# FBI Miami memorandum on Santo Trafficante, Jr., 30 September 1955: frequent trips to Havana, the Sans Souci and the Sevilla Biltmore

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/fbi-vault-trafficante-p01-1955-09-30-havana-sevilla-biltmore/

A semi-annual 'Top Hoodlum' memorandum states that 'In recent months SANTO TRAFFICANTE, JR. has been making frequent trips to Havana, Cuba, where he is closely associated with NORMAN ROTHMAN,' and that in Cuba he 'hangs out around the Sans Souci Night Club outside of Havana, and at the Sevilla Biltmore Hotel.'

Viewer pages 15 and 16 of Part 01 hold the Miami office's semi-annual memorandum of 30 September 1955 on Santo Trafficante, Jr., under the "Top Hoodlum" coverage. It begins with the 1955 federal case: a grand jury indictment charging that the Trafficante brothers and others "conspired to evade payment of excise taxes on wagers," bonds posted on 21 April 1955, and pleas of not guilty on 8 June. It says no new information on present criminal activities had been learned.

On page 16 it says: "In recent months SANTO TRAFFICANTE, JR. has been making frequent trips to Havana, Cuba, where he is closely associated with NORMAN ROTHMAN," followed by a redacted name. Under "Hangouts and Places of Amusement Frequented" it says: "While in Cuba, TRAFFICANTE hangs out around the Sans Souci Night Club outside of Havana, and at the Sevilla Biltmore Hotel in Havana, Cuba."

A Miami airtel of 29 July 1957 in the same part ([filed here](/items/fbi-vault-trafficante-p01-1957-07-summary-sans-souci-owner/)) says this memo, written by former Special Agent Charles J. Mathews, gave no source for the Havana hangouts. The statement is the Bureau's unsourced report, not a finding.

## Sources

- FBI Records: The Vault, Santo Trafficante, Part 01: https://vault.fbi.gov/santo-trafficante/santo-trafficante-part-01/view
- FBI Vault: Santo Trafficante (file index): https://vault.fbi.gov/santo-trafficante