[1] In 1997, further declassified documents indicated that some mafiosi worked with the agency on assassination attempts against Castro. Departed this Life May 13, 2015 By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. Dr. Dennis Pupello was looking for heart disease, brought on by his overweight and diabetic patient's "voracious eating.". Santos Trafficante Jr. was the son of Santos Trafficante Sr., who owned several casinos in Havana. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. Conspiracy theorists consider Giancana along with Mafia leaders Santo Trafficante Jr. and Carlos Marcello associated with the assassination of Kennedy. Weve updated the security on the site. "Banks are my greatest enemy. [5] And then there are the infinite conspiracy theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, many of them featuring Trafficante. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. Episode 58: The Tampa Mafia- Santo Trafficante Jr - YouTube Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. The American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. Another bank sued Trafficante and his wife in October for repayment of a $100,000 promissory note. You've got to be a fool to marry wrong," he says. Santo worked closely with Lucchese family boss Tommy Lucchese, who was a friend of his father, and a man who helped train him in the 1940s. Brother of Frank Cacciatore Trafficante; Private and Private. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. 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." So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. I will always remember your perseverance, happiness and smiles at Marisa's wedding. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the public understanding of organized crime's history and impact on American society. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. Santo Trafficante Jr.: The Florida Godfather Who Tried To Kill Castro Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. You'll learn about bolita, the rumored tunnels of Ybor, and the Era of Blood. based on information from your browser. However the meeting came to be, the mob nonetheless brought influential states like Illinois into the Kennedy fold in exchange for the White House going easy on organized crime. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Make sure that the file is a photo. Try again. Santo Trafficante Jr. - IMDb Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? 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. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. The original Malio's Restaurant located on South Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida. Search above to list available cemeteries. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. This is a carousel with slides. The people of Tampa, especially the ones still around to remember those days still feel a duty of sorts to keep quite of these things, as if these people are still amongst us and can hear our chatter. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central, Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. Trafficante was jailed and deported when Fidel Castro rose to power, leading him to spend a good portion of his adult life hatching a plan of revenge. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. Santo Trafficante Jr. (1914-1987) - Find a Grave Memorial [20], In 2005, Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann's book Ultimate Sacrifice said that Trafficante was behind an aborted plot to kill Kennedy in Tampa on November 18, 1963. [13], On January 14, 1992, Trafficante's former attorney, Frank Ragano, told Jack Newfield of the New York Post that he relayed a request from Hoffa to Trafficante and New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello to have Kennedy killed. 93461.". 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. Reputedly the most powerful crime boss in Batista -era Cuba, he . 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. 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. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. 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. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. In October 1966, while waiting in a Queens courthouse for his turn to be questioned by a grand jury about the infamous LaStella meeting (later dubbed "Little Apalachin") held a couple of weeks earlier on September 22, Santo Trafficante Jr., who was the boss of the Tampa Bay Crime Family, overheard reporters talking about someone . Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. [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. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. They never returned. All Rights Reserved. He headed the . When the CIA decided to recruit the Mob in their efforts to assassinate Fidel Castro, they went to see Trafficante. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr. Try again later. Several were wounded. His abiding passion is food. It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. But he was also the most powerful crime boss in pre-Castro Cuba, with influence that extended into Florida and the rest of the United States. My heart goes out to the family. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. He has thought about it. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. Home - Boxer Cycle Works 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. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. "If my uncle knew I was talking to the press, Christ, he'd shoot me," Trafficante says, half-laughing. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. REPUTED FLORIDA GODFATHER TRAFFICANTE, 72, DIES - Sun Sentinel His son was turned away from a date's house and his daughter has been refused jobs. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: The Trafficante family formed a strong alliance with the Batista government in Cuba and profited from their investments, although they never achieved the goal of dominating gambling on the island. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . English The hit man and the mobster: Jack Ruby and Santos Trafficante He maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented, After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Santo Trafficante Jr, was born on November 15, 1914 in Tampa, Florida and followed in the footsteps of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr, into a life of organized crime. "I thought all this would end when my uncle died. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. She was the Matriarch of the Trafficante Family; and we will all miss her presence, guidance, love and affection. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. A full report was made by the Cuban police, dated January 23, 1958, includes transcripts of long-distance telephone calls made from the Sans Souci during the period AugustDecember 1957. But he was also the most powerful crime boss in pre-Castro Cuba, with influence that extended into Florida and the rest of the United States. Forget everything you think you know about Tampa mafia wives and girlfriends in the 1950s. They used to be my greatest friend," Trafficante says. 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. Trafficante proceeded to open casinos in Cuba at his fathers behest and facilitated heroin smuggling by working together with famous mobsters Charles Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. TAMPA CRIME BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN THRILLER MAFIA SPIES. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. 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. Santo Trafficante Sr., a 'Sicilian of the old school,' ruled Tampa's He was accused of making false financial statements for loans he used to invest in his citrus business, to purchase luxury cars and to buy a beach condo. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. Meanwhile, he continued to make money from the drugs that came through Tampa. 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. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. A Drive-By Historical Tour of Tampa's Notorious Wise Guys Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. wikipedia.en/Sam_Giancana.md at main chinapedia/wikipedia.en Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Sam Giancana - Wikipedia Trafficantes father was the lucky survivor of what was called the Era of Blood, when rival gangs based in Tampa fought for control of Prohibition-era nightclubs and, crucially, the local numbers rackets called bolitas. Battling Mob rivals in South Florida essentially weakened each other financially and, through murder, the number of available soldiers. [22], sfn error: no target: CITEREFDouglass2010 (, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 15:02, United States House Select Committee on Assassinations, Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, "With Santo Trafficante, an era is ending", "SANTO TRAFFICANTE, REPUTED MAFIA CHIEF, DIES AT 72", "Why mob bigs who met to crown a king had to run like roaches", "For Sale, a House WithAcreage.Connections Extra;Site of 1957 Gangland Raid Is Part of Auction on Saturday", "20 Apalachin Convictions Ruled Invalid On Appeal", "Narcotic Traffic Called Topic In Apalachin Talks", Memorandum for the Director of Central Intelligence, Subject: Roselli, Johnny, "Witness denies assassination, Cuba tied", "Mafia Linked In JFK Probe; By Cuban Exile", "Hoffa Lawyer: Jimmy Recruited Mob for JFK Hit", "Lawyer Says Hoffa Told 2 Mob Bosses to Have President Kennedy Killed", "Frank Ragano, 75, Lawyer for Mob and Hoffa", "The Sins of the Godfather? 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. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. . Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. He sought treatment for stomach cancer and was ready to hand power over to a trusted lieutenant. Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. You have been in pain too long. He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. Santo Trafficante: Building the Family Business - Gangsters Inc You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. He was, in many ways, the archetypical old-school Mob boss. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. Husband of Private Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Visitation will take place on Saturday, May 16th, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, with service to follow at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL. Fifteen years following the assassination, Trafficante testified in front of the United States House Select Committee on the murder of JFK in exchange for immunity. Fine food, and lots of it. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. She is survived by her daughters, Mary Jo Paniello and Sarah Ann Valdes; her grandchildren, Dr. Santo Paniello and wife Susan; Dina Smith and husband Don; Melissa Castellana and husband John; and Valerie Cordell and husband Ian; her great-grandchildren, Michael Sierra, Elizabeth Paniello, Sam Paniello, Christopher Paniello, Christina Castellana, Augie Castellana, Alexa Cordell, Anna Cordell Drew Smith, Allison Hunt and husband Joey; as well as endless extended family. GREAT NEWS! Family members linked to this person will appear here. He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. Don Santo Trafficante Jr was one of the last of the old-time American Mafia bosses in the United States. Try again later. Although a judge dismissed the charge for lack of evidence, the arrest had a lasting impact on another of Trafficante's ventures: thoroughbred breeding and racing. He flew to Houston on March 15 for heart bypass surgery. A A. He grimaces at the thought that the rumor has persisted so long. Pupello determined that his diabetic patient's arteries were healthy. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. His health had declined in his later years. [13] On September 27, 1978, Aleman reiterated to HSCA investigators that Trafficante had complained to him for hours in June or July 1963 about Kennedy's crackdown on organized crime at a meeting to discuss a business loan. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17 The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. Seven people were murdered. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. 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. Trafficante was apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. Organized Crime Figure. Verify and try again. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. The elder Trafficante set up illegal casinos in Cuba in the 1940s, which were sanctioned by Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. He will always be remembered with fondness. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. Some people also alleged that Trafficante Jr played a role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy due to his anti-organized crime efforts, but Trafficante Jr. always denied it. 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. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! Santo Trafficante Sr. was a Florida mobster who survived a series of vicious gang wars to become the leader of a powerful Mafia crime family based in Tampa. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia Commons. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 Alongside Chicago boss Sam Giancana, Roselli and Trafficante came up with some truly insane plots to kill Fidel Castro. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. 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. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He was going to be hit.. 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. They had three daughters, Antoinette born . The Shore Acres home is 2,350-square-feet with 10 rooms that Capone reputedly built in 1925 for his mother. Mobster dies, two nations. Anthony Accardo & Santo Trafficante Jr - Labor Union Kickbacks That was in part due to his lifestyle. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. [9][10] The CIA and the Mafia had a common enemy in Castro, a communist revolutionary who had shut down Cuba's lucrative casino businesses. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. In fact, Florida had the dubious distinction of being home to a decades-old Mafia criminal network: the Trafficante Family. Santo TRAFFICANTE Obituary (2010) - Tampa, FL - TBO.com Please check your entries and try again. U.S. Treasury Department documents indicate that law enforcement believed Trafficante's legitimate business interests to include several legal casinos in Cuba; a Havana drive-in movie theater; and shares in several restaurants and bars in Trafficante's hometown of Tampa, Florida. Valenti hired his son-in-law at the produce company and allowed him to name his own salary. Josephine Marchese Trafficante Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. She was born on March 24, 1920. Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. Father of Private and Private wills o' nats last of the summer wine. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. [19] He claimed three witnesses could support his statement that he met Trafficante in Tampa, but refused to name them, adding: "One guy is afraid of retaliation. But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. Year should not be greater than current year. He died on March 17, 1987. Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. Santo Trafficante Jr - Mafia Facts So is Santo Jose Trafficante III a mobster? [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. I will never forget him as a fellow stroke survivor. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. In the 1950s, Tampas reputation for corruption and vice was so bad it prompted one national magazine to label the area the Hell Hole of the Gulf Coast. Given such negativity, who can blame people for just wanting to forget? Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. You and Santo will always have a special place in my heart. gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. department.". 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. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. In 1950, the aging Trafficante Sr. began to slow down. please know that i am praying for you and your family. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Failed to report flower. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. You'll learn about bolita, the rumored tunnels of Ybor, and the Era of Blood.Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. While the senior Trafficante had been a major mobster in his own right, nobody could have expected the heights that were going to be reached by his son. The investigators were looking for proof of drug-money laundering. Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. This account has been disabled. He will be sorely missed and his heart of gold will be remembered by all who new him.