The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. There are few indicators that the family is still an active crime network. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. We have set your language to Batista let Trafficante and other mobsters build as many casinos and hotels as they wanted in exchange for a cash kickback. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Returning to Miami, he joined his father, managing some . You have been in pain too long. ". The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. please know that i am praying for you and your family. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Rosselli testified in 1975 to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the efforts to kill Castro. This account has been disabled. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. In the early 1980s Trafficante was ensnared in two major cases that could have sent the aging don to prison for the first time in his life, apart from his time in the Triscornia detention camp in Cuba following Castros takeover in 1959. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. Sign up for service and obituary updates. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. In the mid-2000s, he would say he was a legitimate businessman, citing, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo - De Facto Boss of the Chicago Outfit, Giacomo Black Jack Tocco - Last of the Old School Detroit Partnership, Joseph Iacobacci - "Joe Loose" of the Cleveland Mob, John "Sonny" Franzese - A Colombo Family Legend. [15] He repeated the claim two days later on ABC's Good Morning America,[16] in Newfield's Frontline report entitled JFK, Hoffa and Mob broadcast in November 1992,[17] and again in his 1994 autobiography Mob Lawyer. While shouldering the legacy of his father and. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. At this point in our collective history, we're not sure anyone would be surprised to learn that there is, in fact, something called The Mafia. What you might be surprised to learn, however, is how prevalent-even rampantorganized crime in Tampa was in the early and mid-20th century. Our prayers are with you. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. The seeds for Trafficantes most interesting historical chapter were planted, as the mobster would go on to have a well-established relationship with the CIA in an ongoing effort to assassinate Castro. The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. The mobster would later testify: I got news that Cuban officials were looking for to put me in jail because one of the things was that I was a Batista collaborator. He headed the Trafficante crime family and controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Trafficante maintained links to the Bonanno crime family in New York City, but was more closely allied with Sam Giancana in Chicago. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Trafficante again escaped conviction. "[1][13] He stated that he was positive that he did not say it because he always spoke to Aleman in Spanish, and said that there was no way to state the phrase in Spanish. Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. One bank filed suit in November against him and a business partner, alleging that they defaulted on an $85,000 loan for a piece of property. There is a problem with your email/password. By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. After Fidel Castro's revolutionary government seized the assets of Trafficante's Cuban businesses and expelled him from the country as an "undesirable alien," Trafficante came into contact with various US intelligence operatives, and was involved in several unsuccessful plans to assassinate Castro. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. "I'm in the I.O.U. As Jimmy Hoffas former lawyer Frank Ragano would later recall, Jimmy told me to tell [New Orleans boss Carlos] Marcello and Trafficante they had to kill the president. At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. The guy really tried to do it right.". GitHub export from English Wikipedia. This is a carousel with slides. It was all on the up and up. At 7:25 p.m. on January 3, 1953, Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. had just finished dinner with his wife and children at his father-in-laws house in the Ybor City section of Tampa, Florida. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. But considering the fiercely anti-Soviet atmosphere of the Cold War, its not that hard to believe. Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. By the time Prohibition and the Era of Blood ended, he was the top man in the Florida Mafia, operating with the blessing of exiled Mob boss Charlie Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello of the Five Families, and Meyer Lansky of the national Syndicate. I found on Findagrave.com. [21], Trafficante was summoned to court in 1986 and questioned about his involvement with the King's Court Bottle Club operated by members of the Bonanno crime family, including undercover FBI agent Joseph D. "Joe" Pistone, a.k.a. Josephine Marchese Trafficante, 95, died peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday morning at her home. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. I will never forget him as a fellow stroke survivor. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. The Unbelievable Story Of Richard Lee McNair The Man Who Mailed Himself Out Of Prison, What JFK's Mob-Affiliated Mistress May Have Known About His Assassination, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. TAMPA The daughter sits on the front porch of a little bungalow in Seminole Heights, her new home since her husband died a few months ago down south. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. We have to admit we are fascinated by the whole idea of the mafia and the people we knew and the whispers we grew up hearing. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Seven people were murdered. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . He allegedly controlled organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba He dressed nicely but not ostentatiously, and his choice of cars was never flashy. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. Frank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). With deepest sympathy and love. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. "The Mob? The American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. "When my uncle visited it was like a family reunion. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Love and peace to you all. He was known as an organized crimes figure. He worked to expand the crime familys business holding and territory he was particularly interested in Cuba as a location for gambling, hotels and night clubs and worked to cement good ties with his fellow mobsters in New York City. We cant help ourselves when it comes to watching mob films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, Casino and HBOs Boardwalk Empire and the iconic cable TV show, The Sopranos. He was left with about 25 horses at his stable in Lutz that he couldn't race and couldn't sell for more than it cost to keep them fed. He buys Jaguars for his two sons, hobnobs with sports stars on resort golf courses and occasionally flies to Miami for lunch at a favorite restaurant, the Rascal House. As we all know, he was right, and Kennedy was assassinated by a sniper in November 1963. Trafficante enjoyed life in Cuba, developed a relationship with its strongman, the dictator Fulgencio Batista, and helped the Trafficante Crime family garner even more profits from its legitimate gambling operations there. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. "Banks are my greatest enemy. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. When he applied to the state for a parimutuel license that would allow him to race his horses at Tampa Bay Downs, he was refused. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. He offered to pay $150,000 to have Castro killed, but Roselli declined any pay and introduced Maheu to two men he referred to as "Sam Gold" and "Joe." TAMPA CRIME BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN THRILLER MAFIA SPIES. Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. If the decision is upheld on appeal, charges against Trafficante may be dismissed. Consequently, while generally recognized as the most powerful organized crime figure in Florida throughout much of the 20th century, Trafficante was not believed to have total control over Miami, Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, or Palm Beach. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. And while cocaine-fueled Latin American criminal networks have been a serious problem in Florida for decades, the Trafficante familys illicit activities were quite infamous as well. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. All Rights Reserved. Meanwhile, he continued to make money from the drugs that came through Tampa. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. An editor and public historian, Carly Silver has written for Smithsonian, Narratively, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and Archaeology, among other publications. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 12 talking about this. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. Try again later. Santo Trafficante Jr. continued to develop his interests in Cuba serving as Luciano and Lanskys local liaison. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Santo Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. Bankruptcy court documents show that Trafficante is owed $500,000 by a business partner. He sought treatment for stomach cancer and was ready to hand power over to a trusted lieutenant. Perched on the edge of a leather chair in his attorney's office, Santo J. Trafficante III wears a pained expression on his jowly face. Conspiracy theorists consider Giancana along with Mafia leaders Santo Trafficante Jr. and Carlos Marcello associated with the assassination of Kennedy. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. He drove a forklift for 20 years. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. He will be sorely missed and his heart of gold will be remembered by all who new him. It was also rumored that Santos was involved in a Mafia plot to kill President John F. Kennedy, though he denied there was any such conspiracy. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Santo Jr. was indicted several times through the 1950s but was convicted only once, on state charges in 1954 for bribery, and that conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. He headed the Trafficante crime family from 1954 to 1987 and controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Trafficante maintained links to the Bonanno crime family in New York City, but was more closely allied with Sam Giancana in Chicago. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. Trafficante Sr. passed away four years later, leaving Jr. his Tampa and Cuba-based criminal empire. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . The east coast of Florida was a loosely knit conglomerate of New York family interests with links to Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Angelo Bruno, Carlos Marcello, and Frank Ragano. In 1954, Santo Sr. died of natural causes (at a time when some of his remaining rivals were still being violently dispatched), and his son took over leadership of the crime family. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. As a leading member of the syndicate, he also was suspected of having behind-the-scenes interests in other syndicate-owned Cuban casinos: the Hotel Habana Riviera, the Tropicana Club, the Sevilla-Biltmore, the Capri Hotel Casino, the Commodoro, the Deauville, and the Havana Hilton. Organized Crime Figure. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. By 1987, the Mafia boss, who had walked the casino floors of the Sans Souci in Cuba, dined and hobnobbed with Frank Sinatra in the nightclubs and hotels of South Beach, and who commanded a presence in Tampa that is still felt today, was suffering from a diseased kidney and bad heart. He died on March 17, 1987. However, there were events outside of the United States and even organized crime that inadvertently led Santo Trafficante Jr. to put his own peculiar stamp on American history. Claiming association with the CIA, Roselli knew of Trafficantes vendetta and told his new pal that the U.S. government also wanted to take down Castros Communist regime. Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. Pupello determined that his diabetic patient's arteries were healthy. Welcome to Boxer Cycle Works. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Every so often I think of the Jekyll Island and White Lake, NC trip and laugh. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in Scarface, or the heyday of Miami Vice. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Honorary Pallbearers are Joe Castellana, Malio Iavarone, FrankCookie Fava, Antonino Marchese, Derek Iavarone, Frank Albano, Drew Smith, Joey Hunt, Michael Sierra, Tony Marchese, Peter Albano, Mario Pullara, Frank Miranda, Dino Trafficante, and Joseph Trafficante. He escaped conviction all but once, receiving a five-year sentence for bribery in 1954, but his conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court before he entered prison. Santos ran numerous legitimate businesses as well as illegal, including several legal casinos in Cuba, a Havana drive-in movie theater, and shares in restaurants and bars in Tampa. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Fla. (AP), Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52792202/frank-cacciatore-trafficante, L'Unione Italiana Cemetery, Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr, Death of Santo Trafficante, Jr at Houston, TX. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. English Trafficante admitted his anti-Castro activities to the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1978, and vehemently denied allegations that he had knowledge of a plot to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. That was in part due to his lifestyle. He was again called to testify in April 1976 on the alleged conspiracy to kill Kennedy, but Rosselli never made it: His body was found in a barrel floating in Biscayne Bay off the coast of Florida. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. GREAT NEWS! Mob Lawyer Frank Ragano Says He Knows Who Killed JFK", "Book alleges plot to kill JFK in Tampa, cover-up", "At Santo Trafficante auction, a chance to buy a piece of Tampa's mob history", Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, Associated Press report on Trafficante's death, "Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life" By Robert Lacy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santo_Trafficante_Jr.&oldid=1140940042, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 15:02. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. A system error has occurred. During the rule of Cuba's authoritarian dictator Fulgencio Batista, Trafficante openly operated the Sans Souci Cabaret and the Casino International gambling establishments in Havana. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. Santo Jr., who had inherited the leadership of the Tampa Mafia around 1950 when his father, Santo Sr., fell ill, had now completed his consolidation of power in Tampa and beyond. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. Donnie Brasco. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. In 1950, the aging Trafficante Sr. began to slow down. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo.