REPUTED FLORIDA GODFATHER TRAFFICANTE, 72, DIES - Sun Sentinel But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. 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. Husband of Private Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. Dr. Dennis Pupello was looking for heart disease, brought on by his overweight and diabetic patient's "voracious eating.". So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. 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. Make sure that the file is a photo. 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. It was clear that federal and local law enforcement had an acute interest in the Trafficante family. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. 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. Oops, something didn't work. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. Visitation will take place on Saturday, May 16th, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, with service to follow at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL. All Rights Reserved. Welcome to Boxer Cycle Works. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. 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. That was in part due to his lifestyle. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. santo trafficante daughters - shantisrl.com "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. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. 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. I think it was a case of mistaken identity.. [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 sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. 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 has been featured on the History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, AHC, Oxygen Network and many local and national news shows. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. Instead of Italian suits, he wears horizontally striped golf shirts. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Many of the familys gangsters were in prison, or too old to be effective. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? He is hardly the "Dapper Don." In this episode, we will discuss the fascinating life of Tampa's most powerful mobster: Santo Trafficante Jr. [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. We have set your language to He drove a forklift for 20 years. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. We never paid cash. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. 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. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Trafficante scrambled out the passenger-side door. ). The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. 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. "I don't go to the bank and make all these billion-dollar deposits," he says. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. Forget everything you think you know about Tampa mafia wives and girlfriends in the 1950s. 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. When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. Mobster dies, two nations. The chairman cited a confession from Roselli that Trafficantes allies organized a sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, to take out the President. Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. 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. With deepest sympathy and love. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. And as for the rest of the Trafficante Crime family? Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! 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. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. 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. This browser does not support getting your location. [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. The mafiosos that made up the family are either retired, in prison, or have died due to old age. Love, Jimmy Schaffer. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. She is now living in Virginia. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. 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. To add further credence to this theory of JFKs assassination, famed prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi (who also wrote the infamous true crime novel on the Manson Family, Helter Skelter), who penned Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, quoted a witness who said that New Orleans boss Marcello had quipped: The dog [JFK] will keep biting you if you only cut off its tail [RFK]., The final piece of evidence for the theory that Santo Trafficante was involved in JFKs assassination was a witness who reported that the mobster had once said himself that JFK not going to make it to the [1964] election. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). 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 Trafficante Senior died in 1954. You have been in pain too long. They used to be my greatest friend," Trafficante says. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Robert Anderson aka The Killer Between 50 and 100 buildings were burned. Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. In fact, Florida had the dubious distinction of being home to a decades-old Mafia criminal network: the Trafficante Family. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. 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. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. His business ventures have not always been successful. 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. I found on Findagrave.com. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. ", 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. Trafficante was arrested again in 1957 for attending the famous Apalachin summit of Mob leaders in New York, but those charges were dropped. He had a big heart and will be missed. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. In the early 20th Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Santo Trafficante Jr. - IMDb Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his father's footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. 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. In the 1950s, Tampas reputation for corruption and vice was so bad it prompted one national magazine to label the area the Hell Hole of the Gulf Coast. Given such negativity, who can blame people for just wanting to forget? Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. [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. Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. 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. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. Sign up for service and obituary updates. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia Commons. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. TAMPA CRIME BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN THRILLER MAFIA SPIES. Despite his arrest, Trafficante managed to escape charges and continue to fly under the laws radar. At 76,. He will always be remembered with fondness. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. It was all on the up and up. Brother of Frank Cacciatore Trafficante; Private and Private. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. 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. He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). "He's very creative in terms of the combination of things he eats," Alessi says. An editor and public historian, Carly Silver has written for Smithsonian, Narratively, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and Archaeology, among other publications. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Try again later. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. They never returned. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. The people of Tampa, especially the ones still around to remember those days still feel a duty of sorts to keep quite of these things, as if these people are still amongst us and can hear our chatter. This is a carousel with slides. Santo Trafficante, Jr (1914 - 1987) - Genealogy - geni family tree "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". 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. Alongside Chicago boss Sam Giancana, Roselli and Trafficante came up with some truly insane plots to kill Fidel Castro. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. Other Mafia leaders, as well as newer organized crime networks, took over many of the rackets the family ran throughout the 20th Century. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. 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. 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. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. If the decision is upheld on appeal, charges against Trafficante may be dismissed. The Trafficante Family - American Mafia History Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. 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. English 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. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. 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. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. 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 think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. Santo Trafficante Jr - Mafia Facts [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. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Sam Giancana - Wikipedia 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. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. A system error has occurred. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. She was born on March 24, 1920. He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. After months of wiretapped phone conversations, investigators seized boxloads of documents, some with Trafficante's name on them. He dressed nicely but not ostentatiously, and his choice of cars was never flashy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. In 1957 he was suspected of involvement in the barbershop slaying of Albert Anastasia, the . Indeed, some people would rather not dwell on the less-than-noble aspects of our local history. Another bank sued Trafficante and his wife in October for repayment of a $100,000 promissory note. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. 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. [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. TAMPA The daughter sits on the front porch of a little bungalow in Seminole Heights, her new home since her husband died a few months ago down south. She was the Matriarch of the Trafficante Family; and we will all miss her presence, guidance, love and affection. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu. They raided my apartment, they were looking for money, they tore up all the furniture, they used to come and get me at nighttime, take me out in the woods, trying to tell where I had my money, this and that, until I finally went into hiding.. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. This account has been disabled. 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.
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Why Am I Suddenly Allergic To Toilet Paper, Articles S