Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. If the decision is upheld on appeal, charges against Trafficante may be dismissed. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. One of the last surviving mobsters from the Luciano era, he died of heart disease in a Houston, Texas, hospital in 1987. 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. It was clear that federal and local law enforcement had an acute interest in the Trafficante family. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. santo trafficante daughters - shantisrl.com The international narcotics trade was also an important topic on the Apalachin agenda. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. 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. Our deepest condolences to the Trafficante family. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. 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. The Shore Acres home is 2,350-square-feet with 10 rooms that Capone reputedly built in 1925 for his mother. Father of Private and Private 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. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. Scott M. Deitche, Mob Museum Advisory Council member and mob http://www.scottdeitche.com/books.htmlauthor of Tampa's favorite books, Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld & The Silent Don: The Criminal Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jror Manny Leto, previous Editor of Cigar City Magazine and Tampa historian, will guide you on a 1.5 -2 hour walking tour to old gambling palaces, street corners, and alleys where some mobsters met their demise, and restaurants where wise guys, like famed boss Santo Trafficante Jr, held court. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. He had a big heart and will be missed. Seven people were murdered. He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. At Boxer Cycle Works. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. 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. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. A year has passed. His luck has not improved recently. While the plot never came to fruition, Trafficante later testified that he did help the CIA recruit other mobsters for the surreal plot. Santo Jr. was indicted several times through the 1950s but was convicted only once, on state charges in 1954 for bribery, and that conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. There is a problem with your email/password. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. 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. 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. When Fidel Castro began his ascent to power in the 1950s, Santo Trafficante feared the radical Marxist revolutionary wouldnt cooperate with him. Departed this Life May 13, 2015 Year should not be greater than current year. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida "Banks are my greatest enemy. The Internal Revenue Service tried to collect $400,000 in back taxes owed on the business, saying it had not been run as business eligible for tax write-offs, but a hobby. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. Santo Trafficante Jr - Mafia Facts Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The investigators were looking for proof of drug-money laundering. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. Indeed, he owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in foreclosures to local banks, which he says treat him "like I had leprosy" because of Key Bank. 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. 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. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia Commons. President John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. At 76,. Learn more about managing a memorial . And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. Every so often I think of the Jekyll Island and White Lake, NC trip and laugh. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. RIP Santo. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). You can always change this later in your Account settings. 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. Sign up for service and obituary updates. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. Trafficante maintained links to the Bonanno crime family in New York City, but was more closely allied with Sam Giancana in Chicago. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". 93461.". He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. [14] He stated that he was concerned for his safety and was not certain that he had ever correctly heard or understood Trafficante's comment. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. He was accused of making false financial statements for loans he used to invest in his citrus business, to purchase luxury cars and to buy a beach condo. 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. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. In this episode, we will discuss the fascinating life of Tampa's most powerful mobster: Santo Trafficante Jr. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. Try again later. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. Please try again later. Returning to Miami, he joined his father, managing some . He headed the . It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. please know that i am praying for you and your family. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. 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. 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. 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. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. For the U.S. government, it was a classic case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. We cant help ourselves when it comes to watching mob films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, Casino and HBOs Boardwalk Empire and the iconic cable TV show, The Sopranos. 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. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). Scott M. Deitche is the author of six books on organized crime, including a biography of Santo Trafficante Jr., and has written dozens of articles on organized crime for magazines and newspapers. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Santo Trafficante Jr. Learns About Sonny Franzese She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. Several were wounded. This is a carousel with slides. He was going to be hit.. Phil Alessi, a childhood friend, marvels at Trafficante's taste and capacity. He grimaces at the thought that the rumor has persisted so long. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. And as for the rest of the Trafficante Crime family? 12 talking about this. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Services will be followed by a graveside service at the Italian Club Cemetery and a reception at the family home. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. 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 American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. 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. As a leading member of the syndicate, he also was suspected of having behind-the-scenes interests in other syndicate-owned Cuban casinos: the Hotel Habana Riviera, the Tropicana Club, the Sevilla-Biltmore, the Capri Hotel Casino, the Commodoro, the Deauville, and the Havana Hilton. Try again later. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. 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. Geni requires JavaScript! 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. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. Thanks for subscribing! Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. 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. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. Fine food, and lots of it. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Please reset your password. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. Josephine Trafficante Obituary - Tampa, FL He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 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. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. 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. A Drive-By Historical Tour of Tampa's Notorious Wise Guys the daughter of immigrants from the Italian region of Basilicata. 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. We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. "My wife's got money. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. 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.: The Florida Godfather Who Tried To Kill Castro [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. Santo TRAFFICANTE Obituary (2010) - Tampa, FL - TBO.com Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17 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. He wears tasselled leather loafers without socks. 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. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. Images of America Series de libros - eBooks | Rakuten Kobo Mxico [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. ", 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. We send our most sincere sympathies to the Trafficante family. Please enter your email and password to sign in. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . English A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. She was born on March 24, 1920. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. Family members linked to this person will appear here. In fact, Florida had the dubious distinction of being home to a decades-old Mafia criminal network: the Trafficante Family. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. [9][10] The CIA and the Mafia had a common enemy in Castro, a communist revolutionary who had shut down Cuba's lucrative casino businesses. The elder Trafficante set up illegal casinos in Cuba in the 1940s, which were sanctioned by Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. My prayers are with all of you. 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. 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.. There was an error deleting this problem. "The Mob? Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. [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. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida. Josephine Marchese Trafficante Still, theres a fine line between exploring a topic and glorifying it. Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Now in his late 70s or early 80s, LoScalzo is reported to be retired. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. A car registered to former state attorney and current state appellate judge E.J. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. 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. [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. GREAT NEWS! Resend Activation Email. Anthony Accardo & Santo Trafficante Jr - Labor Union Kickbacks 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. - Wikipedia 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. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. The guy really tried to do it right.". I found on Findagrave.com. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. He allegedly controlled organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba 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. Santo Trafficante, Reputed Mafia Chief, Dies at 72 Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 He was severed from that trial for medical reasons. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958.
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