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 first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. When his father died in 1954 he took control of these establishments. During the rule of Cuba's authoritarian dictator Fulgencio Batista, Trafficante openly operated the Sans Souci Cabaret and the Casino International gambling establishments in Havana. And as for the rest of the Trafficante Crime family? Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. 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. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. He has been featured on the History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, AHC, Oxygen Network and many local and national news shows. love gloria "owens" hill. 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. Make sure that the file is a photo. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. 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. Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. Pupello determined that his diabetic patient's arteries were healthy. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. 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! During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. 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. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. 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. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Italian Club of Tampa Cemetery Fund, 1731 East 7th Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. He has thought about it. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. Santo Trafficante Jr. continued to develop his interests in Cuba serving as Luciano and Lanskys local liaison. 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. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). 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. 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. 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. [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. [14], After a grant of immunity from prosecution, Trafficante testified before the HSCA the following day, September 28, and denied the allegation that he told Aleman that "Kennedy was going to be hit. Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu. 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. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. 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. But once Kennedy actually entered the White House, he didnt live up to his end of the bargain. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. [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? After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17 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. James Traficant - Wikipedia Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. 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. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. In 1965, Giancana was convicted of contempt of court, serving one year in prison. Josephine Marchese Trafficante, 95, died peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday morning at her home. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. In this episode, we will discuss the fascinating life of Tampa's most powerful mobster: Santo Trafficante Jr. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. 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. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. Search above to list available cemeteries. cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. At Boxer Cycle Works. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. 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. My heart goes out to the family. 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. Read free previews and reviews from booklovers. Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, to Sicilian parents Santo Trafficante Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore in 1914. Learn more about managing a memorial . In the early 1980s Trafficante was ensnared in two major cases that could have sent the aging don to prison for the first time in his life, apart from his time in the Triscornia detention camp in Cuba following Castros takeover in 1959. Father of Private and Private Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. She was born on March 24, 1920. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. In 1959, the Cuban Revolution toppled the corrupt Batista government and the rebel leader, Fidel Castro, nationalized foreign-owned properties and shuttered the casinos, a huge financial blow to Trafficante, who was second only to Meyer Lansky in the depth of his investments in Havana. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. Fifteen years following the assassination, Trafficante testified in front of the United States House Select Committee on the murder of JFK in exchange for immunity. However, LoScalzo was nonetheless able to expand the families criminal reach into new locations across Florida, and took advantage of alliances with other Mafia families to ensure the mob maintained its hold on criminal activities. Please check your email for further instructions. Organized Crime Figure. There was a problem getting your location. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. 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. Try again later. 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. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. 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 . "[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. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. 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. She is now living in Virginia. More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. He was married to his wife for 49 years. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family.
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