Oops, something didn't work. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. He flew to Houston on March 15 for heart bypass surgery. A A. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. [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 CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. 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. He has been featured on the History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, AHC, Oxygen Network and many local and national news shows. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. But according to declassified documents released in 1992, Santo Trafficante Jr. made a deathbed confession of his involvement in the Presidents murder. Every so often I think of the Jekyll Island and White Lake, NC trip and laugh. Weve updated the security on the site. Year should not be greater than current year. I laughed _ until I realized it was a total f------ disaster," Trafficante says. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central, Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. Or does he just look like one? 93461.". Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Departed this Life May 13, 2015 Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. The charges of bank fraud against Trafficante and more than a dozen bank employees and customers may well be dismissed. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Please enter your email and password to sign in. The guy really tried to do it right.". tampa crime boss santo trafficante jr plays a central role in thriller 'mafia spies' Bolita , Mob Hits , Scott M. Deitche , Tampa Mafia SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A 'Sicilian of the Old School,' RULED TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! [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. Learn more about managing a memorial . She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. He grimaces at the thought that the rumor has persisted so long. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. 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.. Seven people were murdered. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. A year has passed. Our thoughts and prayers with you. After months of wiretapped phone conversations, investigators seized boxloads of documents, some with Trafficante's name on them. He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. 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. His sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. Please reset your password. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in. 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. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. When his father died in 1954 he took control of these establishments. This is a carousel with slides. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. [13] Trafficante said that he introduced the trio to Cuban exiles in Florida. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. Sorry! The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. Published: March 15th, 2017 - By Scott M. Deitche, Contributing Writer, Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17, El Chapos lawyers complain about strict rules at New York prison. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Organized Crime Figure. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Santo Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. 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. [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. Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. 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In fact, Florida had the dubious distinction of being home to a decades-old Mafia criminal network: the Trafficante Family. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Returning to Miami, he joined his father, managing some . Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. "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. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante That horse won $161,080 for its new owners, according to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders Association. He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? Please check your email for further instructions. However, LoScalzo was nonetheless able to expand the families criminal reach into new locations across Florida, and took advantage of alliances with other Mafia families to ensure the mob maintained its hold on criminal activities. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. He has played golf with former New York Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles and former New York Islanders hockey player Clark Gillies. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. A system error has occurred. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. 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. Husband of Private When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. [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. Phil Alessi, a childhood friend, marvels at Trafficante's taste and capacity. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. Trafficante Sr. passed away four years later, leaving Jr. his Tampa and Cuba-based criminal empire. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. But before Trafficante testified, someone conveniently killed Roselli. Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesFrank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. 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. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. His business ventures have not always been successful. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. Trafficante Jr. was nonetheless a ruthless and old-school mob boss. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". 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. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. "[19] In his book Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vincent Bugliosi has claimed there to be many flaws in Ragano's claims, including his own claim that Trafficante was most likely not in Tampa on the day in question, but was rather in North Miami Beach, Florida, receiving dialysis treatments. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. Rosselli testified in 1975 to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the efforts to kill Castro. 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. [5] Trafficante was jailed and deported when Fidel Castro rose to power, leading him to spend a good portion of his adult life hatching a plan of revenge. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". Reputed 'boss of bosses' dies at 72 TAMPA, Fla, "' Trafficante dies at age 72 TAMPA. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree.