Sit Down with Michael Franzese

Michael Franzese
  • 4.9 (61)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

From a high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family to a man transformed by faith, Michael Franzese shares his extraordinary journey like no one else can. In Sit Downs with Michael Franzese, Michael dives into raw, unfiltered stories from his life in the mob, his path to redemption, and the lessons he’s learned about faith, family, and overcoming life’s struggles. With gripping interviews and practical insights, this podcast will inspire, challenge, and entertain

  1. 1D AGO

    Ranking the Most Powerful Underbosses in Mafia History

    🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ I’m ranking what I consider the greatest underbosses in Mafia history – the real number‑twos in Cosa Nostra, not the Hollywood versions.We go through 20 underbosses and one “bonus” pick, from guys like Gaspipe Casso, Neil Dellacroce, and Sammy Gravano to quiet power players who almost never made the newspapers, plus where my own father, Sonny Franzese, fits on the list. I break down what an underboss actually did, why some deserve “GOAT” status and why a few end up in the “show‑off” category.Agree, disagree, think I left someone out? Drop your own rankings in the comments and let’s talk about it.​Ranking the Most Powerful Underbosses in Mafia History 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Former Mob Boss Breaks Down the Maduro Capture

    🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ Maduro didn’t suddenly become a bad guy last week. Obama put a $10 million bounty on him, Biden raised it to $25 million, called him a narco‑terrorist, and then nobody moved. ​ Trump raises the bounty, Maduro mocks him, and Trump actually goes after him—now everyone’s outraged. So what was that bounty for, just decoration? In this sit down, I break down who Maduro really is, why his own military taking him down matters, and why letting China, Russia, and Iran control Venezuela’s oil in our own hemisphere would be crazy if you claim to care about America. Former Mob Boss Breaks Down the Maduro Capture 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min

  3. JAN 7

    Former Mobster Breaks Down Minnesota Somali Scam

    🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ In this one, I’m looking at the Minnesota Somali daycare and food‑program fraud through the eyes of somebody who actually ran Mafia scams for a living. I ran one of the biggest gas‑tax scams this country had ever seen, so I know what an organized operation looks like.​What I see in Minnesota isn’t “sloppy paperwork.” It’s a Somali mafia‑style network: shell companies, fake centers, recycled addresses, money moved into cars, houses, and businesses, all built on weak government oversight and politicians who looked the other way. It’s the same mentality we had in the Italian Mafia—different product, different players, same playbook.​I’m not saying every Somali in Minnesota is a criminal. But when billions of dollars are sitting on the table with almost no controls, mob guys, fraudsters, and crooked officials—Italian, Somali, or anybody else—will show up to rob you blind. The names change. The mafia doesn’t.​ Former Mobster Breaks Down Minnesota Somali Scam 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  4. JAN 2

    Top 20 Mamalukes of the Year (2025 Dumbest People)

    🍷Get your ReMade bottle here: https://franzesewine.com/remade 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ You’ve heard me say “mamaluke” for years. Today I’m finally handing out the official “Mamaluke of the Year” awards. ​ We run through 20 contenders—from Hollywood to politics to sports—and then I give you my top 3, plus a couple of honorable mentions that absolutely earned their spot. Some of you are going to agree, some of you are going to be furious… either way, it’s going to be fun. ​ I also share a bit about my 50‑year anniversary “remade” bottle and why your circumstances don’t define you—your decisions do. Drop your own Mamaluke of the Year in the comments. Top 20 Mamalukes of the Year (2025 Dumbest People) 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com 0:00 What “mamaluke” means and why I use it 0:32 Introducing Mamaluke of the Year + 50‑year bottle 3:12 How this Mamaluke of the Year list works 3:25 Rachel Zegler – Snow White disaster 4:07 Whoopi Goldberg and “life in Iran” 5:31 Kathy Griffin and “internment camps” 6:09 Dylan Mulvaney and the Bud Light fallout 6:39 Diddy – “Mamaluke is being polite” 6:56 Mayor Mamdami – socialist rhetoric 7:39 NBA gambling scandal – Rozier & Billups 8:01 Jimmy Kimmel and late‑night “political hacks” 8:45 Ilhan Omar – fraud, Somalia and worse than a mamaluke 9:29 Governor Tim Walz – fraud in Minnesota 10:26 Nick Fuentes – Holocaust denial and controversy 10:58 Gavin Newsom – “biggest mamaluke there is” 11:31 Tyler Robinson – Far Worse than a Mamaluke 11:51 AOC – luxury optics and getting rich in Congress 12:30 Letitia James – running on “get Trump” 13:06 Jasmine Crockett – “police aren’t there to stop crime” 14:16 Kamala Harris – not competent for high office 14:43 Stephen Colbert – from jokes to partisan hack 15:19 Jennifer Welsh – attacks on Erica & Charlie Kirk 16:04 Candace Owens – conspiracies and Charlie Kirk accusations 17:12 My top three mamalukes setup 17:30 Mamaluke #1 – goofball governor and fraud questions 18:27 Mamaluke #2 – “total mamaluke” in public office 19:20 Mamaluke #3 - California, missing money, rail boondoggle 20:32 Let him run for president and answer for California 20:37 Honorable mention – Rachel Zegler, talent vs. mouth 21:09 Honorable mention – Whoopi Goldberg and TDS 21:24 Closing and invite for your Mamaluke votes Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    24 min

  5. 12/30/2025

    WTH Happened in 2025? Former Mob Boss Recaps the Years Biggest Stories

    🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ 2025 is just about in the books… and what a year it’s been. From Trump’s second term and a socialist mayor in New York, to the Diddy scandal, the Epstein “files,” and the murder of Charlie Kirk, a lot has changed in this country—and not always for the better. In this sit down, I’m giving you my honest take on what really happened this year, what nobody’s telling you, and what I think is coming in 2026. Agree or disagree, hear me out and then weigh in. WTH Happened in 2025? Former Mob Boss Recaps the Years Biggest Stories 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 7m

  6. 12/25/2025

    Why Are People Offended by Christmas?

    🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ Merry Christmas, my friends. Today I want to talk straight about why no one should be offended by Christmas and why we should never stop celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. This country was built on biblical Christian principles, and you’re going to hear it from the mouths of our own founders and presidents – men like Washington, Franklin, Adams, Lincoln, Jackson, Reagan and others who all spoke about the Bible and its importance. I also share more of my journey: from a prison cell, throwing the Bible against the wall, to digging into the evidence and becoming convinced that Jesus is exactly who He said He is. If you’re of another faith, this isn’t an attack on you. I’m not offended by Hanukkah, Ramadan or any other holiday – and no one should be offended by Christmas. This season exists because of the birth of Jesus, and we should never be afraid to say “Merry Christmas.” ​ God bless you all. Enjoy the day with your families and never forget what – and who – we’re really celebrating. Why Are People Offended by Christmas? 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com 0:00 Intro - Why do people hate christmas? 0:48 Christmas Day intro and gratitude 2:13 Is Christianity the one true faith? 3:11 Why “Merry Christmas” shouldn’t offend 4:21 America founded on Christian principles 5:19 What the Founding Fathers said about the Bible 7:07 “We can’t celebrate Christmas, it’s offensive” 9:22 Presidents on the Bible and American life 10:17 Jesus’ teachings and “A Man’s Man” book 11:02 Michael’s prison story and finding faith 13:12 Studying the evidence for Christianity 14:43 What kind of man was Jesus? 15:10 No compromise: Jesus as Son of God 16:20 Eyewitnesses, prophecy, and the early church 17:31 “If I follow Jesus, I’ll be better” 18:41 New ministry platform announcement 19:00 Never deny Christmas or Easter 19:36 Why he doesn’t want anyone in hell 21:21 “Father, forgive them…” and our attitude 22:17 Our responsibility: preach the gospel 23:12 Don’t ever be offended by Christmas 23:30 Gavin Newsom, politics, and “Merry Christmas” 24:23 Christmas is for the whole world 24:57 America, the greatest country and its foundation 25:47 Wine, business, and gratitude to supporters 27:04 New products, end-of-year thanks 27:40 Christmas blessing and prayer for viewers 29:00 Final encouragement and Christmas sign‑off Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min

  7. 12/16/2025

    I Was There When the Castellano Hit Shook the Mafia – 40 Years Later

    🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ Forty years ago today, December 16th, 1985, Paul “Big Paul” Castellano was shot and k*lled in front of Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. It sent shockwaves through New York and through every crime family, and I remember it like it was yesterday because I was deeply entrenched in that life – and three days later I was indicted on a major racketeering case myself. In this sit down, I walk you through what that hit meant to us on the street, what we really thought about Castellano as a boss, how John Gotti ended up taking over the Gambino family, and why the FBI pressure exploded after that night. I explain why I don’t buy the line that “Gotti alone caused the downfall of the mob,” and why I believe it was the RICO statute – pushed hard by Giuliani and the feds – that did the real damage. I also share my personal history with Castellano from my early days as a recruit driving top Colombo guys to meet him, how he was viewed as a businessman more than a street guy, the resentment over his money policies, and why a lot of men quietly weren’t sad to see him go. And I’ll show you how the Castellano hit fit into a much bigger story: the government’s war on the mob, corrupt prosecutions, and why even now I’m getting ready to expose cases where good men got railroaded. I Was There When the Castellano Hit Shook the Mafia – 40 Years Later 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com 0:00 Chickens, Castellano, “I’ll prove it” 1:07 Intro, Christmas and today’s anniversary 1:47 December 16, 1985 – Castellano hit 2:29 Indicted three days after hit 3:49 1996 HBO “Gotti” recommendation 4:27 RICO starts destroying the mob 5:25 Sonny’s Market on Long Island 6:11 Bad chicken order, refund dispute 7:00 Summoned to Brooklyn sit down 7:52 Sit down with Castellano over disrespect 9:24 Gotti’s crew and drug rule 10:11 Wiretaps, damaging tapes, Paul pressing 11:15 Gotti decides to strike first 12:19 Setting up Sparks Steak House hit 13:19 Hit goes down, media explodes 14:32 Shockwaves, FBI intensity skyrockets 15:11 RICO, not Gotti, ruined mafia 16:33 Castellano seen as business guy 17:22 Heavy taxes, “White House” resentment 17:52 Support inside Gambinos for k*lling 19:09 Neil passed over for Castellano 19:51 Gotti “Teflon Don” vs Michael 20:16 Tease: upcoming corruption revelations 23:55 DOJ corruption worse than mafia 24:44 Reflecting on Castellano anniversary today Backbone Media Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 min

  8. 12/09/2025

    Ranking The Dumbest Purchases Gen Z and Millennials Make (Ultimate Tier List)

    I look around at what young people are spending money on today and I just shake my head. Food delivery every night, $7 coffees, “content trips” they can’t afford, sports betting apps, crypto coins some influencer pumped… then they wonder why they’re broke. So I decided to rank the dumbest money habits I see Gen Z and millennials falling for — from “I Get It” all the way up to full‑blown “Mamaluke” tier. We’re talking Uber Eats, designer sneakers, iPhone upgrades, giant weddings on credit, sports betting, crypto gambling, and more. If you land in one of these categories, don’t take it personal; take it as a warning. I used to run gambling operations, I’ve watched guys bury themselves in debt, and now I watch a new generation do it with apps and subscriptions instead of bookies. If you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck, start by cutting this nonsense out of your life and put that money into something that actually builds your future. Ranking the Dumbest Ways Young People Spend Money Ranking How Gen Z and Millennials Waste Their Money Ranking The Dumbest Purchases Gen Z and Millennials Make (Ultimate Tier List) 🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://yt.franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min
See All (106)

4.9
out of 5
61 Ratings

About

From a high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family to a man transformed by faith, Michael Franzese shares his extraordinary journey like no one else can. In Sit Downs with Michael Franzese, Michael dives into raw, unfiltered stories from his life in the mob, his path to redemption, and the lessons he’s learned about faith, family, and overcoming life’s struggles. With gripping interviews and practical insights, this podcast will inspire, challenge, and entertain

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Franzese
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    106
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Michael Franzese. All Rights Reserved. "Sit Down with Michael Franzese".
  • Show Website
    Sit Down with Michael Franzese

You Might Also Like