Tax Collector

The biblical "Mafia" was the tax collector. They collected taxes for the Roman Empire. They kept a portion for themselves and were very rich. They were also very unpopular. People severely criticized Jesus because he associated with tax collectors. Jesus knew they needed saving and led Zacchaeus to pay back four times the amount of taxes he had extorted-Luke 19:9.
The original "Mafia" in Sicily were tax collectors who collected taxes from the farmers. Their method of operation was the same as in Jesus's day but as with the modern day Mafia they were not hesitant to use violence.
The two richest members of the modern day Italian Mafia and most influential were tax collectors. Their influence went directly to the Pope and the Italian prime minister.
My father was a tax collector his entire career most of which he was honest. His most notable achievement as an honest tax collector was helping put Dave Beck-the president of the Mafia controlled International Teamsters Union, in federal prison. (Dave Beck organized and started the International Teamsters Union and used murder as an organizing weapon.) The U.S. attorney wrote the following to my fathers boss:
"Mr. Schweizer was the first witness to testify...and by his excellent appearance and demeanor reflected most favorably on himself and the Internal Revenue Service. He did in fact set a standard for government representatives who thereafter testified which created a most favorable impression on the court and jury." "I Remember When..." Herman Schweizer
Sadly toward the end of my father's career as a tax collector on a foreign assignment to Equador he became a dishonest tax collector. To show you how a dishonest tax collector operates and lives I'll quote my father:
"...we were friends with a revenue agent who had a beautiful home on acreage surrounded by a masonry wall, a swimming pool, two cars, a BMW and a Cadillac, all on a salary of $750 per month. He had a fixed clientele and with each one he negotiated the tax keeping for himself a generous portion." "I Remember When..." Herman Schweizer
I believe the portion of the taxes my father was keeping for himself were tainted with cocaine drug money indirectly putting childrens lives at risk from cocaine drug useage including my oldest boy.
The United Nations defines organized crime as "structured groups of three or more people acting in concert to commit one or more serious crimes for material benefit." My father and his two American associates in Equador thus became part of organized crime.
I took my concerns regarding my father to my priest-Werner Krahner, who was also my fathers priest, and he agreed with me over my father being a dishonest tax collector. I know he prayed for my father as do I.