After Acomo received the news from his subordinates, he smashed his phone into pieces. His daughter-in-law, still in her pajamas, hurried over to clean up the debris on the floor.
In the middle of the night, Acomo sat at the head of his bed, breathing heavily. "Damn it, Jonas! Damn it, Sean!" he muttered.
"When I get some free time, I will definitely kill you! Definitely!" But for now, his focus shifted to Tony, who had escaped once again. Acomo knew that if he kept sending people out to arrest others, the disastrous fallout from the Soprano family's downfall would land squarely on him.
He had heard rumors of Tony recruiting allies everywhere. There were no secrets within their circle, and Acomo realized that allowing Tony to slip away this time would make it much harder for him to find someone else to trust.
"Damn it, you're framing me!" Acomo thought, still unable to comprehend the situation. He kept wondering who the true mastermind was behind the Soprano family's impending doom. He needed to find them before it was too late—he could feel his time was running out.
The next day, Sean seemed to have completely forgotten about Dimio and made a high-profile visit to Elizabeth City.
Sean Fitness Club offered free memberships to all local police, supporting the community's law enforcement efforts. As the owner of the club, it was only natural for Sean to visit the local police station.
This visit was a perfect opportunity for Sean to explore the city. Recently, Sean Fitness had merged with several medium-sized local gyms, capturing 80% of the local fitness market. The director of sports brand operations had also excelled, pushing the brand's valuation to nearly ten million dollars. Sean had truly entered the upper echelon of local wealth.
With the surname 'Rockefeller,' Sean's wealth afforded him access to the upper-class social scene. Local elites welcomed him, and participating in various events helped him forge connections in both political and business circles.
Sean was a serious businessman; his primary source of income came from legitimate ventures.
"What? Smuggling alcohol?" he thought. "That's Jonas's doing, not mine."
For a time, Sean reveled in the social scene, attending various banquets and often bringing Diane along. The name Sean K. Rockefeller became well-known in political and business circles.
As his network expanded, it also provided crucial protection for his less-than-legal activities. Everyone knew of Sean's involvement in the local underworld, but no one seemed to mind. In fact, balancing both legal and illegal enterprises only enhanced his standing.
"I need a completely new channel to pay my bills now. This channel must have nothing to do with me. How can I do it?" Sean asked Lamb.
With the private lottery business thriving, Sean planned to venture into black markets and underground casinos. He anticipated accumulating more black money. Besides sustaining the Jonas family's operations, he also aimed to maintain some political connections.
He didn't want to rely solely on the fitness club for money laundering—its capacity was limited, and anything exceeding a certain threshold would attract unwanted attention.
"I need a new money laundering channel," he reiterated.
Lamb, an experienced accountant, didn't probe into the specifics of the funds. Instead, he asked, "What's the size of the account? Does the money need to be legal? Is it being used within the United States?"
"The account is substantial tens of millions annually. The money must enter the U.S. legally," Sean explained.
In the political arena, funds needed to be reasonable and legal. Consulting firms and lobbyists were wary of accepting black money.
"This could be a hassle," Lamb acknowledged. "However, if it's unrelated to you, it simplifies things."
He proposed a strategy. "Open overseas accounts under a foreign company's name, ideally with a few detours. Register companies in the British Virgin Islands, the Caymans, or Monaco, and use complex cross-shareholding structures. These locations are financially open, and accounts can be anonymous. The authorities won't even know who's behind them."
From there, Sean could sell goods to the U.S., whether at a loss or profit, treating it purely as a business transaction. The legality of the goods sold would absolve him of any liability.
"The funds can stay in the U.S. for you to use freely," Lamb explained. "It's legally clean, and I'll handle the planning. You just need to stay out of it."
"Okay, I understand. Design a structure for the cross-shareholdings by tomorrow," Sean replied, nodding.
To build local political connections, Sean also planned to fund local politicians. This effort would involve two types: one for councilors and mayors running for election, providing campaign funds, and another for government officials, who might be in their positions for decades.
Navigating the political landscape was complex. Meanwhile, under the guidance of several consulting firms, Sean's security company reached agreements with local businesses.
Though these agreements were modest, Sean recognized the challenges facing security companies. Most businesses viewed security as merely a means to prevent petty theft, and often found the cost of hiring security firms outweighed the potential losses. Security companies primarily catered to banks, wealthy individuals, and entertainment venues, where the need for armed protection was more apparent.
Sean realized that to truly succeed in this realm, he needed to elevate the professionalism of his own security operations. It struck him that he needed to consider hiring individuals with more expertise, particularly in areas like robbery prevention and crisis management.
A name suddenly popped into Sean's mind: "Zhang Ziqiang."
While Sean focused on establishing his connections with local political and business leaders, Tony, having settled his family, launched his own acts of revenge. With the backing of his supporters, the hidden power of the Soprano family began targeting several members of the Apple family's enterprises.
Tensions escalated as the two sides officially entered into conflict. Outside of the relatively stable New York area, much of New Jersey grew increasingly volatile.
Meanwhile, the old Mike, who had taken on Sean's mission, quietly prepared for what lay ahead...