Former Colombo crime family capo Michael Franzese and son of underboss John "Sonny" Franzese says "his crime contacts lead him to believe organized crime remains involved in tennis":
"It's definitely going on. If I were in this business now, tennis would be my major target because one player can impact the game. That's all you need. I have to believe they are, certainly from the feedbacks I've gotten since I got involved with the ATP. Sports has become such an incredibly lucrative racket, so to speak, for guys on the street. They [ATP players] told me there's a problem in the sport. It is something that has to be addressed. Mainly, I told them how damaging and dangerous it could be for them to get involved in gambling and get around the wrong people. Gambling is a very serious business. If you put yourself in a gambling situation, you're most likely going to attract the wrong people because those same people are watching you. They want to find out who's got a gambling problem."
Franzese is the author of Quitting the Mob and Blood Covenant, and he speaks extensively about his break from the Mafia.
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