Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. "[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. Trafficante was apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesFrank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. RIP Santo. So, who was this so-called Silent Don who wielded enough power to allegedly kill the President? 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Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr. [13] On September 27, 1978, Aleman reiterated to HSCA investigators that Trafficante had complained to him for hours in June or July 1963 about Kennedy's crackdown on organized crime at a meeting to discuss a business loan. 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. Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. [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. Year should not be greater than current year. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. 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. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. Claiming association with the CIA, Roselli knew of Trafficantes vendetta and told his new pal that the U.S. government also wanted to take down Castros Communist regime. Please check your entries and try again. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. 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. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. In 1950, the aging Trafficante Sr. began to slow down. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). 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,. He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. 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. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 You have been in pain too long. Geni requires JavaScript! 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. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. "My kids suffered a lot by it," he says. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. [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. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. His abiding passion is food. Phil Alessi, a childhood friend, marvels at Trafficante's taste and capacity. He allegedly controlled organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba 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. Don Santo Trafficante Jr was one of the last of the old-time American Mafia bosses in the United States. You can always change this later in your Account settings. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. And then there are the infinite conspiracy theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, many of them featuring Trafficante. 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. Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. He had a big heart and will be missed. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. 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. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo. [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. 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 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. Trafficante scrambled out the passenger-side door. 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. 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. 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. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. The chairman cited a confession from Roselli that Trafficantes allies organized a sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, to take out the President. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? That was in part due to his lifestyle. He died on March 17, 1987. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. 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. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. President John. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. As one of the most powerful mobsters in the US, Trafficante was invited to the Havana Conference in December 1946. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. Passing before her were her parents Antonino and Sarafina Marchese; her beloved husband Santo Trafficante Jr.; her son-in-law's Augie Paniello and Richard Valdes; and her brothers, Bennie Marchese, Tommy Marchese, and Peter Marchese. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. He owned a West Tampa restaurant called Cafe Sevilla. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. The investigators were looking for proof of drug-money laundering. Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. Other Mafia leaders, as well as newer organized crime networks, took over many of the rackets the family ran throughout the 20th Century. "[1][13] He stated that he was positive that he did not say it because he always spoke to Aleman in Spanish, and said that there was no way to state the phrase in Spanish. please know that i am praying for you and your family. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. [15] He repeated the claim two days later on ABC's Good Morning America,[16] in Newfield's Frontline report entitled JFK, Hoffa and Mob broadcast in November 1992,[17] and again in his 1994 autobiography Mob Lawyer. More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. But once Kennedy actually entered the White House, he didnt live up to his end of the bargain. "They wouldn't even let me go to the track. Conspiracy theorists consider Giancana along with Mafia leaders Santo Trafficante Jr. and Carlos Marcello associated with the assassination of Kennedy. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. My aim is to provide you with the best Service experience for you and your motorcycle. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. Add to your scrapbook. The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. 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. 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 . So is Santo Jose Trafficante III a mobster? He was married to his wife for 49 years. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. Verify and try again. The east coast of Florida was a loosely knit conglomerate of New York family interests with links to Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Angelo Bruno, Carlos Marcello, and Frank Ragano. Santo Trafficante Jr., one of the last of the old-time reputed Mafia dons, who was reportedly enlisted in 1960 in a futile effort to kill Fidel Castro, has died at the age of 72. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. 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 took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr.