We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. In 1946, Santo Sr. sent his son, already a family underboss, to Cuba to invest in the growing number of nightclubs and casinos in the island nation. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. 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. While shouldering the legacy of his father and. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. 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. Thanks for subscribing! However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. At Boxer Cycle Works. There is a problem with your email/password. Authorities said he leaked a list of suspects in the case and then lied about it. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. F. Kennedy not only failed to deliver on his promise to the mob but also actually put the Mafia under increasing pressure. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. 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. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. . In 1965, Giancana was convicted of contempt of court, serving one year in prison. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. 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. 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. The international narcotics trade was also an important topic on the Apalachin agenda. For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. RIP Santo. 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. 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. A native and lifelong resident of Tampa, Mr. Traffi-cante is survived by his loving family, wife, Geraldine "Gerry" L. Trafficante; sons, Dino Jose and Joseph Frank Trafficante; daughters,. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. [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. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? [5] He headed the . We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. 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. The next son was Luigi Santo Trafficante Jr. (his namesake and future Mafia boss), born on November 15, 1914. They raided my apartment, they were looking for money, they tore up all the furniture, they used to come and get me at nighttime, take me out in the woods, trying to tell where I had my money, this and that, until I finally went into hiding.. 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. A A. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. [13] During his testimony, Trafficante also admitted for the first time that he had worked with the CIA from 1960 to 1961 for an attempt to poison Castro but stated that his role was only as an interpreter between CIA officials and Cuban exiles. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". [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? [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? In the mid-2000s, he would say he was a legitimate businessman, citing his ownership of a car dealership, and employment at various restaurants and night clubs over the years. The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. His luck has not improved recently. 93461.". 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. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. TRAFFICANTE, Santo Jose, 72, of Tampa, passed away July 13, 2010, To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our, All my Love to the family Michael R. Tartaro. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). Thanks for your help! [12] According to Aleman, when he told Trafficante that President John F. Kennedy would likely be re-elected, Trafficante replied, "No, Jose, he is going to be hit. My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. "Banks are my greatest enemy. He was severed from that trial for medical reasons. Robert F. Kennedy even taunted those mobsters he brought into court, telling Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana that I thought only little girls giggled, Mr. Giancana.. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. 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. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. 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. That was in part due to his lifestyle. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. 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. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. [14] When this was pointed out, Aleman denied that he meant that he believed Kennedy was going to murdered and said he thought that Trafficante meant that Kennedy was going to be "hit" politically during the next election. 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. Rosselli testified in 1975 to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the efforts to kill Castro. Under pressure of a court order granting him immunity from prosecution, but threatening him with contempt if he refused to talk, Santos admitted to a Congressional committee in 1975 that he had in the early 1960s recruited other mobsters to assassinate Castro. She was born on March 24, 1920. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! He drove a forklift for 20 years. [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. He was going to be hit.. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. For the U.S. government, it was a classic case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. 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. However, LoScalzo was nonetheless able to expand the families criminal reach into new locations across Florida, and took advantage of alliances with other Mafia families to ensure the mob maintained its hold on criminal activities. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. [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. While he had several close calls with law enforcement including the famed FBI, Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. [14] He stated that he was concerned for his safety and was not certain that he had ever correctly heard or understood Trafficante's comment. 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. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. Scott M. Deitche, Mob Museum Advisory Council member and mob http://www.scottdeitche.com/books.htmlauthor of Tampa's favorite books, Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld & The Silent Don: The Criminal Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jror Manny Leto, previous Editor of Cigar City Magazine and Tampa historian, will guide you on a 1.5 -2 hour walking tour to old gambling palaces, street corners, and alleys where some mobsters met their demise, and restaurants where wise guys, like famed boss Santo Trafficante Jr, held court. Several were wounded. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. Please try again later. The report was given to the District Attorney's office. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. Santo Trafficante Jr., one of the last of the old-time reputed Mafia dons, who was reportedly enlisted in 1960 in a futile effort to kill Fidel Castro, has died at the age of 72.
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