@CommisssrKuku steps out of a car, stand on a podium and begins to speak...

Friends, this is a speech that it is difficult to give.

In order to give you an accurate account of the past, my father's past, and correct the story told by Isadora, I must go into details about a fraud that my bloodline takes no pride in.  Along with the murder of One (an ancestor of the Curtis bloodline), it counts as the most shameful wrongdoing perpetrated by a Kuku.

Isadora claims that: "And while it's true he's had money in the past, information from those in the know suggest that every bit of cash he had during his infamous Iron Bank run was actually provided by the New York City gang "Kings County United" and namely it's leader Billy Mastrosimone.  In fact, at one point during the Iron Bank's run, they were so worried about being able to have the funds to stay in business, that they interrupted Mr. Mastrosimone on a family vacation at the glamourous 2019 MR Meet sending Mobsters from other cities to beg him to gamble all night so they did not default on their many clients."

First of all, Iron Bank clients *owed* the Iron Bank money.  The Iron Bank never owed anyone any money.  Before exploiting the casinos, money was given out, and paid back, with vig.  Our clients were those who had borrowed money.  

This is simple banking logic.  

It is true, however, to say that the Iron Bank tried to contact Billy whilst he was busy abroad.  And it is also true that we had a lot of business dealings with Billy.  Let me go into details.

The Iron Bank and Billy

We used Billy's investment options to launder money.  We were so rich at this point that we needed to explain to City Hall where all of the cash was coming from, if they ever asked.  So we would invest huge sums with Billy, and get double our return back.  Billy knew that the Soviet State could wipe his crew out at any time, and we knew that we could pressure him to keep taking our investments.  So that's what we did.

I, however, suspected that Billy, being the owner of a casino, knew how to fraudulently get money.  So, I wanted him dead.  And in fact had a statement of responsibility prepared to release to journalist friends of ours to justify the killing.  The reason?  We wanted his city and his casino.  You can read it here, and notice the time and date.  It is contemporaneous.

Now, Mikhail overruled me.  And Billy was left alive, and he continued to make money for the Iron Bank.  

Isadora also claimed that "I have it, personally, from people at City Hall that Mr. Mastrosimone ... who, by the way died BEFORE the Iron Bank fell, had over 1/3 of the entire wealth on our streets.  That he personally had exceeded a 'richer than god' status and was told that if he gained much more money that city hall might actually have to invent a new title for his vast wealth.  Were you aware of this?"

The Casino Fraud, the economy, and money laundering

This is an exceptionally touchy subject, so I will tread lightly.  And I would like to remind everyone reading that I am mindful of the damage my father caused this society, and do not, and in fact, cannot, mitigate that.  But there are some facts that I would like to share to contradict Isadora.

Firstly, the entire economy of this thing of ours, at that time, fluctuated between $3bn and $3.5bn.  If Billy had a third of this, then he would be a "Richer than God" billionaire.  This is very possible.  I don't actually believe it, but it is possible.

However, the truth is that money was hidden by the Iron Bank in such as way that it wasn't factored into the economic value of this society.  The Iron Bank and Soviet State had financial resources, visible to City Hall, but that was the tip of the iceberg.  How they hid  it it between my father, me (as the last surviving person with knowledge of this) and City Hall.  I would cooperate fully with them if asked, but it is not for discussion on these Streets.  

Now, two things are possible.  The first is that Billy, as owner of a casino, had access to the limitless funds that my father had access to.  If he did, I think City Hall would have found this in their subsequent investigation, and jail time and recovery actions would have followed.  So I do not believe this to be the case.  The second possibility is that Billy was an exceptionally gifted gambler, and businessman.  I believe this to be the case.  I even accept that he might have been a billionaire.  But he was not a billionaire many times over, as my father and his associates were.  

Or, to put it another way, Billy was a money making machines.  But the Iron Bank and Soviet State were operating at a different level, with no morals, and stepping out of organised crime and into political exploitation.  Billy should be proud of what he made and achieved: the Soviet State and Iron Bank leadership stand disgraced.  And they stand disgraced precisely because of the vast, unprecedented, and never to be rivalled, nature of their wealth.

My father wanted Billy as part of the Soviet State, and that's why he wanted him killed.  But he was overruled.

My father actually placed hits on Billy, and demanded money anonymously for them to be stopped, which Billy refused, much to his credit.

What might have happened

I believe that if the Iron Bank had not fraudulently exploited City Hall, the Soviet State would have continued its path to unprecedented glory and wealth.  I believe that my father would be Godfather Chairman of his own city.  There, he might have indentured Billy, having him work for him.  See, Billy made money, and had friends, but he didn't have the firepower, manpower, contacts and strategic charisma of CommissarZverez's Soviet State.   

Hubris, greed and laziness killed the Soviet State.  And the leadership paid a heavy, heavy price for their mistake.  They stand disgraced.  Billy does not.

So celebrate Billy for what he achieved, and damn the Soviet State and Iron Bank.  But he rigorously honest about it.

For my part, I have tried to be honest and genuine about the mistakes that my father made.  

And, when it all comes down to it, it's worth saying again and again: it was not worth it.  City Hall stripped an entire bloodline's estate, as they should have, and my family name is forever associated with a heinous act.

I wish I could say I didn't regret all of this.  But I do.

So, Salut, Billy, and commiserations to the Soviet State and Iron Bank: the most powerful dynasty that never happened.

I consider this matter closed.

Walking by the podium hearing the speech, Dean figured he'd share his two cents.

"This was an interesting speech and topic sir, I listened to the entire thing and kudos to you for clearing this up for us."

Dean tips his hat and walks off.

SamAdams also listened to the entire speech. 'Sir," Sam says to CommissarKuku, "I commend you for bringing this to light. I always suspected that there was more than was revealed about Billy, who happened to be the Boss of one of my forefathers, and his death."

I am confused, why we STILL talking about a regime that is old news? It was an embarrassing era, should be a subject to put behind us. So what, they had a lot of money. Big difference between legitimate money and fraudulent money.

There have been multiple people on separate occasions who made more Legitimate money than the Soviet state, a whole regime, could make fraudulently.

But what is pretty entertaining is how you @CommissarKuku like to exaggerate how powerful it was. Like all regimes, its the most powerful at that time. 

If I could resemble 'my friends life" with the soviet state, it would sadly be premature ejaculation. :'( poor boy. 

Hi Stark - my quest is not to boast, but to spread truth and correct error.  I'm like Francis of Assisi in that respect.

But, you say "There have been multiple people on separate occasions who made more Legitimate money than the Soviet state, a whole regime, could make fraudulently."

Who are they?

The Soviet State was the most powerful regime at the time, yes, undoubtedly.  Powerful regimes are talked about, no?

Not usually when they are an embarrassment to our collective history.

After Commissar Kuku's long-winded speech about those that had fallen in the past he yawned and put his foot to the pavement to walk on by.  A few of those gathered around began to voice their opinions until the Commissar spoke back up once more.

The Soviet State was the most powerful regime at the time, yes, undoubtedly. 

Tazio scratched his beard a moment after listening to what the man had to say.

"I would argue that every regime would be the most powerful regime at their time since only one regime ever truly has power at one time, signor." With a shrug, Tazio wandered back off into the crowd.

TazioLeonetti - several regimes coexist at any one time.  That's why wars happen.

CommissarKuku, Castielle had just over 60k credits, Sticks had over 100k credits (but been told he has way more now or used to since selling them) and Sadness had minimum 55k credits  . And that's all that I know, in the amount of years this game has been running wouldn't be surprised if there handfuls of people. 

So, 16.8b is pocket cash. Calm down.

What might have happened

I believe that if the Iron Bank had not fraudulently exploited City Hall, the Soviet State would have continued its path to unprecedented glory and wealth.  I believe that my father would be Godfather Chairman of his own city.  There, he might have indentured Billy, having him work for him.  See, Billy made money, and had friends, but he didn't have the firepower, manpower, contacts and strategic charisma of CommissarZverez's Soviet State.   

Your success came from fraudulent money, and you had very high hopes for a Regime that was cut down shamefully. 

As Goldust said it right, Soviet state was an embarrassment to the history of MR. Don't kid yourself, Soviet state was the most 'powerful' regime at that time, why? Anyone know why? oh that is right FRAUDULENT MONEY. Take away the money Soviet state is just a normal regime that wouldn't last too much longer I hear. 

When ever someone thinks of the Soviet state, they think cheats. Nothing more, nothing less.

As Sir Winston Churchill would say: "If we open a quarrel between the past and present we shall find that we have lost the future." 

NRA shakes head saying carry on