Does mafia sponsored Tony Bennett early career?

Tony Bennett had a long list of achievements in his successful career. But the pop icon was not spared from alleged mob connections as did his contemporaries, including Frank Sinatra in the showbiz industry.

The claim was put forward by author David Evanier in the musician's biography All The Things You Are: The Life of Tony Bennett.

Alleging the late singer's initial foray into the show business was backed by the mob figures who owned New York nightclubs.

The biographer claimed that the 96-year-old's involvement in the underworld was not by choice; however, the writer added he was "not Snow White, but no one is."

To cut ties with the mafia, the Rags to Riches crooner paid a hefty sum of $600,000 in the 1960's, according to Nicki Swift.

The 76-year-old book also hit low with the singer's family, who was unhappy over the mob connections claims, per the Daily News.

The report added one of the singer's "reliable associates" also confided to Evanier that the infamous hitman Tony Spilotro had locked horns with Bennett in the '70s after the latter was reportedly linked to his girlfriend.

On Friday, the New York crooner breathed his last at 96.

The jazz singer's Instagram account shared, "Tony left us today, but he was still singing the other day at his piano, and his last song was Because of You, his first #1 hit.

"Tony, because of you we have your songs in our heart forever."

Bennett's cause of death is unknown; however, he had Alzheimer's disease since 2016.