404-10122-10162 ’ . ‘ - ” : . DO NOT REPRODUCE» SECRET RETURN TO CIA 20 JUN 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR: Inspector General VIA : Deputy Director for Administration SUBJECT - Senate Select Committees on Intelligence Operatians (Anti-Pinkerton Act) 1. Reference is made to 4 memorandum dated 28 May 1975 captioned “Alleged Illegal Domestic Activities (Private Investigating Firms),‘ which was prepared jn response to the Director's testimony before the Senate Select Committee on” 23 May 1975 concerning specific instances where the Agency has utilized private investigative firms, attached hereto 45 Tab A. 2. In conducting the original research into those gnstances where private investigative firms have been utilized by the Agency, specific attention was directed at the use of private investigative “fiyms" and did not include the Agency's use of individual private investigators. Iu view of the above additional research has now been conducted. It would be appreciated 4f the following information could be considered as an addendum to referenced menorandun: a. Since 1956 the office of Security has engaged in a progran whereby a nuaber of qualified individuals throughout the United States have been employed as independent contractors to con uct background investigations on behalf of the Agency. This program, known within the Office of Security as the Confidential Correspondent Program, is almost totally comprised of retired U.S. Govern- ment investigators. The majority of these indi- viduals have entered gecondary professions following their retirement covering a broad spectrum to £2 IMPDET SECRET cL sy aan
ete seer oe SECRET include 1aW, real estate, construction, and private gnvestigations. By virtue ef their former federal investigative peckgrounds , these individuals are able to conduct investigations on behalf of the Agency in geographical areas which are remote from existing office of Security field offices and also provide the office of Security with the ability to expand oF contract its investigative capability 4% requirements dictate. Each Confidential correspondent is carefully selected and security approved pefore any investigative tasks are assigned. primarily the use of confidential Correspondents has been Llinited to their con- ducting packground investigations with an Agency” issued U.S. Government credential, aithough io some es correspondents pave beGn provided with (the same commercial cover credentials used pg by start investigators ef the office of Security to conduct covert investigations] However, if a limited number of instances, dividuals working independently ag private investigators have bees employed as Confideatisl Correspondents. in view of their private gnvestigative positions, they have been allowed to use their own “natural cover" “¢o conduct covert investigations on behalf of the Agency. This latter type ef situation has been extremely linited during the twenty-five year history of the Confidential Correspondent Program. In all such cases Headquarters approval was required before peraitting the individual to use his own cover. ther, this type © Confidential Correspondent was generally not issued any ©" rnment credent al, order te prevent the investigator was & Confidential correspondent and utilized his own matural cover" to cenduct Agency investigations occurred circa 1969. SECRET
14-00000 SECRET b. It should also be noted that Robert A. Maheu, who has already been the subject of extensive reporting to the Senate Select Con- mittee, was in 1954 operating his own private investigative company known as Robert A. Maheu Associates. As has been reported, Mr. Maheu nad been utilized by the Office of Security in connection with several sensitive assignments during the period 1954 through 1962. While the review of Mr. Maheu's Office of Security file does not disclose specific data regarding any background investigative activities which he may have conducted on behalf of the Agency, it would appear probable from available information that Mr. Maheu hed on occasion con- ducted such investigations. Mr. Maheu’s file does reflect that from approximately February through July 1954, the Office of Security paid a wnonthly retainer of $500.09 per month to Robert A. Yaheu and that following July 1954 he was to be reimbursed on a "case-by-case" basis. 3. Ags evidenced herein and in the referenced memorandun, instances where the Office of Security hes contracted with private investigative firms and/or private investigators to conduct investigations on our behalf has been quite linited. Primarily ,{covert investigations by the Office of Security O¥ have been conducted through the use of a private investigative cover mechanism for our own employees oT through the use of 4 proprietary investigative firs. [| Further, your attention is invited to a memorandum for the Director dated 4 June 1975 (attached hereto as Tab B) which advises that the Office of Security has researched the future need for the Agency to retain the leeal authority to hire private investigators and/ or firms to conduct investigations on our behalf. As indi- cated in Tab B, the Office of Security interpeses no objections should the Director decide that in the future the use of private of investigators will be restricted to roprietary} fires and/or the use ef private investigative firms cover for our own eployees. \0! 3 SECRET 4p
"SECRET 5. In view of the above, no further research into this “Matter by the Office of Security will be undertaken unless advised to the contrary. 4 Charles ®. Kane Director of Security Atts Distribution: Orig &§ 1 - Addressee 1 - DDA 1 - D/Security 1 - OS Registry, w/o atts 1 - SSCIO File 1 - SAG 1 - Chrnno OS/PSI/SAG{JSHunt} jan (18June75) SECRET