Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. 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. And as for the rest of the Trafficante Crime family? [13] Trafficante also stated that he had no recollection of meeting Oswald or Oswald's assassin, Jack Ruby. His uncle, the late Santo Trafficante Jr., was reputed to have been the boss of the local Mafia. For the U.S. government, it was a classic case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.. Dr. Dennis Pupello was looking for heart disease, brought on by his overweight and diabetic patient's "voracious eating.". Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Perched on the edge of a leather chair in his attorney's office, Santo J. Trafficante III wears a pained expression on his jowly face. 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. For all the power he wielded, Trafficante was often described as quiet and reserved. 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. As law enforcement pressure increased on the Mafia in the late 1940s, Santo, fearing. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Learn more about managing a memorial . But Santo knew who was behind the killing a rival Mafia faction. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. A year later they had their first son, Frank, born on April 16, 1910. Search above to list available cemeteries. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. 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. All Rights Reserved. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. RIP Santo. Forget everything you think you know about Tampa mafia wives and girlfriends in the 1950s. In the early 20th Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Santo Trafficante (53540265)? Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. The original Malio's Restaurant located on South Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, Florida. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! 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. You'll learn about bolita, the rumored tunnels of Ybor, and the Era of Blood. The report was given to the District Attorney's office. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. "There's no such thing as organized crime in Hillsborough County," Trafficante says, clapping his hands for emphasis. The Internal Revenue Service tried to collect $400,000 in back taxes owed on the business, saying it had not been run as business eligible for tax write-offs, but a hobby. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. [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. Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, to Sicilian parents Santo Trafficante Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore in 1914. please know that i am praying for you and your family. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. Try again later. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. The Shore Acres home is 2,350-square-feet with 10 rooms that Capone reputedly built in 1925 for his mother. In 1975, the CIA declassified a report stating that Trafficante had been persuaded to poison Castro, an allegation he denied. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. While the senior Trafficante had been a major mobster in his own right, nobody could have expected the heights that were going to be reached by his son. Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Frank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. 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. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. As one of the most powerful mobsters in the US, Trafficante was invited to the Havana Conference in December 1946. 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. There was an error deleting this problem. 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. [22], sfn error: no target: CITEREFDouglass2010 (, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 15:02, United States House Select Committee on Assassinations, Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, "With Santo Trafficante, an era is ending", "SANTO TRAFFICANTE, REPUTED MAFIA CHIEF, DIES AT 72", "Why mob bigs who met to crown a king had to run like roaches", "For Sale, a House WithAcreage.Connections Extra;Site of 1957 Gangland Raid Is Part of Auction on Saturday", "20 Apalachin Convictions Ruled Invalid On Appeal", "Narcotic Traffic Called Topic In Apalachin Talks", Memorandum for the Director of Central Intelligence, Subject: Roselli, Johnny, "Witness denies assassination, Cuba tied", "Mafia Linked In JFK Probe; By Cuban Exile", "Hoffa Lawyer: Jimmy Recruited Mob for JFK Hit", "Lawyer Says Hoffa Told 2 Mob Bosses to Have President Kennedy Killed", "Frank Ragano, 75, Lawyer for Mob and Hoffa", "The Sins of the Godfather? The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. 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. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Try again later. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. They used to be my greatest friend," Trafficante says. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. The American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. Verify and try again. 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. 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. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. Rosselli testified in 1975 to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the efforts to kill Castro. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. "[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. "[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. Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. When the CIA decided to recruit the Mob in their efforts to assassinate Fidel Castro, they went to see Trafficante. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. Email blog@themobmuseum.org. Trafficantes chance came in the 1960s when he became acquainted with mobster John Handsome Johnny Roselli. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. Son of Santo Trafficante and Maria Giuseppa Trafficante 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. Several were wounded. cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. 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. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. We have set your language to "You hope things will just disappear two or three years from now.". View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida 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. 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. [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. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. He has been featured on the History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, AHC, Oxygen Network and many local and national news shows. 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. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. Please reset your password. Failed to delete memorial. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. From bolitaan illegal version of the now-legal Florida lotteryto narcotics, Tampas experience with organized crime is as notable as Chicagos or New Yorks. He went to Jesuit High School and played some football. He has thought about it. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. 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. 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. In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". We found ourselves in a love affair with Tony Soprano and we could not stop watching. After that, he ordered casino owners to cough up employee back pay, then shut them down again. [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. While the plot never came to fruition, Trafficante later testified that he did help the CIA recruit other mobsters for the surreal plot. The elder Trafficante set up illegal casinos in Cuba in the 1940s, which were sanctioned by Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. 93461.". The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. Following his death, Mobster Vincent LoScalvo took over the Trafficante familys criminal network in Florida. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 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 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. 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. Valenti hired his son-in-law at the produce company and allowed him to name his own salary. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. 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.