This browser does not support getting your location. The other case was a RICO indictment for insurance fraud. Geni requires JavaScript! The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. 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. "They wouldn't even let me go to the track. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. He was known as an organized crimes figure. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. He headed the Trafficante crime family from 1954 to 1987 and controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Treasury Department History of Santo Trafficante Jr 1961 Finally, after the infamous failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, the CIA gave up on their attempts to kill the Cuban dictator and thus Trafficantes attempts at revenge never materialized. Rosselli later claimed to be involved with or to actually be a shooter in a Mob conspiracy to kill President John F. Kennedy, and some accounts have Trafficante involved in the alleged, and unproven, conspiracy. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. the daughter of immigrants from the Italian region of Basilicata. Santo Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. One bank filed suit in November against him and a business partner, alleging that they defaulted on an $85,000 loan for a piece of property. However the meeting came to be, the mob nonetheless brought influential states like Illinois into the Kennedy fold in exchange for the White House going easy on organized crime. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. "When I woke up, they told me they raided Key Bank. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. At 76,. "The Mob? A system error has occurred. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. A few months later, two members of that group took the train to New York City to drum up support for a move against Santo. He headed the . 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! More importantly, Castro imprisoned Trafficante and then had him exiled from Cuba. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. 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. He drove a forklift for 20 years. Wikimedia CommonsPresident John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. But before Trafficante testified, someone conveniently killed Roselli. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida. Then, check out these photos of the aftermath from some of the bloodiest mob hits. 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. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. You can always change this later in your Account settings. 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. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. "My wife's got money. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. In 1950, the aging Trafficante Sr. began to slow down. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. His health had declined in his later years. [14], After a grant of immunity from prosecution, Trafficante testified before the HSCA the following day, September 28, and denied the allegation that he told Aleman that "Kennedy was going to be hit. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central, Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. Finally, in 1987, Trafficante died at the age of 72. Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. [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? Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu. I think it was a case of mistaken identity.. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Anthony Accardo & Santo Trafficante Jr - Labor Union Kickbacks Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. [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. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). Search above to list available cemeteries. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. Trafficante was a ruthless mob boss, and quickly consolidated control over the criminal networks in Tampa. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. Trafficantes partnership with Batista was profitable for both parties and so the mobsters fate became inextricably tied to that of Cubas political climate. And then there are the infinite conspiracy theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, many of them featuring Trafficante. Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, to Sicilian parents Santo Trafficante Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore in 1914. 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. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. So, who was this so-called Silent Don who wielded enough power to allegedly kill the President? While shouldering the legacy of his father and. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Thanks for your help! "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. Under pressure of a court order granting him immunity from prosecution, but threatening him with contempt if he refused to talk, Santos admitted to a Congressional committee in 1975 that he had in the early 1960s recruited other mobsters to assassinate Castro. And purchase valuable sports memorabilia for himself. [14] When this was pointed out, Aleman denied that he meant that he believed Kennedy was going to murdered and said he thought that Trafficante meant that Kennedy was going to be "hit" politically during the next election. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". Please try again later. Trafficante tried to win Castro over to his side, but that didnt work. All Rights Reserved. Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante was wanted in 48 states by the time he was 43. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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. I hold such fond memories of Santo & Gerry when I was growing up.