I may have seen this page but dont mind to bookmark this page in my JFK folder lol. Interesting that Cuesta told the Cuban government that Eladio del Valle was also a participant in the JFK murder. Jack Ruby was knee deep connected to the mob. As one of the most powerful mobsters in the US, Trafficante was invited to the Havana Conference in December 1946. Thats quite a breach of protocol, especially given the length of Rubys rap sheet. She says that her father was in meetings with Harvey, Angleton, Rosselli, and others during 1963, and that at one point Joe confided in her that LBJ had requested an increase in his personal security detail that spring. [1] During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. When Batista muscled the Mannarinos and Trafficante out of the Sans Souci, the Mannarinos tried to regain control by betting on Castro to restore ownership once he . I believe that Ruby may have been a witness (possibly under an assumed name) for the McClellan (?) "[11] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. Jack Ruby seems to have been all over the place after the assassination. I seem to be in the minority on this point. Specter appeared to drop the ball when he ought to have pressed for more detailed answers to straight forward and basic questions. 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. Then, when Oswald attempted the call to John Hurt, that was it. Peters Yes, APPEARED, as in showed his face. I still think Ruby was hunting/stalking O, looking for a kill shot. [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. Testimony of Santos Trafficante. Santo Jr had two daughters who are still alive. He was convicted in 1999, and was sentenced to 60 days in prison. I posit that as part of the positioning of Oswald as a crazed communist or Marxist, Ruby shouted Fair Play. Perhaps the news networks had already referred to Fair Play, but the fact is that Ruby shouted it out on live television a new phenomenon assaulting the American psyche. Ill have to look into Laredo. By the early 1940s, Santo Trafficante Sr. had taken over most of the organized crime activities in the city and started teaching his son Santo Trafficante Jr. how to run these criminal operations. . That night in disguise with glasses, a notepad and pen he stood on a table and corrected DA Wade about the FPCC, too far away for a shot with a pistol. My point was that if Ruby had been planning on killing Oswald, it would seem foolish to blurt out some correction at a press conference and cameras rolling, etc. She lived an exciting life dividing her time between her multiple family members and friends in. Joe Shimon, a well-connected Washington cop, told syndicated columnist Jack Anderson that Ruby had received specific orders from a famous former Havana crime boss. Technical assistance courtesy of the Mary Ferrell Foundation | Designed by iWebResults. The whole Tippit thing is just off. IMHO, he had already been ordered to kill him. TAMPA The controversy over big new homes crowding out smaller older ones is moving to a South Tampa house linked to the city's most famous mobster, Santo Trafficante Jr., who died in 1987.. New York: Barricade Books. This would fit the desires of Cuban refugees in the US, some of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, many in the US intelligence community, and the Mob. Without that separation, Ruby could not have killed Oswald, at least not there. 2007, Weimar, Carrie. That JFK would fire Dulles with public grace is practical politics for outward appearances. He hints that Rosselli and Giancana were killed to keep the name of one man, who operated a large, illegal business, out of the anti-Castro plot stories. My thinking is a heroin connection to the assassination, and the Tippit murder, could be more important than any have suspected. The combination of that influence plus a good guy/bad guy (carrot and stick) act would probably have been enough to push Ruby into doing what he did. The violent crimes thing is wrong. Mr. and Mrs. Campisi promptly paid him a visit. Even Burt Griffin thought it was BS and he suspected that Pat Dean, DPD chief of security that day, was lying about how Ruby got in. My belief is that an agency liaison contacted someone in the Mob who ordered Ruby to make the hit. 117.). If Wade erroneously referred to an anti-Castro group, then Rubys correction was to associate (and incriminate) Oswald to a pro-Castro group. And he asked Russ Knight who Earl Warren was. Trafficante again escaped conviction. [2] Trafficante Jr. had known Lucchese since the 1940s, when his father and Lucchese had trained him in the mafia traditions. In any event, it seems odd that hed have been the one to correct wade. If I find a good link, Ill post it later. November 25, 2007, United States House Select Committee on Assassinations, "Deitche, Scott. Rather than look at specific organizations as suspect, look at specific key players in the JFK assassination. DPD officer Billy Grammer, who took the call to the DPD, later sais that after Oswald was shot he recognized the caller as Jack Ruby. Why are they all lying? He tells a vague tale, linking Trafficante, among others, to the assassination. del Valle, an anti-castro activist, was murdered within 24 hours of David Ferrie's suicide (some think murder) in February 1967. . [10], On August 5, 2008, the Tampa and New York FBI indicted John A. Dulles being on the Committee would ensure that there was no sensitive info conveyed to the Commission that would jeopardize the lone nut scenario. The further you delve into this, the more apparent are the links and connections between Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby, and the intelligence communities. Are you suggesting that by 4 pm the majority of the public knew that Oswald was a member of Fair Play, and that Ruby was simply reiterating common knowledge? Check out the testimony from Kay and Johnny about the conversation with Ruby late Friday night/early Saturday morning. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida. Many former employees of JR provided accounts that described JR and LHO as knowing each other on a practical basis. I feel that, in the end, Ruby was pretty sure he missed the transfer and he entered the basement. Ive read some theories about that, including Tippits mysterious phone call at a coffee shop just beforehand. Santo Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, on 15th November, 1914. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [13], The HSCA had previously quoted Aleman as stating that he thought Trafficante's use of the phrase "he is going to be hit" meant that the mob boss knew Kennedy was going to be killed. Ruby gained entry with help from the DPD. Your email address will not be published. From there, I believe that the dye was cast. Thus far hidden information that will help explain the history, circumstances and connections will aide the pursuit of truth. "[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.[7]. "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, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trafficante_crime_family&oldid=1151897290. Olsen said he was asked to leave the DPD in the latter part of December by no less than Chief Curry, for the serious offense of being out of sick leave. QUIT worrying about hand guns kicking and all of that Jazz! I feel he kept putting off, almost begging to get caught at best or, at the very least, not be in the same place as Oswald on Sunday. Inasmuch as Wades primary job at that time was Oswald and the assassination, Id have expected him to be up on things like that. Santo Jose Trafficantefrom tree Ferlita - Ficarrotta - Milla - Antiga - Du Defaix - Minton - Leggett Record information. April 17, 2008 - PRLog -- On a Monday afternoon November 14, 1977 at 2:15 PM an . The Silent The Criminal Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jr. exposes the life and ruthless times of one of America's most powerful and feared mob bosses. He does create a plausible interface between the intelligence and anti-Castro communities and Ruby, but then again, he may have been a red herring leading away from the real perpetrators of the assassination. Public outrage at anything pro-civil could be harnessed to support an invasion, something all if the aforementioned desired. When one looks at the HSCA report on this, and compare it to the WR, its night and day. Known as the "Silent Don" because he was a keen adherent of the Mob's vow of silence, he wore thick glasses and dressed more like a bank president than a hood. And other than potential embarassment for the agency, why not? [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. "Sam Gold" was Sam Giancana; "Joe" was Trafficante. In fact, I believe I read in Ralph G. Martins book A Hero For Our Time: An Intimate Story of the Kennedy Years, that he quotes an upset RFK asking if the CIA did it. Santo Jr. succeeded his father as the boss of Tampa upon his death. Just a layman trying to sort through History I remember a very little of and have limited knowledge of. But if Id been a cop standing near there, theyd have gotton stopped and IDd, at a minimum. At the very least, they highlight probable cooperation between CIA and the DC police. The weapon was detected by an X-ray scanner. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ruby+shoots+oswald&FORM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=90A76130EDBD7C0E6FB390A76130EDBD7C0E6FB3, re: Ronnie Wayne Nine years later Johnnie Franks son, Frank Griffin, saw Lee Harvey Oswald fleeing down a Dallas street. A party in Havana where the mothers chaperone their unmarried daughters. Leaving aside Andersons motivations, which are quite dubious in and of themselves, Joe Shimons name usually brings in the distinct odor of rat in its wake. The critics translation isnt great but heres one link above. Last year at the Newseum I watched dumbfounded as Edward J. Epstein and James Swanson, both smart men, unconvincingly agreed with each other that Ruby was simply another lone nut. For someone who professed to being shocked at the assassination of JFK, he displayed no desire to describe his friend Jack Rubys thoughts and words. [3] His wife, Josephine, died in 2015 at the age of 95; he is survived by two of his daughters. He was rumored to be part of a Mafia syndicate which owned many Cuban hotels and casinos. Nagell took many undecipherable secrets to the grave, probable intentionally, for his own reasons. From the very generalised way that Olsen answered questions, it appeared quite clear he had no intention of devulging much in the way of conversations he had with Ruby on the days leading up to Rubys assassination of Oswald. He could never recall who he had spoken to in telephone conversations made to the DPD. Who knows if the conspirators anted up against Oswald by killing a cop? The call was from the Top Ten Record shop which is still there and open. Ive heard&read that Tippitt was supposed to kill Oswald for the same reason Ruby later did. Bliss, A.J., "MAKING A SUNBELT PLACE: TAMPA, FLORIDA," 19231964, Ph.D. dissertation, 2010, This page was last edited on 26 April 2023, at 22:36. He was like an uncle to Santo Trafficante Jr., who took over the syndicate and grew it into the largest in the state and one that extended into Cuba. Jack Anderson article. Apart from Richard Cain exclusion by the testimony of his brother, the other member of the mob team described by Escalante were very old to be selected for an endeavor that requests clear eyes and physical fitness. Ruby said he wanted his lawyer to leave as well, but Warren denied Rubys request. What have they got to hide? He left in a hurry. The analysis by tomnln is sound, and the commentary below it is entertaining. She was born on March 24, 1920. With 10 Precincts in Dallas County several whose Justices of the Peace would have been in a more favorabl position (both logistical and political) to serve the events of 112263 why were Johnston and Ward the two justices available within minutes of the assassination? I dont buy your rhetorical nonsense for a moment. The CIAs association with the CIA in certain black ops would make elements of the agency possibly suspect in the assassination of JFK, if not to simply tarnish their reputation and subject them to sanctions. Several veterans of the era are astonished that they survived it and some feel protected enough - now . mball you do not know much about firearms. And yet you WC devotees are always trying to emphasize how apolitical and disconnected he was. U.S. Treasury Department documents indicate that law enforcement believed Trafficante's legitimate business interests to include several legal casinos in Cuba; a Havana drive-in movie theater; and shares in several restaurants and bars in Trafficante's hometown of Tampa, Florida. A native and lifelong resident of Tampa, Mr. Traffi-cante is survived by his loving family, wife, Ger Could Rubys orders have come from closer to home than most suspect? His father, Santo Trafficante Senior, was a leading figure in the Mafia. What you have quoted btw rings with the film clip of Ruby stating in effect that the assassination involved those at the very top. Ruby knew how to keep the customer happy. Finally, when Ruby was alone with Warren and W.C. staff and no DPD officials were around, Ruby began to sing. Sam is the cousin of Tampa mob boss Santo Trafficante Sr, and the son of old-school Tampa mobster Joseph "Jo-Jo" Cacciatore. Do it and they will get you out. So does Robert Blakey, a former member of the . View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Florida You need to know that Dulles was appointed at the behest of RFK. TRAFFICANTE, Santo Jose, 72, of Tampa, passed away July 13, 2010,surround-ed by his loving family. I believe that Ruby was trying to keep on top of anything Oswald may have revealed through his contacts in the DPD et al. It involves a magic bullet and the usual CIA suspects including JJA. So the Laredo reference is not related to the use of it as a code name by Richard Case Nagell? The Tampa mob made a considerable amount of money in Cuba, but never achieved its ambition of making the island part of its territory. "Kingpin of no Kingdom: A Brandom man Denies any mafia ties". The name as Wade gave it out was similar to that of an anti-Castro group supported by people such as Henry and Clare Boothe Luce. Salvatore "Sam" Cacciatore (1916-1981) was a member of the Trafficante Crime Family. Evidently, McAdams does not want to deal with that evidence. Santos was a member of the decision making level. In THE STRENGTH OF THE PACK, a history of the DEA, author Doug Valentine said that he interviewed a DEA special agent who had conducted an internal affairs review of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN, the forerunner of the DEA)involvement in the CIAs MKULTRA program. What we do know, however, is that Joe Campisi visisted Ruby in jail after his arrest. 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. John Binder Collection. His father, Santo Trafficante Senior, was a leading figure in the Mafia. [12] During his testimony, Trafficante also admitted for the first time that he had worked with the CIA from 1960 to 1961 for an attempt to poison Castro but stated that his role was only as an interpreter between CIA officials and Cuban exiles. I do not believe LBJ joined a dallas mob conspiracy as Norths book asserts, but that the mob was much more active in dallas than many realize in the setup and coverup by them being leaned on by the CIA. How long after were Rubys words broadcast worldwide? He said that everyone he talked to said that they had no doubt that Oswald was killed to keep him from talking. massachusetts court disposition codes; is rehabilitation effective for criminals; herriman high school staff; how did millie t mum die; similarities of elementary secondary and tertiary education Probably with info from the DPD, Olsen ? Narrative Decryption on Touched by Fire. Ruby did go to the Egyptian Lounge. CONTACT. Jack Ruby's Attempt To Get Santo Trafficante Out Of a Cuba Prison. Santo, Jr. never spent a day in jail, and he died of natural causes in 1987. The dictator of Cuba, Fulgencio Batista, received a large cut of the profits. On March 8, 1938, Wall's closest associate, Evaristo "Tito" Rubio, was shot on his porch. Trafficante Jr. 1954 - Santo Trafficante, Jr., (Nov. 15, 1914, to March 17, 1987), became Tampa Mafia boss upon the death of his father. He walked outside and got into a 1951 Mercury sedan driven by one of his associates. Tippits Dad was told he was hunting O. http://jfk.hood.edu/Weisberg-Commission%20Documents/Ruby-Cuba/Cuba%2002.pdf, Ruby Case Death Sifted In Florida (NY Times 2/23/67) Perhaps Ruby was hopeful that he would not actually have the position he found himself incoming to the DPD basement late and then having to actually do his part. They approached the store owner behind the counter and fired five bullets into him before fleeing. And there is no doubt Ruby was lying in wait. And ignoring the main point, which is my question as to what this shady, sleazy character with over 20 arrests (usually for violent crimes) in his background was doing interrupting the DA in the middle of his press conference, a press conference to which he should never have been admitted. Ruby, in my view, simply was the last man standing when he merry-go-round stopped its music. Certain Tippit murder witnesses changed their story from their initial accounts. Very interesting. The east coast of Florida was a loosely knit conglomerate of New York family interests with links to Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Angelo Bruno, Carlos Marcello, and Frank Ragano. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. He cheerfully said he killed Oswald to allow Jackie to avoid having to testify. A full report was made by the Cuban police, dated January 23, 1958, includes transcripts of long-distance telephone calls made from the Sans Souci during the period AugustDecember 1957. I may have The Lost Assassination Tapes in my VHS collection! We caught up with Scott -- who wrote The Cigar City Mafia, an excellent book on Tampa gangsters, in. I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2003. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. Actually Id read about and forgotten it. Santo Trafficante Jr. (centro) con autoridades policiales en La Habana. He would assign that to a lower level guy who he knew he could trust and knew could influence Ruby. Why, as a trained law enforcement officer didnt Leavelle lurch forward to impede Ruby or at least attempt to pull or push Oswald out of harms way? Sorry I am late to get back to this thread. Ruby also admitted his interest in Houston was to get vehicles to Cubaincluding stolen ones. From what Ive seen the mob had several outlets (distribution centers) for the dispensing of Heroin or narcotics (also prostitution) and Ruby was connected to all of them, the entertainment industry, actors and writers guilds, professional sports, the fairgrounds, Casinos, the Clubs, etc. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. A third, Norman Rothman, managed the Sans Souci, a Havana casino in which the Mannarinos, Tampa mob boss Santo Trafficante and Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista shared an interest. In his previous statements, Roselli also tied Lee Harvey Oswalds killer, Jack Ruby, to Santo Trafficante. The idea RFK wanted Dulles on commission Is laughable.JFK fired Dulles.As JFKs closest adviser noway would RFK want that.Johnson would never appoint someone RFK wanted as the 2 hated each other.Every film and book with credabilty says RFK had little to do with Investigating the assassination. Yet, I feel Ruby went out of his way to NOT be there when the transfer was being made because he DID have a job to do. Why have the FBI/CIA/Intelligence Services never submitted much of the history of JR to the Warren Commission/ HSCA/ Church Commitee/ and ARRB ? I think that Ruby did practically EVERYTHING he could do that weekend to actually avoid having to be the one to kill Oswald. Two comments, its amazing that McAdams is still marketing in unqualified terms that LBJ tale about RFK wanting Dulles on the commission. He was glad handing, passing out promo cards to reporters, etc. Like many of the most prominent mobsters of the 20th century, his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., grew up in Sicily, Italy but became a major player in the criminal world after migrating to America. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. Valentine said that the agent conducting the review of FBNs participation in that program claimed to have found indications that White used Jack Ruby to kill Oswald. Donnie Brasco. Santo Trafficante Jr., believed to be one of the last of the old-time Mafia dons and a shadowy figure questioned in both the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and a plot . After 50+ years and so many events thereafter, I dont think we will ever get the true story to correct this part in American History. What is not is his stalking of O. Kantors take on it all was that up to a point Ruby wasnt supposed to kill anyone. Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. I believe he was a tortured soul. Then he walked through a locked door from only one side and we can all see what happened next. 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. As far as the media, I believe Operation Mockingbird is still singing. (McBride deals with these matters in an OK way on pgs 526-33). He had no choice. As the HSCA found out Dean lied about how Ruby could gain entry into the basement. Between these two events Frank grew up in one of the strangest decades in American history. If your going to discuss Santos dont forget about the night of 11/22/63. All fie are deceased, as is Santo Trafficante III- Frank's son.