Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. I can answer any questions you . He died on March 17, 1987. Learn more about managing a memorial . https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. A A. [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. Love, Jimmy Schaffer. [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. Organized Crime Figure. President John. He has thought about it. GREAT NEWS! There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. His uncle, the late Santo Trafficante Jr., was reputed to have been the boss of the local Mafia. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. You've got to be a fool to marry wrong," he says. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. Passing before her were her parents Antonino and Sarafina Marchese; her beloved husband Santo Trafficante Jr.; her son-in-law's Augie Paniello and Richard Valdes; and her brothers, Bennie Marchese, Tommy Marchese, and Peter Marchese. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. 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. He was, in many ways, the archetypical old-school Mob boss. department.". 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." Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. 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. Send your deepest condolences with fresh flowers. A year has passed. 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. With deepest sympathy and love. 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. 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. At Boxer Cycle Works. After months of wiretapped phone conversations, investigators seized boxloads of documents, some with Trafficante's name on them. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: Episode 58: The Tampa Mafia- Santo Trafficante Jr - YouTube Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu. All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. We send our most sincere sympathies to the Trafficante family. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. 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. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. Santo Trafficante 5 10 (1.78 m) Born November 15, 1914 Tampa, Florida, USA Died March 17, 1987 Spouse Josephine Marchese April 17, 1938 - March 17, 1987 (his death, 2 children) Publicity listings 2 Portrayals Did you know Edit Trivia Represented by Frank Ragano. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. He grimaces at the thought that the rumor has persisted so long. Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. 2023, Tampa Mafia. Scott M. Deitche is the author of six books on organized crime, including a biography of Santo Trafficante Jr., and has written dozens of articles on organized crime for magazines and newspapers. There is a problem with your email/password. Trafficante was one of the last surviving members of the original Luciano mob era upon his death, and the truth behind the JFK assassination may have perhaps died with him. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. Chronicles of Events and Biographies Related to the American Mafia. Trafficante was apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. The Internal Revenue Service tried to collect $400,000 in back taxes owed on the business, saying it had not been run as business eligible for tax write-offs, but a hobby. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. . During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. 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. Search above to list available cemeteries. We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. "Even my uncle (Santo Jr.) told me, "Santo, why don't you change your name?' "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". James Traficant - Wikipedia 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. JFK Assassination - Santo Trafficante Jr - gibson's world Or does he just look like one? Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. Sam Giancana - Wikipedia Email blog@themobmuseum.org. [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. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Finally, after the infamous failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, the CIA gave up on their attempts to kill the Cuban dictator and thus Trafficantes attempts at revenge never materialized. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. You and Santo will always have a special place in my heart. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Read free previews and reviews from booklovers. santo trafficante daughters - shantisrl.com But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. 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. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. 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. Indeed, he owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in foreclosures to local banks, which he says treat him "like I had leprosy" because of Key Bank. Seven people were murdered. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? It never did exist.". Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. [18] According to Ragano, he met Hoffa at the Teamsters' headquarters in Washington, DC, then delivered the message to Trafficante and Marcello in a meeting at the Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. Authorities said he leaked a list of suspects in the case and then lied about it. TAMPA CRIME BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN THRILLER MAFIA SPIES. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. In this episode, we will discuss the fascinating life of Tampa's most powerful mobster: Santo Trafficante Jr. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. 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. Welcome to Boxer Cycle Works. Following his death, Mobster Vincent LoScalvo took over the Trafficante familys criminal network in Florida. On March 17, 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72 at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston where he had gone for heart surgery. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. 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. As law enforcement pressure increased on the Mafia in the late 1940s, Santo, fearing. [5][6] Cuba was one of the Apalachin topics of discussion, particularly the gambling and narcotics smuggling interests of La Cosa Nostra on the island. Santo Trafficante Jr. Wiki & Bio - everipedia.org (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). 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. 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. 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. He had a big heart and will be missed. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. 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. love gloria "owens" hill. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 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. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. His son, Santo Trafficante Jr., took over the crime family and became tangled in a web of conspiracies to kill the leader of revolutionary Cuba and, it is rumored, President John F. Kennedy. Santo Trafficante, Sr., the powerful Trafficante crime family's patriarch, was born on May 28, 1886, in Alexandria Della Rocca, Sicily. Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. "[12], In 1978, both Trafficante and Aleman were called to testify before members of the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations investigating possible links between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and anti-Castro Cubans, including the theory that Castro had Kennedy killed in retaliation for the CIA's attempts on his own life. In 1950, the aging Trafficante Sr. began to slow down. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. A system error has occurred. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. 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. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. His health had declined in his later years. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. His abiding passion is food. Conspiracy theorists consider Giancana along with Mafia leaders Santo Trafficante Jr. and Carlos Marcello associated with the assassination of Kennedy. Try again later. He allegedly controlled organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba tampa crime boss santo trafficante jr plays a central role in thriller 'mafia spies' Bolita , Mob Hits , Scott M. Deitche , Tampa Mafia SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A 'Sicilian of the Old School,' RULED TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. It was all on the up and up. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Italian Club of Tampa Cemetery Fund, 1731 East 7th Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Tampa Mafia Tour - Tampa Mafia Santo Trafficante Sr., a 'Sicilian of the old school,' ruled Tampa's Thanks for subscribing! 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. 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 maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. He will always be remembered with fondness. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. The international narcotics trade was also an important topic on the Apalachin agenda. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. There was an error deleting this problem. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. ". [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. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . 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. Fine food, and lots of it. Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. 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. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, Florida, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1823-1982, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. santo trafficante daughters Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. There was a problem getting your location. Pupello determined that his diabetic patient's arteries were healthy. 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. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. 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. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. Father of Private and Private Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. Learn more about merges. He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. "I thought I could just go down to (former Hillsborough State Attorney) Bill James and (Assistant State Attorney) Lee Atkinson and explain it all away in 15 minutes.". Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. The chairman cited a confession from Roselli that Trafficantes allies organized a sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, to take out the President. Passing before her were her parents Antonino and Sarafina Marchese; her beloved husband Santo Trafficante Jr.; her son-in-laws Augie Paniello and Richard Valdes; and her brothers, Bennie Marchese, Tommy Marchese, and Peter Marchese. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. Santo Trafficante Jr News reports - YouTube But considering the fiercely anti-Soviet atmosphere of the Cold War, its not that hard to believe. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism.