Blood Covenant

by Michael Franzese

  Rutherford B. Hayes

  "The more profoundly we study this wonderful Book, and the more closely we observe it's divine precepts, the better citizens we will become and the higher will be our destiny as a nation."

  William McKinley

  "I plead for a closer and wider and deeper study of the Bible, so that our people may be in fact as well as theory `doers of the Word and not hearers only."'

  Theodore Roosevelt

  "The whole inspiration of our civilization springs from the teachings of Christ and the lessons of the prophets. To read the Bible for these fundamentals is a necessity of American life."

  Herbert Hoover

  "Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face. The Bible can touch hearts, order minds, and refresh souls."

  Ronald Reagan

  Much of the information contained in this chapter was taken from the following books:

  The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell (Thomas Nelson).

  The Evidence Bible compiled by Ray Comfort (BridgeLogos).

  In addition to the books listed above, I recommend the following books to help you in your "intellectual examination" of the evidence in support of the Holy Bible:

  The Revised & Expanded Answers Book by Ken Hamm, Johnathan Sarfati, Carl Wieland and edited by Don Batten (Master Books).

  The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel (Zondervan).

  The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (Zondervan).

  101 Answers to the Most Asked Questions about the End

  Times by Mark Hitchcock (Multnomah).

  The Evidence of Prophecy edited by Robert C. Newman.

  Appendix

  My Ministry

  The apostle Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). God had no greater soldier than Paul, and his ministry has been my inspiration. Imagine...if all Christians strived to do what Paul directed in this verse, what a difference we could really make in the world. Doing everything for the glory of God is really not that difficult when you are truly one of His children.

  In 1 John 5:3-4, we read the words, "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world." Think about that for a moment. It's really not a burden to glorify God in all that we do during our day, provided that our hearts are truly Godcentered and not self-centered. Christians need to acquire a God consciousness. It comes by remaining in His Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other believers. It means that God is on your mind throughout the day, in all that you do. He must never be an afterthought. He must be our first thought. Then, it's almost as if God has you on autopilot, and the only time you can go wrong is when you try to fly the craft of life manually.

  This doesn't mean that we spend our days preaching to anyone and everyone who will listen. Please! Surely, you've heard the expression "less is more." When it comes to preaching, sometimes we Christians should take that saying to heart. Our actions always speak a whole lot louder than our words. As St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words."

  For my speaking ministry, God has directed me to address diverse groups of people, both believers and nonbelievers. The many experiences I had in the mob have afforded me the opportunity to share some valuable information with people from all walks of life. Sharing my testimony, of course, is a no-brainer. But even when it would be "politically incorrect" to praise God in my speech, well, I praise God in my speech anyway. And I don't even have to mention His name. People just know.

  Kevin Hallinan, head of security for Major League Baseball, has described me as "a pound of prevention," among other things, before introducing me to deliver my anti-gambling message to the players. The common theme that runs through every message I deliver to any audience is that I've been there and done that, and here's what you need to watch out for.

  In addition to speaking to athletes and young people at risk, allow me to share with you some of the other subjects I am invited to speak about. Please do not be offended as I give a brief overview of some of the illegal activity I engaged in as a member of organized crime. I remind you that what man intended for bad, God can now use for His good:

  • Gambling: When you are a member of organized crime, you are always somehow connected to gambling. I was, and in a fairly substantial way. In addition to having bookmaking operations under my control, I infiltrated casinos in Las Vegas and on the island of Haiti and defrauded the companies out of several millions of dollars. I have shared this information in speeches to Indian Gaming Casinos throughout the country.

  • Insurance fraud: I defrauded a major insurance company of more than five million dollars. The company was called Union Indemnity Insurance and was a subsidiary of the brokerage firm, Frank B. Hall. I had inside information that the company was planning to file for bankruptcy rather than pay a $50 million claim on behalf of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The hotel had suffered a major loss as a result of a fire. The fraud involved an executive of the company, a corrupt CPA, and a cooperative banker.

  • Bank fraud: I defrauded several banks in New York out of substantial amounts of money: Apple Bank, Citibank, and Chase Manhattan, to name just a few. I also defrauded the Small Business Association (SBA) out of more than $500,000.

  • Tax fraud: I defrauded federal and state governments out of hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes from the sale of gasoline. The scheme was quite sophisticated and required the use of more than twenty-five separate corporations formed in several states and in Panama. It required payoffs to bankers, government employees, and others. I also formed a major alliance with members of a Russian crime syndicate.

  • Corporate fraud: I defrauded General Motors Corporation, Beneficial Leasing Company, and Mazda Motors of America-always with the help of people on the inside, executives on the edge.

  • Prison: People are curious. What is prison really like? Death row? Isolation? They seek my opinions on possible reforms, how the system can save taxpayers money, how the system can better prepare convicts for release back into society, and how the system can protect society from repeat offenders.

  • Criminal justice system: I have more than thirty years of experience with all aspects of the system and have spoken with law enforcement groups throughout the country.

  • Organized crime: It seems that people from all walks of life have a fascination with the mob life. This is even more true now that The Sopranos have found their way into our living rooms each week. I am open to all questions, and the question-and-answer sessions are always a highlight of my visit.

  I have been blessed to become part of a team of knowledgeable, dedicated professionals led by my dearest friend, Pastor Barry Minkow, whose mission is to educate and inform corporate America on how to prevent its companies from becoming victims of corporate fraud. I am excited about this latest addition to my ministry and pray that God will be glorified in the services the company provides.

  My ministry is very important to me. God has blessed me with an opportunity to give back a little after having taken so much during my years in organized crime. I am grateful to Him for that. I do my best to make myself available to those interested in having me visit with their group or organization. For further information about my speaking ministry, please visit my web site at www.michaelfranzese.com.

  My ministry, Breaking Out, has been described in greater detail in a previous chapter. Directed toward at-risk youth, the ministry is a special undertaking for both Cammy and myself. For further information about the ministry, please visit our web site at www.breakingout.net.

  The Agape House of Prayer is a place of worship that is particularly dear to my heart. It is the church in Anaheim (only a stone's throw from Disneyland) that was founded on the prayers of my beloved mother-in-law, Irma Garcia. My brother-in-law, Joaquin Garcia, is the founder and senior pastor
of the church. God has truly blessed this young man in his transformation from a street-tough, hard-living, high school star athlete to what he has become today-a true man of God.

  He often tells the story of the church's early days when he was preaching to nearly empty pews and was ready to give up. But Irma wouldn't have it.

  "I'm here," she would tell him, "and as long as there is one person in this building that wants to hear the Word of God, you get up there and preach."

  So he preached, and Irma prayed.

  Irma is no longer with us to sit in one of the pews, but Pastor Joaquin also no longer preaches to an empty church. His mother's prayers were answered. In just a few short years, the ministry of the church has grown to include a home for men who are in need of shelter and sound biblical instruction, a youth ministry administered by the youngest Garcia brother, Che, and a neighborhood outreach that provides dinners and gifts to more than three hundred needy children and their families at Christmas.

  The oldest Garcia brother, Dean, is in charge of a music ministry that is reaching out to the young people of Anaheim. His worship team has already ministered to thousands by leading them into the presence of God. It is my belief that God will expand this ministry far beyond the walls of the the Agape House of Prayer.

  On the one-year anniversary of Irma's death, the newest addition of the church ministry was unveiled. Irma's House of Prayer is an interim home for women and their children who are in need of food, shelter, and biblical instruction as they attempt to put their sometimes broken lives back in order, God's way.

  My father-in-law, Seferino Garcia, has joined his sons in providing his support to the church's mission. A driving force in the community for many years, Seferino has dedicated his life to directing neighborhood youth away from gang violence and negative influences and has taught them to make getting a solid education their primary goal. Now, he's directing them to the church to be nourished with the Word of God.

  Pastor Joaquin's belief is that if he stays faithful to the little matters that are part of their daily ministry, the Lord will bless them, and their congregation will continue to grow. The doors are open to anyone who wants to know Jesus.

  As part of my ministry, I will continue to support my wife and her brothers in their efforts to glorify God through the church's ministry. For more information about the Agape House of Prayer, please visit the ministry website at www.michaelfranzese.com.

  Please remember to keep my ministry in your prayers, and if you have a special prayer request that we can join you in prayer for, please click on the "Contact Us" or "Need Prayer?" links on the website.

  Contact Information

  Dear Friends,

  Should you have any questions or comments regarding Blood Covenant, or if you would like to contact me, please visit our website at:

  I encourage you to contact me directly at my e-mail address in the website contact section with any concerns you might have-and trust me, I've heard it all. Anywhere I speak, I offer those in attendance my contact information and invite them to write. Whether collegiate or professional athletes, businessmen at a conference, or youth and parents at a church, I read and respond to those who write.

  On the website you can also find information about our foundation, Breaking Out, created to educate, encourage, and empower youth and young adults, particularly as it regards gambling. More than half of my time is spent speaking about this critical issue with collegiate and professional athletes, Greeks, and Res Life students. We teach them about the pitfalls involved in the business of gambling, a business I knew all too well. Our foundation is designed to take this message to those in middle and high schools, where more than one million teens are addicted to gambling. On our site we have more information about gambling, as well as ways to recognize a problem gambler.

  Should you prefer writing, you may contact me at:

  If you are interested in speaking opportunities or for more information on Breaking Out, I encourage you to get in touch with my managing partner, Rob Michaels. His contact information is on the website also.

  Thanks,

  Michael Franzese