Mafia's Greatest Hits (2012–…): Season 2, Episode 10 - Santo Trafficante - full transcript
Florida and Cuba were ruled by top don Santo Trafficante. The King of Cuba's casinos was on the verge of mob stardom when a revolution destroys his plans. It results in a secret alliance ...
Narrator: CHICAGO HAD CAPONE.
[ FLASH BULB POPS ]
**
NEW YORK HAD LUCKY LUCIANO.
**
BUT IN THE MID-'50s FLORIDA,
THE INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
TO THE CARIBBEAN
IS RULED BY SANTO TRAFFICANTE,
A MOB BOSS TURNING
NEIGHBORING CUBA
INTO A GAMBLING PARADISE.
Ragano: HE WAS VERY POWERFUL.
HE WAS THE GO-TO GUY
WHEN IT CAME TO CUBA.
HE WAS A MAFIA DON WHO WAS SMART
ENOUGH TO AVOID THE LIMELIGHT.
Narrator:
ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING
THE WEALTHIEST MOB BOSS
OF THEM ALL,
HE IS BETRAYED BY ONE
HEAD OF STATE, THEN ANOTHER.
**
HELL-BENT ON REVENGE,
WE KNOW HE TRIED TO KILL ONE,
BUT DID HE SUCCEED
IN KILLING THE SECOND?
WAS SANTO TRAFFICANTE BEHIND
THE TERRIBLE ASSASSINATION
THAT SHOCKED THE UNITED STATES?
NOTHING'S MORE SENSATIONAL
THAN THE ASSASSINATION
OF THE PRESIDENT.
Narrator: THIS IS THE STORY
OF FLORIDA'S TOP DON,
SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
[ GUNSHOT ]
**
[ GUNSHOTS ]
**
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
[ GUNSHOT ]
**
Narrator:
NOVEMBER THE 22nd, 1963,
DALLAS, TEXAS --
PRESIDENT KENNEDY AND HIS WIFE
ARE HEADING FOR A LUNCH
WITH CIVIC LEADERS.
Male reporter: THE MOTORCADE
BEGINS THE 11-MILE RIDE
TO THE DALLAS TRADEMARK,
WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS
TO DELIVER A MAJOR ADDRESS.
Male reporter #2:
THE PRESIDENT'S CAR IS NOW
TURNING ONTO ELM STREET
AND IT WILL BE ONLY
A MATTER OF MINUTES
BEFORE HE ARRIVES
AT THE TRADEMARK.
**
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Narrator: THE PRESIDENT IS HIT
BY THREE BULLETS
IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
[ CLICKS ]
[ GUNSHOT ]
Male reporter: IT APPEARS AS
THOUGH SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED
IN THE MOTORCADE GROUP.
SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS
ARE RUSHING UP THE HILL
AT THIS TIME.
**
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
THE DALLAS POLICE
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
IDENTIFIED LEE HARVEY OSWALD.
Deitche: THEY QUICKLY
PUT TOGETHER A DESCRIPTION
OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD
AS A LONE NUT
WHO MAY HAVE
HAD COMMUNIST SYMPATHIES
AND WAS INVOLVED IN PRO-CASTRO
CUBAN OPERATIONS.
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
Narrator: WITHIN TWO HOURS,
THE PRO-CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY
IS ARRESTED...
[ SHUTTER CLICKS ]
...CASE SEEMINGLY CLOSED.
**
TWO DAYS LATER, OSWALD IS BEING
TRANSFERRED TO THE COUNTY JAIL.
DID YOU SHOOT THE PRESIDENT?
I DIDN'T SHOOT ANYBODY,
NO, SIR.
[ REPORTERS CLAMORING ]
Narrator: A MAN
STEPS OUT OF THE CROWD.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Man: HE'S BEEN SHOT.
[ PANICKED SHOUTING ]
**
Narrator: THE GUNMAN IS ANOTHER
MAN WITH STRONG LINKS TO CUBA,
JACK RUBY.
**
ONE YEAR LATER,
THE WARREN REPORT CONCLUDES
THAT OSWALD ACTED ALONE,
AND HIS MOTIVES WERE POLITICAL.
[ CLAMORING ]
OSWALD'S KILLER, JACK RUBY,
ALSO ACTED ALONE.
[ CLAMORING, SHOUTING ]
JUST A DISGRUNTLED AMERICAN,
SADDENED BY KENNEDY'S DEATH,
WHO WANTED TO TAKE REVENGE
AGAINST THE ACCUSED SHOOTER.
Narrator: BUT FROM THE MOMENT
IT IS PUBLISHED,
THE RUSHED REPORT COMES
UNDER INTENSE CRITICISM.
Blakey: THE REPORT WAS BUILT
AROUND THE EVIDENCE
MOST FAVORABLE
TO THAT CONCLUSION.
Narrator: KENNEDY'S SUCCESSOR,
THE NEW PRESIDENT, JOHNSON,
DOES NOT WANT THE INVESTIGATION
TO DRAG ON.
Blakey: IT WAS COMING UP
ON THE REELECTION,
AND PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIMPLY
DID NOT WANT THE QUESTION OF,
"WHAT HAPPENED TO
PRESIDENT KENNEDY?"
AS AN ISSUE.
Raab: IT WAS OBVIOUS
TO MANY PEOPLE
THAT IT HAD BEEN DONE
VERY FLIMSILY.
IT WASN'T A REALLY SOLID REPORT.
THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS.
**
Narrator:
FOR OVER A DECADE,
THE IDEA THAT OSWALD WAS ACTING
ALONE JUST DIDN'T SIT WELL.
THE PRESS REPORT ON RUMORS
THAT OSWALD WAS WORKING
FOR THE CIA,
THAT HE WAS WORKING FOR
THE CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY LEADER
FIDEL CASTRO,
OR EVEN THE MOB.
**
TWELVE YEARS AFTER
THE WARREN REPORT,
A HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE
IS FORMED
IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT
TO GET TO THE TRUTH.
[ GALLERY CHATTERING ]
IN SEPTEMBER 1978,
THE COMMITTEE CALL A POWERFUL
AND RUTHLESS MAFIOSO.
HE WAS THE HEAD
OF THE FLORIDA MAFIA
AND ONE-TIME KING
OF CUBA'S CASINOS.
**
FOR THE RECORD, WILL THE WITNESS
PLEASE STATE HIS FULL NAME?
SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, I WANT
TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO THIS COMMITTEE,
AND THAT IS, DID YOU HAVE
ANY FOREKNOWLEDGE
OF THE ASSASSINATION
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY?
Narrator: SOMEONE BELIEVES THAT
SANTO TRAFFICANTE KNOWS MORE
ABOUT THE DEATH OF
JOHN F. KENNEDY THAN HE SHOULD.
THAT MAN IS CHIEF COUNSEL
TO THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE,
ROBERT BLAKEY.
[ CLICKING, PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
AT THE VERY MOMENT THE NEWS
OF THE ASSASSINATION BREAKS,
BLAKEY IS WORKING
AS A PROSECUTOR
IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
Blakey:
I, MYSELF, WAS IN THE OFFICE
WITH ROBERT KENNEDY,
THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE NEWS OF
THE ASSASSINATION CAME OUT.
**
THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SHOOT
AT AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT
IS UNBELIEVABLE.
**
Narrator: WHEN ATTORNEY BLAKEY
FIRST HEARS THE RUMORS
OF MOB INVOLVEMENT,
HE DOESN'T THINK
THERE IS ANYTHING IN THEM.
I THOUGHT THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
THE KILLING OF KENNEDY
WAS NOT WITH A MACHINE GUN
AND GUYS DRESSED IN BLACK.
[ TYPING ]
Narrator: BUT WHEN BLAKEY DRAFTS
THE FAMOUS RICO LAWS
THAT WILL EVENTUALLY PUT
THE HEADS OF FIVE MAJOR
CRIME FAMILIES BEHIND BARS,
HE GOES ON A STEEP
LEARNING CURVE AND DISCOVERS
THAT THE MAFIA ARE NOW A MUCH
MORE SOPHISTICATED OUTFIT.
UNTIL THE RICO LAW WAS PASSED,
MOB BOSSES WERE VIRTUALLY
IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION.
THEY NEVER PULLED A TRIGGER.
THEY NEVER BEAT ANYBODY UP.
THE RICO LAW WAS ABLE
TO GET THEM
BECAUSE THEY WERE NOW
PART OF AN ENTERPRISE.
Narrator: NOW BLAKEY SETS HIS
SIGHTS ON TRAFFICANTE,
THE ONE-TIME CUBAN CASINO KING.
THE FIRST ALARM BELL
IS TRIGGERED
BY THE DEATH OF OSWALD.
Blakey: THE KILLING OF OSWALD...
[ GUNSHOT ]
ON THE WAY TO THE JAIL
HAS ALL THE EARMARKS OF AN
ASSASSINATION OF THE ASSASSIN.
**
Narrator: NOT ONLY IS OSWALD'S
MURDER TYPICAL OF A MOB HIT,
THE MAN WHO KILLED OSWALD,
JACK RUBY,
RUNS A NIGHTCLUB
USED BY GANGSTERS
LINKED TO A NEW ORLEANS
MOB BOSS,
CARLOS MARCELLO,
AND MARCELLO IS TRAFFICANTE'S
CLOSEST MOB ALLY.
WHILE HE'S NOT A MEMBER
OF THE MAFIA,
THERE ARE CONNECTIONS
TO ORGANIZED CRIME
AND TO THE MAFIA IN PARTICULAR.
Narrator: AND THERE ARE OTHER
THREADS IN THE REPORT THAT
BLAKEY FEELS NEED PULLING.
IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS NOT
AS HARD-CLAD AS IT MIGHT BE,
IN A CONCLUSION.
Narrator: THE ORIGINAL WARREN
REPORT GLOSSED OVER OTHER
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OSWALD
AND THE SAME CARLOS MARCELLO.
**
LEE HARVEY OSWALD'S UNCLE
AND SURROGATE FATHER
IS NONE OTHER THAN
CARLOS MARCELLO'S BOOKMAKER,
AND BOTH OSWALD AND RUBY HAVE
DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO CUBA
AND, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS WEB OF INTRIGUE,
SITS THE ONE-TIME CUBAN
RACKETEER SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
Blakey: IF YOU TAKE HIS
CONNECTIONS AND TRACE THEM OUT
LIKE A CONCENTRIC CIRCLE,
IT LOOKS LIKE ORGANIZED CRIME,
IN SOME SENSE, WERE RESPONSIBLE.
Narrator: SO WHO IS THIS ELUSIVE
SANTO TRAFFICANTE?
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT
OCCUPATION?
I AM RETIRED.
Narrator:
THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH.
Deitche: BY THE LATE 1970s,
TRAFFICANTE WAS STILL CONSIDERED
THE BOSS OF THE TAMPA MAFIA
AND STILL AN INFLUENTIAL FIGURE,
NOT ONLY IN THE MOB SCENE
IN FLORIDA, BUT NATIONALLY.
Ragano: HE HAD THESE PIERCING
EYES THAT COULD LOOK
RIGHT THROUGH YOUR SOUL.
HE COULD BE A RUTHLESS KILLER.
HE COULD TURN ON YOU INSTANTLY
AND WHACK SOMEONE
AND NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
**
Narrator: IN 1954,
SANTO TRAFFICANTE
INHERITS THE FLORIDA MOB
FROM HIS FATHER.
IT'S PRETTY UNUSUAL FOR
MAFIA BOSSES TO HAND CONTROL
OVER TO THE SONS.
Narrator:
TRAFFICANTE SR. IS NOTORIOUS
FOR ELIMINATING ENEMIES
REGARDLESS OF PROFILE
OR REPUTATION.
A FEW YEARS EARLIER, HE WAS
BEING CHALLENGED FOR SUPREMACY
BY A GANGSTER
CALLED JIMMY LUMIA.
TRAFFICANTE SR. TAUGHT HIS SON
WHAT A TRAFFICANTE DOES
WITH THOSE WHO SHOW NO RESPECT.
**
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ MAN GROANS ]
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
[ GUNSHOTS ]
LUMIA WAS A WELL-KNOWN
FIGURE IN FLORIDA,
A CLOSE FRIEND OF THE MAYOR.
NONETHELESS, TRAFFICANTE SR.
SANCTIONED THE HIT.
[ SPEAKING INAUDIBLY ]
IT'S A VALUABLE LESSON
TO TRAFFICANTE JR. --
NO MATTER HOW HIGH A PROFILE,
IF SOMEONE CROSSES YOU,
YOU HIT THEM.
**
THOUGH RUTHLESS,
THE GROUP TRAFFICANTE INHERITS
IS LITTLE MORE THAN A SMALL-TIME
GAMBLING OUTFIT IN TAMPA.
**
BUT THE YOUNG MOBSTER
SEES AN OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPAND HIS OPERATION,
A POTENTIAL GOLD MINE
SITTING JUST 90 MILES
OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA.
**
[ PLANE ENGINE ROARS ]
**
IN THE EARLY '50s,
THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF CUBA
IS RUN BY A BRUTAL
AND CORRUPT
EX-GENERAL CALLED
FULGENCIO BATISTA,
AND BATISTA THROWS THE DOORS
OPEN TO THE MAFIA.
OPERATING COMPLETELY FREE
OF AMERICAN REGULATIONS,
MOBSTERS INVEST HEAVILY
IN CASINOS AND HOTELS,
WHERE THEY HAVE NO TROUBLE
WITH THE AUTHORITIES.
THE APPEAL OF CUBA
WAS THAT IT HAD
A VERY CORRUPTIBLE
GOVERNMENT AT THAT TIME.
Raab: IT WAS A DEAL
WITH THE DICTATOR.
THEY KICKED BACK EVERY NIGHT
10 PERCENT OF THE EARNINGS
FROM THESE CASINOS.
IT WAS A TROPICAL PARADISE.
**
COULD YOU TELL US
WHEN YOU MOVED TO CUBA?
AROUND 1953 OR 1954.
I WAS IN THE GAMBLING BUSINESS
AND THE NIGHTCLUB/CASINO
BUSINESS,
WHICH WERE LEGAL,
AT THAT TIME, IN CUBA.
**
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE BECOMES
THE FACILITATOR
FOR OTHER CRIME FAMILIES
TO MOVE IN.
TAMPA HAS STRONG
COMMUNITY TIES WITH CUBA,
AND HE IS ONE OF
THE ONLY MOBSTERS
TO SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE.
TRAFFICANTE AND THE TAMPA GUYS,
THEY SPOKE SPANISH,
WHICH A LOT OF
THE NEW YORK MOBSTERS
WHO WERE OPERATING
IN CUBA DIDN'T.
Reppetto: TRAFFICANTE
HAD THE ESTABLISHMENT,
THE CONNECTIONS,
HE KNEW THE PEOPLE.
HE WAS ALL SET THERE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT,
COLLECTIVELY,
YOUR INVESTMENT COULD HAVE BEEN
OVER A MILLION DOLLARS?
NO.
Narrator: IN FACT, TRAFFICANTE
EARNS A FORTUNE
FROM HIS MULTIPLE
CASINOS AND NIGHTCLUBS.
Raab: HE HAD INTERESTS
IN FIVE CASINOS.
HE RAKED IN MILLIONS
ALL THE TIME.
**
AND IT WAS A BOOMING
PLACE FOR THE MAFIA.
**
Narrator: AS PROFITABLE
AS THE CASINOS ARE,
THEY ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO
A NEW AND LUCRATIVE MARKET --
DRUGS.
**
[ SHATTERING ]
BACK IN THE DAYS OF PROHIBITION,
MOST LIQUOR FOUND ITS WAY
INTO THE UNITED STATES
THROUGH CANADA.
IT MADE THE MOBS OF NEW YORK
AND CHICAGO VERY WEALTHY.
NOW, DRUGS ARE THE NEW COMMODITY
AND CUBA THE MAJOR GATEWAY,
RIGHT IN TRAFFICANTE'S BACKYARD.
ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE SET
TO MAKE TRAFFICANTE
ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST DONS
IN THE U.S.
Raab: EVEN IF YOU GOT THE
NORTHERN MOBSTERS COMING DOWN,
THEY WERE SECOND BANANAS TO
THE TRAFFICANTE FAMILY IN CUBA.
**
Narrator:
WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS,
TRAFFICANTE IS MAKING MILLIONS
IMPORTING DRUGS THROUGH CUBA
AND CLEANING THE PROFITS
THROUGH A CHAIN OF CASINOS.
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS
REALLY THE MAJOR DOMO
AND THE MAJOR FIGURE
IN GAMBLING IN HAVANA.
[ TV PLAYS INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator: BUT WHEN A YOUNG
REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST
CALLED FIDEL CASTRO THREATENS
TO OVERTHROW GENERAL BATISTA,
IT PUTS TRAFFICANTE'S
EXPANDING EMPIRE IN JEOPARDY.
**
Narrator: THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS
IS REINVESTIGATING THE DEATH
OF JOHN F. KENNEDY.
THEY'RE EXPLORING POSSIBLE LINKS
BETWEEN HIS ASSASSIN,
CASTRO SYMPATHIZER
LEE HARVEY OSWALD,
OSWALD'S KILLER JACK RUBY,
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE,
THE MOB BOSS OF FLORIDA.
**
BACK IN 1958, TRAFFICANTE
IS MAKING A FORTUNE
THROUGH HIS MANY
CUBAN CASINOS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
THE GROWING DRUGS TRADE
IS ABOUT TO SET HIM UP FOR LIFE
WHEN REVOLUTIONARY
COMMUNIST FIDEL CASTRO
THREATENS TO DERAIL
THE GRAVY TRAIN.
CAN YOU TELL US, IN LATE 1958,
WHAT WAS THE RESULT
OF THE ACTIVITIES OF CASTRO?
IT WASN'T TOO GOOD.
EVERY OTHER DAY THEY HAD BOMBS
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE CARES
LITTLE FOR POLITICS,
BUT A LOT ABOUT PROFITS,
SO THE MOB BOSS MOVES FAST
AND, LIKE ANY SMART GAMBLER,
HE COVERS ALL THE ANGLES.
Deitche: IN THE YEARS BEFORE
THE REVOLUTION,
CASTRO HAD COME TO TAMPA,
YBOR CITY,
A NUMBER OF TIMES TO DO
FUNDRAISING AND SPEAKING EVENTS.
WHEN HE CAME TO TOWN,
HE WOULD MEET WITH
THE TRAFFICANTES AS WELL.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Narrator:
IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY,
TRAFFICANTE SECURES
A DEAL WITH THE REBEL.
EVEN IF CASTRO'S
REVOLUTION SUCCEEDS,
HE HAS GUARANTEES
THAT IT WILL BE BUSINESS
AS USUAL FOR THE MOB IN CUBA.
Ragano: TRAFFICANTE DEFINITELY
WAS HEDGING HIS BETS.
HE WAS PAYING OFF THE BATISTA
OFFICIALS IN THE GOVERNMENT,
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME,
HE WAS GIVING MONEY TO
THE GUERRILLAS AND TO CASTRO.
**
[ CROWD CLAMORING ]
Narrator: BUT BY 1958,
AS THE VIOLENCE ESCALATES,
CASTRO'S GUERRILLAS HIT PROFITS.
GAMBLERS START
DESERTING THE CASINOS.
**
OTHER BOSSES FOLD AND QUIT CUBA,
BUT TRAFFICANTE HOLDS HIS NERVE.
Raab: WHILE EVERY OTHER
MOB FIGURE
BOLTED BACK TO THE U.S.,
HE STAYED PUT.
HE FELT SECURE.
Ragano: ALL HIS BUDDIES,
EVERYONE WAS PULLING OUT.
[ GUNFIRE ]
TRAFFICANTE FELT THAT HE COULD
SCHMOOZE HIS WAY BACK IN
AND KEEP WHAT
HE HAD GOING THERE.
Narrator: WHOEVER WINS,
BATISTA OR CASTRO,
THE FLORIDA MOB BOSS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE
BELIEVES HIS EMPIRE IS SAFE.
TRAFFICANTE HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT,
"LOOK, YOU JUST BUY YOUR WAY
OUT OF ANYTHING DOWN HERE."
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
Narrator:
ON JANUARY THE 1st, 1959,
CASTRO FINALLY TAKES CONTROL
AS GENERAL BATISTA FLEES CUBA.
IT'S ONLY THEN THAT THE KING
OF CUBA'S CASINOS DISCOVERS
THAT HE HAS SERIOUSLY
MISCALCULATED.
Raab: HE THOUGHT HE KNEW
THE TERRITORY.
HE WAS WRONG.
CASTRO WAS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT FELLOW.
Ragano: LITTLE DID HE KNOW
THAT FIDEL CASTRO
DIDN'T SUPPORT ANYTHING
THAT THEY WERE DOING.
[ CHEERING CONTINUES ]
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE HAS BEEN
DOUBLE-CROSSED.
HE WAITED TOO LONG
TO GET OUT OF CUBA.
I GOT NEWS THAT
THE CUBAN OFFICIALS
WERE LOOKING FORWARD
TO PUTTING ME IN JAIL
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS
WAS A BATISTA COLLABORATOR.
THEY RAIDED MY APARTMENT.
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MONEY.
THEY TORE UP THE FURNITURE.
THEY HAD WEAPONS.
I KNEW THAT SOONER OR LATER I
WOULD HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE.
**
[ SHOUTING INAUDIBLY ]
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
SOON FINDS IT'S NOT JUST
HIS CRIMINAL EMPIRE
THAT'S IN DANGER.
HIS LIFE HANGS BY A THREAD.
**
CASTRO ACTUALLY JAILS
TRAFFICANTE
IN TRESCORNIA DETENTION CENTER.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Narrator: WITH MEN DISAPPEARING
FROM THE CELLS AROUND HIM,
TRAFFICANTE KNOWS THE DEAL.
Raab: HE COULD HEAR
THE EXECUTION FIRING SQUADS
TAKING CARE OF CASTRO'S ENEMIES.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Ragano: THEY WERE GOING TO
EXECUTE HIM.
THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT CAME FOR HIM
NOT MAKING IT OUT OF CUBA.
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
HAS TO GET OUT, AND FAST.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
HE REACHES OUT TO HIS
LONG-TERM ALLY,
NEW ORLEANS MOB BOSS
CARLOS MARCELLO.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DO YOU
KNOW CARLOS MARCELLO?
YES, SIR, I'VE KNOWN CARLOS
MARCELLO ABOUT 30 YEARS.
Narrator: MYSTERIOUSLY, AROUND
THE TIME TRAFFICANTE IS IN JAIL,
CARLOS MARCELLO'S BAG MAN,
JACK RUBY, MAKES
FREQUENT TRIPS TO CUBA.
Blakey: WE KNOW THAT JACK RUBY
MADE QUICK TRIPS
FROM CUBA TO MIAMI AND BACK
THAT HAVE NO EXPLANATION
IF HE WAS JUST, UM, A TOURIST.
Narrator: COULD RUBY HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO GET TRAFFICANTE
OUT OF JAIL?
THE NEXT QUESTION
GETS TO THE HEART
OF THE CONSPIRACY INVESTIGATION.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DID YOU
EVER KNOW A JACK RUBY?
NO, SIR, I NEVER REMEMBER
MEETING JACK RUBY.
-NEVER REMEMBER MEETING HIM?
-NO.
**
Narrator: IT SEEMS THAT
TRAFFICANTE UNDERSTANDS
THE DANGER OF LINKING
HIMSELF TO JACK RUBY,
THE MAN WHO SHOT
LEE HARVEY OSWALD.
TRAFFICANTE DENIED IT, AND
DENIED THAT HE KNEW JACK RUBY,
BUT THERE'S EVERY REASON
TO DISBELIEVE
TRAFFICANTE ON IT.
**
Narrator:
THE COMMITTEE IS DESPERATELY
TRYING TO JOIN THE DOTS.
Raab: RUBY HAD BEEN CONNECTED
TO CARLOS MARCELLO.
HE HAD BEEN RUNNING MONEY,
MAINLY FOR CARLOS MARCELLO,
OUT OF CUBA.
Narrator: TWO MONTHS AFTER HIS
ARREST BY CASTRO,
IN AUGUST 1959,
TRAFFICANTE IS UNEXPECTEDLY
RELEASED FROM JAIL.
COULD RUBY HAVE BEEN
PAYING SOMEONE OFF?
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OUT,
PERIOD, END OF STORY.
THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT THAT
HE GOT OUT THE VERY SIMPLE WAY.
HE BRIBED HIS WAY.
Narrator: THIS TIME,
TRAFFICANTE DOESN'T GAMBLE.
HE LEAVES CUBA.
HE'S LOST EVERYTHING.
**
I COULD SEE THAT I HAD
TO LEAVE THERE.
THERE WAS NOTHING THERE FOR ME.
EVERYBODY WAS BEING ARRESTED
AND NOBODY WAS SAFE,
SO I MADE OUT I WAS
COMING TO THE STATES
FOR JUST A VISIT,
AND I NEVER WENT BACK.
**
HE WAS DEVASTATED. I MEAN,
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
Blakey: HE HAD MULTIPLE
MILLIONS INVESTED,
EITHER BY HIMSELF OR THROUGH
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MOB.
THESE WERE HARD DOLLARS,
MULTI-MILLION.
HE HAD MORE CASINOS
THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW, THE
CUBAN REVOLUTION WAS A DISASTER.
[ RUMBLING ]
**
Narrator:
THE GAMBLING EMPIRE TRAFFICANTE
HELPED TO BUILD IN CUBA
NOW SHIFTS WEST TO
BUGSY SIEGEL'S LAS VEGAS.
EVEN WORSE, MOB BOSSES
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
WHO HAD INVESTED
IN TRAFFICANTE'S
CUBAN ISLAND HAVEN
NOW WANT THEIR MONEY BACK.
TRAFFICANTE'S SEAT
AT THE MAFIA TOP TABLE
HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM HIM,
AND THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN
TO BLAME FOR HIS DOWNFALL.
SANTO NEVER FORGAVE CASTRO.
**
ONE OF HIS BIGGEST AIMS IN LIFE
WAS GETTING BACK TO CUBA
AND GETTING RID OF CASTRO.
HE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING
HE COULD POSSIBLY TO DO IT.
**
[ FLAME CRACKLES ]
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
Narrator: BUT TRAFFICANTE
ISN'T THE ONLY ONE
WITH A GRUDGE
AGAINST CASTRO.
Male reporter:
IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA,
ANTI-COMMUNIST FEELING MOUNTS.
FIDEL CASTRO IS HANGED
IN EFFIGY.
ANTI-CASTRO FORCES ARE BEGINNING
TO JOIN HANDS IN OTHER CITIES.
**
Narrator: SANTO TRAFFICANTE
CULTIVATES TIES WITH
THE ANTI-CASTRO
EXILE MOVEMENT IN FLORIDA
AND SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH
A MOB OF CUBAN GANGSTERS.
HIS INVOLVEMENT
DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
TRAFFICANTE SOON DISCOVERS
THAT HE IS ALIGNED
WITH SOME VERY POWERFUL ALLIES.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
**
SEPTEMBER 1960 --
TRAFFICANTE IS APPROACHED
BY A MESSENGER
SENT BY THE BOSS OF CHICAGO,
SAM GIANCANA.
GIANCANA WANTS TRAFFICANTE
TO CARRY OUT
ONE OF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE
HITS IN MOB HISTORY,
TO KILL CASTRO.
BUT GIANCANA ISN'T
AUTHORIZING THE HIT.
IN FACT, THE CONTRACT DOESN'T
COME FROM THE MAFIA AT ALL.
**
Narrator: THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS
IS INVESTIGATING
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
LINKED TO THE KILLING OF
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY.
THEY'RE EXAMINING FLORIDA
MOB BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE
AND HIS LINKS
TO ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES.
IT IS REVEALED THAT
AFTER LOSING MILLIONS
IN CASTRO'S CUBAN REVOLUTION,
HE'S BEEN OFFERED REVENGE
BY KILLING THE COMMUNIST LEADER.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, CAN YOU TELL US
WHO WAS THE PERSON
WHO FIRST CONTACTED YOU?
JOHN ROSELLI.
Narrator: JOHN ROSELLI IS
CHICAGO MOB BOSS
SAM GIANCANA'S RIGHT-HAND MAN.
COULD YOU TELL US THE SUBSTANCE
OF THE CONVERSATION
YOU HAD WITH HIM?
WELL, HE TOLD ME THAT THE CIA
AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
WANTED THIS THING DONE.
THAT IS WHAT HE SAID TO ME.
Narrator: IN THE HISTORY
OF ORGANIZED CRIME,
THE LINES BETWEEN THE MOB
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
ARE OFTEN BLURRED,
BUT TRAFFICANTE'S REVELATION
BREAKS NEW GROUND.
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WERE
ASKING MOB BOSS SAM GIANCANA
TO HELP ASSASSINATE THE
REVOLUTIONARY LEADER OF CUBA.
THE CIA WERE DESPERATE
TO GET RID OF CASTRO.
HE WAS A PERSONA NON GRATA.
**
Narrator:
BUT THE CIA IS TOO SMART
TO CARRY OUT THE
ASSASSINATION ITSELF.
WHEN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
WAS LOOKING
FOR SOMEBODY TO ASSASSINATE
CASTRO, THEY SAID,
"WELL, WHO ARE GOOD ASSASSINS?"
THEY SAID, "THE MAFIA."
Raab: IT JUST SHOWS YOU
THE RESPECT
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
HAD FOR THE MAFIA.
THEY COULD GET THINGS DONE
IN A WAY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
OR LEGITIMATE
OPERATIONS COULD NOT.
Blakey: THE REAL SCANDAL
IS THE ASSUMPTION
ON THE PART OF THE CIA
THAT THE MAFIA WAS
A GROUP OF HIRED KILLERS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
Narrator:
NOW THE CIA APPROACH GIANCANA
AND ASK HIM TO FIND A HIT MAN.
GIANCANA KNOWS WHEN
IT COMES TO CUBA,
THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN
WITH THE CONNECTIONS,
THE KING OF CUBAN CASINOS,
SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
THAT WAS JUST THE KIND OF MAN
THE CIA WAS LOOKING FOR,
A MAN THAT BELONGED
TO AN ORGANIZATION
THAT WAS SKILLED
IN MURDER AND PLOTS,
AND WAS VERY UNHAPPY,
HAD LOST A LOT OF MONEY,
AND WOULD DO ANYTHING
TO GET BACK THERE.
**
Narrator: IN SEPTEMBER 1960,
A MEETING IS ARRANGED
AT THE FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL MIAMI
BETWEEN THE CIA, CHICAGO
MOB BOSS SAM GIANCANA,
AND HIS CHOSEN HIT MAN, FLORIDA
MOB BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
**
THE CIA AND THE MOB ARE NOW
AT THE SAME TABLE
WITH A SINGLE SINISTER AIM --
AN ATTEMPT ON A WORLD
LEADER'S LIFE.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION
TO KILLING PRESIDENT CASTRO?
WELL, AT THE TIME, I THINK
IT WAS A GOOD THING
BECAUSE HE HAD ESTABLISHED
A COMMUNISTIC BASE
90 MILES FROM THE UNITED STATES,
AND BEING THAT THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
WANTED THIS THING DONE,
I GO ALONG WITH IT.
SAME AS A WAR.
I FIGURE IT WAS LIKE A WAR.
**
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
WAS HELPING OUT THE CIA
BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT WORKED
TO GET RID OF CASTRO
WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO HIM.
[ CHATTERING ]
Narrator:
THE AGENCY FIRST SUGGESTS
A CLASSIC MOBSTER HIT,
IN WHICH CASTRO WOULD DIE
IN A HAIL OF BULLETS.
Reppetto: THE GOVERNMENT
IDEA WAS,
"YOU JUST SEND YOUR ASSASSINS IN
AND THEY SHOOT THE FELLOW DOWN."
THERE IS SOMETHING FUNNY
ABOUT THE CIA
TRYING TO TELL THE MOB
HOW TO KILL SOMEONE.
Narrator: GIANCANA
AND TRAFFICANTE
PROPOSE A MORE SUBTLE APPROACH.
Reppetto: GIANCANA
AND TRAFFICANTE, THEY SAID,
"YOU'VE GOT TO DO THIS
IN A CLEVER WAY."
THAT'S WHEN ALL THESE
POISONING PLOTS WERE CONSIDERED.
WAS THERE A DISCUSSION
ABOUT POISON PILLS?
THERE WAS A DISCUSSION
ABOUT PILLS, YES, SIR.
I'M TELLING YOU,
ANY KIND OF A WAY
THAT WAS POSSIBLE
TO GET RID OF HIM.
**
Narrator: AND TRAFFICANTE
KNOWS AN OFFICIAL
WHO CAN GET CLOSE TO CASTRO.
Raab: TRAFFICANTE COULD GET
CASTRO TO SOME RESTAURANT
WHERE THEY WOULD SLIP
POISON PILLS INTO HIS FOOD.
[ CRUSHING ]
Narrator: A PLAN IS AGREED,
AND THE CIA OFFICERS
HAND OVER $150,000 IN CASH.
**
A LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED.
THE CIA HAS JUST PAID
THE MOB TO KILL CASTRO.
Raab: TRAFFICANTE KNEW
IT WAS CRAZY,
BUT HE WASN'T STUPID ENOUGH
TO PASS UP $150,000.
THAT WAS TAX-FREE.
**
Narrator: BUT THE MONEY
AND GETTING REVENGE ON CASTRO
IS ONLY PART OF THE DEAL.
IN EXCHANGE, LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES WILL TURN A BLIND EYE
TO MAFIA OPERATIONS.
Reppetto: HE WAS TOLD
THAT IF HE DID THIS
LITTLE JOB FOR THE GOVERNMENT,
HE WAS HOME FREE.
NOBODY WOULD BOTHER HIM
ANYMORE.
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
Narrator: BUT THE PLOT
IS SOON FORGOTTEN,
AS THE MOVE AGAINST CASTRO
GOES TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
BEHIND THE SCENES,
GIANCANA HAS BEEN HELPING
A CHARISMATIC YOUNG SENATOR
NAMED JOHN F. KENNEDY
TO BECOME PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
Reppetto:
OLD MAN KENNEDY, JOE,
SENT SINATRA, FRANK SINATRA,
TO TALK TO GIANCANA.
HE SAID, "IF YOU
CARRY ILLINOIS FOR US,
"THERE'LL BE NO BOTHERING YOU.
THE KENNEDYS WON'T
GO AFTER YOU."
**
Narrator: JOE KENNEDY KNOWS
THAT GIANCANA
PRACTICALLY OWNS
THIS SWING STATE.
IF ANYONE CAN RIG VOTES
IN ILLINOIS, IT'S GIANCANA.
FROM THE MOB'S POINT OF VIEW,
IT WAS A NO-LOSE SITUATION.
[ CHATTERING ]
Narrator: AND THE MOB HOLDS UP
THE FIRST PART OF THE DEAL.
THEY HELP GET
JOHN F. KENNEDY ELECTED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
Blakey: WAS THERE MOB MONEY
IN THE ELECTION IN CHICAGO?
YES, PERIOD, END OF STORY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
Narrator: NOW WITH THE PRESIDENT
APPARENTLY ON-SIDE,
TRAFFICANTE DISCOVERS
THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
IS MAKING CUBA A PRIORITY.
THE CIA ARE ASKED TO RAMP UP
THEIR PLANS
FROM AN ASSASSINATION
TO A FULL-SCALE INVASION.
AS A MAN WHO IS INVESTED HEAVILY
IN THE CUBAN EXILE
MOVEMENT IN FLORIDA,
TRAFFICANTE BELIEVES
HIS MEN WILL, AT LAST,
GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
**
[ HELICOPTER ROARS OVERHEAD ]
ON APRIL 16th, 1961...
[ EXPLOSIONS ]
KENNEDY SENDS 1,500 MERCENARIES,
FINANCED BY THE CIA,
TO INVADE CUBA'S BAY OF PIGS.
[ EXPLOSIONS ]
**
AMONG THE FIGHTERS ARE
SOME OF TRAFFICANTE'S
VERY OWN FLORIDA ALLIES,
THE CUBAN EXILE MOVEMENT.
[ GUNFIRE ]
**
THE PLAN IS THAT KENNEDY'S
PLANES ARE ON STANDBY,
READY TO BACK THE GROUND FORCES.
THE ASSAULT IS TO BE
A SWIFT SURPRISE ATTACK.
BUT THE INVADERS
ARE OUTNUMBERED 10 TO ONE.
[ GUNFIRE ]
AS CASTRO'S FORCES FIGHT BACK,
KENNEDY FAILS TO SEND
AMERICAN AIR SUPPORT.
IN JUST THREE DAYS, CASTRO
CRUSHES THE AMERICAN INVASION.
IT IS A COMPLETE FAILURE.
**
Reppetto:
WELL, THE CIA PLAN FOR THE
INVASION DIDN'T WORK VERY WELL.
IT WAS AN AMATEURISH CAMPAIGN,
THAT 1,500 OR SO MEN
COULD OVERTHROW
ALL OF CASTRO'S TROOPS.
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
Narrator: CASTRO IS NOW
A NATIONAL HERO,
AND TRAFFICANTE'S HOPE TO REVIVE
HIS CUBAN EMPIRE CRUMBLES.
THE MEN HE HAS FUNDED
ARE NOW DEAD OR IN PRISON.
TRAFFICANTE HAS BEEN
DOUBLE-CROSSED AGAIN,
FIRST BY CASTRO IN CUBA AND NOW
BY KENNEDY'S LACK OF CONVICTION.
SANTO TRAFFICANTE
ONLY HAD ONE CULPRIT,
AND THAT WAS PRESIDENT KENNEDY,
AND HE BLAMED KENNEDY,
MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE,
FOR THE FAILURE
OF BAY OF PIGS.
**
Narrator: AND THINGS ARE ABOUT
TO GET A LOT WORSE
FOR THE MAFIA.
GIANCANA HAD HELPED KENNEDY
TO GET ELECTED,
BUT FAR FROM IGNORING
MOB ACTIVITIES,
THE NEW PRESIDENT
SENDS HIS BROTHER,
ATTORNEY GENERAL BOBBY KENNEDY,
TO GO AFTER ORGANIZED CRIME.
GIANCANA FELT MORE BETRAYED.
Blakey: THE FACT THAT HE CAME UP
WITH MONEY
AND HELPED JFK WIN
WENT BY THE BOARD.
Raab: BOBBY KENNEDY,
BY GOING AFTER THE MAFIA,
INCITED TRAFFICANTE
INTO MORE HATRED.
Narrator: AFTER FIRST SIDING
WITH THE MOB,
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
IS NOW GOING AFTER THEM.
AND NO ONES CROSSES TRAFFICANTE,
NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
**
**
[ GUNFIRE ]
Narrator: PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S
FAILURE TO TOPPLE FIDEL CASTRO
HAS RUINED FLORIDA MOB BOSS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE'S FORTUNE
AND CRUSHED HIS DREAMS
OF REVIVING
HIS CUBAN CASINO EMPIRE.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
DESPITE THE MOB SUCCESSFULLY
RIGGING ELECTIONS
TO HELP KENNEDY WIN
THE WHITE HOUSE,
THE GOVERNMENT IS LAUNCHING A
CRUSADE AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME.
TWICE TRAFFICANTE HAS
BEEN BETRAYED BY KENNEDY
AND NOW SEEKS PAYBACK.
**
BUT THE MOB IN THE NORTH
IS UNDER HEAVY SURVEILLANCE,
AND TRAFFICANTE'S MOB ALLY,
SAM GIANCANA,
IS EFFECTIVELY UNDER LOCKDOWN.
Reppetto: GIANCANA WAS UNDER
SUCH INTENSE SURVEILLANCE
THAT CARLOADS OF FBI AGENTS
WOULD FOLLOW RIGHT
ON HIS BACK BUMPER.
EVERYWHERE HE WENT, THEY WENT.
THERE WAS AN ALL-OUT
CAMPAIGN AGAINST GIANCANA,
WHICH MADE HIM VERY ANGRY.
Narrator: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR
GIANCANA TO HAVE MEETINGS,
AND COMPLETELY DISRUPTS
THE CHICAGO OUTFIT.
OTHER MOB BOSSES
ARE ANGRY AND RESENTFUL.
Raab: THERE WAS NO QUESTION
ABOUT THE ANIMOSITY
THAT MOB DONS HAD
FOR JOHN F. KENNEDY
AND FOR BOBBY KENNEDY.
[ URINAL FLUSHING ]
THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT KENNEDY
WERE REALLY VERY VICIOUS.
**
Raab: THERE WERE NUMEROUS BUGS
PICKED UP BY THE FBI.
ONE OF THEM PARTICULARLY WAS
FROM SAM GIANCANA, WHO SAID,
"WE BROKE OUR BALLS
TRYING TO GET HIM ELECTED,
AND LOOK WHAT HE DOES AGAINST
US, THAT SON OF A BITCH."
**
Narrator:
BUT TRAFFICANTE IS SHREWD
AND KEEPS OFF THE PHONE LINES.
Raab: HE WAS A MAFIA DON
WHO WAS SMART ENOUGH
TO AVOID THE LIMELIGHT.
HE WAS NEVER CAUGHT ON A BUG
OR ON THE WIRE,
NEVER IMPLICATED
HIMSELF OF ANY CRIME.
**
Narrator: IN CHICAGO, GIANCANA
MAY BE UNDER 24-HOUR SCRUTINY,
BUT IN THE SOUTH,
TRAFFICANTE AND MARCELLO
CERTAINLY HAVE FREEDOM
TO PLAN THE MOB'S REVENGE
ON THE KENNEDYS.
BUT DID THEY?
**
THE COMMITTEE HAD ALREADY TRIED
TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF MOB CONNECTIONS TO
THE ASSASSINATION OF KENNEDY.
FIFTEEN YEARS EARLIER, IN 1975,
THEY CALL SAM GIANCANA
TO TESTIFY.
BUT GIANCANA NEVER
MAKES IT TO THE STAND.
**
[ SILENCED GUNSHOT ]
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
HE IS SHOT DEAD.
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
THEN, IN 1976, THEY CALL
GIANCANA'S RIGHT-HAND MAN,
JOHN ROSELLI.
HIS FIRST TESTIMONY
IS EXPLOSIVE,
AND THE COMMITTEE RECALL HIM
FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING,
BUT ROSELLI MYSTERIOUSLY
DISAPPEARS.
FIVE DAYS LATER, HIS DISMEMBERED
BODY IS FOUND INSIDE AN OIL DRUM
FLOATING IN
DUMFOUNDLING BAY, MIAMI.
Raab: THE THREE MAJOR
MAFIA PLAYERS,
THE CIA ATTEMPT
TO KILL CASTRO --
ROSELLI, SAM GIANCANA
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR.,
AND THE ONLY ONE
WHO SURVIVED WAS SANTO.
THE WAY THEY WERE CUT UP
AND THE WAY THEY WERE
SHOT IN THEIR MOUTHS,
THEY WERE KILLED IN A WAY
THAT INDICATED
THEY HAD BEEN SQUEALERS.
**
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
IS THE LAST MAN STANDING.
BUT WHEN BLAKEY LOOKS
AT THE EVIDENCE
FOR HIS CONNECTION
TO KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION,
TRAFFICANTE WAS
NOWHERE NEAR DALLAS
ON THAT NOVEMBER DAY IN 1963.
HE WAS WITH HIS LAWYER IN HIS
HOMETOWN OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.
**
NOVEMBER 22nd, 1963,
DALLAS --
**
[ GUNSHOTS, RELOADING ]
LEE HARVEY OSWALD FIRES THREE
BULLETS IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
OSWALD IS A KNOWN COMMUNIST
WITH PRO-CASTRO CONNECTIONS
AND A GRUDGE AGAINST KENNEDY,
BUT HIS UNCLE AND FATHER FIGURE
ALSO WORKS
FOR SANTO TRAFFICANTE'S
CLOSEST ALLY, CARLOS MARCELLO.
**
JUST TWO DAYS LATER,
OSWALD IS ALSO DEAD...
[ GUNSHOT, SCREAMING ]
...KILLED BY JACK RUBY,
THE MAN WHO RAN NIGHTCLUBS
FOR TRAFFICANTE'S FRIEND.
[ PANICKED SHOUTING ]
ROBERT BLAKEY NOW BELIEVES THAT
THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENCES
TO BE DISMISSED.
I BELIEVED THE MOB
WAS NOT INVOLVED.
I WAS WRONG ABOUT THAT.
THEY DID HAVE THE MOTIVE,
OPPORTUNITY AND MEANS.
BUT KILLING HIM,
THEY DISCUSSED THAT.
Narrator: SOMEHOW, TRAFFICANTE
FITS RIGHT AT THE CENTER.
IN SEPTEMBER 1978, BLAKEY CALLS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE TO THE STAND.
BUT WILL HE CRACK?
**
Narrator: SEPTEMBER 1978 --
ROBERT BLAKEY, CHIEF COUNSEL
TO THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS,
HAS SUMMONED FLORIDA MOB BOSS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE TO TESTIFY.
[ SPEAKING INAUDIBLY ]
UNDER INVESTIGATION ARE HIS
ANTI-CASTRO DEALINGS
WITH THE CIA
AND CONNECTIONS TO JACK RUBY,
LINKING HIM DIRECTLY TO THE
KILLING OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, I WANT
TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO THIS COMMITTEE,
AND THAT IS,
DID YOU HAVE ANY FOREKNOWLEDGE
OF THE ASSASSINATION
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO WAY.
**
Narrator: BLAKEY DECIDES TO
GO FOR BROKE.
HE REMINDS TRAFFICANTE
OF THE EXPLOSIVE ADMISSION
THAT LED TO ROSELLI'S DEATH.
MR. TRAFFICANTE,
BEFORE HE DIED,
ROSELLI HINTED TO ASSOCIATES
THAT HE KNEW WHO HAD ARRANGED
PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S MURDER.
IT WAS THE SAME CONSPIRATORS,
HE SUGGESTED,
WHOM HE HAD RECRUITED EARLIER
TO KILL CUBAN PREMIER
FIDEL CASTRO.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DID YOU HAVE
ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THAT?
NO KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER.
[ GALLERY MURMURING ]
Narrator: THE COMMITTEE NOW
DISCOVER FIRSTHAND
JUST HOW SHREWD A MOBSTER
TRAFFICANTE CAN BE.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DID YOU
EVER KNOW A JACK RUBY?
NO, SIR, I NEVER REMEMBER
MEETING JACK RUBY.
-NEVER REMEMBER MEETING HIM?
-NO.
Narrator:
THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE
KEEP HITTING A BRICK WALL.
THE SILENT DON ISN'T
GIVING ANYTHING AWAY.
HE ALWAYS TOOK THE SAME STANCE.
HE NEVER KNEW ANYTHING.
HE DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYBODY.
Narrator: HIS ANSWERS REMAIN
CONSISTENT.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO WAY. NO.
NO KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER.
**
Narrator: AFTER 30 MONTHS
OF INVESTIGATION,
12 VOLUMES OF HEARINGS
AND APPENDICES,
THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON ASSASSINATIONS
DRAWS TO A CLOSE.
THE REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN 1979
AND CONCLUDES THAT
WHILE THE MAFIA
WAS NOT INVOLVED,
IT DID NOT PRECLUDE
THE INVOLVEMENT
OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS --
CARLOS MARCELLO OF NEW ORLEANS
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE
OF FLORIDA.
**
Blakey: THERE WAS
A LIKELY CONSPIRACY,
AND WE POINTED TO
THE MOST LIKELY SUSPECTS
AS CARLOS MARCELLO
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE,
BUT WE SAID WE COULD NOT
INDICATE WITH CONFIDENCE
THAT THEY DID IT.
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
Narrator: THE ONLY
IRREFUTABLE CONCLUSION
IS THAT LEE HARVEY OSWALD
KILLED THE PRESIDENT
AND JACK RUBY KILLED OSWALD.
[ GUNSHOT, SCREAMING ]
Man: HE'S BEEN SHOT!
HE'S BEEN SHOT!
**
Narrator: DESPITE BLAKEY'S
BEST EFFORTS,
TRAFFICANTE WALKS FREE.
**
[ SEA BIRDS SQUAWKING ]
IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS,
TRAFFICANTE RESUMES
HIS ACTIVITIES
AS THE FLORIDA MOB BOSS
AND, DESPITE BLAKEY'S
BEST EFFORTS,
CONTINUES TO EVADE THE LAW.
**
EVEN BLAKEY'S FAMOUS RICO LAW,
THE RACKETEER INFLUENCED
AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS ACT,
WHICH DISMANTLED THE FIVE CRIME
FAMILIES OF NEW YORK,
FAILS TO NAIL TRAFFICANTE.
THERE'S NO QUESTION
ABOUT HOW CRAFTY
AND HOW SUCCESSFUL
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS.
HE WAS THE ONLY MAJOR
GODFATHER THAT JOE PISTONE,
THE SPECIAL FBI AGENT,
COULD NOT GET.
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS
THE ONLY MOB BOSS
TO ESCAPE A BIG RICO INDICTMENT.
Narrator: BUT THE FBI DID NOT
STOP LOOKING INTO THE TWO MAIN
MAFIA SUSPECTS LINKED
TO KENNEDY'S DEATH.
**
IN 1983, FELLOW
SUSPECTED CONSPIRATOR,
MOB BOSS CARLOS MARCELLO,
IS IMPRISONED ON RACKETEERING
AND BRIBERY CHARGES.
**
THE FBI PLACE AN INFORMANT
IN HIS CELL.
THEY TALK ABOUT
THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION,
AND MARCELLO OPENS UP.
Blakey: MARCELLO SAID
TO THE INFORMANT,
"I KILLED HIM,
AND I WOULD KILL HIM AGAIN."
**
Narrator: BUT BEFORE THE COURTS
CAN QUESTION TRAFFICANTE,
HIS HEALTH DETERIORATES,
AND IN 1987, HE DIES, AGE 72.
**
IN THE YEARS AFTER
TRAFFICANTE'S DEATH,
MORE EVIDENCE COMES TO LIGHT.
**
FRANK RAGANO, LONG-TERM LAWYER
TO TRAFFICANTE,
CLAIMS THAT JUST FOUR DAYS
BEFORE HE DIED,
TRAFFICANTE HAD
OPENED UP TO HIM.
**
TRAFFICANTE REFERS TO THE DEAD
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
BY HIS MOB NICKNAME, GIOVANNI.
**
WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE
KILLED GIOVANNI.
WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED BOBBY.
Ragano: HE WAS CONFESSING TO
THE ASSASSINATION
OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
MY FATHER WAS JUST IN SHOCK.
Raab: A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK,
"IF THERE'S A SMOKING GUN,
THAT'S IT."
Narrator: BUT THE CONFESSIONS
FROM MARCELLO
AND TRAFFICANTE HIMSELF
COME TOO LATE FOR BLAKEY.
IF I HAD ALL THAT EVIDENCE
IN NOVEMBER OF '63,
I'D HAVE A GRAND JURY
AND I'D HAVE AN INDICTMENT.
WHETHER I'D HAVE A CONVICTION
OR NOT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
**
Narrator: IT IS UNLIKELY
THAT WE WILL EVER KNOW
WHETHER SANTO TRAFFICANTE
AND CARLOS MARCELLO
WERE THE MEN WHO HIRED
OSWALD AND RUBY.
BUT SANTO TRAFFICANTE
WAS UNIQUE.
**
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, THE QUIET
DON KEPT OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT
AND NEVER SPENT A SINGLE NIGHT
IN AN AMERICAN JAIL.
**
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS THE BIG
MAFIA FISH THAT GOT AWAY.
Narrator: AND THERE WILL ALWAYS
REMAIN THE SUSPICION
THAT SANTO TRAFFICANTE
WAS THE MOB BOSS
WHO PULLED OFF THE MAFIA'S
GREATEST HIT.
**
[ FLASH BULB POPS ]
**
NEW YORK HAD LUCKY LUCIANO.
**
BUT IN THE MID-'50s FLORIDA,
THE INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
TO THE CARIBBEAN
IS RULED BY SANTO TRAFFICANTE,
A MOB BOSS TURNING
NEIGHBORING CUBA
INTO A GAMBLING PARADISE.
Ragano: HE WAS VERY POWERFUL.
HE WAS THE GO-TO GUY
WHEN IT CAME TO CUBA.
HE WAS A MAFIA DON WHO WAS SMART
ENOUGH TO AVOID THE LIMELIGHT.
Narrator:
ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING
THE WEALTHIEST MOB BOSS
OF THEM ALL,
HE IS BETRAYED BY ONE
HEAD OF STATE, THEN ANOTHER.
**
HELL-BENT ON REVENGE,
WE KNOW HE TRIED TO KILL ONE,
BUT DID HE SUCCEED
IN KILLING THE SECOND?
WAS SANTO TRAFFICANTE BEHIND
THE TERRIBLE ASSASSINATION
THAT SHOCKED THE UNITED STATES?
NOTHING'S MORE SENSATIONAL
THAN THE ASSASSINATION
OF THE PRESIDENT.
Narrator: THIS IS THE STORY
OF FLORIDA'S TOP DON,
SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
[ GUNSHOT ]
**
[ GUNSHOTS ]
**
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
[ GUNSHOT ]
**
Narrator:
NOVEMBER THE 22nd, 1963,
DALLAS, TEXAS --
PRESIDENT KENNEDY AND HIS WIFE
ARE HEADING FOR A LUNCH
WITH CIVIC LEADERS.
Male reporter: THE MOTORCADE
BEGINS THE 11-MILE RIDE
TO THE DALLAS TRADEMARK,
WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS
TO DELIVER A MAJOR ADDRESS.
Male reporter #2:
THE PRESIDENT'S CAR IS NOW
TURNING ONTO ELM STREET
AND IT WILL BE ONLY
A MATTER OF MINUTES
BEFORE HE ARRIVES
AT THE TRADEMARK.
**
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Narrator: THE PRESIDENT IS HIT
BY THREE BULLETS
IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
[ CLICKS ]
[ GUNSHOT ]
Male reporter: IT APPEARS AS
THOUGH SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED
IN THE MOTORCADE GROUP.
SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS
ARE RUSHING UP THE HILL
AT THIS TIME.
**
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
THE DALLAS POLICE
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
IDENTIFIED LEE HARVEY OSWALD.
Deitche: THEY QUICKLY
PUT TOGETHER A DESCRIPTION
OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD
AS A LONE NUT
WHO MAY HAVE
HAD COMMUNIST SYMPATHIES
AND WAS INVOLVED IN PRO-CASTRO
CUBAN OPERATIONS.
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
Narrator: WITHIN TWO HOURS,
THE PRO-CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY
IS ARRESTED...
[ SHUTTER CLICKS ]
...CASE SEEMINGLY CLOSED.
**
TWO DAYS LATER, OSWALD IS BEING
TRANSFERRED TO THE COUNTY JAIL.
DID YOU SHOOT THE PRESIDENT?
I DIDN'T SHOOT ANYBODY,
NO, SIR.
[ REPORTERS CLAMORING ]
Narrator: A MAN
STEPS OUT OF THE CROWD.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Man: HE'S BEEN SHOT.
[ PANICKED SHOUTING ]
**
Narrator: THE GUNMAN IS ANOTHER
MAN WITH STRONG LINKS TO CUBA,
JACK RUBY.
**
ONE YEAR LATER,
THE WARREN REPORT CONCLUDES
THAT OSWALD ACTED ALONE,
AND HIS MOTIVES WERE POLITICAL.
[ CLAMORING ]
OSWALD'S KILLER, JACK RUBY,
ALSO ACTED ALONE.
[ CLAMORING, SHOUTING ]
JUST A DISGRUNTLED AMERICAN,
SADDENED BY KENNEDY'S DEATH,
WHO WANTED TO TAKE REVENGE
AGAINST THE ACCUSED SHOOTER.
Narrator: BUT FROM THE MOMENT
IT IS PUBLISHED,
THE RUSHED REPORT COMES
UNDER INTENSE CRITICISM.
Blakey: THE REPORT WAS BUILT
AROUND THE EVIDENCE
MOST FAVORABLE
TO THAT CONCLUSION.
Narrator: KENNEDY'S SUCCESSOR,
THE NEW PRESIDENT, JOHNSON,
DOES NOT WANT THE INVESTIGATION
TO DRAG ON.
Blakey: IT WAS COMING UP
ON THE REELECTION,
AND PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIMPLY
DID NOT WANT THE QUESTION OF,
"WHAT HAPPENED TO
PRESIDENT KENNEDY?"
AS AN ISSUE.
Raab: IT WAS OBVIOUS
TO MANY PEOPLE
THAT IT HAD BEEN DONE
VERY FLIMSILY.
IT WASN'T A REALLY SOLID REPORT.
THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS.
**
Narrator:
FOR OVER A DECADE,
THE IDEA THAT OSWALD WAS ACTING
ALONE JUST DIDN'T SIT WELL.
THE PRESS REPORT ON RUMORS
THAT OSWALD WAS WORKING
FOR THE CIA,
THAT HE WAS WORKING FOR
THE CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY LEADER
FIDEL CASTRO,
OR EVEN THE MOB.
**
TWELVE YEARS AFTER
THE WARREN REPORT,
A HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE
IS FORMED
IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT
TO GET TO THE TRUTH.
[ GALLERY CHATTERING ]
IN SEPTEMBER 1978,
THE COMMITTEE CALL A POWERFUL
AND RUTHLESS MAFIOSO.
HE WAS THE HEAD
OF THE FLORIDA MAFIA
AND ONE-TIME KING
OF CUBA'S CASINOS.
**
FOR THE RECORD, WILL THE WITNESS
PLEASE STATE HIS FULL NAME?
SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, I WANT
TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO THIS COMMITTEE,
AND THAT IS, DID YOU HAVE
ANY FOREKNOWLEDGE
OF THE ASSASSINATION
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY?
Narrator: SOMEONE BELIEVES THAT
SANTO TRAFFICANTE KNOWS MORE
ABOUT THE DEATH OF
JOHN F. KENNEDY THAN HE SHOULD.
THAT MAN IS CHIEF COUNSEL
TO THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE,
ROBERT BLAKEY.
[ CLICKING, PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]
AT THE VERY MOMENT THE NEWS
OF THE ASSASSINATION BREAKS,
BLAKEY IS WORKING
AS A PROSECUTOR
IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
Blakey:
I, MYSELF, WAS IN THE OFFICE
WITH ROBERT KENNEDY,
THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE NEWS OF
THE ASSASSINATION CAME OUT.
**
THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SHOOT
AT AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT
IS UNBELIEVABLE.
**
Narrator: WHEN ATTORNEY BLAKEY
FIRST HEARS THE RUMORS
OF MOB INVOLVEMENT,
HE DOESN'T THINK
THERE IS ANYTHING IN THEM.
I THOUGHT THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
THE KILLING OF KENNEDY
WAS NOT WITH A MACHINE GUN
AND GUYS DRESSED IN BLACK.
[ TYPING ]
Narrator: BUT WHEN BLAKEY DRAFTS
THE FAMOUS RICO LAWS
THAT WILL EVENTUALLY PUT
THE HEADS OF FIVE MAJOR
CRIME FAMILIES BEHIND BARS,
HE GOES ON A STEEP
LEARNING CURVE AND DISCOVERS
THAT THE MAFIA ARE NOW A MUCH
MORE SOPHISTICATED OUTFIT.
UNTIL THE RICO LAW WAS PASSED,
MOB BOSSES WERE VIRTUALLY
IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION.
THEY NEVER PULLED A TRIGGER.
THEY NEVER BEAT ANYBODY UP.
THE RICO LAW WAS ABLE
TO GET THEM
BECAUSE THEY WERE NOW
PART OF AN ENTERPRISE.
Narrator: NOW BLAKEY SETS HIS
SIGHTS ON TRAFFICANTE,
THE ONE-TIME CUBAN CASINO KING.
THE FIRST ALARM BELL
IS TRIGGERED
BY THE DEATH OF OSWALD.
Blakey: THE KILLING OF OSWALD...
[ GUNSHOT ]
ON THE WAY TO THE JAIL
HAS ALL THE EARMARKS OF AN
ASSASSINATION OF THE ASSASSIN.
**
Narrator: NOT ONLY IS OSWALD'S
MURDER TYPICAL OF A MOB HIT,
THE MAN WHO KILLED OSWALD,
JACK RUBY,
RUNS A NIGHTCLUB
USED BY GANGSTERS
LINKED TO A NEW ORLEANS
MOB BOSS,
CARLOS MARCELLO,
AND MARCELLO IS TRAFFICANTE'S
CLOSEST MOB ALLY.
WHILE HE'S NOT A MEMBER
OF THE MAFIA,
THERE ARE CONNECTIONS
TO ORGANIZED CRIME
AND TO THE MAFIA IN PARTICULAR.
Narrator: AND THERE ARE OTHER
THREADS IN THE REPORT THAT
BLAKEY FEELS NEED PULLING.
IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS NOT
AS HARD-CLAD AS IT MIGHT BE,
IN A CONCLUSION.
Narrator: THE ORIGINAL WARREN
REPORT GLOSSED OVER OTHER
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OSWALD
AND THE SAME CARLOS MARCELLO.
**
LEE HARVEY OSWALD'S UNCLE
AND SURROGATE FATHER
IS NONE OTHER THAN
CARLOS MARCELLO'S BOOKMAKER,
AND BOTH OSWALD AND RUBY HAVE
DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO CUBA
AND, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS WEB OF INTRIGUE,
SITS THE ONE-TIME CUBAN
RACKETEER SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
Blakey: IF YOU TAKE HIS
CONNECTIONS AND TRACE THEM OUT
LIKE A CONCENTRIC CIRCLE,
IT LOOKS LIKE ORGANIZED CRIME,
IN SOME SENSE, WERE RESPONSIBLE.
Narrator: SO WHO IS THIS ELUSIVE
SANTO TRAFFICANTE?
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT
OCCUPATION?
I AM RETIRED.
Narrator:
THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH.
Deitche: BY THE LATE 1970s,
TRAFFICANTE WAS STILL CONSIDERED
THE BOSS OF THE TAMPA MAFIA
AND STILL AN INFLUENTIAL FIGURE,
NOT ONLY IN THE MOB SCENE
IN FLORIDA, BUT NATIONALLY.
Ragano: HE HAD THESE PIERCING
EYES THAT COULD LOOK
RIGHT THROUGH YOUR SOUL.
HE COULD BE A RUTHLESS KILLER.
HE COULD TURN ON YOU INSTANTLY
AND WHACK SOMEONE
AND NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
**
Narrator: IN 1954,
SANTO TRAFFICANTE
INHERITS THE FLORIDA MOB
FROM HIS FATHER.
IT'S PRETTY UNUSUAL FOR
MAFIA BOSSES TO HAND CONTROL
OVER TO THE SONS.
Narrator:
TRAFFICANTE SR. IS NOTORIOUS
FOR ELIMINATING ENEMIES
REGARDLESS OF PROFILE
OR REPUTATION.
A FEW YEARS EARLIER, HE WAS
BEING CHALLENGED FOR SUPREMACY
BY A GANGSTER
CALLED JIMMY LUMIA.
TRAFFICANTE SR. TAUGHT HIS SON
WHAT A TRAFFICANTE DOES
WITH THOSE WHO SHOW NO RESPECT.
**
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ MAN GROANS ]
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
[ GUNSHOTS ]
LUMIA WAS A WELL-KNOWN
FIGURE IN FLORIDA,
A CLOSE FRIEND OF THE MAYOR.
NONETHELESS, TRAFFICANTE SR.
SANCTIONED THE HIT.
[ SPEAKING INAUDIBLY ]
IT'S A VALUABLE LESSON
TO TRAFFICANTE JR. --
NO MATTER HOW HIGH A PROFILE,
IF SOMEONE CROSSES YOU,
YOU HIT THEM.
**
THOUGH RUTHLESS,
THE GROUP TRAFFICANTE INHERITS
IS LITTLE MORE THAN A SMALL-TIME
GAMBLING OUTFIT IN TAMPA.
**
BUT THE YOUNG MOBSTER
SEES AN OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPAND HIS OPERATION,
A POTENTIAL GOLD MINE
SITTING JUST 90 MILES
OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA.
**
[ PLANE ENGINE ROARS ]
**
IN THE EARLY '50s,
THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF CUBA
IS RUN BY A BRUTAL
AND CORRUPT
EX-GENERAL CALLED
FULGENCIO BATISTA,
AND BATISTA THROWS THE DOORS
OPEN TO THE MAFIA.
OPERATING COMPLETELY FREE
OF AMERICAN REGULATIONS,
MOBSTERS INVEST HEAVILY
IN CASINOS AND HOTELS,
WHERE THEY HAVE NO TROUBLE
WITH THE AUTHORITIES.
THE APPEAL OF CUBA
WAS THAT IT HAD
A VERY CORRUPTIBLE
GOVERNMENT AT THAT TIME.
Raab: IT WAS A DEAL
WITH THE DICTATOR.
THEY KICKED BACK EVERY NIGHT
10 PERCENT OF THE EARNINGS
FROM THESE CASINOS.
IT WAS A TROPICAL PARADISE.
**
COULD YOU TELL US
WHEN YOU MOVED TO CUBA?
AROUND 1953 OR 1954.
I WAS IN THE GAMBLING BUSINESS
AND THE NIGHTCLUB/CASINO
BUSINESS,
WHICH WERE LEGAL,
AT THAT TIME, IN CUBA.
**
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE BECOMES
THE FACILITATOR
FOR OTHER CRIME FAMILIES
TO MOVE IN.
TAMPA HAS STRONG
COMMUNITY TIES WITH CUBA,
AND HE IS ONE OF
THE ONLY MOBSTERS
TO SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE.
TRAFFICANTE AND THE TAMPA GUYS,
THEY SPOKE SPANISH,
WHICH A LOT OF
THE NEW YORK MOBSTERS
WHO WERE OPERATING
IN CUBA DIDN'T.
Reppetto: TRAFFICANTE
HAD THE ESTABLISHMENT,
THE CONNECTIONS,
HE KNEW THE PEOPLE.
HE WAS ALL SET THERE.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT,
COLLECTIVELY,
YOUR INVESTMENT COULD HAVE BEEN
OVER A MILLION DOLLARS?
NO.
Narrator: IN FACT, TRAFFICANTE
EARNS A FORTUNE
FROM HIS MULTIPLE
CASINOS AND NIGHTCLUBS.
Raab: HE HAD INTERESTS
IN FIVE CASINOS.
HE RAKED IN MILLIONS
ALL THE TIME.
**
AND IT WAS A BOOMING
PLACE FOR THE MAFIA.
**
Narrator: AS PROFITABLE
AS THE CASINOS ARE,
THEY ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO
A NEW AND LUCRATIVE MARKET --
DRUGS.
**
[ SHATTERING ]
BACK IN THE DAYS OF PROHIBITION,
MOST LIQUOR FOUND ITS WAY
INTO THE UNITED STATES
THROUGH CANADA.
IT MADE THE MOBS OF NEW YORK
AND CHICAGO VERY WEALTHY.
NOW, DRUGS ARE THE NEW COMMODITY
AND CUBA THE MAJOR GATEWAY,
RIGHT IN TRAFFICANTE'S BACKYARD.
ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE SET
TO MAKE TRAFFICANTE
ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST DONS
IN THE U.S.
Raab: EVEN IF YOU GOT THE
NORTHERN MOBSTERS COMING DOWN,
THEY WERE SECOND BANANAS TO
THE TRAFFICANTE FAMILY IN CUBA.
**
Narrator:
WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS,
TRAFFICANTE IS MAKING MILLIONS
IMPORTING DRUGS THROUGH CUBA
AND CLEANING THE PROFITS
THROUGH A CHAIN OF CASINOS.
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS
REALLY THE MAJOR DOMO
AND THE MAJOR FIGURE
IN GAMBLING IN HAVANA.
[ TV PLAYS INDISTINCTLY ]
Narrator: BUT WHEN A YOUNG
REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST
CALLED FIDEL CASTRO THREATENS
TO OVERTHROW GENERAL BATISTA,
IT PUTS TRAFFICANTE'S
EXPANDING EMPIRE IN JEOPARDY.
**
Narrator: THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS
IS REINVESTIGATING THE DEATH
OF JOHN F. KENNEDY.
THEY'RE EXPLORING POSSIBLE LINKS
BETWEEN HIS ASSASSIN,
CASTRO SYMPATHIZER
LEE HARVEY OSWALD,
OSWALD'S KILLER JACK RUBY,
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE,
THE MOB BOSS OF FLORIDA.
**
BACK IN 1958, TRAFFICANTE
IS MAKING A FORTUNE
THROUGH HIS MANY
CUBAN CASINOS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
THE GROWING DRUGS TRADE
IS ABOUT TO SET HIM UP FOR LIFE
WHEN REVOLUTIONARY
COMMUNIST FIDEL CASTRO
THREATENS TO DERAIL
THE GRAVY TRAIN.
CAN YOU TELL US, IN LATE 1958,
WHAT WAS THE RESULT
OF THE ACTIVITIES OF CASTRO?
IT WASN'T TOO GOOD.
EVERY OTHER DAY THEY HAD BOMBS
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE CARES
LITTLE FOR POLITICS,
BUT A LOT ABOUT PROFITS,
SO THE MOB BOSS MOVES FAST
AND, LIKE ANY SMART GAMBLER,
HE COVERS ALL THE ANGLES.
Deitche: IN THE YEARS BEFORE
THE REVOLUTION,
CASTRO HAD COME TO TAMPA,
YBOR CITY,
A NUMBER OF TIMES TO DO
FUNDRAISING AND SPEAKING EVENTS.
WHEN HE CAME TO TOWN,
HE WOULD MEET WITH
THE TRAFFICANTES AS WELL.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Narrator:
IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY,
TRAFFICANTE SECURES
A DEAL WITH THE REBEL.
EVEN IF CASTRO'S
REVOLUTION SUCCEEDS,
HE HAS GUARANTEES
THAT IT WILL BE BUSINESS
AS USUAL FOR THE MOB IN CUBA.
Ragano: TRAFFICANTE DEFINITELY
WAS HEDGING HIS BETS.
HE WAS PAYING OFF THE BATISTA
OFFICIALS IN THE GOVERNMENT,
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME,
HE WAS GIVING MONEY TO
THE GUERRILLAS AND TO CASTRO.
**
[ CROWD CLAMORING ]
Narrator: BUT BY 1958,
AS THE VIOLENCE ESCALATES,
CASTRO'S GUERRILLAS HIT PROFITS.
GAMBLERS START
DESERTING THE CASINOS.
**
OTHER BOSSES FOLD AND QUIT CUBA,
BUT TRAFFICANTE HOLDS HIS NERVE.
Raab: WHILE EVERY OTHER
MOB FIGURE
BOLTED BACK TO THE U.S.,
HE STAYED PUT.
HE FELT SECURE.
Ragano: ALL HIS BUDDIES,
EVERYONE WAS PULLING OUT.
[ GUNFIRE ]
TRAFFICANTE FELT THAT HE COULD
SCHMOOZE HIS WAY BACK IN
AND KEEP WHAT
HE HAD GOING THERE.
Narrator: WHOEVER WINS,
BATISTA OR CASTRO,
THE FLORIDA MOB BOSS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE
BELIEVES HIS EMPIRE IS SAFE.
TRAFFICANTE HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT,
"LOOK, YOU JUST BUY YOUR WAY
OUT OF ANYTHING DOWN HERE."
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
Narrator:
ON JANUARY THE 1st, 1959,
CASTRO FINALLY TAKES CONTROL
AS GENERAL BATISTA FLEES CUBA.
IT'S ONLY THEN THAT THE KING
OF CUBA'S CASINOS DISCOVERS
THAT HE HAS SERIOUSLY
MISCALCULATED.
Raab: HE THOUGHT HE KNEW
THE TERRITORY.
HE WAS WRONG.
CASTRO WAS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT FELLOW.
Ragano: LITTLE DID HE KNOW
THAT FIDEL CASTRO
DIDN'T SUPPORT ANYTHING
THAT THEY WERE DOING.
[ CHEERING CONTINUES ]
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE HAS BEEN
DOUBLE-CROSSED.
HE WAITED TOO LONG
TO GET OUT OF CUBA.
I GOT NEWS THAT
THE CUBAN OFFICIALS
WERE LOOKING FORWARD
TO PUTTING ME IN JAIL
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS
WAS A BATISTA COLLABORATOR.
THEY RAIDED MY APARTMENT.
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MONEY.
THEY TORE UP THE FURNITURE.
THEY HAD WEAPONS.
I KNEW THAT SOONER OR LATER I
WOULD HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE.
**
[ SHOUTING INAUDIBLY ]
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
SOON FINDS IT'S NOT JUST
HIS CRIMINAL EMPIRE
THAT'S IN DANGER.
HIS LIFE HANGS BY A THREAD.
**
CASTRO ACTUALLY JAILS
TRAFFICANTE
IN TRESCORNIA DETENTION CENTER.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Narrator: WITH MEN DISAPPEARING
FROM THE CELLS AROUND HIM,
TRAFFICANTE KNOWS THE DEAL.
Raab: HE COULD HEAR
THE EXECUTION FIRING SQUADS
TAKING CARE OF CASTRO'S ENEMIES.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
Ragano: THEY WERE GOING TO
EXECUTE HIM.
THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT CAME FOR HIM
NOT MAKING IT OUT OF CUBA.
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
HAS TO GET OUT, AND FAST.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
HE REACHES OUT TO HIS
LONG-TERM ALLY,
NEW ORLEANS MOB BOSS
CARLOS MARCELLO.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DO YOU
KNOW CARLOS MARCELLO?
YES, SIR, I'VE KNOWN CARLOS
MARCELLO ABOUT 30 YEARS.
Narrator: MYSTERIOUSLY, AROUND
THE TIME TRAFFICANTE IS IN JAIL,
CARLOS MARCELLO'S BAG MAN,
JACK RUBY, MAKES
FREQUENT TRIPS TO CUBA.
Blakey: WE KNOW THAT JACK RUBY
MADE QUICK TRIPS
FROM CUBA TO MIAMI AND BACK
THAT HAVE NO EXPLANATION
IF HE WAS JUST, UM, A TOURIST.
Narrator: COULD RUBY HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO GET TRAFFICANTE
OUT OF JAIL?
THE NEXT QUESTION
GETS TO THE HEART
OF THE CONSPIRACY INVESTIGATION.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DID YOU
EVER KNOW A JACK RUBY?
NO, SIR, I NEVER REMEMBER
MEETING JACK RUBY.
-NEVER REMEMBER MEETING HIM?
-NO.
**
Narrator: IT SEEMS THAT
TRAFFICANTE UNDERSTANDS
THE DANGER OF LINKING
HIMSELF TO JACK RUBY,
THE MAN WHO SHOT
LEE HARVEY OSWALD.
TRAFFICANTE DENIED IT, AND
DENIED THAT HE KNEW JACK RUBY,
BUT THERE'S EVERY REASON
TO DISBELIEVE
TRAFFICANTE ON IT.
**
Narrator:
THE COMMITTEE IS DESPERATELY
TRYING TO JOIN THE DOTS.
Raab: RUBY HAD BEEN CONNECTED
TO CARLOS MARCELLO.
HE HAD BEEN RUNNING MONEY,
MAINLY FOR CARLOS MARCELLO,
OUT OF CUBA.
Narrator: TWO MONTHS AFTER HIS
ARREST BY CASTRO,
IN AUGUST 1959,
TRAFFICANTE IS UNEXPECTEDLY
RELEASED FROM JAIL.
COULD RUBY HAVE BEEN
PAYING SOMEONE OFF?
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OUT,
PERIOD, END OF STORY.
THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT THAT
HE GOT OUT THE VERY SIMPLE WAY.
HE BRIBED HIS WAY.
Narrator: THIS TIME,
TRAFFICANTE DOESN'T GAMBLE.
HE LEAVES CUBA.
HE'S LOST EVERYTHING.
**
I COULD SEE THAT I HAD
TO LEAVE THERE.
THERE WAS NOTHING THERE FOR ME.
EVERYBODY WAS BEING ARRESTED
AND NOBODY WAS SAFE,
SO I MADE OUT I WAS
COMING TO THE STATES
FOR JUST A VISIT,
AND I NEVER WENT BACK.
**
HE WAS DEVASTATED. I MEAN,
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
Blakey: HE HAD MULTIPLE
MILLIONS INVESTED,
EITHER BY HIMSELF OR THROUGH
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MOB.
THESE WERE HARD DOLLARS,
MULTI-MILLION.
HE HAD MORE CASINOS
THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW, THE
CUBAN REVOLUTION WAS A DISASTER.
[ RUMBLING ]
**
Narrator:
THE GAMBLING EMPIRE TRAFFICANTE
HELPED TO BUILD IN CUBA
NOW SHIFTS WEST TO
BUGSY SIEGEL'S LAS VEGAS.
EVEN WORSE, MOB BOSSES
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
WHO HAD INVESTED
IN TRAFFICANTE'S
CUBAN ISLAND HAVEN
NOW WANT THEIR MONEY BACK.
TRAFFICANTE'S SEAT
AT THE MAFIA TOP TABLE
HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM HIM,
AND THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN
TO BLAME FOR HIS DOWNFALL.
SANTO NEVER FORGAVE CASTRO.
**
ONE OF HIS BIGGEST AIMS IN LIFE
WAS GETTING BACK TO CUBA
AND GETTING RID OF CASTRO.
HE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING
HE COULD POSSIBLY TO DO IT.
**
[ FLAME CRACKLES ]
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
Narrator: BUT TRAFFICANTE
ISN'T THE ONLY ONE
WITH A GRUDGE
AGAINST CASTRO.
Male reporter:
IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA,
ANTI-COMMUNIST FEELING MOUNTS.
FIDEL CASTRO IS HANGED
IN EFFIGY.
ANTI-CASTRO FORCES ARE BEGINNING
TO JOIN HANDS IN OTHER CITIES.
**
Narrator: SANTO TRAFFICANTE
CULTIVATES TIES WITH
THE ANTI-CASTRO
EXILE MOVEMENT IN FLORIDA
AND SURROUNDS HIMSELF WITH
A MOB OF CUBAN GANGSTERS.
HIS INVOLVEMENT
DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
TRAFFICANTE SOON DISCOVERS
THAT HE IS ALIGNED
WITH SOME VERY POWERFUL ALLIES.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
**
SEPTEMBER 1960 --
TRAFFICANTE IS APPROACHED
BY A MESSENGER
SENT BY THE BOSS OF CHICAGO,
SAM GIANCANA.
GIANCANA WANTS TRAFFICANTE
TO CARRY OUT
ONE OF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE
HITS IN MOB HISTORY,
TO KILL CASTRO.
BUT GIANCANA ISN'T
AUTHORIZING THE HIT.
IN FACT, THE CONTRACT DOESN'T
COME FROM THE MAFIA AT ALL.
**
Narrator: THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS
IS INVESTIGATING
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
LINKED TO THE KILLING OF
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY.
THEY'RE EXAMINING FLORIDA
MOB BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE
AND HIS LINKS
TO ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES.
IT IS REVEALED THAT
AFTER LOSING MILLIONS
IN CASTRO'S CUBAN REVOLUTION,
HE'S BEEN OFFERED REVENGE
BY KILLING THE COMMUNIST LEADER.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, CAN YOU TELL US
WHO WAS THE PERSON
WHO FIRST CONTACTED YOU?
JOHN ROSELLI.
Narrator: JOHN ROSELLI IS
CHICAGO MOB BOSS
SAM GIANCANA'S RIGHT-HAND MAN.
COULD YOU TELL US THE SUBSTANCE
OF THE CONVERSATION
YOU HAD WITH HIM?
WELL, HE TOLD ME THAT THE CIA
AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
WANTED THIS THING DONE.
THAT IS WHAT HE SAID TO ME.
Narrator: IN THE HISTORY
OF ORGANIZED CRIME,
THE LINES BETWEEN THE MOB
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
ARE OFTEN BLURRED,
BUT TRAFFICANTE'S REVELATION
BREAKS NEW GROUND.
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WERE
ASKING MOB BOSS SAM GIANCANA
TO HELP ASSASSINATE THE
REVOLUTIONARY LEADER OF CUBA.
THE CIA WERE DESPERATE
TO GET RID OF CASTRO.
HE WAS A PERSONA NON GRATA.
**
Narrator:
BUT THE CIA IS TOO SMART
TO CARRY OUT THE
ASSASSINATION ITSELF.
WHEN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
WAS LOOKING
FOR SOMEBODY TO ASSASSINATE
CASTRO, THEY SAID,
"WELL, WHO ARE GOOD ASSASSINS?"
THEY SAID, "THE MAFIA."
Raab: IT JUST SHOWS YOU
THE RESPECT
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
HAD FOR THE MAFIA.
THEY COULD GET THINGS DONE
IN A WAY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
OR LEGITIMATE
OPERATIONS COULD NOT.
Blakey: THE REAL SCANDAL
IS THE ASSUMPTION
ON THE PART OF THE CIA
THAT THE MAFIA WAS
A GROUP OF HIRED KILLERS.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
Narrator:
NOW THE CIA APPROACH GIANCANA
AND ASK HIM TO FIND A HIT MAN.
GIANCANA KNOWS WHEN
IT COMES TO CUBA,
THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN
WITH THE CONNECTIONS,
THE KING OF CUBAN CASINOS,
SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
THAT WAS JUST THE KIND OF MAN
THE CIA WAS LOOKING FOR,
A MAN THAT BELONGED
TO AN ORGANIZATION
THAT WAS SKILLED
IN MURDER AND PLOTS,
AND WAS VERY UNHAPPY,
HAD LOST A LOT OF MONEY,
AND WOULD DO ANYTHING
TO GET BACK THERE.
**
Narrator: IN SEPTEMBER 1960,
A MEETING IS ARRANGED
AT THE FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL MIAMI
BETWEEN THE CIA, CHICAGO
MOB BOSS SAM GIANCANA,
AND HIS CHOSEN HIT MAN, FLORIDA
MOB BOSS SANTO TRAFFICANTE.
**
THE CIA AND THE MOB ARE NOW
AT THE SAME TABLE
WITH A SINGLE SINISTER AIM --
AN ATTEMPT ON A WORLD
LEADER'S LIFE.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION
TO KILLING PRESIDENT CASTRO?
WELL, AT THE TIME, I THINK
IT WAS A GOOD THING
BECAUSE HE HAD ESTABLISHED
A COMMUNISTIC BASE
90 MILES FROM THE UNITED STATES,
AND BEING THAT THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
WANTED THIS THING DONE,
I GO ALONG WITH IT.
SAME AS A WAR.
I FIGURE IT WAS LIKE A WAR.
**
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
WAS HELPING OUT THE CIA
BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT WORKED
TO GET RID OF CASTRO
WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO HIM.
[ CHATTERING ]
Narrator:
THE AGENCY FIRST SUGGESTS
A CLASSIC MOBSTER HIT,
IN WHICH CASTRO WOULD DIE
IN A HAIL OF BULLETS.
Reppetto: THE GOVERNMENT
IDEA WAS,
"YOU JUST SEND YOUR ASSASSINS IN
AND THEY SHOOT THE FELLOW DOWN."
THERE IS SOMETHING FUNNY
ABOUT THE CIA
TRYING TO TELL THE MOB
HOW TO KILL SOMEONE.
Narrator: GIANCANA
AND TRAFFICANTE
PROPOSE A MORE SUBTLE APPROACH.
Reppetto: GIANCANA
AND TRAFFICANTE, THEY SAID,
"YOU'VE GOT TO DO THIS
IN A CLEVER WAY."
THAT'S WHEN ALL THESE
POISONING PLOTS WERE CONSIDERED.
WAS THERE A DISCUSSION
ABOUT POISON PILLS?
THERE WAS A DISCUSSION
ABOUT PILLS, YES, SIR.
I'M TELLING YOU,
ANY KIND OF A WAY
THAT WAS POSSIBLE
TO GET RID OF HIM.
**
Narrator: AND TRAFFICANTE
KNOWS AN OFFICIAL
WHO CAN GET CLOSE TO CASTRO.
Raab: TRAFFICANTE COULD GET
CASTRO TO SOME RESTAURANT
WHERE THEY WOULD SLIP
POISON PILLS INTO HIS FOOD.
[ CRUSHING ]
Narrator: A PLAN IS AGREED,
AND THE CIA OFFICERS
HAND OVER $150,000 IN CASH.
**
A LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED.
THE CIA HAS JUST PAID
THE MOB TO KILL CASTRO.
Raab: TRAFFICANTE KNEW
IT WAS CRAZY,
BUT HE WASN'T STUPID ENOUGH
TO PASS UP $150,000.
THAT WAS TAX-FREE.
**
Narrator: BUT THE MONEY
AND GETTING REVENGE ON CASTRO
IS ONLY PART OF THE DEAL.
IN EXCHANGE, LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES WILL TURN A BLIND EYE
TO MAFIA OPERATIONS.
Reppetto: HE WAS TOLD
THAT IF HE DID THIS
LITTLE JOB FOR THE GOVERNMENT,
HE WAS HOME FREE.
NOBODY WOULD BOTHER HIM
ANYMORE.
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
Narrator: BUT THE PLOT
IS SOON FORGOTTEN,
AS THE MOVE AGAINST CASTRO
GOES TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
BEHIND THE SCENES,
GIANCANA HAS BEEN HELPING
A CHARISMATIC YOUNG SENATOR
NAMED JOHN F. KENNEDY
TO BECOME PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
Reppetto:
OLD MAN KENNEDY, JOE,
SENT SINATRA, FRANK SINATRA,
TO TALK TO GIANCANA.
HE SAID, "IF YOU
CARRY ILLINOIS FOR US,
"THERE'LL BE NO BOTHERING YOU.
THE KENNEDYS WON'T
GO AFTER YOU."
**
Narrator: JOE KENNEDY KNOWS
THAT GIANCANA
PRACTICALLY OWNS
THIS SWING STATE.
IF ANYONE CAN RIG VOTES
IN ILLINOIS, IT'S GIANCANA.
FROM THE MOB'S POINT OF VIEW,
IT WAS A NO-LOSE SITUATION.
[ CHATTERING ]
Narrator: AND THE MOB HOLDS UP
THE FIRST PART OF THE DEAL.
THEY HELP GET
JOHN F. KENNEDY ELECTED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
Blakey: WAS THERE MOB MONEY
IN THE ELECTION IN CHICAGO?
YES, PERIOD, END OF STORY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
Narrator: NOW WITH THE PRESIDENT
APPARENTLY ON-SIDE,
TRAFFICANTE DISCOVERS
THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
IS MAKING CUBA A PRIORITY.
THE CIA ARE ASKED TO RAMP UP
THEIR PLANS
FROM AN ASSASSINATION
TO A FULL-SCALE INVASION.
AS A MAN WHO IS INVESTED HEAVILY
IN THE CUBAN EXILE
MOVEMENT IN FLORIDA,
TRAFFICANTE BELIEVES
HIS MEN WILL, AT LAST,
GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
**
[ HELICOPTER ROARS OVERHEAD ]
ON APRIL 16th, 1961...
[ EXPLOSIONS ]
KENNEDY SENDS 1,500 MERCENARIES,
FINANCED BY THE CIA,
TO INVADE CUBA'S BAY OF PIGS.
[ EXPLOSIONS ]
**
AMONG THE FIGHTERS ARE
SOME OF TRAFFICANTE'S
VERY OWN FLORIDA ALLIES,
THE CUBAN EXILE MOVEMENT.
[ GUNFIRE ]
**
THE PLAN IS THAT KENNEDY'S
PLANES ARE ON STANDBY,
READY TO BACK THE GROUND FORCES.
THE ASSAULT IS TO BE
A SWIFT SURPRISE ATTACK.
BUT THE INVADERS
ARE OUTNUMBERED 10 TO ONE.
[ GUNFIRE ]
AS CASTRO'S FORCES FIGHT BACK,
KENNEDY FAILS TO SEND
AMERICAN AIR SUPPORT.
IN JUST THREE DAYS, CASTRO
CRUSHES THE AMERICAN INVASION.
IT IS A COMPLETE FAILURE.
**
Reppetto:
WELL, THE CIA PLAN FOR THE
INVASION DIDN'T WORK VERY WELL.
IT WAS AN AMATEURISH CAMPAIGN,
THAT 1,500 OR SO MEN
COULD OVERTHROW
ALL OF CASTRO'S TROOPS.
[ CROWD CHEERING ]
Narrator: CASTRO IS NOW
A NATIONAL HERO,
AND TRAFFICANTE'S HOPE TO REVIVE
HIS CUBAN EMPIRE CRUMBLES.
THE MEN HE HAS FUNDED
ARE NOW DEAD OR IN PRISON.
TRAFFICANTE HAS BEEN
DOUBLE-CROSSED AGAIN,
FIRST BY CASTRO IN CUBA AND NOW
BY KENNEDY'S LACK OF CONVICTION.
SANTO TRAFFICANTE
ONLY HAD ONE CULPRIT,
AND THAT WAS PRESIDENT KENNEDY,
AND HE BLAMED KENNEDY,
MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE,
FOR THE FAILURE
OF BAY OF PIGS.
**
Narrator: AND THINGS ARE ABOUT
TO GET A LOT WORSE
FOR THE MAFIA.
GIANCANA HAD HELPED KENNEDY
TO GET ELECTED,
BUT FAR FROM IGNORING
MOB ACTIVITIES,
THE NEW PRESIDENT
SENDS HIS BROTHER,
ATTORNEY GENERAL BOBBY KENNEDY,
TO GO AFTER ORGANIZED CRIME.
GIANCANA FELT MORE BETRAYED.
Blakey: THE FACT THAT HE CAME UP
WITH MONEY
AND HELPED JFK WIN
WENT BY THE BOARD.
Raab: BOBBY KENNEDY,
BY GOING AFTER THE MAFIA,
INCITED TRAFFICANTE
INTO MORE HATRED.
Narrator: AFTER FIRST SIDING
WITH THE MOB,
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
IS NOW GOING AFTER THEM.
AND NO ONES CROSSES TRAFFICANTE,
NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
**
**
[ GUNFIRE ]
Narrator: PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S
FAILURE TO TOPPLE FIDEL CASTRO
HAS RUINED FLORIDA MOB BOSS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE'S FORTUNE
AND CRUSHED HIS DREAMS
OF REVIVING
HIS CUBAN CASINO EMPIRE.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
DESPITE THE MOB SUCCESSFULLY
RIGGING ELECTIONS
TO HELP KENNEDY WIN
THE WHITE HOUSE,
THE GOVERNMENT IS LAUNCHING A
CRUSADE AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME.
TWICE TRAFFICANTE HAS
BEEN BETRAYED BY KENNEDY
AND NOW SEEKS PAYBACK.
**
BUT THE MOB IN THE NORTH
IS UNDER HEAVY SURVEILLANCE,
AND TRAFFICANTE'S MOB ALLY,
SAM GIANCANA,
IS EFFECTIVELY UNDER LOCKDOWN.
Reppetto: GIANCANA WAS UNDER
SUCH INTENSE SURVEILLANCE
THAT CARLOADS OF FBI AGENTS
WOULD FOLLOW RIGHT
ON HIS BACK BUMPER.
EVERYWHERE HE WENT, THEY WENT.
THERE WAS AN ALL-OUT
CAMPAIGN AGAINST GIANCANA,
WHICH MADE HIM VERY ANGRY.
Narrator: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR
GIANCANA TO HAVE MEETINGS,
AND COMPLETELY DISRUPTS
THE CHICAGO OUTFIT.
OTHER MOB BOSSES
ARE ANGRY AND RESENTFUL.
Raab: THERE WAS NO QUESTION
ABOUT THE ANIMOSITY
THAT MOB DONS HAD
FOR JOHN F. KENNEDY
AND FOR BOBBY KENNEDY.
[ URINAL FLUSHING ]
THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT KENNEDY
WERE REALLY VERY VICIOUS.
**
Raab: THERE WERE NUMEROUS BUGS
PICKED UP BY THE FBI.
ONE OF THEM PARTICULARLY WAS
FROM SAM GIANCANA, WHO SAID,
"WE BROKE OUR BALLS
TRYING TO GET HIM ELECTED,
AND LOOK WHAT HE DOES AGAINST
US, THAT SON OF A BITCH."
**
Narrator:
BUT TRAFFICANTE IS SHREWD
AND KEEPS OFF THE PHONE LINES.
Raab: HE WAS A MAFIA DON
WHO WAS SMART ENOUGH
TO AVOID THE LIMELIGHT.
HE WAS NEVER CAUGHT ON A BUG
OR ON THE WIRE,
NEVER IMPLICATED
HIMSELF OF ANY CRIME.
**
Narrator: IN CHICAGO, GIANCANA
MAY BE UNDER 24-HOUR SCRUTINY,
BUT IN THE SOUTH,
TRAFFICANTE AND MARCELLO
CERTAINLY HAVE FREEDOM
TO PLAN THE MOB'S REVENGE
ON THE KENNEDYS.
BUT DID THEY?
**
THE COMMITTEE HAD ALREADY TRIED
TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF MOB CONNECTIONS TO
THE ASSASSINATION OF KENNEDY.
FIFTEEN YEARS EARLIER, IN 1975,
THEY CALL SAM GIANCANA
TO TESTIFY.
BUT GIANCANA NEVER
MAKES IT TO THE STAND.
**
[ SILENCED GUNSHOT ]
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
HE IS SHOT DEAD.
[ GUNSHOTS CONTINUE ]
THEN, IN 1976, THEY CALL
GIANCANA'S RIGHT-HAND MAN,
JOHN ROSELLI.
HIS FIRST TESTIMONY
IS EXPLOSIVE,
AND THE COMMITTEE RECALL HIM
FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING,
BUT ROSELLI MYSTERIOUSLY
DISAPPEARS.
FIVE DAYS LATER, HIS DISMEMBERED
BODY IS FOUND INSIDE AN OIL DRUM
FLOATING IN
DUMFOUNDLING BAY, MIAMI.
Raab: THE THREE MAJOR
MAFIA PLAYERS,
THE CIA ATTEMPT
TO KILL CASTRO --
ROSELLI, SAM GIANCANA
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE JR.,
AND THE ONLY ONE
WHO SURVIVED WAS SANTO.
THE WAY THEY WERE CUT UP
AND THE WAY THEY WERE
SHOT IN THEIR MOUTHS,
THEY WERE KILLED IN A WAY
THAT INDICATED
THEY HAD BEEN SQUEALERS.
**
Narrator: TRAFFICANTE
IS THE LAST MAN STANDING.
BUT WHEN BLAKEY LOOKS
AT THE EVIDENCE
FOR HIS CONNECTION
TO KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION,
TRAFFICANTE WAS
NOWHERE NEAR DALLAS
ON THAT NOVEMBER DAY IN 1963.
HE WAS WITH HIS LAWYER IN HIS
HOMETOWN OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.
**
NOVEMBER 22nd, 1963,
DALLAS --
**
[ GUNSHOTS, RELOADING ]
LEE HARVEY OSWALD FIRES THREE
BULLETS IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
OSWALD IS A KNOWN COMMUNIST
WITH PRO-CASTRO CONNECTIONS
AND A GRUDGE AGAINST KENNEDY,
BUT HIS UNCLE AND FATHER FIGURE
ALSO WORKS
FOR SANTO TRAFFICANTE'S
CLOSEST ALLY, CARLOS MARCELLO.
**
JUST TWO DAYS LATER,
OSWALD IS ALSO DEAD...
[ GUNSHOT, SCREAMING ]
...KILLED BY JACK RUBY,
THE MAN WHO RAN NIGHTCLUBS
FOR TRAFFICANTE'S FRIEND.
[ PANICKED SHOUTING ]
ROBERT BLAKEY NOW BELIEVES THAT
THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENCES
TO BE DISMISSED.
I BELIEVED THE MOB
WAS NOT INVOLVED.
I WAS WRONG ABOUT THAT.
THEY DID HAVE THE MOTIVE,
OPPORTUNITY AND MEANS.
BUT KILLING HIM,
THEY DISCUSSED THAT.
Narrator: SOMEHOW, TRAFFICANTE
FITS RIGHT AT THE CENTER.
IN SEPTEMBER 1978, BLAKEY CALLS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE TO THE STAND.
BUT WILL HE CRACK?
**
Narrator: SEPTEMBER 1978 --
ROBERT BLAKEY, CHIEF COUNSEL
TO THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS,
HAS SUMMONED FLORIDA MOB BOSS
SANTO TRAFFICANTE TO TESTIFY.
[ SPEAKING INAUDIBLY ]
UNDER INVESTIGATION ARE HIS
ANTI-CASTRO DEALINGS
WITH THE CIA
AND CONNECTIONS TO JACK RUBY,
LINKING HIM DIRECTLY TO THE
KILLING OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, I WANT
TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO THIS COMMITTEE,
AND THAT IS,
DID YOU HAVE ANY FOREKNOWLEDGE
OF THE ASSASSINATION
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO WAY.
**
Narrator: BLAKEY DECIDES TO
GO FOR BROKE.
HE REMINDS TRAFFICANTE
OF THE EXPLOSIVE ADMISSION
THAT LED TO ROSELLI'S DEATH.
MR. TRAFFICANTE,
BEFORE HE DIED,
ROSELLI HINTED TO ASSOCIATES
THAT HE KNEW WHO HAD ARRANGED
PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S MURDER.
IT WAS THE SAME CONSPIRATORS,
HE SUGGESTED,
WHOM HE HAD RECRUITED EARLIER
TO KILL CUBAN PREMIER
FIDEL CASTRO.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DID YOU HAVE
ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THAT?
NO KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER.
[ GALLERY MURMURING ]
Narrator: THE COMMITTEE NOW
DISCOVER FIRSTHAND
JUST HOW SHREWD A MOBSTER
TRAFFICANTE CAN BE.
MR. TRAFFICANTE, DID YOU
EVER KNOW A JACK RUBY?
NO, SIR, I NEVER REMEMBER
MEETING JACK RUBY.
-NEVER REMEMBER MEETING HIM?
-NO.
Narrator:
THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE
KEEP HITTING A BRICK WALL.
THE SILENT DON ISN'T
GIVING ANYTHING AWAY.
HE ALWAYS TOOK THE SAME STANCE.
HE NEVER KNEW ANYTHING.
HE DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYBODY.
Narrator: HIS ANSWERS REMAIN
CONSISTENT.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO WAY. NO.
NO KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER.
**
Narrator: AFTER 30 MONTHS
OF INVESTIGATION,
12 VOLUMES OF HEARINGS
AND APPENDICES,
THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON ASSASSINATIONS
DRAWS TO A CLOSE.
THE REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN 1979
AND CONCLUDES THAT
WHILE THE MAFIA
WAS NOT INVOLVED,
IT DID NOT PRECLUDE
THE INVOLVEMENT
OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS --
CARLOS MARCELLO OF NEW ORLEANS
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE
OF FLORIDA.
**
Blakey: THERE WAS
A LIKELY CONSPIRACY,
AND WE POINTED TO
THE MOST LIKELY SUSPECTS
AS CARLOS MARCELLO
AND SANTO TRAFFICANTE,
BUT WE SAID WE COULD NOT
INDICATE WITH CONFIDENCE
THAT THEY DID IT.
[ CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING ]
Narrator: THE ONLY
IRREFUTABLE CONCLUSION
IS THAT LEE HARVEY OSWALD
KILLED THE PRESIDENT
AND JACK RUBY KILLED OSWALD.
[ GUNSHOT, SCREAMING ]
Man: HE'S BEEN SHOT!
HE'S BEEN SHOT!
**
Narrator: DESPITE BLAKEY'S
BEST EFFORTS,
TRAFFICANTE WALKS FREE.
**
[ SEA BIRDS SQUAWKING ]
IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS,
TRAFFICANTE RESUMES
HIS ACTIVITIES
AS THE FLORIDA MOB BOSS
AND, DESPITE BLAKEY'S
BEST EFFORTS,
CONTINUES TO EVADE THE LAW.
**
EVEN BLAKEY'S FAMOUS RICO LAW,
THE RACKETEER INFLUENCED
AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS ACT,
WHICH DISMANTLED THE FIVE CRIME
FAMILIES OF NEW YORK,
FAILS TO NAIL TRAFFICANTE.
THERE'S NO QUESTION
ABOUT HOW CRAFTY
AND HOW SUCCESSFUL
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS.
HE WAS THE ONLY MAJOR
GODFATHER THAT JOE PISTONE,
THE SPECIAL FBI AGENT,
COULD NOT GET.
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS
THE ONLY MOB BOSS
TO ESCAPE A BIG RICO INDICTMENT.
Narrator: BUT THE FBI DID NOT
STOP LOOKING INTO THE TWO MAIN
MAFIA SUSPECTS LINKED
TO KENNEDY'S DEATH.
**
IN 1983, FELLOW
SUSPECTED CONSPIRATOR,
MOB BOSS CARLOS MARCELLO,
IS IMPRISONED ON RACKETEERING
AND BRIBERY CHARGES.
**
THE FBI PLACE AN INFORMANT
IN HIS CELL.
THEY TALK ABOUT
THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION,
AND MARCELLO OPENS UP.
Blakey: MARCELLO SAID
TO THE INFORMANT,
"I KILLED HIM,
AND I WOULD KILL HIM AGAIN."
**
Narrator: BUT BEFORE THE COURTS
CAN QUESTION TRAFFICANTE,
HIS HEALTH DETERIORATES,
AND IN 1987, HE DIES, AGE 72.
**
IN THE YEARS AFTER
TRAFFICANTE'S DEATH,
MORE EVIDENCE COMES TO LIGHT.
**
FRANK RAGANO, LONG-TERM LAWYER
TO TRAFFICANTE,
CLAIMS THAT JUST FOUR DAYS
BEFORE HE DIED,
TRAFFICANTE HAD
OPENED UP TO HIM.
**
TRAFFICANTE REFERS TO THE DEAD
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
BY HIS MOB NICKNAME, GIOVANNI.
**
WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE
KILLED GIOVANNI.
WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED BOBBY.
Ragano: HE WAS CONFESSING TO
THE ASSASSINATION
OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
MY FATHER WAS JUST IN SHOCK.
Raab: A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK,
"IF THERE'S A SMOKING GUN,
THAT'S IT."
Narrator: BUT THE CONFESSIONS
FROM MARCELLO
AND TRAFFICANTE HIMSELF
COME TOO LATE FOR BLAKEY.
IF I HAD ALL THAT EVIDENCE
IN NOVEMBER OF '63,
I'D HAVE A GRAND JURY
AND I'D HAVE AN INDICTMENT.
WHETHER I'D HAVE A CONVICTION
OR NOT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
**
Narrator: IT IS UNLIKELY
THAT WE WILL EVER KNOW
WHETHER SANTO TRAFFICANTE
AND CARLOS MARCELLO
WERE THE MEN WHO HIRED
OSWALD AND RUBY.
BUT SANTO TRAFFICANTE
WAS UNIQUE.
**
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, THE QUIET
DON KEPT OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT
AND NEVER SPENT A SINGLE NIGHT
IN AN AMERICAN JAIL.
**
SANTO TRAFFICANTE WAS THE BIG
MAFIA FISH THAT GOT AWAY.
Narrator: AND THERE WILL ALWAYS
REMAIN THE SUSPICION
THAT SANTO TRAFFICANTE
WAS THE MOB BOSS
WHO PULLED OFF THE MAFIA'S
GREATEST HIT.
**