What old school mafiosi could have reached the same heights as Michael Corleone’s success? I say Gambino or Costello. Michael was a billionaire in the movie or at least close to it and he moved on to legitimize almost all of his businesses. I think he achieved what many of the old timers dreamed of achieving themselves. Either that or they dreamed of seeing their kids take their fortune and turn it into an even bigger empire(much like Michael did with his family’s fortune).

How much was 'fat" Tony worth when he died ? I bet as much as anyone

The end of 2 seems to imply that Michael burned down an empire with his paranoia. Then in 3 he's a benevolent rich guy trying to buy his way into heaven. So, I suppose it depends on which storyline you choose. This is why so many people hated 3. It doesn't even seem like it's Michael Corleone. I believe Michael was loosely based on both Bonanno and Genovese.

Joe Profaci. He was a multi millionaire in just legitimate business alone.

I never got the impression that he tried to burn down an empire, if your a fan of the movies then you must read the books....they explain a lot. After movie 2 he insulated himself even more, sort of like Barney from the Genovese

Joe Todaro is a blue collar Michael Corleone.

I never heard of him but I will do my research. Thanks.

I don’t think he burned down an empire. I think he burned bridges between him and people that he loved which is why he looks so broken at the end. But he realizes that this is the price he is paying to become even more rich and powerful than he already is. That’s my take. The whole movie it’s almost like he’s chasing the ghost of his father. He really just wants to be as respected as Vito once was.

I am not quite sure but it’s safe to assume a lot. When mafiosi die, a lot of those businesses and rackets don’t stay with their estate though. I believe the family has to live off the cash that they were left with as well as legitimate businesses that the mob family lets them keep. Idk what the case was for Salerno but I’m sure his family was completely fine after he passed. Smart business mind. Meyer lansky for example, died with very little money according to his family. Contrary to what many believe about Lansky, I don’t think he was ever close to being a billionaire at any point.

I tried. The book was a huge disappointment to me. Coppola himself said he had to toss out about half the book to put the screenplay together. Now are you saying the sequel books written by people other than Puzo are better than The Godfather? If so I might give them a look.

I was not a big fan of the book either.

I saw some articles on Tudaro. He appears to be pretty all in on his pizza place these days. I don’t get the impression that he’s running some kind of criminal enterprise but I would not know.

I think another candidate would be Castellano. With all of the construction companies that him and the top Genovese bosses owned, I think that their families must be sitting on a fortune.

The sequel books are very good

Would Franzese be in the running too? He made it out of the life and seems to be doing well for him and his family.

There are 2 former Colombo members who we cannot name on here who went legit and are now both worth hundreds of millions. I think they would have to be talked about in this conversation too.

One of the books tells the full story of Luca brasi....great book. It deserves a movie from Luca brasi point of view

Do multi-milliionairs that leave the life still have to send an envelope?

I doubt it. Years ago I would say without hesitation that they do send tribute. But I don’t think the American mafia can touch some of them today.

Vito ?? He was much more violent and had that Neapolitan temper.

You hear that stereotype about every southern Italian. I’m not sure either how Vito was similar to michael.

Not really an old time guy, but Vinny Ocean Palermo might have had that kind of potential. His son worked at Goldman Sachs so he could have created a very powerful empire in the legitimate and illegitimate worlds.

not vinny..he wanted to kill too much

Not stating this as fact just quoting the site that I was led to when searching it. For what it's worth.



https://godfather.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Corleone

Furthermore, regarding the Bonanno basis, Bonanno also at least planned to kill all of his rivals.

I personally doubt it, but who the fuck knows in the words of Bobby Bacala. I would love to know the true story behind Junior Gotti getting stabbed outside a CVS.

I doubt it too. Like I said, in the past there’s very little doubt. But today I think they just leave them alone.

The Bonannos were one of the weakest families too. Bonanno was willing to pay $2 million for a dealership in Arizona so he was still making great money even at that time. What would that have done for Bonanno if he pulled that off? Wouldn’t he have just been killed eventually?

There's a similarity between what Bonanno attempted to do and what Michael Corleone did at the end of GF1.

Regarding rich guys kicking up, as I understand it, all made guys kick up a percentage of everything they earn, legit or not.

Bonanno was very greedy. And he went about it all the wrong way. Colombo immediately turned around and alerted everyone. If he was smart enough to pull it off then he easily would have been at the top of the crime world. And he would have been a spitting image of what Michael became.