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. I think it was a case of mistaken identity.. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. Please check your email for further instructions. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Santo Trafficante: Building the Family Business - Gangsters Inc The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. There are few indicators that the family is still an active crime network. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. For the U.S. government, it was a classic case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.. 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 . 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! gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. Oops, we were unable to send the email. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. Notoriety comes with family name - Tampa Bay Times May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. While he had several close calls with law enforcement including the famed FBI, Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? We never paid cash. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! Santo Trafficante Sr., a 'Sicilian of the old school,' ruled Tampa's [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. Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. The "Family Jewels" confirmed that in September 1960, the CIA recruited ex-FBI agent Robert Maheu to approach the West Coast representative of the Chicago mob, Johnny Roselli. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. Santo Trafficante Jr. (1914-1987) - Find a Grave Memorial 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. 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. He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. I will never forget him as a fellow stroke survivor. Our deepest condolences to the Trafficante family. ", Christopher Sabella elected as Hillsborough Countys next chief judge, Tampa man arrested in death of person found in apartment with unharmed infant, deputies say, Suspect in Hillsborough slaying of woman IDd, man known as Ya Dig, deputies say, After nearly a century of fixing Tampas flat tires, downtown Firestone closes, Under investigation, HART CEO proposes settlement, payout and exit, Dead body found in Hillsborough apartment with unharmed infant, deputies say, NAACP wants reparations for Tampas Black cemeteries that governments stole, Latin Kings gang leaders among 21 arrested in Hillsborough drug operation, sheriff says, Estimated 630,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Hillsborough River, records show, Tampa man who was first to face trial for Florida voter fraud in 2020 election gets probation. Santo Trafficante, Sr., the powerful Trafficante crime family's patriarch, was born on May 28, 1886, in Alexandria Della Rocca, Sicily. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. In 1959, the Cuban Revolution toppled the corrupt Batista government and the rebel leader, Fidel Castro, nationalized foreign-owned properties and shuttered the casinos, a huge financial blow to Trafficante, who was second only to Meyer Lansky in the depth of his investments in Havana. 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 maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented, After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. 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. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. He owned a West Tampa restaurant called Cafe Sevilla. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Trafficante crime family - Wikipedia Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. "[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. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. Geni requires JavaScript! Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. 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. As such, Trafficante Sr. controlled gambling rackets for bolita, a lottery game popular in Florida and Cuba, until 1940 when the murder of Tampa boss Ignacio Antinori pushed the Trafficantes to assume ultimate power in the Florida underworld. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. Seven people were murdered. A A. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Year should not be greater than current year. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. 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. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. So, who was this so-called Silent Don who wielded enough power to allegedly kill the President? Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. In addition, "on January 23, 1958 the Cuban Department of Investigation, Havana, Cuba notified the Bureau of Narcotics that Santo Trafficante was registered in their Alien Office under No. 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. 12 talking about this. Santo Trafficante Jr. - Wikipedia Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. 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. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. Our prayers are with you. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. 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. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Oops, something didn't work. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. "I was going to ask him to come over and try our beignets to see how they compare to the Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans," Alessi says. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. 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.. Santo Trafficante, Reputed Mafia Chief, Dies at 72 Batista let Trafficante and other mobsters build as many casinos and hotels as they wanted in exchange for a cash kickback. His health had declined in his later years. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. 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. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. At Boxer Cycle Works. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. [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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "[19] In his book Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vincent Bugliosi has claimed there to be many flaws in Ragano's claims, including his own claim that Trafficante was most likely not in Tampa on the day in question, but was rather in North Miami Beach, Florida, receiving dialysis treatments. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. "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.". As law enforcement pressure increased on the Mafia in the late 1940s, Santo, fearing. 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. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. He dressed nicely but not ostentatiously, and his choice of cars was never flashy. Santo Trafficante Jr. Wiki & Bio - everipedia.org 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. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. [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. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. He was right, and when Castro took power in 1959, Trafficantes burgeoning gambling-and-drugs empire went under siege. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. 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. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Josephine Marchese Trafficante He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. If the decision is upheld on appeal, charges against Trafficante may be dismissed. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. 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. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. Learns About Sonny Franzese Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge.
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