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The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. 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. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. [13], On January 14, 1992, Trafficante's former attorney, Frank Ragano, told Jack Newfield of the New York Post that he relayed a request from Hoffa to Trafficante and New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello to have Kennedy killed. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. "If my uncle knew I was talking to the press, Christ, he'd shoot me," Trafficante says, half-laughing. Husband of Private In the mid-2000s, he would say he was a legitimate businessman, citing, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo - De Facto Boss of the Chicago Outfit, Giacomo Black Jack Tocco - Last of the Old School Detroit Partnership, Joseph Iacobacci - "Joe Loose" of the Cleveland Mob, John "Sonny" Franzese - A Colombo Family Legend. 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. 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. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. Our prayers are with you. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. 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. It never did exist.". View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida You have chosen this person to be their own family member. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 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. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. "They wouldn't even let me go to the track. 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. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. There was an error deleting this problem. 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. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Other Mafia leaders, as well as newer organized crime networks, took over many of the rackets the family ran throughout the 20th Century. 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 . "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. 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 have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. The seeds for Trafficantes most interesting historical chapter were planted, as the mobster would go on to have a well-established relationship with the CIA in an ongoing effort to assassinate Castro. 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. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. [13] Trafficante also stated that he had no recollection of meeting Oswald or Oswald's assassin, Jack Ruby. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. "But then you get into alias this and alias that and when they get you in court, you probably just create more problems," he says. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." 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. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. 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. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. In 1965, Giancana was convicted of contempt of court, serving one year in prison. After months of wiretapped phone conversations, investigators seized boxloads of documents, some with Trafficante's name on them. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. But considering the fiercely anti-Soviet atmosphere of the Cold War, its not that hard to believe. 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. He dressed nicely but not ostentatiously, and his choice of cars was never flashy. The Unbelievable Story Of Richard Lee McNair The Man Who Mailed Himself Out Of Prison, What JFK's Mob-Affiliated Mistress May Have Known About His Assassination, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Several were wounded. "I thought all this would end when my uncle died. That was in part due to his lifestyle. A A. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. She was the Matriarch of the Trafficante Family; and we will all miss her presence, guidance, love and affection. Try again later. 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. Santo Trafficante 5 10 (1.78 m) Born November 15, 1914 Tampa, Florida, USA Died March 17, 1987 Spouse Josephine Marchese April 17, 1938 - March 17, 1987 (his death, 2 children) Publicity listings 2 Portrayals Did you know Edit Trivia Represented by Frank Ragano. He was going to be hit.. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. An editor and public historian, Carly Silver has written for Smithsonian, Narratively, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and Archaeology, among other publications. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. 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. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. [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. please know that i am praying for you and your family. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. [18] According to Ragano, he met Hoffa at the Teamsters' headquarters in Washington, DC, then delivered the message to Trafficante and Marcello in a meeting at the Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. Oops, we were unable to send the email. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. We never paid cash. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. The elder Trafficante set up illegal casinos in Cuba in the 1940s, which were sanctioned by Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. 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. 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. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. One of the last surviving mobsters from the Luciano era, he died of heart disease in a Houston, Texas, hospital in 1987. the daughter of immigrants from the Italian region of Basilicata. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. 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 . Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. 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. When his father died in 1954 he took control of these establishments. based on information from your browser. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. 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. Trafficante took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Donnie Brasco. Try again later. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. 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. 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. Organized Crime Figure. 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 Jr. was nonetheless a ruthless and old-school mob boss. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. His abiding passion is food. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. 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. English Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? [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. With deepest sympathy and love. Another bank sued Trafficante and his wife in October for repayment of a $100,000 promissory note. Read free previews and reviews from booklovers. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. ". Santo Trafficante, Sr., the powerful Trafficante crime family's patriarch, was born on May 28, 1886, in Alexandria Della Rocca, Sicily. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Learn more about merges. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: Don Santo Trafficante Jr was one of the last of the old-time American Mafia bosses in the United States. Nicknames: The Silent Don Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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:. He has thought about it. I will never forget him as a fellow stroke survivor. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. Try again later. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. 2023, Tampa Mafia. He wears tasselled leather loafers without socks. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Despite his arrest, Trafficante managed to escape charges and continue to fly under the laws radar. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. You have been in pain too long. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. A native and lifelong resident of Tampa, Mr. Traffi-cante is survived by his loving family, wife, Geraldine "Gerry" L. Trafficante; sons, Dino Jose and Joseph Frank Trafficante; daughters,. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . 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. The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. 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. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. It was all on the up and up. As law enforcement pressure increased on the Mafia in the late 1940s, Santo, fearing. He allegedly controlled organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba [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. [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. 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. Mobster Johnny Rosselli, who worked for both Trafficante and the Chicago Outfit, was another associate involved in the unsuccessful efforts to kill Castro and, according to some biographies, was the man who put Trafficante and Giancana together with Maheu. 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 CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. Let others know about your loved one's death. Please reset your password. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. 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. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. department.". His son was turned away from a date's house and his daughter has been refused jobs. 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. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. While he had several close calls with law enforcement including the famed FBI Donnie Brasco investigation he never spent a single day of his life in jail. 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. When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there.