I spent a good deal of time researching Traficante's ties to the assassination. Through all the conjecture and (always enjoyable) conspiracy theories there are some undeniable facts:
Jack Ruby visited Santo Trafficante in Triscornia prison in Cuba in 1959 along with Lewis McWillie, a Trafficante associate who worked at the Sans Souci.
Ruby was involved with the Dallas family, esp the Campisis
JOhnny Roselli was heavily involved with JMWAVE and anti-Castro operations in South Florida- he had definite ties to the intelligence community.
The CIA utilized Cuban gangsters in Bay of Pigs and other operations. Some of these Cubans went to work for Trafficante (the early Cuban Mafia in Miami).
Trafficante was "hired" by the CIA to kill Castro.
Scott did you ever have the chance to interview Frank Ragano or his son regarding this issue? I thought I read somewhere that an initial assassination plot of JFK was to take place in Tampa. All of this could be BS from Ragano. Just seeing if you have any first hand knowledge thanks
I interviewed his son, and talk to him often. He's a really good guy and successful attorney in Tampa.
The Tampa assassination attempt did not come from Ragano. That was featured in the book Ultimate Sacrifice. There was a tip to law enforcement that Kennedy was supposed to be killed in Tampa back in '63. The expansive theory in the book brings in the mob angle via Traf, Marcello, and GIancana. It's a reliable theory IMO.
