Just a few years ago, Michael Franzese was "one of the biggest money earners the mob had seen since Al Capone, and the youngest individual on Fortune magazine's survey of the 'The Fifty Biggest Mafia Bosses,'" (Vanity Fair magazine.)

The son of a kingpin in New York's Colombo crime family, the smart, sophisticated Franzese was long considered an heir apparent to the family's vast power. Becoming a sworn, made member at the age of 24, he avoided the traditional Mafia domains in favor of the enormously lucrative edges of the legitimate business world. He masterminded brilliant scams, from auto dealerships to union kickbacks, from financial services to the worlds of sports and entertainment, to a multi-billion dollar gasoline tax scheme, all with the help of ambitious tycoons and his own remarkable acumen. He earned millions a week at his apex and used his wits and charm to keep the likes of John Gotti from encroaching on his operations. Though frequently indicted, he was never convicted of any crime until he met Camille Garcia, a beautiful, born again dancer in one of his films. He fell in love with her, doggedly pursued her and eventually they married. How she convinced him to take the rap on a racketeering charge and how he managed to become the only high ranking official of the Mafia to ever quit the mob, refuse government protection and live to tell about it makes Michael Franzese a truly absorbing and fascinating addition to the speaker's circuit. (Jacket cover - Quitting The Mob, Harper/Collins Publishing.)

Franzese is now a man on a mission. Determined to use the compelling experiences of his former life for the benefit of at-risk youth, professional and student athletes, corporate executives and for anyone seeking the inspiration to beat the odds and make positive changes in their lives, he has become a highly regarded motivator and a source of invaluable information.