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. Valenti hired his son-in-law at the produce company and allowed him to name his own salary. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. A car registered to former state attorney and current state appellate judge E.J. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. [19] He claimed three witnesses could support his statement that he met Trafficante in Tampa, but refused to name them, adding: "One guy is afraid of retaliation. Trafficante scrambled out the passenger-side door. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. After a lifetime in organized crime, Trafficante Jr. died of national causes in 1987. Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. One of the last surviving mobsters from the Luciano era, he died of heart disease in a Houston, Texas, hospital in 1987. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. His sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. 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. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Please try again later. "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.". Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. He flew to Houston on March 15 for heart bypass surgery. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. 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. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. 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. 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. [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. 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. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". 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 enter your email and password to sign in. My heart goes out to the family. It never did exist.". Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 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. That horse won $161,080 for its new owners, according to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders Association. You have been in pain too long. His uncle, the late Santo Trafficante Jr., was reputed to have been the boss of the local Mafia. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. 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. Passing before her were her parents Antonino and Sarafina Marchese; her beloved husband Santo Trafficante Jr.; her son-in-law's Augie Paniello and Richard Valdes; and her brothers, Bennie Marchese, Tommy Marchese, and Peter Marchese. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. There are few indicators that the family is still an active crime network. "My kids suffered a lot by it," he says. 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:. By the time Prohibition and the Era of Blood ended, he was the top man in the Florida Mafia, operating with the blessing of exiled Mob boss Charlie Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello of the Five Families, and Meyer Lansky of the national Syndicate. The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. Learn more about managing a memorial . With deepest sympathy and love. A year later they had their first son, Frank, born on April 16, 1910. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. [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? She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. Resend Activation Email. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Make sure that the file is a photo. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. Geni requires JavaScript! Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. 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. That was in part due to his lifestyle. 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.. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. English Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. 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. As we all know, he was right, and Kennedy was assassinated by a sniper in November 1963. 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. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. When the CIA decided to recruit the Mob in their efforts to assassinate Fidel Castro, they went to see Trafficante. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. The guy really tried to do it right.". "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. Please reset your password. Learn more about merges. Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. A year has passed. All Rights Reserved. [1] In 1997, further declassified documents indicated that some mafiosi worked with the agency on assassination attempts against Castro. You've got to be a fool to marry wrong," he says. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. 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. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. Read free previews and reviews from booklovers. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Trafficante Sr. passed away four years later, leaving Jr. his Tampa and Cuba-based criminal empire. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. 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. My prayers are with all of you. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. 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. F. Kennedy not only failed to deliver on his promise to the mob but also actually put the Mafia under increasing pressure. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Santo Jr., who had inherited the leadership of the Tampa Mafia around 1950 when his father, Santo Sr., fell ill, had now completed his consolidation of power in Tampa and beyond. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. 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. Oops, something didn't work. At 76,. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. 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. Authorities said he leaked a list of suspects in the case and then lied about it. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas 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. 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. Donnie Brasco. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. 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. 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. 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. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Frank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. 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. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? Departed this Life May 13, 2015 Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. 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. They had three daughters, Antoinette born . Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. Verify and try again. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. 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. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. Family members linked to this person will appear here. He will be sorely missed and his heart of gold will be remembered by all who new him. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). Santos Trafficante Jr. was the son of Santos Trafficante Sr., who owned several casinos in Havana. He has thought about it. But once Kennedy actually entered the White House, he didnt live up to his end of the bargain. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. But according to declassified documents released in 1992, Santo Trafficante Jr. made a deathbed confession of his involvement in the Presidents murder. James Anthony Traficant Jr. (May 8, 1941 - September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Democrat, and later independent, member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio.He represented the 17th Congressional District, which centered on his hometown of Youngstown and included parts of three counties in northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley. She was born on March 24, 1920. 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. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. This account has been disabled. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. 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. 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. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(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. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. 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. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. ", 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. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. "[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. More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. Another bank sued Trafficante and his wife in October for repayment of a $100,000 promissory note. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. In 1950, the aging Trafficante Sr. began to slow down. Please check your entries and try again. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. TRAFFICANTE, Santo Jose, 72, of Tampa, passed away July 13, 2010, To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our, All my Love to the family Michael R. Tartaro. 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. "He's very creative in terms of the combination of things he eats," Alessi says. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. 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. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. There was an error deleting this problem. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. 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.
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