[2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. A A. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. There was an error deleting this problem. He wears tasselled leather loafers without socks. Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. [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. And all this occurred throughout seven Sylvia at age 12 and her father Jimmy Velasco in California, June 1948 Jimmy Velasco was a political fixer. Pallbearers are Augie Castellana, Sam Paniello, Christopher Paniello, Anthony B. Marchese, Peter Marchese Jr., Ian Cordell, Don Smith, Frank Pancho Trafficante, John Castellana, and Dr. Santo Paniello. He was, in many ways, the archetypical old-school Mob boss. 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. 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. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. His business ventures have not always been successful. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. He headed the . [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. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". Trafficante took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. 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. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. Read free previews and reviews from booklovers. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. 2023, Tampa Mafia. It was all on the up and up. 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. 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. Sorry! He was known as an organized crimes figure. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Year should not be greater than current year. 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. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. Search above to list available cemeteries. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). At 76,. Weve updated the security on the site. He drove a forklift for 20 years. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! Try again later. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Try again later. By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The original Malio's Restaurant located on South Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Josephine Marchese Trafficante 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. 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. Robert Anderson aka The Killer Between 50 and 100 buildings were burned. The people of Tampa, especially the ones still around to remember those days still feel a duty of sorts to keep quite of these things, as if these people are still amongst us and can hear our chatter. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. I will always remember your perseverance, happiness and smiles at Marisa's wedding. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central, Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. 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. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". "Banks are my greatest enemy. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. 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. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? 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. We never paid cash. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. [13] Trafficante said that he introduced the trio to Cuban exiles in Florida. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Make sure that the file is a photo. He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. At Boxer Cycle Works. His uncle, the late Santo Trafficante Jr., was reputed to have been the boss of the local Mafia. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. 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. A system error has occurred. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. Fla. (AP), Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52792202/frank-cacciatore-trafficante, L'Unione Italiana Cemetery, Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr, Death of Santo Trafficante, Jr at Houston, TX. That horse won $161,080 for its new owners, according to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders Association. [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. Our thoughts and prayers with you. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. 93461.". Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. It never did exist.". The report was given to the District Attorney's office. Try again. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. This is a carousel with slides. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. There was a problem getting your location. 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. 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. 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. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. 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. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. 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. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. You'll learn about bolita, the rumored tunnels of Ybor, and the Era of Blood. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. 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. "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". The chairman cited a confession from Roselli that Trafficantes allies organized a sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, to take out the President. 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. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. Failed to report flower. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. Oops, we were unable to send the email. In 1954, Santo Sr. died of natural causes (at a time when some of his remaining rivals were still being violently dispatched), and his son took over leadership of the crime family. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. He maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented, After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. please know that i am praying for you and your family. . Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. 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. He dressed nicely but not ostentatiously, and his choice of cars was never flashy. [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. But before Trafficante testified, someone conveniently killed Roselli. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. But he was also the most powerful crime boss in pre-Castro Cuba, with influence that extended into Florida and the rest of the United States. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: 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 then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. Trafficantes father was the lucky survivor of what was called the Era of Blood, when rival gangs based in Tampa fought for control of Prohibition-era nightclubs and, crucially, the local numbers rackets called bolitas. Battling Mob rivals in South Florida essentially weakened each other financially and, through murder, the number of available soldiers. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. His luck has not improved recently. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. Failed to delete memorial. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. 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. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. 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. They never returned. 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. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. 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. That was in part due to his lifestyle. "[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. gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. Try again later. 12 talking about this. 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. "[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. Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas He is hardly the "Dapper Don." 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. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. [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. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. One bank filed suit in November against him and a business partner, alleging that they defaulted on an $85,000 loan for a piece of property. Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Let others know about your loved one's death. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). 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. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the
Done button to see the photos in the gallery. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. Batista let Trafficante and other mobsters build as many casinos and hotels as they wanted in exchange for a cash kickback. With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. Desr Gerry, please know that I am thinking of you and never forget the kindness bestowed on me in my difficult time but especially the generosity and affection shown to my daughter and grandson. You have been in pain too long. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. President John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. His sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. They had three daughters, Antoinette born . "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. The next son was Luigi Santo Trafficante Jr. (his namesake and future Mafia boss), born on November 15, 1914. He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. His health had declined in his later years. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. Or does he just look like one? 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. My ex-wife Erline Lazzara was a childhood friend you might remember. With over 30 years experience in the field of Mechanics, I will work with you on a personal basis, I will discuss with you your specific needs pertaining to your motorcycle. [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. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. When he applied to the state for a parimutuel license that would allow him to race his horses at Tampa Bay Downs, he was refused. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. She was born on March 24, 1920. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. Husband of Private She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. Donnie Brasco. Oops, something didn't work. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Failed to remove flower. Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. 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. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. department.". 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.
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