Double Cross

by Sam Giancana

  Under Trafficante’s reign, Florida became known as the nation’s major entry point for illicit drugs. Interestingly and inexplicably, Trafficante’s involvement in the assassination of the President was never thoroughly investigated. Given his documented involvement with the CIA around the globe, this lack of scrutiny was compelling.

  Applying Mooney’s own method of deduction, Santo Trafficante appeared the most likely Outfit suspect in the orchestration of Mooney’s murder.

  That is not to say Trafficante was unaware of the code of omertà to which Mooney adhered or that the Tampa mobster for a moment believed that his compatriot would actually talk to a Senate committee. Nor is it suggested that Chicago had somehow become part of Trafficante’s territory or that Mooney was murdered without the support of the Chicago Outfit, but rather that Trafficante was simply given a job to do—just as Mooney himself had been so many times in the past—by the CIA. And to oversee that job, Chuck believed Trafficante solicited a Chicago representative of the Outfit and a fellow CIA coconspirator: Johnny Roselli.

  Mooney’s biographers, family, and friends would later insist that Mooney’s killer was someone known and trusted. A hometown boy himself, Roselli could have assured that the proper individual was dispatched. Significantly, perhaps, the gun used in Mooney’s murder—a .22 caliber weapon—was traced to Miami, Florida.

  There also remained a persistent rumor that Mooney, sometime before his death, had begun questioning whether Roselli and Trafficante were “too close,” and that Mooney had actually begun to mistrust his Floridian crony.

  If Mooney’s suspicions were well founded, and Roselli had indeed assisted Trafficante in a CIA contract on the Chicago boss, it could explain Johnny Roselli’s own gruesome murder. Roselli’s chopped-up remains were found floating in a sealed oil drum in Trafficante’s home state of Florida in 1976, following Roselli’s well-publicized interviews with reporters Drew Pearson and Jack Anderson and his top secret testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

  Roselli’s disclosures, involving the Mafia-CIA efforts in the Bay of Pigs and the Castro assassination attempt, demonstrated that he was a man who certainly knew too much. Perhaps he was also the one man who could implicate Trafficante and the CIA in the murder of Mooney Giancana, and, even more damning, in the assassination of the President of the United States and his presidential-hopeful brother.

  Roselli’s testimony and murder soon after prompted the formation of the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations and the reopening of investigations into the death of the President.

  Curiously, Trafficante did appear before both Senate committees but, quite unlike Mooney and Roselli, experienced no ill aftereffects.

  More deaths were to follow Mooney’s and Roselli’s—some more suspicious than others.

  Chuckie Nicoletti was murdered in 1977, immediately after the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations determined he would be called for questioning. His demise was chalked up as just one more Mob hit, although some committee members evidently suspected differently.

  George De Morhenchildt was also scheduled to testify before the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1977 and died on the very day he was to be questioned regarding the President’s murder. Despite the coincidental nature of his death, it was ruled a suicide.

  The list went on. Filled with names familiar—Jack Ruby, David Ferrie, Guy Banister—and not so familiar.

  For a serious student of history, there is good reason to pause at Mooney’s saga of corruption. There is also good reason to question whether such immorality continues to exist in this country, reaching into our nation’s highest office.

  Sadly, it may very well be that this is, indeed, the case. To whit: the Pentagon Papers; Richard Nixon’s Watergate; the Vatican bank scandal; the Iran-Contra affair; the graft and CIA involvement in the case of the Philippines’s Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos; the Manuel Noriega-CIA connection in Panama, and BCCI. All bits and pieces perhaps of a much larger and more sinister puzzle. But all bearing the stamp of the CIA’s entanglement with organized crime.

  Most of those who were involved in the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy have been murdered. Some have committed “suicide” or spent their final days in prison, while others still linger behind bars.

  There are some men, however, if we are to believe Mooney’s tales of Mafia-CIA counterintelligence activities, who’ve prospered and remained free. Amassing incredible power from careers deeply rooted in the CIA, these men have reached America’s loftiest positions of authority, from which they continue to influence world events.

  INDEX

  Accardo, Tony

  Adducci, Jimmy

  Adonis, Joe

  Agoglia, Sylvester

  Aiuppa, Joey

  Akins, Andy

  Alderisio, “Milwaukee Phil,”

  Alex, Gus

  Amalgamated Clothing Workers

  Amato, Joseph

  Ambassador East (Chicago)

  Anastasia, Albert

  Anderson, Jack

  Annenberg, Moe

  Anselmi, Alberto

  Apalachin (New York)

  Archer Club (Chicago)

  Arizona

  Armory Lounge (Chicago)

  Arvey, Jake

  Banister, Guy

  Barbara, Joseph

  Barrie, Wendy

  Batista, Fulgencio

  Battaglia, Teets

  Bay of Pigs

  Beck, Dave

  Bella Napoli (Chicago)

  Bioff, Willie

  Bismark Hotel (Chicago)

  Bissell, Richard

  Black Hand

  Blasi, Butch

  Block, Willie

  Bonanno, Joe

  Bonfiglio’s Pool Hall (Chicago)

  Boogie Woogie (Chicago)

  Boyle, John

  Breeze, Lou

  Bronfman, Harry

  Bronfman, Sam

  Browne, George

  Buccieri, Fiore “Fifi,”

  Burba, Alex

  Bureau of Narcotics

  Burke, Fred

  Cabell, Charles

  Caesar’s Palace (Las Vegas)

  Caifano, “Fat Leonard,”

  Caifano, Marshall

  Cain, Richard

  Cal-Neva Lodge (Lake Tahoe)

  Camorra

  Campagna, Louis

  Campbell, Judy

  Campo, Tony

  Cantellops, Nelson

  Capezio, “Tough Tony,”

  CAPGA

  Capone, Al

  Carey, Archibald

  Carousel Club (Dallas)

  Caruso, Dominic

  Caruso, Enrico

  Caruso, Frank

  Castillio, Jorge

  Castro, Fidel

  Catholic Church see Roman Catholic Church

  Celano, Jimmy

  Celano’s tailor shop (Chicago)

  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

  and Marilyn Monroe

  and murder of Sam Giancana

  plot against Castro

  and plot to kill Kennedy

  Cermak, Anton

  Champagne, Tony

  Chez Paree (Chicago)

  Chez Paree Adorables

  Chiang Kai-shek

  Chicago Daily Tribune

  Chicago Southmoor Bank

  Chicago Sun-Times

  Chicago Tribune

  Church, Frank

  CIA see Central Intelligence Agency

  Civil Air Patrol

  Clark, Tom

  Claudio’s Bakery (Chicago)

  Cody, Cardinal

  Cohan, George M.

  Cohn, Harry

  Colaro, Joey

  Colosimo, Big Jim

  Commission, The

  Continental Illinois

  Continental Press

  Coolidge, Calvin

  Cooper, Cary

  Cosa Nostra, La

  Cosmo theater

  Costello,
Eddie

  Costello, Frank

  Cuba

  Daddano, “Willie Potatoes,”

  Dago Frank

  Daley, Mayor

  Dalitz, Moe

  Dallas (Texas)

  Dallas Book Depository

  D’Amato, Skinny

  D’Andrea, Phil

  Danoff, John

  D’Arco, John

  Davies, Marion

  Davis, Mike

  Davis, Sammy, Jr.

  DeLucia, Paul see Ricca, Paul

  DeMohrenschildt, George

  Deneen, Charles

  Denemark, Emil

  Desert Inn (Las Vegas)

  DeStefano, Sam “Mad Dog,”

  DeTolve, Francescantonio

  Dewey, Thomas

  Dickinson, Angie

  DiVarco, Joey

  Dominican Republic

  Dorfman, Allen

  Dorfman, Red

  Dragna, Jack

  Drew, John

  Drucci, Vincent “the Schemer,”

  Druggan, Terry

  Ducket, Harry

  Dulles, Allen

  Dunes (Las Vegas)

  Durant, William Crapo

  Durante, Jimmy

  Echeverria, Luis

  Edwards, Sheffield

  Eisenhower, Dwight David

  Eller, Morris

  English, Butch

  English, Chuck

  English, Laura

  English, Mary

  Envelope Factory (Chicago)

  Erikson, Frank

  Esposito, Carmello

  Esposito, Diamond Joe

  murder of

  takeover of unions

  Esposito, Joe

  Eulo, Sharkey

  Exner, Judith Campbell see Campbell, Judy

  Fanelli, Marie

  Farouk, King

  Father Cash

  Fat Leonard see Caifano, “Fat Leonard”

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

  Ferraro, Strongy

  Ferrie, David

  Fifi, see Buccieri, Fiore “Fifi”

  Finibank

  Fiorini, Frank

  Fischetti, Charles

  Five Points gang (New York)

  Flamingo (Las Vegas)

  Flood, Rose

  Foreign Relations Committee

  Formosa, Johnny

  42s (gang)

  430 Club (Chicago)

  Fresh Meadows Golf Club (Chicago)

  Friar’s Club (Los Angeles)

  Fusco, Joe

  Gable, Clark

  Gagliano, Joe “Gags,”

  Gambino, Carlo

  Genna, Angelo

  Genna brothers

  Genna, Mike

  Genna, Tony

  Genovese, Vito

  Gentile, Guido

  Giancana, Angeline DeTolve

  Giancana, Anne Marie Torsiello

  Giancana, Annette

  Giancana, Antoinette

  Giancana, Antonia

  Giancana, Antonio

  Giancana, Bonnie

  Giancana, Catherine

  Giancana, Charles “Chuck”

  beating by Sam Giancana

  birth of second son

  construction business

  in Cuba

  FBI pressure on

  and Frank Pape

  job as movie operator

  lookout at book joint

  marriage

  and McIntosh Developers

  and Mendolia

  name change

  need for a job

  problems with publicity

  reaction to Mooney’s death

  running the Boogie Woogie

  and Thunderbolt Motel

  Giancana, Charles Joseph “Chuckie”

  Giancana, Francine

  Giancana, Josephine

  Giancana, Joseph “Pepe”

  Giancana, Lena

  Giancana, Mary

  Giancana, Mary Leonardi

  Giancana, Sam “Mooney” passim

  attitude toward children

  and brother-in-law

  and Catholic Church

  childhood

  confrontation with father

  and Costello

  and Cuba

  and death of Angeline

  description of plot to kill John F. Kennedy

  first arrest

  with 42s gang

  funeral of

  gambling indictment

  and Genovese

  and Greenbaum

  and Hoover

  influence with Commission

  and Joe Kennedy

  and Kennedys

  in Kentucky

  kidnapping of Jake Guzik

  lawsuit against Justice Department

  and Joe E. Lewis

  liquor business

  marriage

  McClellan committee subpoena

  and Phyllis McGuire

  and Johnny Mendolia

  method of conducting business

  in Mexico

  murder of

  murder of pool hall owner

  and Night of Stars

  and Frank Pape

  and plot against Castro

  and policy racket

  and politics

  in prison

  reaction to disobedience

  and sports industry

  stolen ration coupons

  and Teddy Roe

  temper

  treatment of family

  as underboss to Accardo

  and unions

  vending machine operation

  and Villa Venice

  wire service takeover

  Giancana, Samuel Mooney

  Giancana, Vicki

  Gianola, Leonard “Needles,”

  Gillichio, Mibs

  Gioe, Charlie

  Glimco, Joey

  Goldstein’s Delicatessen (Chicago)

  Goldwater, Barry

  Granady, Octavius

  Grant, Cary

  Graziano, Rocky

  Greco, Joe

  Greenbaum, Gus

  Greenberg, Louis

  Greene, Art

  Guatemala

  Guthrie, Steve

  Guzik, Jake

  Hale, David

  Halper, Dave

  Hanrahan (U.S. Attorney)

  Harlow, Jean

  Havana (Cuba)

  Hillman, Sidney

  Hill, Ralph

  Hoffa, Jimmy

  Hollywood (California)

  Hoover, J. Edgar

  Hope, Bob

  Hotel Nacionale (Havana)

  House Select Committee on Assassinations

  Hughes, Howard

  Humphreys, Murray

  Hunt, H.L.

  Hunt, Sam ‘Golfbag,’

  Ingolia, Joe

  Internal Revenue service (IRS)

  International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Motion Picture Operators

  Ioli, Vincent

  Iran, Shah of

  Irish Market Street gang

  IRS see Internal Revenue Service

  Italian Welfare Council

  Jackson, William “Action,”

  Jacobs, Louie

  James, Jimmy

  James Street gang (New York)

  Jimmy New York

  John Paul I

  Johnson, Lyndon

  Joliet State Penitentiary

  Jolson, Al

  Jones, Eddie

  Jones, George

  Jones, Lydia

  Jones, Paul

  Jordan, Georgianna

  Justice Department

  Kastel, Phil

  Kefauver, Estes

  Kennedy, Bobby

  assassination of

  as attorney general

  McClellan committee

  and Marilyn Monroe

  Kennedy, Joe

  Kennedy, John Fitzgerald

  assassination of

  Bay of Pigs

  and FBI memos

  and
Sam Giancana

  and Marilyn Monroe

  marriage annulment

  and women

  Kennelly, Mayor

  King, Martin Luther, Jr.

  Korshak, Sidney

  Lake, Frankie

  Lansdale, Edward

  Lansky, Meyer

  Las Vegas (Nevada)

  Lawford, Peter

  Leavenworth (Kansas)

  Lewis, Jerry

  Lewis, Joe E.

  Libonati, Roland

  Lilac Lodge (Chicago)

  Little Hellions

  Little Wheel (Chicago)

  Long, Huey

  Los Angeles (California)

  Louie’s gas station (Chicago)

  Louisville (Kentucky)

  Luciano, Lucky

  MacArthur Douglas

  Maheu, Bob

  Mangano, Vincent

  Manno, Pat

  Manno, Tom

  Marcello, Carlos

  Marcello, Sam

  Marciano, Rocky

  Marcinkus, Paul

  Marcos, Ferdinand

  Marcus, Leon

  Marcy, Pat

  Maritote, Frank

  Martin, Dean

  Marx Brothers

  Mary’s Restaurant (Chicago)

  Matessa, Johnny

  Mayer, Louis B.

  McCarthy, Joe

  McClellan committee

  McClellan, John

  McDonald, Marie

  McGuire, Phyllis

  McGurn, “Machine Gun” Jack

  McIntosh Developers

  McWillie, Lewis

  Mendolia, Johnny

  Merchandise Mart (Chicago)

  Meyer, Mary

  Midwest News Service

  Milwaukee Phil see Alderisio, “Milwaukee Phil”

  Monroe, Marilyn

  Montclair Chapel (Chicago)

  Montrose Association

  Moran, George “Bugs,”

  Morello gang (New York)

  Moretti, Sal

  Moretti, Willie

  Mossadegh

  Murchison, Clint

  Murder, Inc.

  Mysterious Hand

  Nappi, Jack

  Nation-Wide

  Needles see Gianola, Leonard “Needles”

  Nelson, William see Bioff, Willie

  Nerone, Giuseppe

  Ness, Eliot

  Nevada Gaming Commission

  Newberry, Teddy

  New York State Parole Board

  New York State Police