of these relationships remains elusive, numerous accounts from people connected to Monroe and the Kennedys have suggested close personal ties existed. The Franzese family’s account adds another perspective to this historical puzzle, though like many Mafia stories, it relies on personal testimony rather than documentary evidence.
The story also highlights the complicated relationship between J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and organized crime. For years, Hoover publicly denied that a national crime syndicate existed, frustrating local law enforcement agencies that dealt with Mafia activities daily. Only after the famous Apalachin meeting in 1957, when police accidentally discovered a major gathering of organized crime bosses, did the FBI begin acknowledging and investigating the Mafia systematically. Robert F. Kennedy, as attorney general under his brother’s administration, made prosecuting organized crime a priority, creating new task forces and legal strategies to combat mob activities. If the Franzese account is accurate, personal motivations may have influenced which specific targets received the most attention from federal investigators during this aggressive campaign against organized crime.