Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Santo Trafficante, Jr. - facebook.com Oops, something didn't work. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: You have chosen this person to be their own family member. A Drive-By Historical Tour of Tampa's Notorious Wise Guys Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. After months of wiretapped phone conversations, investigators seized boxloads of documents, some with Trafficante's name on them. His uncle, the late Santo Trafficante Jr., was reputed to have been the boss of the local Mafia. He died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. After a lifetime in organized crime, Trafficante Jr. died of national causes in 1987. Santo Trafficante Jr. (1914-1987) - Find a Grave Memorial [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. Trafficante admitted his anti-Castro activities to the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1978, and vehemently denied allegations that he had knowledge of a plot to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. He was severed from that trial for medical reasons. 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. 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. 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 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 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. My heart goes out to the family. 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. "My wife's got money. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. Trafficantes father was the lucky survivor of what was called the Era of Blood, when rival gangs based in Tampa fought for control of Prohibition-era nightclubs and, crucially, the local numbers rackets called bolitas. Battling Mob rivals in South Florida essentially weakened each other financially and, through murder, the number of available soldiers. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. "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. 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. We have set your language to Include gps location with grave photos where possible. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. The hit man and the mobster: Jack Ruby and Santos Trafficante They never returned. We send our most sincere sympathies to the Trafficante family. She misses him, but she's making do. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. 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. At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. [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. Forget everything you think you know about Tampa mafia wives and girlfriends in the 1950s. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. You can always change this later in your Account settings. [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. Conspiracy theorists consider Giancana along with Mafia leaders Santo Trafficante Jr. and Carlos Marcello associated with the assassination of Kennedy. At 76,. James Anthony Traficant Jr. (May 8, 1941 - September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Democrat, and later independent, member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio.He represented the 17th Congressional District, which centered on his hometown of Youngstown and included parts of three counties in northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley. When the CIA decided to recruit the Mob in their efforts to assassinate Fidel Castro, they went to see Trafficante. Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. died 30 years ago March 17 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. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. F. Kennedy not only failed to deliver on his promise to the mob but also actually put the Mafia under increasing pressure. He will be sorely missed and his heart of gold will be remembered by all who new him. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 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. They had three daughters, Antoinette born . My uncle, never wore a ring," Trafficante says. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. Still, theres a fine line between exploring a topic and glorifying it. He sought treatment for stomach cancer and was ready to hand power over to a trusted lieutenant. Search above to list available cemeteries. 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.. Love, Jimmy Schaffer. "My kids suffered a lot by it," he says. Sam Giancana - Wikipedia The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. 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. 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. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. 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. You have been in pain too long. Santo Trafficante, Sr., the powerful Trafficante crime family's patriarch, was born on May 28, 1886, in Alexandria Della Rocca, Sicily. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Now in his late 70s or early 80s, LoScalzo is reported to be retired. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. But before Trafficante testified, someone conveniently killed Roselli. 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. 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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Trafficante was one of the last surviving members of the original Luciano mob era upon his death, and the truth behind the JFK assassination may have perhaps died with him. Try again later. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. 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. 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. 12 talking about this. He attended a notorious convention of Mafia bosses held in the upstate New York town of Apalachin on November 14, 1957. 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. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. Honorary Pallbearers are Joe Castellana, Malio Iavarone, FrankCookie Fava, Antonino Marchese, Derek Iavarone, Frank Albano, Drew Smith, Joey Hunt, Michael Sierra, Tony Marchese, Peter Albano, Mario Pullara, Frank Miranda, Dino Trafficante, and Joseph Trafficante. Failed to remove flower. Santos Trafficante Jr. was the son of Santos Trafficante Sr., who owned several casinos in Havana. Verify and try again. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. You'll learn about bolita, the rumored tunnels of Ybor, and the Era of Blood. The international narcotics trade was also an important topic on the Apalachin agenda. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. Another bank sued Trafficante and his wife in October for repayment of a $100,000 promissory note. 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. Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas Welcome to Boxer Cycle Works. In this episode, we will discuss the fascinating life of Tampa's most powerful mobster: Santo Trafficante Jr. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. It was all on the up and up. 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. He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Fine food, and lots of it. The American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. Undercover detectives ran a gambling sting operation there, hoping to nab a circle of Tampa men they said were making illegal sports bets. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. santo trafficante daughters . Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. President John. Santo Trafficante: Building the Family Business - Gangsters Inc The glamorous casino in the Hotel Nacional De Cuba in Havana in 1958. 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. Trafficante was arrested again in 1957 for attending the famous Apalachin summit of Mob leaders in New York, but those charges were dropped. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. He convicted infamous criminal labor union head, Jimmy Hoffa. 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. "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. Failed to delete memorial. Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, to Sicilian parents Santo Trafficante Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore in 1914. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. But those werent even their most ridiculous ideas. Add to your scrapbook. Trafficante took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. With deepest sympathy and love. He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? In the mid-2000s, he would say he was a legitimate businessman, citing, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo - De Facto Boss of the Chicago Outfit, Giacomo Black Jack Tocco - Last of the Old School Detroit Partnership, Joseph Iacobacci - "Joe Loose" of the Cleveland Mob, John "Sonny" Franzese - A Colombo Family Legend. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. By 1987, the Mafia boss, who had walked the casino floors of the Sans Souci in Cuba, dined and hobnobbed with Frank Sinatra in the nightclubs and hotels of South Beach, and who commanded a presence in Tampa that is still felt today, was suffering from a diseased kidney and bad heart. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. [12] According to Aleman, when he told Trafficante that President John F. Kennedy would likely be re-elected, Trafficante replied, "No, Jose, he is going to be hit. Services will be followed by a graveside service at the Italian Club Cemetery and a reception at the family home. Born Tampa, Florida March 24, 1920 So is Santo Jose Trafficante III a mobster? 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,. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. All Rights Reserved. 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. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. His health had declined in his later years. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. Wikimedia CommonsPresident John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. Trafficante would rather be force-fed raw carrot sticks for eternity than be seen talking to a reporter. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. Tampa Mafia Tour - Tampa Mafia Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. "[12], In 1978, both Trafficante and Aleman were called to testify before members of the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations investigating possible links between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and anti-Castro Cubans, including the theory that Castro had Kennedy killed in retaliation for the CIA's attempts on his own life. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. 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. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. She was a native of Tampa, a second-generation Sicilian immigrant who grew up in Ybor city. Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida. Valenti hired his son-in-law at the produce company and allowed him to name his own salary. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters.