Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. 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. Images of America Series de libros - eBooks | Rakuten Kobo Mxico We have to admit we are fascinated by the whole idea of the mafia and the people we knew and the whispers we grew up hearing. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Passing before her were her parents Antonino and Sarafina Marchese; her beloved husband Santo Trafficante Jr.; her son-in-laws Augie Paniello and Richard Valdes; and her brothers, Bennie Marchese, Tommy Marchese, and Peter Marchese. "My kids suffered a lot by it," he says. I laughed _ until I realized it was a total f------ disaster," Trafficante says. 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. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu. A car registered to former state attorney and current state appellate judge E.J. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. [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. [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. "My wife's got money. Try again. [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. "[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. Oops, we were unable to send the email. 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 next son was Luigi Santo Trafficante Jr. (his namesake and future Mafia boss), born on November 15, 1914. The choice was nothing more than honoring a tradition. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. "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. My ex-wife Erline Lazzara was a childhood friend you might remember. 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. ", 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. [13] Trafficante also stated that he had no recollection of meeting Oswald or Oswald's assassin, Jack Ruby. Santos Trafficante Jr. was the son of Santos Trafficante Sr., who owned several casinos in Havana. 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. Love, Jimmy Schaffer. Robert Anderson aka The Killer Between 50 and 100 buildings were burned. 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 again escaped conviction. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. Chronicles of Events and Biographies Related to the American Mafia. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. Josephine Marchese Trafficante, 95, died peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday morning at her home. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante For the U.S. government, it was a classic case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.. There was a problem getting your location. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. Who better than his son, Trafficante Jr., to inherit his throne? At 76,. The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. [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. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. He offered to pay $150,000 to have Castro killed, but Roselli declined any pay and introduced Maheu to two men he referred to as "Sam Gold" and "Joe." [5] Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? Please check your entries and try again. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. My prayers are with all of you. The mobster would later testify: I got news that Cuban officials were looking for to put me in jail because one of the things was that I was a Batista collaborator. [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. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. But the news was not good on the Key Bank front. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. GREAT NEWS! It never did exist.". Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. He was known as an organized crimes figure. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. 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. REPUTED FLORIDA GODFATHER TRAFFICANTE, 72, DIES - Sun Sentinel View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida His luck has not improved recently. We guarantee you'll never look at Ybor City the same way again. I can answer any questions you . 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. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. Santo Trafficante: Building the Family Business - Gangsters Inc Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. 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. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. While shouldering the legacy of his father and. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, Florida, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1823-1982, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. 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. We have set your language to Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Or does he just look like one? Josephine Trafficante Obituary - Tampa, FL I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. Thanks for your help! Nicknames: The Silent Don 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. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. You can always change this later in your Account settings. As a leading member of the syndicate, he also was suspected of having behind-the-scenes interests in other syndicate-owned Cuban casinos: the Hotel Habana Riviera, the Tropicana Club, the Sevilla-Biltmore, the Capri Hotel Casino, the Commodoro, the Deauville, and the Havana Hilton. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. 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 Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. 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. 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. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. Organized Crime Figure. In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. He was severed from that trial for medical reasons. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. 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. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. 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. 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. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. [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. 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. When his father died in 1954 he took control of these establishments. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. 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. James Traficant - Wikipedia Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. 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. Brother of Frank Cacciatore Trafficante; Private and Private. [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. But before Trafficante testified, someone conveniently killed Roselli. Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Gerry and your family. Rosselli testified in 1975 to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the efforts to kill Castro. In 1965, Giancana was convicted of contempt of court, serving one year in prison. Thanks for subscribing! 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. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. He buys Jaguars for his two sons, hobnobs with sports stars on resort golf courses and occasionally flies to Miami for lunch at a favorite restaurant, the Rascal House. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. By the time Prohibition and the Era of Blood ended, he was the top man in the Florida Mafia, operating with the blessing of exiled Mob boss Charlie Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello of the Five Families, and Meyer Lansky of the national Syndicate. 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. Services will be followed by a graveside service at the Italian Club Cemetery and a reception at the family home. "When my uncle visited it was like a family reunion. "Banks are my greatest enemy. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. The original Malio's Restaurant located on South Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. "I'm in the I.O.U. All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. . TAMPA CRIME BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN THRILLER MAFIA SPIES. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I found on Findagrave.com. Sam Giancana - Wikipedia Let others know about your loved one's death. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. 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. 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 New York City. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. She is survived by her daughters, Mary Jo Paniello and Sarah Ann Valdes; her grandchildren, Dr. Santo Paniello and wife Susan; Dina Smith and husband Don; Melissa Castellana and husband John; and Valerie Cordell and husband Ian; her great-grandchildren, Michael Sierra, Elizabeth Paniello, Sam Paniello, Christopher Paniello, Christina Castellana, Augie Castellana, Alexa Cordell, Anna Cordell Drew Smith, Allison Hunt and husband Joey; as well as endless extended family. He headed the . He returned to Tampa for the last time for internment in the LUnione Italiana Cemetery. Santo Trafficante Jr News reports - YouTube By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. 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. In the early 1980s Trafficante was ensnared in two major cases that could have sent the aging don to prison for the first time in his life, apart from his time in the Triscornia detention camp in Cuba following Castros takeover in 1959.