How Don Corleone Actually Made Money In The Godfather

Don Corleone is depicted as one of the richest and most powerful mafiosos in America in The Godfather, and the movie mentions a few ways he made his money. Rewatching The Godfather today, it holds up for being more relatable than most gangster movies, because it’s really a story about a family business. The family business happens to be organized crime, but it could’ve just as easily been a restaurant or a dry cleaners. It’s more about how the next generation inherits the business than the business itself.

The Corleone crime family is shown to be one of the most formidable criminal empires in the United States. Throughout Vito’s complicated life, he’s amassed enough wealth to keep his children and his grandchildren living comfortably long after his death. But since his business dealings are so shady and under-the-table, for most of the movie, it’s unclear how he managed to earn so much money. More time is dedicated to the businesses Vito didn’t want to be a part of — namely the heroin trade — than the ones that made him his fortune.

The Godfather Mentions Several Different Ways The Corleone Family Made Money

From Running Gambling Rings To Importing Olive Oil

The Corleone family brought in income from a wide variety of illicit sources. They funded illegal gambling operations, including bookmaking and running casinos, which generated a lot of money because the house always wins. Vito built a network of judges, politicians, and police officers by offering political protection. He was also involved in extortion, offering protection to local businesses in exchange for a fee. Although he initially resisted the Turk’s offer to get in on the drug trade, Vito eventually caved and agreed to finance narcotics trafficking, which brought in a lot of revenue.

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In order 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 holdings in banks and the real estate market.

The Corleone Family (Almost) Turns Entirely Legitimate In The Godfather Part III

Michael Made The Family Business Mostly Legit In The Threequel

In the underrated The Godfather Part III, under Michael’s direction, the Corleone family has become mostly legitimate. He sold off the family’s holdings in casinos and hotels and refused to invest in any business that had any ties to the mafia. However, the Corleones didn’t go completely legit; Michael still had various other crime families running the old Corleone rackets back in New York. He thought he was safe to work with Immobilaire, but was disheartened to find it was run by mobsters. Still, it was a far cry from the criminal empire that Vito was running in The Godfather.

Francis Ford Coppola directed this 1978 classic that would go on to become one of the most iconic crime films ever made. Starring Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Al Pacino, The Godfather gives a tense and introspective look into the Corleone crime family of New York City.