Maximus has always been a troublemaker who took advantage of others, but there are many reasons as to why he is this way. His father, Giovanni, was framed and fled from vampire society when Maximus was eight years old. Being an only child, he was close with his cousins and visited them often in Italy. He then enrolled in Brandson Preparatory Academy for vampires in New York at the advice of his uncle Vinny. 

Uncle Vinny influenced him a lot during his younger years, much more so than his mother, Evelynn. Vinny taught him so many things. He was like the father he wished he had. Vinny showed Max how to start businesses, how to run a casino(Vinny owns a casino in Milan, Italy), how to be confident and charming, how to cheat at cards, and most importantly how he perceives life. After Max graduated from prep school, Vinny instructed him to get a business degree at a college in Italy. Maximus agreed even though he had wanted to become an architect. One thing Casteluccis are known for is being persuasive. 

After Maximus was finished with university, he returned to New York. He and his mother both lived among the vampire community in the Manhattan vampire region's mansion. A few years later, his mother died, so he soon moved into an apartment in the city where he currently lives.