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John (Sonny) Franzese was acquitted in a hitman’s murder during the era when he was a high-profile figure in city nightclubs, especially the Copacabana. The club drew the era’s most famous performers, and Franzese mingled with them all.


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John (Sonny) Franzese had beaten a dozen cases before. His supporters still say he was framed, but prosecutors say his guilt — and his proclivities for violence — were beyond dispute. Read the full story and watch the series at newsday.com/Sonny.

Sonny was sentenced to 50 years for a bank robbery. He always insisted he didn’t do it.

American Gangster: Episode 3

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His brother Michael had become an informant too, but John Franzese Jr.’s testimony was far more damaging to the mob. And it helped send Sonny Franzese back to jail at 93.


The Prodigal Son: Why John Jr. testified against his father

American Gangster: Episode 4

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Sonny Franzese’s inability to stay out of prison, along with the other pressures of mob life, devastated his wife and children. Their bond unraveled in dramatic ways.


As Sonny went in and out of prison, the Franzese family fell apart

American Gangster: Episode 5

American Gangster: The Sonny Franzese Story

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