Trafficante's appetite and his legal woes seem linked like the strands of a cruller. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. We cant help ourselves when it comes to watching mob films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, Casino and HBOs Boardwalk Empire and the iconic cable TV show, The Sopranos. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Let others know about your loved one's death. The senior Trafficante's name has been linked to gambling, drug-dealing and even plots to kill Fidel Castro and John F. Kennedy. Please enter your email and password to sign in. ). In 1963, the Mob allegedly had enough of Kennedy. [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. Josephine Marchese Trafficante, 95, died peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday morning at her home. 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. Santo Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. 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 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. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. A A. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. 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. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. After a lifetime in organized crime, Trafficante Jr. died of national causes in 1987. [7], In January 1958, Trafficante was questioned by the Cuban police regarding the Apalachin meeting. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. So, who was this so-called Silent Don who wielded enough power to allegedly kill the President? [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. Ex-FBI agent and later Howard Hughes aide Robert Maheu of Las Vegas was one of the primary go-betweens for Trafficante. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. love gloria "owens" hill. The idea behind the assassination wasnt just to punish JFK but also to get his brother off the Mobs back. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. A full report was made by the Cuban police, dated January 23, 1958, includes transcripts of long-distance telephone calls made from the Sans Souci during the period AugustDecember 1957. [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. [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. The guy really tried to do it right.". By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. Josephine Marchese Trafficante "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. 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. THE CHARLIE WALL STORY Kingpin Charlie Wall (center holding bottle, right of child) and his notorious gang. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." Make sure that the file is a photo. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. 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. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. There are few indicators that the family is still an active crime network. He was married to his wife for 49 years. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. Pupello determined that his diabetic patient's arteries were healthy. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. 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.. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. 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. "I'm in the I.O.U. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. . 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. 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. Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. [13] Trafficante also stated that he had no recollection of meeting Oswald or Oswald's assassin, Jack Ruby. "Sam Gold" was Sam Giancana; "Joe" was Trafficante. Brother of Frank Cacciatore Trafficante; Private and Private. Now in his late 70s or early 80s, LoScalzo is reported to be retired. Trafficante was apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. In 1965, Giancana was convicted of contempt of court, serving one year in prison. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Wikimedia CommonsPresident John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. 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 died of natural causes, at the age of 72, in Houston, Texas. Santos Trafficante Jr. was the son of Santos Trafficante Sr., who owned several casinos in Havana. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . Don Santo Trafficante Jr. the godfather from Tampa, Florida, USA. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida 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. Bankruptcy court documents show that Trafficante is owed $500,000 by a business partner. He maintained close working ties with the Lucchese crime family and the Bonanno crime family from New York City. That horse won $161,080 for its new owners, according to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. He dropped out of high school before the 10th grade. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. [18] According to Ragano, he met Hoffa at the Teamsters' headquarters in Washington, DC, then delivered the message to Trafficante and Marcello in a meeting at the Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. He has thought about it. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 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. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Today, Santo Trafficantes criminal legacy lives on through his nephew and namesake, Santo Trafficante III, who was charged with organized fraud in 1992. 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. [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. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. She misses him, but she's making do. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. On Oct. 26, 1937, Frank Trafficante named his first son after his own father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. It never did exist.". I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. Dr. Dennis Pupello was looking for heart disease, brought on by his overweight and diabetic patient's "voracious eating.". Died: March 17, 1987, Houston, Texas Santo Trafficante Jr. continued to develop his interests in Cuba serving as Luciano and Lanskys local liaison. Year should not be greater than current year. Trafficante took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. 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. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. Despite his arrest, Trafficante managed to escape charges and continue to fly under the laws radar. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. I can answer any questions you . This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. While he had several close calls with law enforcement including the famed FBI, Late in life LoScalzo denied any connections to organized crime. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. Mob Lawyer Frank Ragano Says He Knows Who Killed JFK", "Book alleges plot to kill JFK in Tampa, cover-up", "At Santo Trafficante auction, a chance to buy a piece of Tampa's mob history", Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, Associated Press report on Trafficante's death, "Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life" By Robert Lacy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santo_Trafficante_Jr.&oldid=1140940042, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 15:02.