It was clear that federal and local law enforcement had an acute interest in the Trafficante family. His son was turned away from a date's house and his daughter has been refused jobs. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante My prayers are with all of you. Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida. My ex-wife Erline Lazzara was a childhood friend you might remember. He will always be remembered with fondness. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! As Jimmy Hoffas former lawyer Frank Ragano would later recall, Jimmy told me to tell [New Orleans boss Carlos] Marcello and Trafficante they had to kill the president. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". Oops, we were unable to send the email. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. 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. 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. Make sure that the file is a photo. "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". This account has been disabled. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. 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? Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesFrank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. Trafficante was apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. He headed the Trafficante crime family and controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Reputedly the most powerful crime boss in Batista -era Cuba, he . 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. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. Please check your email for further instructions. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. When his father died in 1954 he took control of these establishments. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. 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.. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. It was all on the up and up. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. Try again. [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. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. 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. 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. On March 17, 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72 at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston where he had gone for heart surgery. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. 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. There was a problem getting your location. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. 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. Trafficante was jailed and deported when Fidel Castro rose to power, leading him to spend a good portion of his adult life hatching a plan of revenge. 93461.". When the CIA decided to recruit the Mob in their efforts to assassinate Fidel Castro, they went to see Trafficante. 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. A A. The investigators were looking for proof of drug-money laundering. Sorry! Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. 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. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. Verify and try again. A year later they had their first son, Frank, born on April 16, 1910. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. "They wouldn't even let me go to the track. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. English 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. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 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. It was also rumored that Santos was involved in a Mafia plot to kill President John F. Kennedy, though he denied there was any such conspiracy. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. 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. 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. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. 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. Instead of Italian suits, he wears horizontally striped golf shirts. Meanwhile, he continued to make money from the drugs that came through Tampa. 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! According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. department.". And as for the rest of the Trafficante Crime family? Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. 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. ", 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. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. 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. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. This is a carousel with slides. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. [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. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. It never did exist.". Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. 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. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. 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. 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. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. "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. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. Trafficante along with 56 other mobsters was arrested in New York while discussing what to do about the recent death of Gambino family head, Albert Anastasia. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. Honorary Pallbearers are Joe Castellana, Malio Iavarone, FrankCookie Fava, Antonino Marchese, Derek Iavarone, Frank Albano, Drew Smith, Joey Hunt, Michael Sierra, Tony Marchese, Peter Albano, Mario Pullara, Frank Miranda, Dino Trafficante, and Joseph Trafficante. 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. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. Seven people were murdered. Love and peace to you all. She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. He was, in many ways, the archetypical old-school Mob boss. 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. 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. Email [email protected]. He died on March 17, 1987. Under pressure of a court order granting him immunity from prosecution, but threatening him with contempt if he refused to talk, Santos admitted to a Congressional committee in 1975 that he had in the early 1960s recruited other mobsters to assassinate Castro.
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