F. Kennedy not only failed to deliver on his promise to the mob but also actually put the Mafia under increasing pressure. 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. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. He grimaces at the thought that the rumor has persisted so long. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. She misses him, but she's making do. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Learn more about managing a memorial . 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. And then there are the infinite conspiracy theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, many of them featuring Trafficante. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 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. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. "I was going to ask him to come over and try our beignets to see how they compare to the Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans," Alessi says. I think it was a case of mistaken identity.. It was clear that federal and local law enforcement had an acute interest in the Trafficante family. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. 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. [1] In 1997, further declassified documents indicated that some mafiosi worked with the agency on assassination attempts against Castro. He was, in many ways, the archetypical old-school Mob boss. 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. 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. All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. I will never forget him as a fellow stroke survivor. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. There is a problem with your email/password. Please check your entries and try again. Love, Jimmy Schaffer. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. 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. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. Trafficante Jr. was nonetheless a ruthless and old-school mob boss. Peter Moruzzi/Wikimedia Commons The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. 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. 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. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. 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. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. She is now living in Virginia. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. 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. He dressed nicely but not ostentatiously, and his choice of cars was never flashy. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. Try again later. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. 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. 2023, Tampa Mafia. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. [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. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. U.S. Treasury Department documents indicate that law enforcement believed Trafficante's legitimate business interests to include several legal casinos in Cuba; a Havana drive-in movie theater; and shares in several restaurants and bars in Trafficante's hometown of Tampa, Florida. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. Robert Anderson aka The Killer Between 50 and 100 buildings were burned. based on information from your browser. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. "I thought I could just go down to (former Hillsborough State Attorney) Bill James and (Assistant State Attorney) Lee Atkinson and explain it all away in 15 minutes.". I found on Findagrave.com. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. [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. 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. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. [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. All Rights Reserved. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. But according to declassified documents released in 1992, Santo Trafficante Jr. made a deathbed confession of his involvement in the Presidents murder. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. 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. Trafficante maintained links to the Bonanno crime family in New York City, but was more closely allied with Sam Giancana in Chicago. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. President John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. 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,. 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. At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. 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. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! [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. 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. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. Pallbearers are Augie Castellana, Sam Paniello, Christopher Paniello, Anthony B. Marchese, Peter Marchese Jr., Ian Cordell, Don Smith, Frank Pancho Trafficante, John Castellana, and Dr. Santo Paniello. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: 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. 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. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. I will always remember your perseverance, happiness and smiles at Marisa's wedding. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. [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. 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. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Trafficante had now not only lost an ally but a significant portion of his income as his casinos were closed by the Marxist revolutionary. 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.. Santo Trafficante, Sr., the powerful Trafficante crime family's patriarch, was born on May 28, 1886, in Alexandria Della Rocca, Sicily. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Donnie Brasco. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. There are few indicators that the family is still an active crime network. But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. 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. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA.
Patricia Richards Selecthealth,
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer Dynasty,
Dukes Semi Pro Actor,
Articles S