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Dive into the dark world of Santo Trafficante Jr., one of America's most enigmatic mob bosses. From ruling Tampa's underworld to running Cuba's casinos, witness how this criminal mastermind shaped 20th-century history.
🔍 Discover how Trafficante:
- Built a criminal empire spanning Florida to Cuba
- Lost everything to Castro's revolution
- Collaborated with the CIA in multiple assassination attempts
- Was allegedly connected to JFK's assassination
- Operated in Vietnam's shadow war
When The FBI Brought Down an Entire Crime Empire!
#MafiaHistory #OrganizedCrime #CubanHistory #AmericanHistory #TrueStory #Documentary #CriminalEmpire #HistoricalFigures #CIA #JFKAssassination
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0:00
[Music]
0:14
[Applause] [Music] imagine a world where power is absolute
0:23
and betrayal is a daily occurrence Welcome to the story of Santo Traficante
0:29
Jr A man who turned the streets of Tampa into his personal empire and made Havana
0:34
dance to the rhythm of his criminal symphony Picture this A young Italian
0:41
American raised in the shadows of Florida's underworld who would go on to challenge Fidel Castro collaborate with
0:48
the CIA and find himself at the center of one of the most shocking events in
0:54
American history the assassination of John F Kennedy From the smoke-f filled
1:02
back rooms of Tampa to the sundrenched shores of Cuba from clandestine meetings
1:08
with intelligence agencies to explosive allegations about presidential
1:13
assassinations the life of Santo Trafocante Jr reads like a Hollywood
1:18
script too outrageous to be true Yet every twist and turn of his story is
1:25
rooted in a reality stranger than fiction Join us as we unravel the enigma of the
1:32
man who went from being Fidel Castro's nemesis to a potential conspirator in
1:37
the death of a US president This is the tale of Santo
1:42
Traficante Jr a gangster who left an indelible mark on American history Santo
1:49
Traficante Jr was a mobster who enjoyed the melodious Italian accordion and the
1:55
dancable Cuban Guagwango However his true passion was
2:00
not music but gambling and drugs where he reigned mercilessly on the east coast
2:07
of the United States With Sicilian ancestry and a cunning ability to forge
2:12
alliances he became a criminal leader as powerful as he was ruthless
2:19
Leaders across the continent followed his directives A communist revolution
2:25
was a thorn in his side and his collaborations with the CIA were nothing
2:31
more than a gift in exchange for valuable time It is even said that the
2:37
death of one of the most powerful men on the planet could have been orchestrated by him This is the infamous life of
2:45
Santo Traficante Jr Santo Trafocante Jr emerged in a world saturated with
2:51
shadows and secrets on November 15th 1914 in Tampa Florida United States He
3:00
was born into a difficult context for the community to which he belonged The
3:06
history of Italian-Ameans in Florida in the early 20th century was plagued with
3:12
hope struggle and a touch of mafia resilience Between 1880 and 1915
3:21
approximately 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States in
3:26
search of a more promising future Many of them mostly from Sicily found a new
3:32
home in Florida Tampa with its growing tobacco industry and flourishing fruit
3:38
trade became a magnet for these immigrants The promise of work in cigar
3:44
factories and citrus orchards attracted a wave of Italians who also ventured
3:50
into other professions such as real estate barbering butchery and tailoring
3:56
However it was not an easy path Italian immigrants faced relentless exploitation
4:04
by the Pedroni Italian intermediaries who controlled their wages
4:09
transportation and living conditions all for a fee Social peace was a luxury they
4:16
could not afford Racial tensions and labor conflicts were a daily occurrence
4:21
During this time an Italian was lynched in Tampa during a labor strike an event
4:27
that reflected the fear and hostility they faced This episode although isolated in Florida resonated with the
4:35
more frequent lynchings in places like Louisiana where the Black Hand an Italian criminal organization fueled the
4:43
flames of fear and xenophobia However the Italian-American community in
4:49
Florida did not succumb Many families developed and prospered creating vibrant
4:55
cultural enclaves where music theater and festivals were everyday occurrences
5:01
They also supported Italian language newspapers and social clubs creating a
5:07
microcosm of their homeland in the new world But the influence of the
5:12
Italian-American community was not limited to the cultural sphere Their
5:17
contribution to Florida's industrial and agricultural development was significant
5:23
They distinguished themselves as dedicated workers and skilled artisans
5:29
playing a crucial role in the region's economic growth They also helped to
5:34
establish Florida as an important fruit production center Nonetheless the roots
5:41
of the future Fidian gangster bore a resemblance more to those of the Black Hand than to the regional agricultural
5:48
sector The cradle of Santo Trafocante Jr was covered by the dark mantle of the
5:55
criminal underworld as the son of the infamous Santo Traficante Senior a
6:00
Sicilian crime titan who ruled the Tampa underworld with an iron fist And his
6:06
mother Maria Joseph Kachaturé the shadow of Santos Senior loomed cold and
6:12
dominant over the young Trafikante He was one of the many Italians who found refuge in the vast
6:20
lands of North America It is said that his father's words were
6:26
like sacred orders and his cruel wisdom an infallible guide in the murky waters
6:32
they navigated Although not fully documented it is believed that Trafocante Jr dropped out of school at
6:40
some point during high school probably in the 9th or 10th grade Consequently it
6:46
can be inferred that most of his education was limited and informal
6:52
Regardless his education was not confined to conventional classrooms It
6:58
was always imbued with the subtle arts of manipulation and infamy It is very
7:04
likely that his father educated him in the business of gambling and the mafia from a very young age He had ample
7:11
opportunity to learn about these matters as Traficanti senior's experiences
7:16
provided enough material to make him an authentic master of crime With the end
7:22
of prohibition in the mid 1930s Trafocante Senior's criminal machinery
7:28
thrived His strategic alliance with the Titans of the National Mafia ensured the
7:34
expansion of his shady operations beyond the borders of Florida Amidst the smoke
7:41
of cigars and the clinking of glasses the bond between father and son was
7:48
forged It is very likely that the two indulged more than once in the pleasures
7:54
of gambling and partying in Florida and Cuba as the father greatly enjoyed such
8:01
gatherings The Trafocante family was also particularly famous for using a
8:06
language called Tampan a dialect that combined Italian and Spanish It was a
8:13
sort of encrypted language spoken by the Fidian mafia so that the police could
8:19
not understand their communications By the 1930s Santo Jr
8:25
emerged following in his father's footsteps who had consolidated his dominance over Florida's rival gangs
8:32
When our protagonist joined his father in this complex endeavor he did so not
8:39
as a mere porn but as a strategist in training As Trafficante Senior unified
8:46
the criminal factions under the family's banner his son stood out for his ability
8:52
to manage operations and maintain discipline within the organization However not everything in
9:00
our protagonist's life revolved around crime and breaking the law Santo
9:05
Traficante Jr found time amidst his businesses to marry Josephine Marquees
9:11
on April 17th 1938 His wife known thereafter as
9:17
Josephine Yuyu Trafocante was born in Tampa 6 years after him and also
9:24
descended from Sicilian immigrants Together they had two daughters Despite
9:31
being married to one of the most notorious mobsters in the region Josephine preferred to dedicate her time
9:36
to cooking knitting and family trips She exemplified the typical housewife
9:43
managing the duality of being a devoted mother while her husband wo a corrupt and viceridden network By the 1940s
9:52
Santo Jr had risen to become one of the most powerful mobsters in the region His
9:59
empire encompassed not only traditional criminal activities such as gambling and drug trafficking but also an intricate
10:07
web of political and economic influences His reach quickly expanded
10:13
from the alleys of Tampa to the avenues of Havana where his ability to combine
10:19
legitimate businesses with illegal operations allowed him to create an
10:24
unprecedented power network The Trafficante family leveraging their
10:29
economic position and the threat of violence formed a strong alliance with
10:34
Fulgensio Batista's government in Cuba during Batista's first term as president
10:41
The relationship between the Cuban leader and the Fidian Kappo was very close from the beginning
10:48
Batista was dominated by Trafficante and granted him enough permits for the mafia
10:54
to operate in Cuba turning the island into a hub of narcotics trafficking
11:00
prostitution and organized crime Until 1959 no new Cuban government dared to
11:08
dismantle the benefits approved by Batista that organized crime enjoyed In
11:14
fact in 1946 Santo Senior sent his son to Cuba
11:19
to invest in the growing number of nightclubs and casinos in the island nation By this time Santo Jr had already
11:29
become the underboss of the Trafficante family However father and son mobsters
11:36
never achieved their main goal of monopolizing the gambling business on the island Among their legitimate
11:44
businesses the casinos in Cuba stood out as their crown jewels These
11:50
establishments were an endless source of income and became true nerve centers
11:55
where politicians celebrities businessmen and other mobsters converged
12:01
in Havana Their investments in an open air theater and a popular selfservice
12:07
restaurant showcased their ability to disguise their true interests behind a
12:13
facade of financial integrity Meanwhile in Tampa they diversified
12:20
their businesses with investments in the iconic Colombia restaurant one of the
12:25
oldest and most prestigious restaurants in the region along with several other
12:30
bars and eeries Besides the significant profits they generated these
12:37
establishments served as nodes in a vast network of influence and relationships
12:42
that he meticulously cultivated Here the clinking of wine glasses often
12:48
accompanied conversations of conspiracy and betrayal involving substantial sums
12:54
of money Through his casinos and restaurants Santo Traficante Jr
13:00
established contacts with other criminals corrupt politicians and greedy
13:05
businessmen Each forged relationship added another thread to his web of power
13:11
His movements were meticulously planned and his loyalties carefully selected to
13:16
avoid attracting unnecessary attention During these years Santo Traficante Jr
13:23
maintained ties with the Banano family in New York City enabling him to expand
13:29
his operations nationally Additionally he was closely associated
13:34
with Salvatore Sam Gianana a significant Chicago boss involved in similar
13:41
businesses gambling illegal liquor distribution and political fraud By
13:48
1946 Djangana's influence was so vast that he was invited to an event that
13:54
would alter the course of organized crime in America the Havana Conference
13:59
The decision to hold this historic gathering in the city is another stark reminder of Fulgensio Batista's
14:07
commitment to the flourishing of organized crime This landmark event
14:13
brought together heavyweights from the American mafia the Jewish crime syndicate and leaders of the Kosan
14:21
Nostra under the glittering facade of the hotel Nasal orchestrated by the infamous
14:29
Charles Lucky Luciano former head of the Luciano family and co-founder of the
14:35
Italian Mafia Commission in the United States The conference became the
14:40
epicenter of decisions that resonated throughout the Western Hemisphere It was
14:46
also organized by Maya Lansky head of the Jewish crime syndicate and a key
14:52
financial adviser for Italian mafia gambling operations in the US He was a
14:58
mastermind of illicit finance The conference wasn't just a simple social
15:03
gathering but a carefully planned conclave of the most dangerous mafia
15:10
minds It aimed to discuss political matters establish operating norms and
15:17
consolidate business interests that transcended borders At a time when the
15:22
American mafia was extending its tentacles into Latin America this meeting was crucial for forging
15:28
alliances and solid agreements with other crime leaders in the region It was
15:34
considered the most significant gathering since the Atlantic City Conference held 17 years earlier The
15:41
event was also highly profitable for Lucky Luchiano who had endured a tumultuous exile with difficulties
15:49
remaining on American soil Participants decided to gift him envelopes containing
15:55
cash totaling around $200,000 In this den of vipers Santo
16:02
Traficante Jr emerged as a key player recognized as one of the most powerful
16:08
mafiosos in the southern United States Known for his cunning and firm hand in
16:14
drug trafficking Santo Trafficante Jr.'s stance at the Havana Conference was
16:20
clear to expand and consolidate narcotics routes and operations ensuring
16:27
that the mafia maintained control and maximized profits The repercussions of
16:33
the Havana conference were profound and longlasting The consolidation of
16:39
alliances and agreements among organized crime leaders facilitated the expansion of American mafia operations in Latin
16:46
America Moreover the packs sealed in the luxurious halls of the hotel national
16:54
not only bolstered mafia power in the region but also laid the groundwork for
16:59
a global drug trafficking network that would persist for decades In the
17:05
following decade stomach cancer which he had been silently suffering from
17:10
silenced one of the most influential mafiosos of his time forever Santo
17:17
Trafficante Senior His death on April 11th 1954 at the age of 68 left a void
17:25
in the heart of the criminal empire he had forged with intelligence and cruelty
17:31
He was laid to rest in the Italian club cemetery in Eore City in Tampa Florida
17:38
This was a place that reflected his Italian roots and the influence he had wielded over the Italian-American
17:45
community With his father's death Santo Traficante Jr found himself at the helm
17:52
of a vast criminal empire He had learned from the best and was prepared to
17:57
continue the family legacy The time had come for Santo Traficante Jr to ascend
18:04
from underboss to boss of the infamous Trafficante family The transition of
18:10
power was not easy but Santo Jr was ready to face the challenges ahead He
18:16
inherited not only the businesses but also the strategic alliances enemies and
18:22
the training imparted by his father Beyond this family matter Trafocante Jr
18:28
continued to consolidate his power in Florida He also established an intricate
18:34
narcotics trafficking network that stretched all the way to New York City
18:39
collaborating closely with Tommy the Barber Lucesi boss of the Lucesi crime
18:44
family one of the five most powerful in the city Trafficante Jr managed a
18:50
narcotics operation that ran like a welloiled machine His relationship with
18:56
Lucesi was more than just a strategic alliance It was rooted in their earlier
19:02
connection when the young Traficante was groomed in the dark arts of the mafia
19:08
under his father's guidance and had the opportunity to meet him Their meetings
19:13
were not cold tense or calculated transactions On the contrary Trafocante
19:19
and Lucaz understood each other effortlessly in the world of crime They
19:24
were good friends and frequently dined together in New York City During this
19:30
decade Trafocante Jr was arrested numerous times for bribery charges and
19:36
for operating the infamous illegal lottery known as Bolita in the bustling
19:41
district of Eore City Tampa However in a nearly theatrical twist of events
19:49
Trafficante managed to evade conviction on each occasion including when he was
19:55
sentenced to 5 years for bribery The Florida Supreme Court overturned the
20:02
sentence before he set foot in prison thanks to his intricate network of
20:08
contacts Each arrest was merely a minor inconvenience swiftly resolved with a
20:14
bribe here and a veiled threat there The Appalachin meeting held on November 14th
20:21
1957 in the quiet town of Appalachin New York stands as a pivotal event in the
20:28
history of organized crime in the United States It had clear and well-defined
20:33
objectives to discuss and coordinate various illegal activities that generated millions of dollars for the
20:41
mafia Topics included gambling casino management and narcotics trafficking
20:47
which formed the backbone of mafia operations at the time These illicit
20:53
businesses required meticulous coordination to avoid conflicts and
20:58
maximize profits for the members of the mafia commission the governing body of
21:03
the meeting Additionally a critical point on the agenda was the division of operations
21:10
previously under the control of Albert Anastasia a feared mafia boss who had
21:16
recently been assassinated Albert Anastasia born in Calabria Italy in 1902 is a prominent
21:24
figure in organized crime history due to his leadership of the Gambino crime
21:29
family and his ruthless reputation in the underworld Known as the Mad Hatter or Lord High
21:37
Executioner Anastasia was notorious for his brutal tactics and his role in
21:43
expanding mafia influence across various illicit enterprises The aftermath of
21:49
Anastasia's assassination left a significant power vacuum within the mafia hierarchy prompting urgent
21:56
discussions at Appalachin about how to redistribute territories and maintain stability within the criminal
22:03
organization This meeting underscored the mafia's reach into illegal
22:08
activities and its efforts to consolidate power while inadvertently drawing unwanted attention from law
22:16
enforcement marking a turning point in how organized crime was perceived and
22:22
pursued in the United States Albert Anastasia known for his brutality and
22:28
meteoric rise to power was deeply involved in a range of criminal activities and
22:35
enterprises He was notably one of the architects behind Murder Inc the
22:41
ruthless assassination squad of the National Crime Syndicate Anastasia's
22:46
ability to impose order through fear and violence was unparalleled cementing his
22:52
reputation as a formidable figure in organized crime He also ascended within
22:59
the ranks of the International Long Shoreman's Association becoming a powerful figure within the Union Using
23:07
his position Anastasia controlled waterfront operations and engaged in
23:12
various illicit activities leveraging his influence for personal gain
23:18
Following World War II Anastasia diversified his interests by investing
23:23
in a garment factory This legitimate front allowed him to maintain a facade
23:29
of legality while continuing his criminal enterprises These ventures were highly profitable
23:36
and Anastasia's criminal activities generated substantial income making him a valuable asset to the mafia commission
23:45
However Anastasia's career began to falter in the early
23:50
1950s Legal problems including accusations of dennaturalization and tax
23:57
evasion started to accumulate Additionally his leadership was
24:02
challenged by powerful figures such as Veto Genevvesi Joseph Profacei and Carlo
24:08
Gambino The climax of his downfall came on October 25th 1957 when Anastasia was
24:16
murdered in a barber shop at the Park Sheritan Hotel in Manhattan
24:22
Anastasia's death created a power vacuum and an urgent need to redistribute his
24:28
lucrative operations among the various mafia bosses present Returning to
24:33
Appalachin the estate of Joseph Barbara in Appalachin was chosen as the location
24:39
for this secret meeting due to its rural and seemingly secure location Barbara
24:46
was the boss of the northeastern Pennsylvania crime family and had successfully organized a smaller meeting
24:53
there the previous year Santo Traficante Jr attended the event to control
25:00
organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba His presence at the Appalachin
25:06
meeting underscores his importance within the mafia and he probably participated actively in the discussions
25:13
The discussions about the distribution of illegal activities protected his interests within the United States and
25:20
the Caribbean island with control over gambling and narcotics trafficking
25:26
Traficante was determined to maintain and expand his influence However the
25:33
choice turned out to be a catastrophic mistake Local and federal authorities
25:39
were increasingly aware of Barbara's and other mobsters activities Their
25:44
meticulous and intensified surveillance led to the events dramatic downfall Indeed the Appalachin meeting
25:52
was abruptly interrupted by state police and federal agents Authorities
25:59
suspicions about the unusual concentration of luxury cars at Barbara's estate led to an operation
26:07
resulting in the arrest of numerous mobsters It is considered a master
26:12
stroke by law enforcement officials who managed to arrest around 60 men out of
26:18
the estimated 100 attendees Among those detained was Santo
26:23
Traficante Jr His arrest was noteworthy because he was a key figure in organized
26:30
crime operations A man accustomed to operating from the shadows and maintaining a low
26:36
profile Trafficante initially gave the name Luis Santos when detained in a
26:43
desperate attempt to conceal his identity and maintain his usual
26:48
anonymity This ruse did not last long In January of the following year
26:56
after fleeing to the Cuban capital to avoid the subpoena Traficante admitted
27:02
his true identity to the Cuban National Police Among those arrested alongside
27:08
Santo Traficante Jr were some of the most powerful and feared names in the
27:13
Kosanostra and the Mafia Commission However the legal consequences of
27:19
Appalachin extended beyond these multiple arrests In January
27:25
1959 Traficante and 19 other men were charged with conspiring to obstruct
27:32
justice by lying about the nature of the mob meeting They were found guilty fined
27:39
and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 5 years However in an ironic
27:46
twist of fate these convictions were overturned on appeal the following year
27:51
highlighting the mafia's ability to evade justice Through influence and
27:57
legal maneuvers the mafia managed to evade justice The Appalachin meeting
28:03
marked a crucial turning point providing the first concrete evidence of a
28:09
national criminal conspiracy known as the mafia something the FBI had
28:15
previously denied This revelation shattered the facade of denial
28:20
maintained by authorities and triggered a series of more aggressive measures by
28:25
law enforcement against mafia activities For Santo Traficante Jr this
28:32
experience was a bittersweet mix of humiliation and reaffirmation of his
28:37
status as an influential boss These events shook Santo Trafocante Jr on
28:45
American soil Now it is essential to highlight what had been happening for
28:50
years in the Caribbean islands implicating him once again The last
28:55
years of Fulgensio Batista's government were a whirlwind of economic chaos
29:01
brutal repression and his ultimate downfall from power Faced with such
29:07
atrocities the opposition to the regime did not remain idle The July 26th
29:14
movement led by a young revolutionary named Fidel Castro emerged as a
29:20
significant force Before becoming the revolutionary icon of the Cold War Fidel
29:26
Castro was simply a young and charismatic lawyer deeply troubled by Cuba's political and economic situation
29:34
In 1950 he graduated from the University of Havana's law school and began his
29:39
career as a lawyer However law was just a tool for something bigger politics He
29:47
joined the reformist Cuban People's Party and quickly positioned himself as
29:52
a candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives for the elections scheduled for June 1952
30:00
Despite his aspirations in March of that year Fulgensio Batista orchestrated a
30:06
coup that overthrew the naent Cuban democracy securing his second term This
30:12
sudden event cancelled the elections for which Castro was a candidate and pushed
30:17
him to the brink of political despair Determined to challenge the coup Fidel
30:24
tried to use the judicial system but it was so corrupt that his efforts were futile It was at this point that Castro
30:32
decided that words would not be
30:38
enough On July 26th 1953 he led an armed attack on the Monarda barracks one of
30:45
Batista's regime's military strongholds The attack failed
30:50
spectacularly and Castro was captured But this event marked the beginning of
30:55
his revolutionary career The date would become the symbol of the revolutionary
31:01
movement he would lead By the late 1950s Batista's regime was already facing
31:08
growing economic difficulties The final blow came with the Sugar Act of
31:15
1956 a ruthless move that drastically reduced Cuban sugar trade to benefit
31:21
American producers This was a direct punch to the gut of the national economy
31:27
which heavily relied on sugar exports The uncertainty about the future of this
31:33
vital industry caused a collapse of support within the government and the agricultural sector leaving Batista
31:41
increasingly isolated and vulnerable With fewer allies and more enemies each
31:47
day anti-Batista militants organized a campaign of harassment and sabotage that
31:54
constantly kept the regime in check In the provinces the resistance was felt
32:00
with surprise attacks and a fierce determination to overthrow the president
32:06
In his desperation to cling to power Batista responded with brutal repression
32:12
He controlled the university the press and the Congress with an iron fist
32:19
plunging Cuba into true political chaos The streets of Cuba became a
32:24
battleground with murders and disappearances becoming daily occurrences However the more Batista
32:32
tried to crush the resistance the more hatred towards his regime grew
32:38
Corruption reached unprecedented levels during his 8 years out of power from
32:43
1944 to 1952 as Batista enjoyed his enrichment at the expense of the Cuban
32:51
people His return to power only intensified this whirlwind of
32:57
embezzlement The year 1958 marked the turning point The Cuban Revolution led
33:03
by Castro gained unstoppable momentum in the fall The revolutionary forces
33:10
launched a decisive attack that left Batista's regime in a precarious
33:16
condition Seeing the inevitable end Batista decided to flee the country on January 1st
33:23
1959 He didn't leave empty-handed He took a personal fortune of over $300
33:28
million The Cuban Revolution achieved its goal of overthrowing Batista's
33:35
authoritarian government marking the beginning of a new era in Cuban politics
33:42
His fall was met with jubilation by Cubans who saw in Castro and his
33:48
movement a hope for a better future Thus the downfall of a major ally of Sto
33:55
Traficante Jr in the Caribbean was set in motion Batista who had wielded much
34:02
power and aided Traficante in his misdeeds was no more However it must be
34:09
said that the Cuban revolution was not merely a Russian revolution with a
34:14
mojito twist It aimed to combine the ideas of Marty the national hero who
34:20
dreamed of a free Cuba with Marxism Leninism the doctrine that promised a
34:26
proletarian paradise The objective was clear To liberate Cuba from imperialist yoke and
34:34
emancipate the Cuban people But how was this achieved by taking control of
34:40
absolutely everything Private property became public enemy
34:46
number one Landowners entrepreneurs and small property owners saw their assets
34:53
expropriated in the name of social justice The implicit message was clear
34:59
Your land is no longer yours It belongs to the people And by people they meant
35:06
the state In summary the Cuban Revolution began as an ambitious project
35:12
of national liberation and redemption but quickly transformed into a regime
35:18
that crushed private property and any form of disscent This entire story is
35:25
tied to the fact that Santo Traficante Jr and other mobsters had turned Havana
35:31
into their own mob playground They controlled significant assets on the island including casinos hotels and
35:40
other businesses that generated immense fortunes for them However the arrival of
35:46
Fidel Castro and his revolutionary government drastically changed their fate When Castro took control of Cuba
35:55
one of his first objectives was to eliminate the mafia's influence
36:00
This meant shutting down the casinos nationalizing hotels and seizing other
36:06
mafia controlled enterprises Santo Traficante Jr and his
36:11
associates saw their Havana empire crumble almost overnight Castro's
36:17
government not only deprived them of their lucrative businesses but also sent a clear message that Cuba was no longer
36:24
a playground for foreign mobsters This marked the end of an era for Traficante and his peers as the Cuban
36:32
Revolution fundamentally reshaped the island's political and economic landscape To dismantle the organized
36:40
crime that had infiltrated Cuba's economy Castro's government took decisive action Adding to this was the
36:48
disappearance of private property which hit Traficante like a bomb His assets
36:55
and properties including iconic locations in Havana like the Tropicana Casino and the hotel's Riviera and Capri
37:03
was swiftly seized The confiscation of these assets represented a significant
37:09
financial loss for Trafficante and marked the end of his influence in the region In
37:16
1959 our protagonist was detained by Cuban authorities and subsequently
37:21
expelled from the country as an undesirable person Watching his properties pass into state hands he fled
37:29
to the United States leaving behind the empire he had built in Cuba Trafficante
37:36
never made specific comments about the properties Castro confiscated but the loss was evidently devastating
37:44
Castro's government boasted of having eradicated organized crime from the island with the expropriation of
37:50
Traficante's assets being a crucial part of this effort Unwilling to accept his
37:55
fate without a fight Traficante became deeply involved in anti-Castro activities He established contacts with
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various US intelligence services including the CIA and the Office of Naval Intelligence and participated in
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several plots to assassinate Castro While his exact role in each plot
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remains unclear all were part of the desperate efforts by the CIA to rid the Western
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Hemisphere of the Cuban Revolutionary leader One attempt involved poisoned
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cigars Traficante Jr participated in a plot to mix Castro's beloved cigars with
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a lethal substance In another Macccabra twist there was a plan to poison
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Castro's milkshake as if playing a grim joke Yet another bizarre plan
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Trafficante was involved in was a CIA scheme to get Castro to wear a poisoned
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wet suit If his clothing was harmful the reasoning went his chances of survival
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were slim To cap it all off a plan worthy of a soap opera or a fiction book
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our protagonist and the CIA devised together a scheme to detonate Castro
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with an explosive sea shell All these attempts were part of the so-called
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Operation Mongoose one of the most extravagant and comprehensive efforts by the CIA to eliminate Fidel Castro and
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his government The operation involved a network of CIA agents Cuban exiles and
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organized crime figures Among the most colorful and dangerous characters were
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Santo Traficante Jr and Johnny Roseli From a political and state security
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standpoint it involved economic sabotage against the Caribbean government
39:52
hindering the island's maritime transport and funding anti-government
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riots The overarching goal was to make Cuba ungovernable and undermine Fidel
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Castro's revolutionary positions in the eyes of the Cuban public whose radical
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measures were also not helping to improve the internal situation
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These plots though unsuccessful demonstrate the extent to which Traficante was willing to go to
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regain his lost position He worked with his traditional pursuers to conspire
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against a foreign government an enemy shared by law enforcement and the mafia
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alike Applying the logic of the enemy of my enemy is my friend Traficante found
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himself collaborating with the CIA Declassified documents from the agency
40:44
in 2007 confirmed his direct connections to these assassination plans However
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Traficante Jr wasn't just involved in political conspiracies in Cuba but also
40:57
in the United States John F Kennedy elected as the 35th president of the
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United States in 1960 was a charismatic young leader who promised to elevate the
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nation to new heights of development and power However his life and presidency
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came to an abrupt and tragic end on November 26th 1963 a day etched into
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collective memory as one of the greatest tragedies in American history On that
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fateful day Kennedy was in Dallas doing what politicians do best greeting the
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crowd from a presidential motorcade He rode in his open top limousine through
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De Plaza accompanied by his elegant and poised wife the governor of Texas and
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his wife Nelly Amidst cheers and applause a shot rang out shattering the
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air and turning the scene of celebration into a nightmare The fatal shot came
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from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository fired by Lee Harvey
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Oswald a former US Marine and self-proclaimed communist with
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sympathies for revolutionary ideas He apparently believed that killing the
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president was the perfect way to express his discontent with the system While
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Oswald is known as Kennedy's assassin in 1976 FBI informant Jose Alamman claimed
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that in September 1962 Santo Traficante Jr had offered him
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a million dollar loan to refurbish his hotel During their conversation
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Traficante openly expressed his bitterness towards the Kennedy brothers and their attacks on figures like Jimmy
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Hoffer an outspoken union leader who served as president of the International
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Brotherhood of Teamsters and other associated unions Alamman perhaps naive or cynical
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mentioned to Traficante that President Kennedy would likely be reelected Trafficante's response was chilling and
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prophetic No Jose they are going to hit him Alamman claimed to have reported
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these disturbing remarks to his FBI contacts but authorities dismissed the warnings as mafia
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bravado However this detail would later take on a more sinister tone In 1978
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Traficante Jr and Alaman were called to testify before the United States House
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Select Committee on Assassinations The committee was investigating potential links between
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Kennedy's assassin and anti-Castro Cubans including the theory that Castro
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had ordered Kennedy's assassination in retaliation for CIA attempts on his life
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Alamman reiterated that Trafocante had complained for hours during a meeting in
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June or July 1963 about Kennedy's crackdown on organized crime Trafficante had used the
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phrase they are going to hit him which Alamman initially interpreted as a
44:18
prediction of Kennedy's assassination However this phrase could
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be interpreted in two different ways Alleman believed it meant Kennedy would
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be physically attacked as indeed happened while another interpretation suggested Traficante knew they were
44:37
discussing Kennedy's potential electoral defeat Nevertheless the next day
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Trafocante testified vehemently denying having said those words
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Beginning in 1992 Traficante's former lawyer Frank Reggano made an even more
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explosive revelation He claimed to have relayed a request from Jimmy Hoffer to Traficante
45:03
and New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marello to kill Kennedy Reggano also asserted
45:10
that on his deathbed Traficante confessed that Marello's original plan
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was to assassinate Robert Francis Kennedy the president's brother which
45:21
was allegedly connected to the congressional crackdown on the mafia in the United States According to Raeno
45:29
there were potential witnesses who could support this claim though he refused to name them publicly for fear of
45:36
retaliation It was never confirmed whether Traficante Jr was actually involved in
45:43
the assassination Following these tumultuous years Traficante Junior's next endeavors
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were far from tranquil In 1968 he became involved with
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Vietnam not as a tourist but through the CIA's covert operation Phoenix This
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program aimed to dismantle the infrastructure of the National Liberation Front of Vietnam a political
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group fighting against the United States and North Vietnam during the Vietnam War
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with the goal of unifying the country under a socialist republic The operation
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often described as a state terror maneuver saw the CIA collaborating with
46:31
organized crime elements like Trafocante to gather intelligence and execute
46:36
missions In the late 1960s Trafocante Jr became involved in CIA operations in
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Vietnam notably Operation Phoenix and also had a hand in Operation Red Rock
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Details of his specific activities in Vietnam remain sparse but his role was
46:58
significant likely facilitating covert operations that the CIA preferred to
47:04
keep away from public scrutiny By this point Trafficante and the CIA had formed
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an unsettling partnership underscoring the lengths to which the US government
47:16
would go to achieve its objectives abroad In the 1970s Traficante Jr
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expanded his illicit activities to tropical lands particularly Costa Rica
47:29
Here the mafia boss not only enjoyed the sun and beaches but also engaged in
47:36
shady businesses that kept his wallet full and his adrenaline high However
47:43
dirty dealings have a funny way of backfiring In 1973 at nearly 60 years
47:51
old while enjoying his time in Costa Rica local authorities decided it was
47:56
time to put a stop to his activities and arrested him Yet true to the style of a
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crime boss of his stature his time behind bars was
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brief Shortly after Trafocante was released likely due to influences beyond
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Costa Rican borders The 1980s marked the beginning of Trafocante Jr.'s definitive
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decline An infamous veteran of organized crime involved in numerous national and
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international scandals he began to suffer from deteriorating health Cardiac
48:34
issues were his primary struggle with heart attacks and bypass surgeries
48:40
becoming part of his medical routine His overall condition was delicate further
48:45
compounded by speculation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or lung cancer though these remain
48:53
conjectures Despite constant medical attention including surgeries therapies
48:58
and medications his health continued to decline with each passing day Amidst
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this complex health panorama in 1986 Traficante was summoned to court for his
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alleged involvement in the illegal activities at King's Court This was no
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ordinary nightclub established by members of the Banano crime family from
49:23
New York It was a hub of illegal activities where card gambling and
49:28
unlicensed alcohol consumption were rampant Eventually the nightclub was infiltrated
49:36
and operated as a well-designed trap by the FBI aiming to penetrate Traficanti's
49:42
organization and gather evidence against him When confronted with justice a weary
49:48
Traficante Jr vehemently denied any involvement in the operations of King's
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court dismissing it all as a maneuver by his enemies to discredit him However
50:01
several witnesses and documents confirmed his presence and direct involvement in the operations of the
50:08
nightclub Despite all the evidence and testimonies against him Trafocante was
50:14
not convicted Once again it seemed like justice slipped through the fingers of
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the law in his final struggles as a criminal On March 15th
50:27
1987 just months after the King's Court incident he underwent cardiac surgery at
50:34
the Texas Heart Institute in Houston Texas Instead of improving his health
50:39
the procedure worsened it and he passed away 2 days later at the age of
50:45
72 Following his death Vincent Losso assumed leadership of the criminal
50:51
family Loscalo a Sicilian-B born mafioso born in the late 1930s owned multiple
50:59
properties in Tampa by the time of Traficante's passing His wife Josephine
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lived to the age of 95 passing away 28 years later In the
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mid2010s most of the Traficante properties were auctioned off in St Petersburg Florida And so ends the
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tumultuous tale of Santo Trafocante Jr a man whose life was intertwined with some
51:26
of the most significant events of the 20th century His story serves as a stark
51:33
reminder of the complex web of politics crime and international intrigue that
51:40
shaped our world If you found this story captivating we invite you to dive deeper into the
51:46
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