Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. To add further credence to this theory of JFKs assassination, famed prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi (who also wrote the infamous true crime novel on the Manson Family, Helter Skelter), who penned Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, quoted a witness who said that New Orleans boss Marcello had quipped: The dog [JFK] will keep biting you if you only cut off its tail [RFK]., The final piece of evidence for the theory that Santo Trafficante was involved in JFKs assassination was a witness who reported that the mobster had once said himself that JFK not going to make it to the [1964] election. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. Alongside Chicago boss Sam Giancana, Roselli and Trafficante came up with some truly insane plots to kill Fidel Castro. I laughed _ until I realized it was a total f------ disaster," Trafficante says. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. 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. 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. Our thoughts and prayers with you. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? 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 apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. You and Santo will always have a special place in my heart. The first case stemmed from the FBIs well-known Donnie Brasco undercover sting operation. Josephine Marchese Trafficante, 95, died peacefully in her sleep, Wednesday morning at her home. 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. 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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. It was also rumored that Santos was involved in a Mafia plot to kill President John F. Kennedy, though he denied there was any such conspiracy. After months of wiretapped phone conversations, investigators seized boxloads of documents, some with Trafficante's name on them. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Another bank sued Trafficante and his wife in October for repayment of a $100,000 promissory note. Hey, they have more convicts at the track than straight people," Trafficante says. 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. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. This browser does not support getting your location. "Banks are my greatest enemy. There is a problem with your email/password. He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida. department.". ". "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". In October 1966, while waiting in a Queens courthouse for his turn to be questioned by a grand jury about the infamous LaStella meeting (later dubbed "Little Apalachin") held a couple of weeks earlier on September 22, Santo Trafficante Jr., who was the boss of the Tampa Bay Crime Family, overheard reporters talking about someone . Oops, we were unable to send the email. please know that i am praying for you and your family. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. Associates: Sam Giancana, Charlie Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Johnny Rosselli, Robert Maheu. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). 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. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. In the mid-2000s, he would say he was a legitimate businessman, citing his ownership of a car dealership, and employment at various restaurants and night clubs over the years. 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. He was right, and when Castro took power in 1959, Trafficantes burgeoning gambling-and-drugs empire went under siege. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. He will always be remembered with fondness. Fla. (AP), Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52792202/frank-cacciatore-trafficante, L'Unione Italiana Cemetery, Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr, Death of Santo Trafficante, Jr at Houston, TX. 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. Santo was one of the FBIs targets in that case. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). 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. Please reset your password. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. Please enter your email and password to sign in. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". He died on March 17, 1987. 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. He sought treatment for stomach cancer and was ready to hand power over to a trusted lieutenant. 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. The Shore Acres home is 2,350-square-feet with 10 rooms that Capone reputedly built in 1925 for his mother. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. His sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. She handled great adversity and difficult, troubling times with grace, dignity, and style; with respect and love for all around her. [14] He stated that he was concerned for his safety and was not certain that he had ever correctly heard or understood Trafficante's comment. Fifteen years following the assassination, Trafficante testified in front of the United States House Select Committee on the murder of JFK in exchange for immunity. Failed to report flower. Husband of Private cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. 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 Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". The American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 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. 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. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. Share Santo's life story with friends and family. Chris and I will never forget Santo's presence at Leia's welcome home party. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. 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. "I think it's all bull----," says Trafficante's former horse trainer, Arthur Pedregal Jr. "It's only because his name is Trafficante. They never returned. 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. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior. "I thought I could just go down to (former Hillsborough State Attorney) Bill James and (Assistant State Attorney) Lee Atkinson and explain it all away in 15 minutes.". Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. 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 went to Jesuit High School and played some football. Josephine Marchese Trafficante My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.. Share to let others add their own memories and condolences. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. We are one of them! wills o' nats last of the summer wine. gerry,i am so sorry to hear about santo. When you start talking about organized crime, things can get dicey. The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Those were some of the greatest memories growing up. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. [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. He was going to be hit.. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. love gloria "owens" hill. Send your deepest condolences with fresh flowers. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. The next son was Luigi Santo Trafficante Jr. (his namesake and future Mafia boss), born on November 15, 1914. His abiding passion is food. You have been in pain too long. Santo Trafficante grew up in the Florida underworld, working his father's gambling rackets and getting experience in the business. Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. 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. "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. 12 talking about this. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Trafficante Sr. hung back and developed relationships with politicians and his Mob colleagues in New York and Chicago. His new attorney general his beloved brother, Robert F. Kennedy went after organized crime with a vengeance. The mobsters also attempted to get Castro into a poisoned wetsuit and even offered to blow him up with an exploding seashell. 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. Trafficante maintained links to the Bonanno crime family in New York City, but was more closely allied with Sam Giancana in Chicago. Learn more about managing a memorial . She is now living in Virginia. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. As we all know, he was right, and Kennedy was assassinated by a sniper in November 1963. [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. 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. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. "I'm in the I.O.U. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. Interestingly, Trafficante who was worth about $25 billion at his height in the 80s lived a fairly reserved, modest lifestyle. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. [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. 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.

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