How Don Corleone Really Made Money on Godfather

Don Corleone is portrayed as one of the richest and most powerful mobsters in America in The godfatherand the film mentions some ways he made money. Rewatching The godfather today, it’s more relatable than most gangster films because it’s actually a story about a family business. It turns out the family business is organized crime, but it could just as easily have been a restaurant or a laundromat. It’s more about how the next generation inherits the business than the business itself.

The Corleone crime family is considered one of the most formidable criminal empires in the United States. Over the course of Vito’s complicated life, he accumulated enough wealth to keep his children and grandchildren living comfortably long after his death. But because his dealings are so shady and hidden, for most of the film, it’s unclear how he managed to make so much money. More time is devoted to businesses that Vito wanted no part of – namely the heroin trade – than to those that made him a fortune.

The Godfather mentions several different ways the Corleone family made money

From managing gambling rings to importing olive oil

The Corleone family derived income from a wide variety of illicit sources. They financed illegal gambling operations, including betting and running casinoswhich generated a lot of money because the house always wins. Vito built a network of judges, politicians and police officers offering political protection. He was also involved in extortion, offering protection to local businesses in exchange for a fee. Although he initially resisted the Turkish offer to enter the drug trade, Vito eventually gave in and agreed to finance drug trafficking, which generated a lot of income.

To cover up his illegal activities, Vito also ran a legitimate business. In the 1920s, Vito founded the Genco Pura Olive Oil Company as a front for his criminal empire. He used his olive oil trucks to smuggle alcohol from Canada and also had other legitimate business interests in banks and real estate.

The Corleone family (almost) goes completely legitimate in The Godfather Part III

Michael Made the Family Business Basically Legit in Threequel

Not underestimated The Godfather Part III, Under Michael’s direction, the Corleone family became largely legitimate. He sold the family’s interests in casinos and hotels and refused to invest in any business that had any connection to the mafia. However, the Corleones did not become completely legitimate; Michael still had several other crime families running the old Corleone rackets back to New York. He thought it was safe to work with Immobilaire, but was dismayed to discover it was run by mobsters. Still, it was a far cry from the criminal empire Vito ruled over. The godfather.