n 1930, during the Great Depression, impoverished taxi driver Thomas "Tommy" Angelo is strong-armed by two members of the Salieri crime family—Paulie Lombardo and Sam Trapani—into helping them escape an ambush by the Morello family. Although he is compensated for his help, Tommy loses his job the following day when two Morello family enforcers attack him and vandalize his taxi in an act of revenge. After Sam and Paulie save him, Tommy asks Don Ennio Salieri for help; Tommy exacts retribution upon his attackers by destroying their cars, and agrees to join Salieri's organization as an associate. Assisting with the operations of Salieri's rackets across Lost Heaven, overseen by his consigliere Frank Colletti, he befriends both Sam and Paulie during the jobs they perform, while earning Salieri's respect by thwarting an attempt by the Morello family to take over one of his rackets.
