In this episode of The Gangland History Podcast, host Jacob Stoops interviews acclaimed author and Mafia historian Scott Deitche, one of the nation’s foremost experts on organized crime in Florida and the Trafficante crime family.

Together, they trace the full evolution of the Tampa Mafia — from its earliest days under Ignazio Italiano, through decades of bloody rivalries, Cuban connections, and political intrigue, to its quiet decline under the final generation of mob leadership.

The conversation begins with the waves of Italian immigration to Tampa’s Ybor City and the cigar industry that built both the economy and the foundation of the underworld. From there, Scott and Jacob explore Tampa’s first crime boss, Ignazio Italiano, and the city’s early reputation as a hotbed of vice, gambling, and corruption.

Listeners will hear about the 1928 Hotel Statler Meeting, where Mafia leaders from across the country gathered to define territories and business interests — putting Tampa’s underworld squarely on the national map.

From there, the episode dives into the violent Charlie Wall era, when the powerful gambling czar ruled Tampa’s rackets amid a feud that pitted him against Ignazio Antinori and Santo Trafficante, Sr. The bloody power struggle culminated in Antinori’s assassination in 1940, marking a turning point that ushered in the Trafficante dynasty.

Under Santo Trafficante, Sr., Tampa’s mob consolidated power — but not without conflict. His clashes with Red Italiano and Jimmy Lumia (whose murder rocked the city) underscored the treacherous nature of Mafia politics in Florida.

After Sr.’s death in the 1950's, his son Santo Trafficante, Jr. rose to prominence as Boss of the borgata, leading the family for 30+ years through its golden age. Under Santo Jr.'s his reign, the Tampa Mafia reached international stature, with deep ties to Cuba’s casino industry, relationships with New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello, and a presence at the Apalachin and Kefauver hearings that exposed the Mafia’s nationwide reach.

As the decades unfolded, Trafficante Jr. found himself entangled in the web of Kennedy-era politics, CIA intrigue, and allegations surrounding Cuba and the Bay of Pigs, while maintaining his position as one of the most powerful and respected Mafia bosses in America.

Scott and Jacob also examine the decline of the Tampa mob as Trafficante Jr. aged — and how figures like Frank “Daddy Frank” Diecidue and Vincent “Vince” LoScalzo carried the torch into the family’s final chapter. By the 1990s, with LoScalzo as the last recognized boss, the once-powerful Tampa Mafia had faded quietly into history.

This episode offers a comprehensive, rigorously researched look at the rise, dominance, and fall of the Trafficante family — a story that blends Southern charm, Cuban influence, and old-world Mafia tradition into one of the most fascinating organized crime sagas in America.

📚 About Scott Deitche:

Scott Deitche is the author of Cigar City Mafia, The Silent Don, and Garden State Gangland, among other acclaimed works on organized crime. His deep research and storytelling have made him one of the leading voices on the history of the American Mafia, particularly in Florida. Learn more at ScottDeitche.com

In this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by author Ron K. Fried for a deep dive into one of the most compelling figures in organized crime history: Frank Costello, the mob boss who rose to power during Prohibition and later became known as the “Prime Minister of the Underworld.” We discuss Ron’s novel Frank Costello: A Novel—a carefully researched work of historical fiction that vividly brings Costello’s complex character to life. Together, we explore the real-life events behind the book and how Ron approached writing about a man who straddled the worlds of organized crime and political power.

We start with Costello’s early years—his immigration from Sicily, his upbringing in East Harlem, and how he gravitated toward petty crime and gang life. In this environment, he met future legends like Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, and Vito Genovese—key figures in the creation of a national crime syndicate.

During Prohibition, Costello built his fortune and reputation through bootlegging, running extensive liquor operations, and leveraging alliances that would shape the mob’s future. We discuss the bloody 1931 power shift following the assassinations of Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, which led to the formation of the Five Families. As Luciano’s trusted associate, Costello rose in the ranks of what would become the Genovese Crime Family.

We explore the mid-1930s transition period when Luciano was imprisoned and Genovese fled to Italy to avoid a murder charge. This opened the door for Costello to become acting boss, a position he would hold for nearly 20 years. During this time, he built a reputation as a refined, politically connected mobster who favored influence over brute force—garnering real sway in political and judicial circles.

We delve into Costello’s political entanglements, including the wiretap involving Judge Thomas Aurelio, in which Costello was caught influencing judicial appointments. We also examine his ties to New York Mayor William O’Dwyer and his suspected involvement in the mysterious death of Abe Reles, a Murder, Inc. informant who “fell” from a window while under police protection.

One major focus is Costello’s appearance at the 1951 Kefauver Committee hearings, a turning point in his career. His decision to only allow his hands to be filmed became a media sensation and diminished his power and mystique. The public scrutiny weakened his position and empowered rivals—most notably, Vito Genovese, who sought to reclaim the top spot in the family.

We look at the 1957 assassination attempt on Costello, carried out by Vincent “The Chin” Gigante on Genovese’s orders. Though Costello survived, he chose to step down. We also discuss the murder of Albert Anastasia later that year, and the theory that Costello may have had a hand in framing Genovese, leading to his 1959 conviction on narcotics charges.

From there, we examine Costello’s final years, during which he remained influential behind the scenes but largely retired from active leadership. We reflect on his complex legacy: a ruthless gangster who carefully curated an image of legitimacy and respectability. Ron shares how he explored that duality in his novel—bringing humanity to a man who lived in both the criminal underworld and the corridors of political power.

We also discuss mob portrayals in film and television, and look ahead to the upcoming 2025 gangster film Alto Knights, a much-anticipated movie featuring dramatizations of several key historical figures we covered. Our conversation touches on why the Mafia continues to fascinate the public and how Frank Costello’s story stands apart as one of strategy, survival, and power.

📘 Check out Ron K. Fried’s book Frank Costello: A Novel – available wherever books are sold. https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Costello-Excelsior-Editions-Ronald/dp/143849114X

In late August 1979, the FBI's Brooklyn-Queens Metropolitan Resident Agency (the BQ) received a significant tip from a top-echelon informant within the Genovese crime family. This informant, known as "Bob," reported that Paul Castellano, head of the Gambino crime family, had mentioned an upcoming major meeting at Gurney's Inn in Montauk, New York. The anticipated attendees included prominent figures such as Frank "Funzi" Tieri of the Genovese family, Carmine "The Snake" Persico of the Colombo family, and Tampa's organized crime leader, Santo Trafficante Jr.

Recognizing the potential significance of this gathering—the most consequential since the 1957 Apalachin summit—the FBI swiftly mobilized. Agents, including undercover operatives, were dispatched to Gurney's Inn, posing as tourists to monitor arrivals and activities. Specialized personnel were prepared to install surveillance equipment to capture conversations during the meeting.

Despite the extensive preparations, the anticipated meeting never occurred. The reasons remain uncertain; possibilities include the informant providing inaccurate information, the mobsters altering their plans, or suspicions about increased surveillance leading to a change in venue. This outcome was reminiscent of the 1957 Apalachin meeting, where law enforcement's unexpected presence led to the mobsters' dispersal.

While the immediate operation at Gurney's Inn did not yield the expected results, it underscored the FBI's evolving strategies in combating organized crime. The bureau's readiness to deploy advanced surveillance techniques and coordinate large-scale operations marked a shift towards more proactive and sophisticated approaches. This evolution contributed to significant successes in subsequent years, including the Mafia Commission Trial of 1986 and the conviction of John Gotti in 1992. This episode about the FBI’s almost-successful attempt to bug a major mob meeting at Gurney's Inn illustrates the challenges law enforcement faced in infiltrating organized crime and highlights the pivotal role such operations played in modernizing the FBI's methodologies.

Joining us in this episode, we have:

Daniel Edward Rosen, a staff reporter from the New York Sun, whose work has appeared in Esquire, the New York Observer, City Journal, New York Magazine, and the New York Times.

See his original article: https://www.nysun.com/article/how-the-fbis-mad-dash-to-wiretap-the-mob-at-a-montauk-hotel-nearly-50-years-ago-helped-modernize-todays-agency

Frank DiMatteo joins us to provide color commentary based upon his experiences growing up embedded in one of the most infamous mob crews in the history of the American Cosa Nostra.

Frank is the son of Ricky DiMatteo, a member of the legendary Gallo Crew of the Colombo Crime Family in New York City. He is also an author of several books in his own right including Growing Up Mafia, Mafia Hit Man, Lord High Executioner, The Cigar, Carmine the Snake, Red Hook, as well as the publisher of Mob Candy.