Santo Trafficante Sr., born in 1886 in Sicily, was a Sicilian-born mobster who carved out a criminal empire in Tampa, Florida. Arriving as a teenager, he rose through the ranks of the Tampa underworld, becoming heavily involved in illegal bolita lotteries during the Prohibition era. He eventually took control of the city’s Mafia operations in the 1930s, holding power until his death in 1954. Trafficante Sr. was a well-respected boss with connections to other major Mafia figures, including Charles “Lucky” Luciano. He also laid the groundwork for his son, Santo Jr., to become a future Mafia leader.