Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. A A. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. 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. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? This account has been disabled. Still, theres a fine line between exploring a topic and glorifying it. He was severed from that trial for medical reasons. He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. 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. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. "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.". Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. Our prayers are with you. "The Mob? Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. TRAFFICANTE, Santo Jose, 72, of Tampa, passed away July 13, 2010, To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our, All my Love to the family Michael R. Tartaro. F. Kennedy not only failed to deliver on his promise to the mob but also actually put the Mafia under increasing pressure. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. 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. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. He died on March 17, 1987. My heart goes out to the family. 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. 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. But according to declassified documents released in 1992, Santo Trafficante Jr. made a deathbed confession of his involvement in the Presidents murder. After a lifetime in organized crime, Trafficante Jr. died of national causes in 1987. 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. 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. I can answer any questions you . Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. [13] Trafficante also stated that he had no recollection of meeting Oswald or Oswald's assassin, Jack Ruby. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. 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. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Year should not be greater than current year. With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. 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. And all this occurred throughout seven Sylvia at age 12 and her father Jimmy Velasco in California, June 1948 Jimmy Velasco was a political fixer. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 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.. Wikimedia CommonsPresident John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. SANTO TRAFFICANTE SR, A Sicilian of the Old School, RULED TAMPAS UNDERWORLD FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. 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. I found on Findagrave.com. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. Add to your scrapbook. Trafficante was arrested again in 1957 for attending the famous Apalachin summit of Mob leaders in New York, but those charges were dropped. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. While shouldering the legacy of his father and. Santo Trafficante Jr, was born on November 15, 1914 in Tampa, Florida and followed in the footsteps of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr, into a life of organized crime. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. Returning to Miami, he joined his father, managing some . Love, Jimmy Schaffer. 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. In 1946, Santo Sr. sent his son, already a family underboss, to Cuba to invest in the growing number of nightclubs and casinos in the island nation. Trafficante again escaped conviction. 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. Batista let Trafficante and other mobsters build as many casinos and hotels as they wanted in exchange for a cash kickback. But considering the fiercely anti-Soviet atmosphere of the Cold War, its not that hard to believe. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. 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. Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. The chairman cited a confession from Roselli that Trafficantes allies organized a sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, to take out the President. President John. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. 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. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. Learn more about managing a memorial . You can always change this later in your Account settings. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. His business ventures have not always been successful. Failed to delete memorial. Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. 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. 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. 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. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. 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. Although a judge dismissed the charge for lack of evidence, the arrest had a lasting impact on another of Trafficante's ventures: thoroughbred breeding and racing. He drove a forklift for 20 years. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. 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. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. He has played golf with former New York Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles and former New York Islanders hockey player Clark Gillies. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Try again later. At this point in our collective history, we're not sure anyone would be surprised to learn that there is, in fact, something called The Mafia. What you might be surprised to learn, however, is how prevalent-even rampantorganized crime in Tampa was in the early and mid-20th century. Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. It was all on the up and up. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida [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. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Love and peace to you all. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. Frank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. 93461.". 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. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. You've got to be a fool to marry wrong," he says. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. "[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. 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! "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. Robert Anderson aka The Killer Between 50 and 100 buildings were burned. 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's very creative in terms of the combination of things he eats," Alessi says. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. 12 talking about this. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Failed to remove flower. 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. By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas The report was given to the District Attorney's office. 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 . 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 senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. [19] He claimed three witnesses could support his statement that he met Trafficante in Tampa, but refused to name them, adding: "One guy is afraid of retaliation. Trafficante Jr. was nonetheless a ruthless and old-school mob boss.
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