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The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Other Mafia leaders, as well as newer organized crime networks, took over many of the rackets the family ran throughout the 20th Century. He maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented ties with powerful Mafia families he had established as a young man in New York, and ruthlessly put down any attempts to usurp his territory or power. He will be sorely missed and his heart of gold will be remembered by all who new him. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. Rosselli later claimed to be involved with or to actually be a shooter in a Mob conspiracy to kill President John F. Kennedy, and some accounts have Trafficante involved in the alleged, and unproven, conspiracy. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. I found on Findagrave.com. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Oops, something didn't work. 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. "[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. He was severed from that trial for medical reasons. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. They had three daughters, Antoinette born . Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: His abiding passion is food. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. 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. Husband of Private I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. 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. Love and peace to you all. Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. 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", 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. Fla. (AP), Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52792202/frank-cacciatore-trafficante, L'Unione Italiana Cemetery, Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr, Death of Santo Trafficante, Jr at Houston, TX. But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. 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. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. 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. As law enforcement pressure increased on the Mafia in the late 1940s, Santo, fearing. Our deepest condolences to the Trafficante family. Trafficante scrambled out the passenger-side door. 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. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. 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. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. He died on March 17, 1987. She was the Matriarch of the Trafficante Family; and we will all miss her presence, guidance, love and affection. 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. the daughter of immigrants from the Italian region of Basilicata. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. 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. Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. [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. [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. A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." 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. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. 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 was one of the FBIs targets in that case. He maintained all of the lucrative casinos in Cuba, further cemented, After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. Returning to Miami, he joined his father, managing some . Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. 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. I will always remember your perseverance, happiness and smiles at Marisa's wedding. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. His health had declined in his later years. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. 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 misses him, but she's making do. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. Try again later. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. ". Every so often I think of the Jekyll Island and White Lake, NC trip and laugh. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. Mobster dies, two nations. Failed to remove flower. My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. Robert Anderson aka The Killer Between 50 and 100 buildings were burned. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. [1] In 1997, further declassified documents indicated that some mafiosi worked with the agency on assassination attempts against Castro. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. You and Santo will always have a special place in my heart. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. Learn more about managing a memorial . Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. Chronicles of Events and Biographies Related to the American Mafia. We are one of them! 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. He escaped conviction all but once, receiving a five-year sentence for bribery in 1954, but his conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court before he entered prison. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesFrank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . The report was given to the District Attorney's office. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). I can answer any questions you . In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. The Shore Acres home is 2,350-square-feet with 10 rooms that Capone reputedly built in 1925 for his mother. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. 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. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. 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:. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. Thanks for your help! Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo. Send your deepest condolences with fresh flowers. Donnie Brasco. That was in part due to his lifestyle. "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. With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. based on information from your browser. As one of the most powerful mobsters in the US, Trafficante was invited to the Havana Conference in December 1946. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. You have been in pain too long. [21], Trafficante was summoned to court in 1986 and questioned about his involvement with the King's Court Bottle Club operated by members of the Bonanno crime family, including undercover FBI agent Joseph D. "Joe" Pistone, a.k.a. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? Bankruptcy court documents show that Trafficante is owed $500,000 by a business partner. He buys Jaguars for his two sons, hobnobs with sports stars on resort golf courses and occasionally flies to Miami for lunch at a favorite restaurant, the Rascal House. My prayers are with all of you. 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 . 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. [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. We never paid cash. "They wouldn't even let me go to the track. 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. 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. Trafficante Jr. was nonetheless a ruthless and old-school mob boss. Services will be followed by a graveside service at the Italian Club Cemetery and a reception at the family home. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida 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. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. 93461.". His son was turned away from a date's house and his daughter has been refused jobs. Now in his late 70s or early 80s, LoScalzo is reported to be retired. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante Phil Alessi, a childhood friend, marvels at Trafficante's taste and capacity. One of the last surviving mobsters from the Luciano era, he died of heart disease in a Houston, Texas, hospital in 1987. "When my uncle visited it was like a family reunion. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Sorry! Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 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 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. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. [11], In 1976, Cuban exile and FBI informant Jose Aleman told The Washington Post that in September 1962, Trafficante had offered him a loan of $1.5million to replace Aleman's three-story "ramshackle motel with a 12-story glass wonder. Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. Try again later. 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. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. "Even my uncle (Santo Jr.) told me, "Santo, why don't you change your name?' He offered to pay $150,000 to have Castro killed, but Roselli declined any pay and introduced Maheu to two men he referred to as "Sam Gold" and "Joe." 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. ). According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. President John. [5] He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. He was going to be hit.. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. 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. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. 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. 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. [15], Ragano also claimed that Trafficante, four days prior to his death, delivered a deathbed confession which suggested that Marcello was meant to assassinate Robert F. Kennedy instead of his brother, the President. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. Dr. Dennis Pupello was looking for heart disease, brought on by his overweight and diabetic patient's "voracious eating.". 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. The Trafficante family formed a strong alliance with the Batista government in Cuba and profited from their investments, although they never achieved the goal of dominating gambling on the island. While the plot never came to fruition, Trafficante later testified that he did help the CIA recruit other mobsters for the surreal plot. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery.