One of the oldest Italian crime groups to ever operate in the United States was the Santo Trafficante Family of Florida. This Family first came to the attention of federal law enforcement in the early 1950s, while under the leadership of “Capo” Santo Trafficante Sr.
A Sicilian immigrant, Trafficante assumed the mantle of power from the previous Representante, Ignazio Antinori, who was the leader from approximately 1920, until his gangland-style execution in October, of 1940.
Santo Trafficante then became the Capo-Famiglia who would truly put the Tampa Family on the underworld map, so to speak.