[11] Evidence from the 2004 and 2006 trials of John Alite, Ronald J. Trucchio, and Charles Carneglia connected Gotti Jr. and others to criminal operations in Tampa, Florida. The dictator of Cuba, Fulgencio Batista, received a large cut of the profits. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida. The Tampa mob made a considerable amount of money in Cuba, but never achieved its ambition of making the island part of its territory. In his 1994 autobiography Mob Lawyer, Ragano recounted his career in defending members of organized crime, and made the controversial allegation that Florida mob boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. confessed to him shortly before he died in 1987 that he and Carlos Marcello had arranged for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. The Trafficante crime family is a family of the American Mafia from the city of Tampa, Florida, founded in 1925 by Ignacio Antinori. The Hotel Deauville is a historic hotel in Centro Habana located at Calle Galiano 1 on a corner with the Malecn promenade, and overlooking the Bay of Havana. [8], On October 26, 2000, federal authorities arrested Steven Raffa, along with eighteen members of Trafficante family's Miami faction. "Junior" Gotti, along with John A. Burke, James V. Cadicamo, David D'Arpino, Michael D. Finnerty and Guy T. Peden on charges of racketeering, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking. With Lumia eliminated Trafficante took over again. His only competitor for criminal rackets in the Tampa Bay area was Italian Mafia boss Ignacio Antinori. Four months after a former soldier for the Trafficante crime family was indicted in connection with a $3.8 million health care fraud scheme, another 10 South Florida residents have been. Santo Trafficante Jr. (Born 1914) was one of the last of the old-time Mafia bosses in the United States. The war between the two continued on for years, until October 23, 1940, when Ignacio Antinori was shot and killed by a shotgun blast to the head at the Palm Garden Inn in Tampa. His crew was heavily involved in loansharking, large scale bookmaking, arson & narcotics trafficking. Thanks for the reply. It shows the Trafficante crime family in the end of the film. I live in Tampa and sometimes wonder if there's still an Italian presence. The most notable boss was Santo Trafficante, Jr. who ruled Tampa and the crime family with an iron fist. "Junior" Gotti, along with John A. Burke, James V. Cadicamo, David D'Arpino, Michael D. Finnerty and Guy T. Peden on charges of racketeering, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking. Antinori was regarded as the first boss of the Tampa crime family, later known as the Trafficante crime family. 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. [1] Author Scott Deitche reported that Santo Jr. was involved with the CIA to plot assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. God Bless you bro Scott is a very talented guy. After the hearings ended the Trafficantes returned to Tampa to find out that Italiano had just fled to Mexico, leaving Jimmy Lumia the biggest mobster in the city. [1] Author Scott Deitche reported that Santo Jr. was involved with the CIA to plot assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. "Throwback: Tampa mob trail". 21:41, 17 February 2020: 640 504 (229 KB) Osvaldo valdes 165443 (talk | contribs) . "[ citation needed ], In 1978, Trafficante was called to testify before the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations investigating possible links between Lee Harvey Oswald and anti-Castro Cubans, including the theory that Castro had President John F. Kennedy killed in retaliation for the CIA's attempts to assassinate Castro. Nuremberg. [6] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. Theorists suggest the mafia and Hoffa conspired to kill the president as an act of retribution. [1] [1] Service. During that time he operated multiple casinos, until Castro's revolution at which time his assets were confiscated and he was expelled from the country. And you're "dealing with some shit"? "Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld". [1] In 1992, LoScalzo was arrested at the Tampa International Airport for carrying a loaded .38-caliber pistol in his brief case. Florida mob boss Santo Trafficante Jr. had every reason to loathe JFK after the Bay of Pigs failure. Trafficante maintained links to the Bonanno family, in New York City, but was more closely allied with Sam Giancana, in Chicago. In 1953 Santo Jr. survived a shooting. After the hearings ended the Trafficantes returned to Tampa to find out that Italiano had just fled to Mexico, leaving Jimmy Lumia the biggest mobster in the city. [9] Raffa the leader of the familys Miami faction committed suicide on November 16, 2000. Ghost of Ybor (2008). Smokes 420, sounds like you need prayer. . On August 5, 2008, the Tampa and New York FBI indicted John A. 2007, Weimar, Carrie. [1] Under pressure of a court order granting him immunity from prosecution, but threatening him with contempt if he refused to talk, Trafficante admitted to a Congressional committee in 1975 that he had in the early 1960s recruited other mobsters to assassinate Castro. The supposition even gets a mention in director Martin Scorseses 2019 film The Irishman, when crime boss Russell Bufalino, played by Joe Pesce, utters, If they can knock off a president, they can knock off the president of a union.. Trafficante remained the boss of Tampa until he died of natural causes in 1954. With Lumia eliminated Trafficante took over again. [6] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner. Ciro Bedami was a former mobster and prominent member of the Trafficante crime family. Cosimo J. Traficante SCHERERVILLE, IN - Cosimo J. Traficante, 84, of Schererville, passed away on Wednesday, February 13, 2019. Although much of his early life is unknown, Antinori was one of the first mobsters to emerge in Florida during the Prohibition era. He moved to Tampa,. Santo Sr. had Lumia killed after finding out he had been bad mouthing him while he was in Cuba. In the 1960s and 70s, Frank did more than eat a bowl of black beans at La Trop. Law enforcement investigations found him running a sizeable bookmaking operation out of the restaurant with the help of Henry Trafficante. Trafficante Crime Family 19 Pins 2y Collection by AmericanMafiaHistory.com and The Criminal Underworld Compilation Similar ideas popular now Tampa Mafia Crime Mobster State Of Florida Gangsters Underworld Prison Sentences Jr Junior Santo Trafficante Jr Rare News Footages (Part 2) - YouTube Mobsters Tampa Crime Blood Florida Development Family Santo Trafficante Sr. had now taken over organized crime activities in a majority of the city and started to teach his son Santo Trafficante Jr. how to run these operations. When doing a chart like this you have to mention the members of the past too. Line: 478 [1] Under pressure of a court order granting him immunity from prosecution, but threatening him with contempt if he refused to talk, Trafficante admitted to a Congressional committee in 1975 that he had in the early 1960s recruited other mobsters to assassinate Castro. In 1953 Santo Jr. survived a shooting. [1] After the death of Santo Jr. in 1987, the Tampa Mafia family has been controlled by Vincent LoScalzo. There was also a smaller Italian gang in the area which was controlled by Santo Trafficante Sr., who had lived in Tampa since the age of 18. Trafficante enjoyed life in Cuba, developed a relationship with its strongman, the dictator Fulgencio Batista, and helped the Trafficante Crime family garner even more profits from its legitimate gambling operations there. "The Silent Don: The Criminal Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jr". A made-for-television film about the rise and fall of the Bonanno crime family. The Last of Us - The Loop Herminio Diaz Garcia (1923-29 May 1966) was a Cuban criminal and associate of the Trafficante crime family who was one of the suspects in the assassination of US president John F. Kennedy in 1963. LoScalzo pleaded no contest on October 7, 1997, and received three months of probation. [2]. Trafficante Sr. had always wanted to make it big in Cuban casinos and dispatched his son, Santo, Jr., to Havana in 1946 to help operate a mob-owned casino. Wall controlled his organization from the Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City, and employed Italians, Cubans and men of other ethnicities in his organization. Writer Collie Witt Stars Fulgencio Batista (archive footage) G. Robert Blakey Fidel Castro (archive footage) [2][1], Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. His only competitor for criminal rackets in the Tampa Bay area was Italian Mafia boss Ignacio Antinori.[2]. "The Everything Mafia Book, Second Edition". What was left of the family was mostly broken up over the past decade. In his new role, Robert began a very public attack on organized crime, in particular going after Jimmy Hoffa, who had been elected leader of the Teamsters union in 1957. Conspiracy theorists have long surmised the mafia was involved in the assassination due to the enmity created when JFK and his brother Robert F. Kennedy began a campaign to stop mob influence on the Teamsters labor union. Trafficante had already set up Bolita games throughout the city and was a very powerful man. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida, United States. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida, United States. October 16, 2006, Van Sickler, Michael. He' still considered active in the Tampa crime family. [6], Santo Jr. was deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. This page was last updated at 2023-02-17 00:03 UTC. [8] As the new boss LoScalzo maintained control of criminal interests in illegal gambling, prostitution, narcotics, union racketeering, hijacking and fencing stolen goods. [11]. On July 1, 1989, LoScalzo was indicted on racketeering charges, including grand theft. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. ST. Petersburg Times. 23 Yeah, Scott has some great information. ST. Petersburg Times. In the 1940s he joined up with Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello, and Meyer Lansky to set up gambling operations in Cuba. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Hoffa was known to consort with major mafia bosses, the mob having already corrupted many labor unions in large cities. Santo Trafficante Senior died in 1954. After the hearings ended the Trafficantes returned to Tampa to find out that Italiano had just fled to Mexico, leaving Jimmy Lumia the biggest mobster in the city. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather. The Irishman, based on investigator Charles Brandts 2003 memoir, I Heard You Paint Houses, chronicles the life of Teamster official Frank The Irishman Sheeran and his connection to the Bufalino crime family and Hoffa. With the Kefauver hearings and Charlie Wall testifying in 1950, both Trafficantes fled to Cuba. Shout Box Active Member Birthdays Newest Members Forum Statistics Posts Members Most Online Jan 21st, 2020 Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 1 of 2 1 2 Page 1 of 2 1 By the 1930s, Antinori and Wall were in a bloody decade-long war, which would later be known as "Era of Blood". authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. [9], As of November 25, 2007, Vincent LoScalzo was in his 70's and considered a semi-retired mobster and just a "regular Joe" according to Scott Deitche, author of Cigar City Mafia. In 1953 Santo Jr. survived a shooting. Why do retards post a bunch of dead guys names?! Line: 479 All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. By the 1930s, Antinori was one of the largest heroin traffickers in the country, wi Enrico "Henry" Trafficante was an American mobster and member of the Trafficante. New York: Barricade Books. His rap sheet includes arrests for racketeering, securities fraud, sale of unregistered security, organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, conspiracy to commit racketeering and multiple DWI's. Trafficante remained the boss of Tampa until he died of natural causes in 1954. With the Kefauver hearings and Charlie Wall testifying in 1950, both Trafficantes fled to Cuba. "The Mob" April 26, 2001", "Witness denies assassination, Cuba tied", "Entire John "Junior" Gotti Tampa Gambino Crime Family Indictment", "The American Mafia - Tampa Crime Bosses", "FLORIDA MAFIA FIGURE "BIG SAM" CAROLLO GONE AT 83, ONE OF THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS IN TRAFFICANTE CLAN", "Old Florida Mafia Looses Veteran Shot Caller To Father Time, Alleged Tampa Mobster Jimmy Valenti Dies At 91", Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, Rick Porrello's American Mafia: Tampa, Florida, Dieland Mob: The Trafficante Family (Tampa), American Gangland:Trafficante Crime Family, List of Italian-American mobsters by organization, Collaborations between the United States government and Italian Mafia. Biography Born Francesco Pietro Albano in New York City in 1939. Bliss, A.J., "MAKING A SUNBELT PLACE: TAMPA, FLORIDA," 19231964, Ph.D. dissertation, 2010. Frank Peter Albano (born 1939) is the current reputed underboss of the Trafficante crime family in Tampa, Florida. Trafficante crime family" id="addMyFavs">. Ragano recalls a dying Trafficante confessing in 1987 to having a role in the killing, though he says the mob boss eventually came to regret not killing Robert instead of his brother. As the new boss LoScalzo maintained control of criminal interests in illegal gambling, prostitution, narcotics, union racketeering, hijacking and fencing stolen goods. LoScalzo pleaded no contest on October 7, 1997, and received three months of probation. Antinori took notice of Santo Trafficante and invited him into his organization and together they expanded the Bolita games across the state. The Italiano faction in Tampa found the situation intolerable. spiders. [5], Despite numerous unrealized ambitions, he was regarded as one of the most powerful mob bosses of the American Mafia and ruled his family with an iron fist. Function: _error_handler, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/page/index.php November 25, 2007, United States House Select Committee on Assassinations, "Deitche, Scott. LoScalzo controlled a much smaller family, over the years many of the older mobsters retired or died and were not replaced with new members. "Junior" Gotti, along with John A. Burke, James V. Cadicamo, David D'Arpino, Michael D. Finnerty and Guy T. Peden on charges of racketeering, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking. Bliss, A.J., "MAKING A SUNBELT PLACE: TAMPA, FLORIDA," 19231964, Ph.D. dissertation, 2010, This page was last edited on 4 February 2023, at 19:52. [3] Both Wall's and Antinori's organizations were weakened, leaving Santo Trafficante as one of the last and most powerful bosses in Tampa.[2]. Wanted Cuba returned as a staging base for his drug business and to rebuild his Havana casino empire. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. The nephew of former boss Ignazio Italiano, he later fled to Mexico. [8], On October 26, 2000, federal authorities arrested Steven Raffa, along with eighteen members of Trafficante family's Miami faction. Supposedly arranged by Charles "Lucky" Luciano, the conference was held to discuss important mob policies, rules, and business interests. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida, United States. [6] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner. Frank Ragano was a self-styled "mob lawyer" from Florida, who made his name representing organized crime figures such as Santo Trafficante, Jr. and Carlos Marcello, and also served as lawyer for Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa. "The Everything Mafia Book, Second Edition". Robert and John F. Kennedy at the McClellan hearings on labor racketeering, aimed at Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters Union. Although not as big a player, Sam was identified in 1963 and again in 1978 as a soldier in the Trafficante crime family. Trafficante remained the boss of Tampa until he died of natural causes in 1954. The war between the two continued on for years, until October 23, 1940, when Ignacio Antinori was shot and killed by a shotgun blast to the head at the Palm Garden Inn in Tampa. [1] Author Scott Deitche reported that Santo Jr. was involved with the CIA to plot assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. Though omitted from the film, Brandt writes in the book that Sheeran claims to have delivered three rifles to Dallas in the days preceding the Kennedy assassination. Function: _error_handler, Message: Invalid argument supplied for foreach(), File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/user/popup_modal.php In 1953 Santo Jr. survived a shooting. Salvatore "Sam" "Toto" Trafficante was a Tampa, Florida mobster and member of the Trafficante crime family. He drove standard cars, lived in regular houses in quiet places, was married to the same woman, and generally described as a quiet man. There was also a smaller Italian gang in the area which was controlled by Santo Trafficante Sr., who had lived in Tampa since the age of 18. Interesting. Gang and firearm use allegations were found true. New York: Barricade Books. Many reputed mobsters have called the Jersey Shore home. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida, United States. July 26, 1931 - Angelo Lazzara was an early member of the Trafficante crime family. During the time Italiano operated in Tampa, the fledgling mafia was just getting their bearings under Italiano and other early Tampa mobsters' guidance. Lazzara was known in Ybor City as a collector of graft and . He died of natural causes in 2002. furio_from_naples OP: . [2][1], Santo Trafficante, Jr. was born in the United States on November 15, 1914, as one of five sons of Mafia boss Santo Trafficante. According to the 1994 book written by attorney Frank Ragano, who represented Hoffa, the teamster leader asked mob bosses Santos Trafficante and Carlos Marcello to arrange the assassination of . Oct 24, 2020 - Explore Clinton Fussell's board "Trafficante Family" on Pinterest. The conference was held during the week of December 22, 1946, at the Hotel Nacional. He became a soldier in the Tampa crime family in the 1980s, he was brought into the family by Vincent LoScalzo. Frank "Cowboy" Ippolito , trafficante mobster who owned La Tropicana Caf in Ybor City. In 1978, Trafficante was called to testify before the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations investigating possible links between Lee Harvey Oswald and anti-Castro Cubans, including the theory that Castro had President John F. Kennedy killed in retaliation for the CIA's attempts to assassinate Castro. In 1987, Vincent LoScalzo became boss of the Trafficante family and Florida was declared an open territory, meaning that the Five Families of New York City could operate in any city in Florida. The most notable boss was Santo Trafficante, Jr. who ruled Tampa and the crime family with an iron fist. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. In 1987, Vincent LoScalzo became boss of the Trafficante family and Florida was declared an open territory, meaning that the Five Families of New York City could operate in any city in Florida. Lazzara was first arrested for. The most notable boss was Santo Trafficante, Jr. who ruled Tampa and the crime family with an iron fist. 2008, Deitche, Scott. Santo Trafficante was born November 15, 1914 in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 1987, Vincent LoScalzo became boss of the Trafficante family and Florida was declared an open territory, meaning that the Five Families of New York City could operate in any city in Florida. [3] In 1943, Antinori's two sons Paul and Joseph were convicted in Kansas City for drug dealing and sentenced to four years in prison finally ending the decade long war. Ignacio Antinori, a Sicilian-born immigrant, became a well-known drug kingpin and the Italian crime boss during the late 1920s. [1] [11] The indictment stated that Gotti Jr. along with the other men had been involved in various criminal activities in Tampa and New York during the early 2000s. [9], As of November 25, 2007, Vincent LoScalzo was in his 70's and considered a semi-retired mobster and just a "regular Joe" according to Scott Deitche, author of Cigar City Mafia. Ignacio Antinori, a Sicilian-born immigrant, became a well-known drug kingpin and the Italian crime boss during the late 1920s. "The Mob" April 26, 2001", "Witness denies assassination, Cuba tied", "Entire John "Junior" Gotti Tampa Gambino Crime Family Indictment", "The American Mafia - Tampa Crime Bosses", "FLORIDA MAFIA FIGURE "BIG SAM" CAROLLO GONE AT 83, ONE OF THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS IN TRAFFICANTE CLAN", "Old Florida Mafia Looses Veteran Shot Caller To Father Time, Alleged Tampa Mobster Jimmy Valenti Dies At 91", Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, Rick Porrello's American Mafia: Tampa, Florida, Dieland Mob: The Trafficante Family (Tampa), American Gangland:Trafficante Crime Family, List of Italian-American mobsters by organization, Collaborations between the United States government and Italian Mafia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trafficante_crime_family&oldid=1137461244. Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. 3 min read Four months after a former soldier for the Trafficante crime family was indicted in connection with a $3.8 million health care fraud scheme, another 10. You fail Drug Slang 101 dude. [6] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. Wall controlled his organization from the Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City, and employed Italians, Cubans and men of other ethnicities in his organization. "They told me to go to the draft board and sign up. Are you sure you want to cancel your membership with us? Under pressure of a court order granting him immunity from prosecution, but threatening him with contempt if he refused to talk, Trafficante admitted to a Congressional committee in 1975 that he had in the early 1960s recruited other mobsters to assassinate Castro. Function: _error_handler, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/page/index.php He also controlled a few bars, lounges, restaurants, night clubs and liquor stores across Florida. [1] After the death of Santo Jr. in 1987, the Tampa Mafia family has been controlled by Vincent LoScalzo. He also controlled a few bars, lounges, restaurants, night clubs and liquor stores across Florida. Salerno tried hard to find mob involvement in JFKs death, according to The Kennedy Half Century by author Larry J. Sabato. Was he involved in the assassination? In 1992, LoScalzo was arrested at the Tampa International Airport for carrying a loaded .38-caliber pistol in his brief case. On September 22, 2020, LOMELI and QUINAREZ were convicted by jury of murder and attempted murder in a gang-related shooting. It's still a great chart on the Tampa Mob. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. Are they left over from the Trafficante days? [9] Raffa the leader of the familys Miami faction committed suicide on November 16, 2000. Wall controlled his organization from the Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City, and employed Italians, Cubans and men of other ethnicities in his organization. He allegedly controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, however he never served time in a United States prison. [3] Both Wall's and Antinori's organizations were weakened, leaving Santo Trafficante as one of the last and most powerful bosses in Tampa.[2]. Wall rapidly gained status within the criminal underworld from his early endeavors in the operation of several gambling, prostitution, and illegal numbers rackets. [8] As the new boss LoScalzo maintained control of criminal interests in illegal gambling, prostitution, narcotics, union racketeering, hijacking and fencing stolen goods. Santo was reportedly the most powerful mob boss in Batista era Cuba. November 25, 2007, United States House Select Committee on Assassinations, "Deitche, Scott. Santo Trafficante Sr. had now taken over organized crime activities in a majority of the city and started to teach his son Santo Trafficante Jr. how to run these operations. Joseph Francis Civello was an American mobster and the leader of the Dallas crime family from 1956 until his death in 1970. From 1951 until 1967, he was the boss of the Lucchese crime family, one of the Five Families that dominate organized crime in New York City. New York: Barricade Books. He led the organization from 1990 until his death on February 1, 2007. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida. Trafficante Sr. had always wanted to make it big in Cuban casinos and dispatched his son, Santo, Jr., to Havana in 1946 to help operate a mob-owned casino. www.lberger.ca. Line: 107 After the hearings ended the Trafficantes returned to Tampa to find out that Italiano had just fled to Mexico, leaving Jimmy Lumia the biggest mobster in the city. "The Everything Mafia Book, Second Edition". Notes BILL DURYEA. Raffa the leader of the familys Miami faction committed suicide on November 16, 2000. Santo Trafficante Sr. gained power as a mobster in Tampa and ruled the Mafia in Tampa from the 1930s until his death in 1954. He headed the Trafficante crime famil Loscalzo maintained ties to Mafia families in California, New Jersey, and New York as well as being connected to the Sicilian Mafia. Santo Sr. had Lumia killed after finding out he had been bad mouthing him while he was in Cuba. 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. In Trafficante Sr.'s adult life he portrayed himself as a successful Tampa cigar factory owner. Santo Jr. was deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. Santo Trafficante, Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was one of the last of the old-time Mafia bosses in the United States.