He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Trafficante again escaped conviction. You can always change this later in your Account settings. cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Like many of the most prominent mobsters of the 20th century, his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., grew up in Sicily, Italy but became a major player in the criminal world after migrating to America. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. 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. 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. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. "My wife's got money. 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. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. Hey, they have more convicts at the track than straight people," Trafficante says. He flew to Houston on March 15 for heart bypass surgery. In this episode, we will discuss the fascinating life of Tampa's most powerful mobster: Santo Trafficante Jr. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Thanks for subscribing! Failed to report flower. He had a big heart and will be missed. Ex-FBI agent and later Howard Hughes aide Robert Maheu of Las Vegas was one of the primary go-betweens for Trafficante. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. [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. 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. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. 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. A car registered to former state attorney and current state appellate judge E.J. [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. 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. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. Despite all of this or, perhaps, because of it, a few writers and filmmakers have chosen to focus on organized crime, determined to give Tampa its due. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. [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? based on information from your browser. But according to declassified documents released in 1992, Santo Trafficante Jr. made a deathbed confession of his involvement in the Presidents murder. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. He was known as an organized crimes figure. Don Santo Trafficante Jr was one of the last of the old-time American Mafia bosses in the United States. For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. Several were wounded. [15], Ragano also claimed that Trafficante, four days prior to his death, delivered a deathbed confession which suggested that Marcello was meant to assassinate Robert F. Kennedy instead of his brother, the President. 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. Please check your email for further instructions. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. This browser does not support getting your location. Rosselli later claimed to be involved with or to actually be a shooter in a Mob conspiracy to kill President John F. Kennedy, and some accounts have Trafficante involved in the alleged, and unproven, conspiracy. GREAT NEWS! Trafficante weathered the violence of Floridas Mob wars and the various conspiracy theories, the Cuban Revolution and the loss of his offshore casinos, as well as intense law enforcement scrutiny, without ever spending time in prison. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: Wikimedia CommonsPresident John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. 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. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia Commons. 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. The report was given to the District Attorney's office. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. "[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. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. 93461.". Published: March 15th, 2017 - By Scott M. Deitche, Contributing Writer, Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17, El Chapos lawyers complain about strict rules at New York prison. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. [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. Our prayers are with you. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. 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. 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. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. Father of Private and Private With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. 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. 12 talking about this. "[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. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. From bolitaan illegal version of the now-legal Florida lotteryto narcotics, Tampas experience with organized crime is as notable as Chicagos or New Yorks. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. Oops, something didn't work. "My kids suffered a lot by it," he says. . 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. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. He sought treatment for stomach cancer and was ready to hand power over to a trusted lieutenant. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. It never did exist.". The next son was Luigi Santo Trafficante Jr. (his namesake and future Mafia boss), born on November 15, 1914. But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. To use this feature, use a newer browser. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. He will always be remembered with fondness. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. 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. 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. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. "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.". My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. 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. 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. As one of the most powerful mobsters in the US, Trafficante was invited to the Havana Conference in December 1946. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. English The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. 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. I laughed _ until I realized it was a total f------ disaster," Trafficante says. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. 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. An editor and public historian, Carly Silver has written for Smithsonian, Narratively, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and Archaeology, among other publications. He owned a West Tampa restaurant called Cafe Sevilla. please know that i am praying for you and your family. "Even my uncle (Santo Jr.) told me, "Santo, why don't you change your name?' Love, Jimmy Schaffer. 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. "I thought all this would end when my uncle died. Our deepest condolences to the Trafficante family. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. [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. Try again later. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. 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. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. One of the last surviving mobsters from the Luciano era, he died of heart disease in a Houston, Texas, hospital in 1987. 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. She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. 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. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. 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. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. 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. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. When his father died in 1954 he took control of these establishments. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. 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. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Resend Activation Email. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. 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. gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. love gloria "owens" hill. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. He headed the . Instead of Italian suits, he wears horizontally striped golf shirts. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. 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. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. Despite his arrest, Trafficante managed to escape charges and continue to fly under the laws radar. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. He has played golf with former New York Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles and former New York Islanders hockey player Clark Gillies. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Or does he just look like one? This is a carousel with slides. It was all on the up and up. Phil Alessi, a childhood friend, marvels at Trafficante's taste and capacity. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. As we all know, he was right, and Kennedy was assassinated by a sniper in November 1963. 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. 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. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. 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. She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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. 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.. 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. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! Sign up for service and obituary updates. He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. 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. [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.
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