At 7:25 p.m. on January 3, 1953, Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. had just finished dinner with his wife and children at his father-in-laws house in the Ybor City section of Tampa, Florida. 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. "I was the most expensive forklift driver in the world," he says with a smile. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. Love and peace to you all. Sign up for service and obituary updates. The twister killed hls mother when lt touched down about 6, honored Wednesday us the nation's sute legislator. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. [3] Trafficante moved to Cuba in 1955, where he came into contact with Batista and Meyer Lansky. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Still, theres a fine line between exploring a topic and glorifying it. 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. 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 and Santo will always have a special place in my heart. Santo Trafficante Jr. continued to develop his interests in Cuba serving as Luciano and Lanskys local liaison. Search above to list available cemeteries. And then there are the infinite conspiracy theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, many of them featuring Trafficante. Family members linked to this person will appear here. 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. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. Santo Trafficante then categorically denied every allegation about stating he wanted RFK or JFK dead and got off scot-free. "[12] He said that Trafficante complained about the honesty of the Kennedys and their "attacks" on Jimmy Hoffa and other associates. But once Kennedy actually entered the White House, he didnt live up to his end of the bargain. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. [5] At age 16, he boarded the S.S. Lombardia and set sail for American in search of a better life. You have been in pain too long. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida "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. Their plans ranged from simply shooting him to having him smoke poisoned cigars or drinking a tainted milkshake. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. 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. Santos married Josephine Marchese in 1938, they would have two daughters. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. Join us for this one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa's most storied neighborhood. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. An editor and public historian, Carly Silver has written for Smithsonian, Narratively, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and Archaeology, among other publications. 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 . Trafficante proceeded to open casinos in Cuba at his fathers behest and facilitated heroin smuggling by working together with famous mobsters Charles Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. In a final disappointment, he sold a filly named "Run Marisa Run" (after his daughter) for $7,500. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. 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. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. Despite his arrest, Trafficante managed to escape charges and continue to fly under the laws radar. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. In a 1978 legal testimony, Trafficante discussed how quickly Castro shut it all down, then reopened the casinos on his own terms. 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. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Thanks for subscribing! She is now living in Virginia. [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? 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. Phil Alessi, a childhood friend, marvels at Trafficante's taste and capacity. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? President John F. Kennedy, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. After his father died in 1954, he became the head in Tampa and took over his fathers interests in Cuba. We never paid cash. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). There was an error deleting this problem. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Father of Private and Private 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. "Banks are my greatest enemy. The men started to drive away when another sedan drove past the Mercury, the occupants unloading a blast of buckshot as they passed. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. It wasn't somebody going into a back room to kiss somebody's ring. Make sure that the file is a photo. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. "Even my uncle (Santo Jr.) told me, "Santo, why don't you change your name?' However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets. THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF TAMPA'S UNDERWORLD IS OFTEN INTERTWINED WITH SOME OF Something went wrong. Instead of Italian suits, he wears horizontally striped golf shirts. 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. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Donnie Brasco. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. According to some, he was even involved in the infamous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Forget everything you think you know about Tampa mafia wives and girlfriends in the 1950s. 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. 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. Over the next 30-plus years, Trafficante, Jr. rose to oversee Mafia operations across the state of Florida. Try again. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Frank Ragano and Santo Trafficante Jr. (right). In Trafficante's food chain, reporters rank only marginally higher than prosecutors and bank regulators, whom he likes to refer to as "rat bastards.". Santo Trafficante, Sr., the powerful Trafficante crime family's patriarch, was born on May 28, 1886, in Alexandria Della Rocca, Sicily. He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. Alongside Chicago boss Sam Giancana, Roselli and Trafficante came up with some truly insane plots to kill Fidel Castro. In the early 20th Century, Tampa was a small but growing city, and the organized crime it faced was modest. Santo told the state attorney, I dont have an enemy in the world. I have thought of you and Santo many times over the past 50 years. You can always change this later in your Account settings. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in Tampa, Miami and Havana. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. Santo Trafficante Jr. had long followed in his fathers footsteps, and proved to be an even more effective Mafia kingpin. After this look at Santo Trafficante Jr., read the gruesome story of the murderous American dentist, Benjamin Salomon, of World War II. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. "[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. Please check your entries and try again. A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. Authorities also said he urged former bank vice president Michael Pupello to impersonate him in calls to federal bank regulators. Until last year, the younger Trafficante had never been accused of anything more dramatic than bookmaking, a charge that a judge dismissed. He will always be remembered with fondness. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: Try again later. Dr. Dennis Pupello was looking for heart disease, brought on by his overweight and diabetic patient's "voracious eating.". Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. Hey, they have more convicts at the track than straight people," Trafficante says. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. prosecution, fled temporarily to Cuba. Try again later. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 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. 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. 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. He is hardly the "Dapper Don." 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. Ed Giorandino/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesSanto Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. 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. A year has passed. Organized Crime Figure. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. By this point, Trafficante Jr. had fully taken over the oversight of drugs shipped between Florida, Cuba, and the rest of the States. Now in his late 70s or early 80s, LoScalzo is reported to be retired. Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. Fine food, and lots of it. Search results for "Images of America" at Rakuten Kobo. His sons, Dino and Joseph, run it for him, though he worries that sometimes they don't work hard. We send our most sincere sympathies to the Trafficante family. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. 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,. 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. F. Kennedy not only failed to deliver on his promise to the mob but also actually put the Mafia under increasing pressure. 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 was severed from that trial for medical reasons. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. He grimaces at the thought that the rumor has persisted so long. Add to your scrapbook. Brother of Frank Cacciatore Trafficante; Private and Private. On the day that investigators raided Key Bank, a cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital was inserting a catheter in Trafficante's groin. 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.. 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. Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. She was predeceased in death, by other loving family members. 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. Born: November 15, 1914, Tampa, Florida Let others know about your loved one's death. Trafficante Jr. was nonetheless a ruthless and old-school mob boss. Meanwhile, he continued to make money from the drugs that came through Tampa. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 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. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. Santo Trafficante arrives at Queens Supreme Court in Kew Gardens. In fact, Florida had the dubious distinction of being home to a decades-old Mafia criminal network: the Trafficante Family. 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. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. please know that i am praying for you and your family. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. "The Mob? [13], On January 14, 1992, Trafficante's former attorney, Frank Ragano, told Jack Newfield of the New York Post that he relayed a request from Hoffa to Trafficante and New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello to have Kennedy killed. Some people also alleged that Trafficante Jr played a role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy due to his anti-organized crime efforts, but Trafficante Jr. always denied it. 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. 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. 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. Reputedly the most powerful crime boss in Batista -era Cuba, he . He was the lynchpin in Tampa Charlie Wall The Kefauver hearings arrived in Tampa in December of 1950. Santo Trafficante Jr. was a reserved, modest man married to the same woman for 49 years. Services will be followed by a graveside service at the Italian Club Cemetery and a reception at the family home. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. [13] He stated that he received no payment for his involvement and that he acted out of patriotism. "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. [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. Most mornings Trafficante spends a few hours at his modest wholesale automobile lot at the intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and W Broad Street. He is just a businessman, he says, his money tied up in wholesale automobiles, an orange grove and real estate. The Trafficante family formed a strong alliance with the Batista government in Cuba and profited from their investments, although they never achieved the goal of dominating gambling on the island. 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. Trafficante was apprehended in November 1957, along with over 60 other mobsters, at the Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. 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! [8] Allusions to these historic connections were confirmed by the CIA's 2007 declassification of the "Family Jewels" documents. Several were wounded. This was proven in 1953 when he eliminated the last contender to the Tampa mob throne: Joe Antinori, son of the late Ignacio. According to Scott M. Deitche in The Silent Don, the family was profiting not only from its offshore casinos but from narcotics trafficking. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Maheu hid the fact that he was sent by the CIA, instead portraying himself an advocate for international corporations. 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. 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. 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. I am sorry I am unable to attend the services due to a illness. Hoffa said to me, This has to be done.'. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. They had three daughters, Antoinette born . "Sam Gold" was Sam Giancana; "Joe" was Trafficante. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. It was clear that federal and local law enforcement had an acute interest in the Trafficante family. Meet Santo Trafficante: The Silent Don Who Tried To Kill Fidel Castro And May Have Ordered JFKs Assassination. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central Intelligence Agency. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Verify and try again. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 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. Santo Trafficante Jr Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. Santo met and married Maria Giuseppe Cacciatore on April 20, 1909. [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. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. the daughter of immigrants from the Italian region of Basilicata. She misses him, but she's making do. Santo Jr. was indicted several times through the 1950s but was convicted only once, on state charges in 1954 for bribery, and that conviction was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court. Santo worked closely with Lucchese family boss Tommy Lucchese, who was a friend of his father, and a man who helped train him in the 1940s. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. Getting in bed with Trafficante and other leading members of Americas organized crime seems like a strange thing to do for the CIA. [19] He claimed three witnesses could support his statement that he met Trafficante in Tampa, but refused to name them, adding: "One guy is afraid of retaliation. Year should not be greater than current year. 2023, Tampa Mafia. "Now when I walk in a bank," Trafficante says, "the president runs out the back door.". [13] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. "I thought all this would end when my uncle died. 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. 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. However, LoScalzo was nonetheless able to expand the families criminal reach into new locations across Florida, and took advantage of alliances with other Mafia families to ensure the mob maintained its hold on criminal activities. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. THE HIT THAT EXPOSED SOME OF TAMPAS ELITE. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. 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. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. Trafficante along with 56 other mobsters was arrested in New York while discussing what to do about the recent death of Gambino family head, Albert Anastasia. Trafficante took control of the Tampa mob in 1954 after the death of his father, Santo Trafficante Sr. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. [1] In 1997, further declassified documents indicated that some mafiosi worked with the agency on assassination attempts against Castro. That arrest also led Cuban authorities to become warier of the mobster, especially as the political tides seemed to be turning there. She was an amazing daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. Early in Trafficantes federal court case in 1986, the judge declared a mistrial. 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. She was born on March 24, 1920. [1] Trafficante maintained several residences in New York City and Florida.