Camille Franzese: Wife of ‘Mafia Prince’ Michael Franzese, Author, and Their Remarkable Story

Camille Franzese — known to those closest to her as “Cam” — isn’t just a footnote in someone else’s mob story. She’s the woman who stood beside Michael Franzese, a former Colombo crime family caporegime once dubbed the “Mafia Prince,” through prison sentences, federal raids, and a complete reinvention of their lives. Born Camille Garcia in Anaheim, California, she’s also an actress, an author, and the steady center of a family that went from organized crime to organized faith.

Their story reads like a Hollywood script — except it’s all real. And it’s one of the most gripping accounts of love, loyalty, and transformation you’ll find.

Early Life in Anaheim, California

Camille Garcia grew up in Anaheim, California, about as far from the world of East Coast organized crime as a person could get. Details about her childhood and education aren’t widely documented. What’s known is that she was raised with strong Christian faith — a faith that would later become the foundation of her marriage and the force that held her family together through some incredibly dark years.

Before meeting Michael Franzese, Camille’s life in Southern California didn’t involve anything close to the Mafia. She was a young woman from a regular background, which makes what came next all the more surprising.

Meeting Michael Franzese

Camille and Michael’s paths crossed on the set of Knights of the City, a 1986 film shot in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Michael, already deeply embedded in the Colombo crime family at the time, spotted Camille and was immediately drawn to her.

By his own account, it was love at first sight — at least on his end. Camille wasn’t nearly as convinced. She actually stood him up five times before agreeing to a date. Her strong Christian convictions made her wary of a man with Michael’s reputation, and she didn’t exactly leap at the chance to get involved with someone from that world.

But Michael was persistent, and he was genuinely attracted to something he’d never encountered in the mob: her unwavering faith. That faith would eventually become the thing that changed his entire life.

Michael’s Mafia Background

To understand Camille’s story, you need to understand what she was walking into. Michael Franzese was born in 1951 in Brooklyn, the son of John “Sonny” Franzese, the underboss of the Colombo crime family. Sonny was one of the most feared figures in American organized crime.

Michael initially pursued a pre-med program at Hofstra University, but when his father was sentenced to 50 years in prison for bank robbery in the early 1970s, he dropped out to support his family — and stepped straight into the mob. By 1980, he’d risen to caporegime, running a crew of roughly 300 members.

His biggest operation was a massive gasoline tax fraud scheme that generated an estimated $8 million per week at its peak. Federal agencies believed the scheme was costing New York and Florida around $250 million per year in stolen tax revenue. Fortune Magazine named him number 18 on their 1986 list of the Fifty Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses. He wasn’t a small player — he was one of the biggest earners the mob had ever seen.

This was the man Camille Garcia fell in love with.

Marriage and Family

Camille and Michael married in 1984, and their early years together were anything but typical. Michael was still deeply involved in mob operations, and the constant threat of arrest, violence, and betrayal hung over everything.

In 1986, Michael was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on conspiracy charges. Camille was just 21 years old and already raising three children under the age of five when he went away. Think about that for a moment — a young woman from Anaheim, barely into her twenties, suddenly alone with three small kids while her husband sat in a federal prison cell.

She didn’t leave. She didn’t break. She held the family together through fear, loneliness, and the constant uncertainty of life connected to organized crime. Federal agents raided their home. The stress was relentless. But Camille’s faith and her commitment to her marriage kept her going.

Together, Camille and Michael have raised a large family. Michael has children from a previous marriage as well — in total, he has five daughters and two sons, plus grandchildren. Their home base has been in the Anaheim Hills area of California, far removed from the Brooklyn streets where Michael grew up.

Michael Leaving the Mob

Michael was released from prison in 1994, and what happened next is what makes the Franzese story genuinely remarkable. He didn’t go back. He walked away from the Colombo family — one of the very few made men in Mafia history to leave the life and survive.

That decision wasn’t without consequences. Michael’s own father, Sonny Franzese, essentially disowned him. In the world of organized crime, leaving isn’t something that’s forgiven. Michael has spoken openly about how dangerous that period was and how real the threat to his life remained for years.

Camille’s influence was central to that transformation. Her Christian faith, which had initially attracted Michael, became the foundation for their new life together. Michael became a born-again Christian, and the two of them rebuilt everything from scratch — no mob money, no protection, no connections to fall back on.

Career: Acting and Writing

Camille isn’t just Michael’s wife — she’s built her own presence as an author and actress. Her most notable written work is This Thing of Ours: How Faith Saved My Mafia Marriage, published in January 2012. The book offers a raw, first-person account of what it was really like to be married to a mob captain — the raids, the prison visits, the isolation, and ultimately, the faith that pulled them through.

It’s not a glamorized retelling. Camille writes honestly about the fear, the doubt, and the moments when walking away would’ve been the easier choice. The book has resonated with readers who appreciate its straightforward tone and the unusual window it provides into a world most people only see in movies.

She’s also credited as an actress, though her on-screen work is less widely documented than her writing. Her acting background connects back to the film world where she and Michael originally met.

Their Public Life Together

In recent years, Camille and Michael have become a visible public couple. Michael runs a hugely popular YouTube channel where he discusses mob life, shares stories from his years in the Colombo family, and talks about his transformation. The channel has attracted millions of viewers who are fascinated by his firsthand accounts of organized crime.

Camille frequently appears alongside Michael on podcasts, YouTube videos, and in public speaking engagements. They’ve been featured on numerous platforms sharing their story together — the mob years, the prison years, and the faith-driven life they’ve built since.

Their dynamic on camera is genuinely engaging. Michael brings the gritty mob history; Camille brings the human side, the emotional reality of what it meant to live through all of it. Together, they offer a complete picture that neither could tell alone.

On social media, Camille maintains a private Instagram account with a modest following. Her bio there describes herself as a Christ follower, wife, mother, and grandmother — a far cry from the Mafia-adjacent life she once lived. Michael’s public Instagram, by contrast, has well over 100,000 followers and regularly features photos with Camille and their family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Camille Franzese?

Camille Franzese (born Camille Garcia) is an actress, author, and the wife of Michael Franzese, a former caporegime in the Colombo crime family. She’s from Anaheim, California, and has co-authored books about their life together.

How did Camille and Michael Franzese meet?

They met on the set of the 1986 film Knights of the City in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Michael was immediately taken with her, but Camille stood him up five times before agreeing to go out with him.

Does Camille Franzese have children?

Yes. Camille and Michael have raised a large family together. She was caring for three young children — all under five years old — when Michael went to prison in the late 1980s. Michael also has children from a previous marriage.

What book did Camille Franzese write?

Camille authored This Thing of Ours: How Faith Saved My Mafia Marriage, published in 2012. The book details her experience as the wife of a mob figure and how her Christian faith kept their marriage intact.

Is Michael Franzese still in the Mafia?

No. Michael left the Colombo crime family after his release from prison in 1994. He became a motivational speaker, author, and born-again Christian. He’s one of the very few made men to leave the mob and survive.

Where do Camille and Michael Franzese live?

They live in the Anaheim Hills area of Southern California with their family.