Actually Id read about and forgotten it. The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida. Trafficante was arrested frequently throughout the 1950s on various charges of bribery and of running illegal bolita lotteries in Tampa's Ybor City district. What we do know, however, is that Joe Campisi visisted Ruby in jail after his arrest. Kantors take on it all was that up to a point Ruby wasnt supposed to kill anyone. 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. Shimon shows up under his own name in Andersons 1989 TV doc, which posits the ridiculous Castro-AND-the-Mob-did-it theory that Anderson had been peddling for some time. [12] He testified that he was brought into the plot by Roselli and Giancana, who had been recruited by Maheu. Trafficante had been operating in Cuba since the late 1940s under his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., a mobster in Tampa, Florida. Garcia Bango stayed in Madrid. The weapon was detected by an X-ray scanner. [6] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner. Ragano carries with him a March 19, 1987, Tampa Tribune story in which Ragano says he talked with. Trafficante crime family - Wikipedia While not a made member of the Italian mafia because of his Jewish heritage he was a life long collaborator/wannabe who understood. 2 The remarkable story of the last American spy of the Cold War: Aldrich "Rick" Ames, the most destructive traitor in the history of the Central Intelligence I would agree that Mcwillie may have been assigned as Rubys handler-groomer so to speak (at least while in Cuba), probably for the reason you state. [10], In 1976, Cuban exile and FBI informant Jose Aleman told The Washington Post that in September 1962, Trafficante had offered him a loan of $1.5million to replace Aleman's three-story "ramshackle motel with a 12-story glass wonder. Ruby killing Oswald was the ur-event of the assassination to spur suspicion, the instant in which many Americans were to first instinctively suspect there was simply more to it than just Oswald. Incidentally, I recently saw the movie The November Man. Probably by Civello or Campisi or one of their underlings he trusted. What is not is his stalking of O. What you have quoted btw rings with the film clip of Ruby stating in effect that the assassination involved those at the very top. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segreti_di_Stato_(film). Slo-mo the tape of Oswald walking out of the basement door, just as he starts walking among the newsmen and cops. I think about things this way: Who controlled JFKs movements immediately pre- and post-mortem? By: Gary Revel. You need to know that Dulles was appointed at the behest of RFK. Born in Tampa, Florida in 1914, Trafficante hailed from a family already deeply involved in organized crime. 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. Santo Jose Trafficante, nephew - Scott M. Deitche - Facebook McBride has done some good work, but also has made some serious missteps. But he seems to be hinting quite strongly at Trafficante, pointing out the fact (I have no idea if it is so) that Giancana was killed by a gun purchased in Miami. The critics translation isnt great but heres one link above. Santo Trafficante Jr.: The Florida Godfather Who Tried To Kill Castro After the hearings ended the Trafficante's returned to Tampa to find out that Italiano had just fled to Mexico, leaving Jimmy Lumia the biggest mobster in the city. Peter Janneys book is pretty awful, but it includes some interesting interview material with Toni Shimon, Joes daughter. Jack Ruby was knee deep connected to the mob. I think its worth considering the possibility, especially given the evolution of the Castro-blowback theory (thanks to Rosselli and Anderson, possibly bolstered by Andersons good buddy Frank Sturgis), that Trafficantes name was being thrown out as either a scapegoat or a distraction. I dont think Olsen talked him into anything. Its clear Ruby read Warren correctly. In February 2016, many of Trafficante's personal belongings were sold at an auction in St. Petersburg, Florida. 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? For the sake of fair play, Professor Adams et al, Ill accept almost the entirety of your position that LHO was the lone gunman, that he went on to shoot Tippit, etc., but to take Rubys explanations for his act at face value strains credulity to a point where my common sense has no choice but to reject it. Warren wanted B.S. John McAdams, what is your argument here? Collins Radio was located in Garland TX, not far from Texas Instruments in Richardson, TX, both major military contractors in the lead up to the Vietnam war. [4] During the late 1940s, Trafficante Sr. came under constant police surveillance and attempted to avoid the unwanted attention by making Salvatore "Red" Italiano his acting boss. I may have seen this page but dont mind to bookmark this page in my JFK folder lol. 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.. Seth Kantor had a good take on Rubys roller coaster weekend. The latter was, by the way, brother of Castro Sports Secretary, Jorge Garcia Bango. Thank you. Correcting Wade could be seen as an attempt to keep Oswalds pro-Cuban leanings highly visible and a possible cause of the assassination. If you will look at the real time coverage, you will see that Oswalds FPCC connection was broadcast before 4:00 p.m. Dallas time. Will newly released documents reveal Tampa's tie to JFK's - WFLA 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 . When one looks at the HSCA report on this, and compare it to the WR, its night and day. I seem to be in the minority on this point. Santo Trafficante, Jr (1914 - 1987) - Genealogy Johnston was identified by chance at the Dallas Trade Mart by an officer of the DPD and rushed to Parkland to perform duties only to find that JP Theron Ward had miraculously appeared to become involved in the unfolding drama of John F. Kennedys body being removed from the legal jurisdiction of the murder. Had Oswald been transferred as intended, the circle of control would have been broken. His security clearance, intelligence connections, and government electronics work seem at odds with his close friendship with Patrolman Tippit. So does Robert Blakey, a former member of the . LBJs neighbor Hoover? From Admin Folder L-4. But that cant substitute for the actual historical sources. Santo Trafficante And The Business Of Murder With The CIA "[11], In 1978, both Trafficante and Aleman were called to testify before members of the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations investigating possible links between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and anti-Castro Cubans, including the theory that Castro had Kennedy killed in retaliation for the CIA's attempts on his own life. Because Ruby idolized McWillie.he would be managable, a rare feat in Rubys case. Between these two events Frank grew up in one of the strangest decades in American history. If you do, check out the point where theyre showing clips of the immediate aftermath with the motorcade speeding away from Dealey Plaza. My thinking is a heroin connection to the assassination, and the Tippit murder, could be more important than any have suspected. If you want to debate this, you need to look at the sources on this page. Several veterans of the era are astonished that they survived it and some feel protected enough - now . As can be seen by the various phases, no one person or group could do all that was required; however, a carefully constructed group of high level operators could put into play lower level operators responsible for specific details at their level only. [11] According to Aleman, when he told Trafficante that President John F. Kennedy would likely be re-elected, Trafficante replied, "No, Jose, he is going to be hit. Reputed Crime Boss Dies at 72 | AP News I dont think he actually wanted to kill Oswald. In 1992, LoScalzo was arrested at the Tampa International Airport for carrying a loaded .38-caliber pistol in his brief case. What do Oswalds photos show? The older Mafia dons deemed the narcotics trade taboo, so Lansky's wing of the Syndicate cornered the market with Trafficante's eldest son Santo Jr., overseeing heroin traffic. 180-10141-10497. Ive read the statements made by Leavelles granddaughter (if memory serves) and she seems to be highly credible and in fact her reflections are very poignant. Santo Sr. had Lumia killed after finding out he had been bad mouthing him while he was in Cuba. Ruby had entered Cuba from New Orleans on August 8, 1959, and left on September 11, 1959. Ive heard&read that Tippitt was supposed to kill Oswald for the same reason Ruby later did. Here is an interesting related document, if you havent seen it before: http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?mode=searchResult&absPageId=143608. "[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]. He knew Ruby. Not to over emphasize this, but if everyone including the media knew by 4pm, why was Ruby the one to correct Wade? Interesting person, Olsen. Mafialand is a revelatory and dramatic true-life thriller spanning much of the twentieth century, a page-turning chronicle of an elaborate Mafia plan to 'invade' Europe using 1960s London as a bridgehead.The capital city of the Swinging Sixties was also a world of gambling, guns and gangsters. [12] On September 27, 1978, Aleman reiterated to HSCA investigators that Trafficante had complained to him for hours in June or July 1963 about Kennedy's crackdown on organized crime at a meeting to discuss a business loan. I cant believe that the conspirators would somehow have Oswald and Tippit bump into each other and hope that the cop would kill Oswald. On March 8, 1938, Wall's closest associate, Evaristo "Tito" Rubio, was shot on his porch. The Mob simply called in their marker. but I have since read I was in error. The fingerprints of the assassination and cover-up, I believe, are clearly those of the military, the S.S., and the DPD. Published June 13, 2014 TAMPA The daughter sits on the front porch of a little bungalow in Seminole Heights, her new home since her husband died a few months ago down south. Damn. [13], After a grant of immunity from prosecution, Trafficante testified before the HSCA the following day, September 28, and denied the allegation that he told Aleman that "Kennedy was going to be hit. The transcript of Rubys Warren Commission testimony reveals Ruby was anxious, most anxious. For over 50 years we have been forced to accept smoke and mirrors and institutional lack of fortitude. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Maybe certain mobsters and certain cops leaned on him. Sounds like someone whos been briefed with an eye towards getting a particular spin on a story. Narrative Decryption on Touched by Fire. When the Mob Owned Cuba | Travel| Smithsonian Magazine The whole Tippit thing is just off. As Douglass does, its necessary to link that to the testimony of Bernard Haire. I believe that Ruby was trying to keep on top of anything Oswald may have revealed through his contacts in the DPD et al. I do like Dulles for an individual complicit in the assassination, but I have a hard time swallowing the idea that he would allow himself to be put on the committee. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. I feel that, in the end, Ruby was pretty sure he missed the transfer and he entered the basement. OswaldIF he had continued on his path would have been able to ring his doorbell within 2 or 3 minutes. He left in a hurry. I suggest it might have been the reverse. A party in Havana where the mothers chaperone their unmarried daughters. Executive Session of House Subcommittee on the Assassination of John F. Kennedy met. According to Larry Crafards testimony, it was unusual for Ruby to be carrying his revolver, but somehow the idea of Ruby stalking Oswald has never resonated with me. A car registered to former state attorney and current state appellate judge E.J. The real plan was deeper and darker. Loscalzo maintained ties to Mafia families in California, New Jersey, and New York as well as being connected to the Sicilian Mafia.