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! Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17 Santo Trafficante, Jr. - facebook.com During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Please check your email for further instructions. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. 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. Love and peace to you all. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. The mobster would later testify: I got news that Cuban officials were looking for to put me in jail because one of the things was that I was a Batista collaborator. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. 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. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? There was an error deleting this problem. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. department.". Despite all of this or, perhaps, because of it, a few writers and filmmakers have chosen to focus on organized crime, determined to give Tampa its due. wikipedia.en/Sam_Giancana.md at main chinapedia/wikipedia.en He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. And then there are the infinite conspiracy theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, many of them featuring Trafficante. 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. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Anthony Accardo & Santo Trafficante Jr - Labor Union Kickbacks 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. He was right, and when Castro took power in 1959, Trafficantes burgeoning gambling-and-drugs empire went under siege. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? Thanks for your help! In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. 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. [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., 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. Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. "[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. Bankruptcy court documents show that Trafficante is owed $500,000 by a business partner. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. 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. 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. 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. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. Learn more about merges. 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. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. That was in part due to his lifestyle. If the decision is upheld on appeal, charges against Trafficante may be dismissed. He sought treatment for stomach cancer and was ready to hand power over to a trusted lieutenant. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. 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. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. Try again later. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. With deepest sympathy and love. Forget everything you think you know about Tampa mafia wives and girlfriends in the 1950s. 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. Notoriety comes with family name - Tampa Bay Times Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. Trafficante was one of the last surviving members of the original Luciano mob era upon his death, and the truth behind the JFK assassination may have perhaps died with him. Santo TRAFFICANTE Obituary (2010) - Tampa, FL - TBO.com My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. He was going to be hit.. A year later they had their first son, Frank, born on April 16, 1910. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. "I'm in the I.O.U. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. He owned a West Tampa restaurant called Cafe Sevilla. Departed this Life May 13, 2015 Share Santo's life story with friends and family. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. Geni requires JavaScript! To use this feature, use a newer browser. Please try again later. Trafficante crime family - Wikipedia 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 . While he had several close calls with law enforcement including the famed FBI, Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. He will always be remembered with fondness. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. 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. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. Santo Trafficante Jr. Learns About Sonny Franzese Husband of Private Santo Trafficante, Jr (1914 - 1987) - Genealogy - geni family tree After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. (1914-1987) - Find a Grave Memorial 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 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. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. 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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. [13] During his testimony, Trafficante also admitted for the first time that he had worked with the CIA from 1960 to 1961 for an attempt to poison Castro but stated that his role was only as an interpreter between CIA officials and Cuban exiles. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. As such, Trafficante Sr. controlled gambling rackets for bolita, a lottery game popular in Florida and Cuba, until 1940 when the murder of Tampa boss Ignacio Antinori pushed the Trafficantes to assume ultimate power in the Florida underworld. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. 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. 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. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. 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. 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. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. based on information from your browser. Brother of Frank Cacciatore Trafficante; Private and Private. 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. 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. ". After a lifetime in organized crime, Trafficante Jr. died of national causes in 1987. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. 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. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. 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. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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. 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. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. Santos Trafficante Jr. was the son of Santos Trafficante Sr., who owned several casinos in Havana. Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Spoiled by mobsters, Meyer Lansky's daughter recalls family men, not 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. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. 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. 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. His uncle, the late Santo Trafficante Jr., was reputed to have been the boss of the local Mafia.
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