His brother Michael Franzese, who eventually rose to the rank of capo, was the first person that explained the Mafia life to him two years prior to his father's first release on parole in 1978.

The 1980s was the period that Franzese Jr. was most active in organized crime and he was sinking into addiction, describing moving from alcohol, to cocaine to crack.

One part of the agreement he made with the FBI prior to testifying was that he would not profit from his story as a mafia figure.

[citation needed] The FBI urged him to immediately relocate but he declined and exited the Witness Protection Program in Indianapolis.

[12] His wife Denyce was featured on I Married a Mobster TV show episode "Rat Trap".