Returning to Miami, he joined his father, managing some . The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. 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. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. "[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. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. Verify and try again. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. 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. Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. ). She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". He flew to Houston on March 15 for heart bypass surgery. 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. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. 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? Thanks for subscribing! Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. He owned a West Tampa restaurant called Cafe Sevilla. When Fidel Castro began his ascent to power in the 1950s, Santo Trafficante feared the radical Marxist revolutionary wouldnt cooperate with him. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. 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,. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. [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. 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. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. Still, theres a fine line between exploring a topic and glorifying it. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. Make sure that the file is a photo. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. Departed this Life May 13, 2015 Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. [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? Anthony Accardo & Santo Trafficante Jr - Labor Union Kickbacks (1977- 1981)https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/05/us/16-indicted-over-union-fund-use.htmlCredit:. At 76,. Despite his arrest, Trafficante managed to escape charges and continue to fly under the laws radar. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. department.". please know that i am praying for you and your family. He will always be remembered with fondness. Learn more about merges. 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. President John. You've got to be a fool to marry wrong," he says. I will never forget him as a fellow stroke survivor. Donnie Brasco. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. 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. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. 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 . The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. 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. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! You have been in pain too long. 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. Wikimedia CommonsPresident John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. [11], In 1976, Cuban exile and FBI informant Jose Aleman told The Washington Post that in September 1962, Trafficante had offered him a loan of $1.5million to replace Aleman's three-story "ramshackle motel with a 12-story glass wonder. I think it was a case of mistaken identity.. "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. An editor and public historian, Carly Silver has written for Smithsonian, Narratively, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and Archaeology, among other publications. Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. 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. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. He will be sorely missed and his heart of gold will be remembered by all who new him. She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. 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. 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. Ex-FBI agent and later Howard Hughes aide Robert Maheu of Las Vegas was one of the primary go-betweens for Trafficante. Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. Santo Trafficante Jr. continued to develop his interests in Cuba serving as Luciano and Lanskys local liaison. In the early 20th Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. 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. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. He headed the . [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. [13] Trafficante said that he introduced the trio to Cuban exiles in Florida. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. In the 1960 presidential election, Kennedy family patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr. used his ties to organized crime to secure votes for his son, John F. Kennedy. From bolitaan illegal version of the now-legal Florida lotteryto narcotics, Tampas experience with organized crime is as notable as Chicagos or New Yorks. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. He has thought about it. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. 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 was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. 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. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. 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. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 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. 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. A few months later, two members of that group took the train to New York City to drum up support for a move against Santo. He escaped conviction all but once, receiving a five-year sentence for bribery in 1954, but his conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court before he entered prison. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. He has played golf with former New York Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles and former New York Islanders hockey player Clark Gillies. Trafficante took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. 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. We are one of them! 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! There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. 93461.". He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. Every so often I think of the Jekyll Island and White Lake, NC trip and laugh. Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. 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. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. They used to be my greatest friend," Trafficante says. It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. But considering the fiercely anti-Soviet atmosphere of the Cold War, its not that hard to believe. This browser does not support getting your location. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. "If my uncle knew I was talking to the press, Christ, he'd shoot me," Trafficante says, half-laughing. He maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented ties with powerful Mafia families he had established as a young man in New York, and ruthlessly put down any attempts to usurp his territory or power. 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. My prayers are with all of you. That was in part due to his lifestyle. 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Oops, we were unable to send the email. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. 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. 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. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. "Sam Gold" was Sam Giancana; "Joe" was Trafficante. [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. Josephine Marchese Trafficante, 95, died peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday morning at her home. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. "The Mob? A year later they had their first son, Frank, born on April 16, 1910. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. [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. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. I found on Findagrave.com. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. This is a carousel with slides. RIP Santo. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. He died on March 17, 1987. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Please reset your password. "He's very creative in terms of the combination of things he eats," Alessi says. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? 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. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. 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. Mobster Johnny Rosselli, who worked for both Trafficante and the Chicago Outfit, was another associate involved in the unsuccessful efforts to kill Castro and, according to some biographies, was the man who put Trafficante and Giancana together with Maheu. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. 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. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. Following his death, Mobster Vincent LoScalvo took over the Trafficante familys criminal network in Florida. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. 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. [14], The HSCA had previously quoted Aleman as stating that he thought Trafficante's use of the phrase "he is going to be hit" meant that the mob boss knew Kennedy was going to be killed. 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. gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. 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. 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. Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu.