JFK Assassination System . Date: 4/3/2015 _ Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: = 124-10226-10290 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILENUMBER: = 2-1499-139 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: DIRECTOR, FBI © TOs TITLE: DATE: 05/13/1968 PAGES: 43 SUBJECTS : FS, CORRELATION SUMMARY, AKA, SEE REFERENCES, ASSOC, MRR, MIRR, ANTI-CASTRO ORGANIZATIONS DOCUMENT TYPE: . PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT: CLASSIFICATION : — Secret RESTRICTIONS: 1B; 1C; 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LASTREVIEW: 10/14/1998 \ OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF CIA COMMENTS : v9.1 1 HW 55271 Docld:32300010 Page 1
(continued) BAR. ce cece cece eee ee cece eves ceeeseCuban Revolutionary Air Force MDC... cc cece ee eee cece ec cece cee ...Movimiento Democrata Cristiano (Christian Democratic Movement) MIRR. ccc ccc ec eee c cece cence -...-Movimiento Insurrecional De Recuperacion Revolucionaria (Insurrectional Movement of Revolution- ary Recovery) MRR. 1. cee ce cee eee ee eeseceeeeee -MOVimiento De Recuperacion Revolucion- : ‘ aria (Movement for Revolutionary , Recovery ) SISS. ccc cece eee cece e eee ceeeeeeeesscenate Internal Security Subcommittee KREKE On 7/29/58, the Miami Office reported that MM 63%S had advised previously that J. Allan Kilgore, Rex (l1nu), and Frank (lnu), three Americans and US Marine Corps veterans, had been engaging in an operation of collecting arms and ammunition for Alonzo Hidalgo, one of the July 26 Action Group leaders in Mia TN ee Lo. CUBA On 7/28/58, Legat, wavana, tel Aonteatty advised that Frank Fiorini was in jail in Havana, having been: arrested by Cuban authorities in connection with driving a car that was, being watched by Cuban authorities in connection with arms movements/Y\y . It was noted that the Legat might desire to interview I) Fiorini. US Customs was to be advised of Fiorini's whereabouts. Y¢/4 Add. info. . | 97 -3244-254 p.1,23; encl.p.1 (255 365474~ HW 55271 DBocld:32300010 Page 2?
ve . . . . ‘ y* a ’ cat > * mt . 5 ” - \ : . . : K & , a > . - . , . 5 4s ‘eH } 2 . . . . ° The synopsis of Miami"*report dated 8/5/58, captioned “July 26 Revolutionary Movement, Miami“ (97-3244) set out Frank Anthony Fiorini as one of the leading members of the action group within that ~ Movement. Details of the report failed to substantiate this information in that the name of Frank Anthony Fiorini was not mentioned in the information therein pertaining to these members; however, information was included indicating that Frank Anthony Fachetti was a member of this July 26 Action Group. ; On 4/28/58, MM 639-S advised that Gabriel Navarette of _ 2160 S.W. 4th Street, Miami, was engaged in the purchase and transporta- tion of guns for the July 26 Action Group and that an erican named Frank (lmu) was living with Navarette at that address Ud On 4/29/58, MM 639-S advised that Frank Fachetti, about 23 or 24 years of age, 6' tall, black hair, dark complexion, Italian extraction, and from the NYC area, was residing at 2160 S.W. 4th Street. MM 639-S advised that Fachetti reportedly fought in Cuba with the rebels in the Sierra Maestra mountains against the government forces of Cuba and that he now was working with Sergio Sanjenis in the Miami, area purchasing arms for a possible future smuggling operation (UX. On 4/30/58, Wallace Shanley, US Customs, Miami, advised he had obtained information that Frank Anthony Fachetti, white male, 6'tall, between 25 and 28 years of age, black wavy hair, 180-190 pounds, was residing at 2160 S.W. 4th Street and had been seen driving with Navarette in a 1950 Plymouth, 1958 Florida license # 1-115646. According to records of the Dade County Auto Tag Agency, this license was listed to Richard M. Kedziora, 35 N.w. 58th Street, Miami. Add. info. - oT - 24 - 7 p.1,1b,1¢,19,22,24,25,27, ( Bree 31,32 485667 , Correlator's Note: Foregoing information on Frank (inu) and Frank Anthony Fachetti is being included as possibly pertaining to Frank Anthony Fiorini, subject of this summary; however, information is insufficient to positively establish this fact. This reference sets out background data on Frank Fiorini, aka eran ee ee BG eK TASK FORCE the Norfolk, wineinia Police Department, MEYVIEWED BY “et (continued) oy We bore ~] BELEAS _ . | Hes, | - a 4 _—e 35 Has BED Bhs | WW 55271 Docld:32300010 Page 3
JFK Act 6 (1) (B) ee en moc ie - 109-480-1666 p.2 ] “re Sty 2 ; Ux Qio\ i ™ ( JFK Act 6 (1) (B) Who had just returned from abou rT WEeR n Havana, Cuba, on a special assignment for "Life‘ magazine, advised a New York Office Agent on 2/19/59 that while in Havana he ran across several Americans, one of whom was Frank Fiorini, Captain in the Rebel Air Force, who intended to stay in Cuba. 109-581-12 encl.p.9 (1647 On 3/23/59, Michael R. Moreno, a Miami photographer, furnished information relating to the arrest and questioning of Moreno, Robert Daut and Richard Jaffe by the Department of Logistics 1109-590) in, Cuba, on or about 3/5/59. Moreno and Daut, a Miami pilot, who were enroute to British Honduras on business, were met in Havana by Jaffe, a business acquaintance, and these three proceeded to the Cuban Air Force Base at’ Camp Columbia to obtain clearance to proceed to British Honduras. It was here they were held by military police and while guns were pointed. at the three men, Frank Fiorini happened along and told Moreno and his of companions not to worry as he would get them off. Moreno said they never Saw Fiorini again. Add. info. : ; “  109-590-8 p.20,33 | . ashe : . é On 4/20/59, at Police Headquarters, Habana, Cuba, Lawrence Eugene Hall (105-78016), a US citizen, advised that he arrived in Habana on 3/19/59. He then met Captain Frank Fiorini, an American with the Revolutionary Air Force. Hall said his purpose in coming to Cuba was to join the Revolutionary Forces and that after explaining his purpose he was introduced by Fiorini to a Lieutenant Duany and to. a Cuban lady known only as “Lucy.” any identified himself as a member of the "13th of March Movement". aft 05-78016-6 encl.p.2 (11y 2-/F9F- 137 NK ~ HW 55271 DBocld: 32300010 Page 4
~~ advised on 4/3/59 a e had returned recently to the US from a month's trip to Havana, Cuba. In Havana he net and . ‘Spoke with Frank Fiorini who had been active With the Castro movement in the US in supplying arms to Castro's forces in the mountains. oO stated that. at the present time Fiorini was Chief of Security for the Cuban Air Force. | . - JK Act 6 (1) (B) aey O-1798 encl.p.1 . On 6/19/59, MM 635-S advised that he and Douglas Leftbright (ph), a Canadian serving in the Cuban Air Force, had been sent to Miami several days previously by the Cuban Air Force to Sabotage a P-51 airplane which allegedly had been dropping anti-Castro leaflets over Cuba. They located the plane at Fort Lauderdale and were in the ~ proximity of the plane; however, they had no intention whatsoever of actually going through with this mission. On 6/20/59, James Byers (protect identity), Assistant Sales Manager, Aerodex, Miami National Airport, advised that Leftbright, along with a member of the Cuban Air Force (not further identified), had come to the office of Aerodex, Leftbright said that he and his companion had just "pulled off a deal" (not identified); that Frank Fiorini and Sergio Brule Diaz, also of the Cuban Air Force, had been sent to Miami on another mission for which they had spent a lot of money but accomplished nothing; and that they -. probably would attempt to take credit for,the deal which had been executed by Leftbright and his companion {{ 105-75511-155 p.3 (i Information concerning the late 1958 - early 1959 activities of Frank Fiorini was brought out during SISS (62-88217) hearings . involving the testimony of Ricardo Luis Lorie y Valls, Cuban citizen, in ~ Executive Session, on 7/24/59 at Miami Beach, Florida, and of Dr. Juan Orta Cordova, former private secretary of Fidel Castro, on 3/31/65, Place of hearing undisclosed for security reasons. This related to activities of Fiorini, an American, in behalf of the Castro regime, both .- in Cuba and the US, including his involvement in the smuggling of arms to Cuba and use of planes purchased with Cuban funds in Fiorini's name, two of which remained in his possession when he left Cuba at the time Pedro Diaz Lanz of the Cuban Air Force defected on or about 7/1/59. (Hearings enclosed, Part 14, entitled “Communist Threat to the United States Through the Caribbean”) op B8217-2947 encl.p.919, 946, 964 HW 55271 DBocld:32300010 Page 5
On 2/5/62, Mi639=Sadvised that Frank: Fiorini claimed that he would be the mili y leader for the organization of Carlos Prio Socarras (109-430) % Other investigation had indicated that Frank Fiorini, US citizen, was a soldier of fortune involved in Cuban revolutionary activity. Fiorini also was known as Frank Sturgis. (No sources given). | This reference stated that Prio, former President of Cuba, had a coast. a) to establish a military base on a Key off the Cuban coast. iL 109=$:3052418 p.6 (arsey” Alexander I. Rorke, Jr., 51 Chambers Street, NYC, who had - been associated with various anti-Fidel Castro activities, on 4/21/62 advised that he had learned from Frank Fiorini that on either 4/17/62 or 4/18/62, he and Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz and others associated with Diaz were stopped about 40 miles southeast of Miami, Florida and turned back to Miami by the US Coast Guard. According to Fiorini, the Coast Guard action in stopping two of the boats belonging to Diaz was prompted by orders from Washington, DC. Rorke advised on 4/25/62 that he again Spoke with Fiorini who was very much disgusted because they had been stopped by the Coast Guard and said he believed Diaz set up this -activity in order to discontinue all activity against the present Cuban Government. Fiorini said there were both men and plenty of weapons aboard the boats but that the men were not detained nor were the boats or weapons confiscated by the US Government. This reference identified Diaz Lanz as former head of the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force. eee O8646-4 encl.p.3,4 1 In connection with foregoing, this reference is a Justice Department communication advising that according to the US Border Patrol, Miami, Pedro Diaz Lanz and ten other Cuban exiles were aboard a “Q" boat proceeding out of Biscayne Bay on 4/15/62, and they were stopped and ordered to return to the Miami River by the US Coast Guard and Customs. This reference stated also that Alexander I. Rorke, Jr. advised on 4/25/62 that in conversation with Frank Fiorini, he was told by Fiorini, an_associate of Diaz Lanz but who was not reported to be a ler ipey . - REVIEWED BY BEY JFK TASK FORCE (continued) ON 2.5% deg | C) TOTAL DENIAL So HW 55271 DBocld:32300010 Page 6
MM 639-S advised on S10 oO. that Mario Garcia Kohly (105-88521) was in Miami, Florida at that time and had conferred with Frank Fiorini who told Kohly he would arrange for an interview between Kohly and Jack Cumings of "Newsweek" and Jack Anderson, a Baltimore, Maryland newsman, and that these interviews would result in considerable publicity for Kohly. Fiorini, in return, expected Kohly to contribute funds to Fiorini for arms and ammunition. Fiorini claimed that Nat Bishop of Larchmont, NY, was expected to arrive in Miami on 11/3/62, at which time Fiorini would show Bishop a fast boat which he hoped Bishop would buy for Fiorini, to be used in raids-.agains ba. According to Fiorini, Bishop was a good friend of onty (ie , This reference indicated that Kohly, who maintained headquarters at 1600 South Joyce Street, Arlington, Virginia, claimed that he was heading a newly-formed Cuban Government in Exile. a) 105-88521-75 encl.p.3 (137407. JFK Act 6 (1) (B) x P a . ; i "The Charleston Daily Mail", Charleston, W. Va., 3/14/63, Final Edition, page 1, in an article entitled “Cuba:.Guns Downed Lost Elkview Flier", stated that Robert Thompson (105- 106893) , a flier who ‘had disappeared on 12/14/61, was reported by the ‘Pompano Beach Sun- Sentinel," Pompano Beach, Florida, (date not indicated) to have been shot down over Matanzas, Cuba, while dropping anti-Castro leaflets. Missing with Thompson was another pilot, Robert Swanner. They Cite WIR Zaha fos CLASEIE) | (continued) ~25- | HW 55271 DBoclId:32300010 Page 7
JFK Act 6 (1) (B) SUBJECT OF FILE REFERENCE SEARCH SLIP PAGE NUMBER Anti-Fidel Castro | 109-584-3604 p.21 (18707 Activities Ejercito Cubano 105-102448-36 p.1,2 1 apeenuneia aA (Frente -42 encl |p. 3 144; Escambray) (Cuban Anti-~ -45 p.2- 1 communist Army ) -46 p.1-6 © ato” (Escambray Front) -47 p.2 Not Indexed) -52 p.1,2;encl. Not Indexed) p.1-4 -72 p.2,3,8-11 (1437 Jose Maria Gonzalez 105-74764-20 p.3,6,7 (Lovo . Hernandez “-26 p.1l Not Indexed) Los Pinos Nuevos 2-1855-3 encl.p.3 | (337 | & ; The following serials of the main file on Alexander I. Rorke, Jr., an American free-lance news photographer and writer, relate to the investigation to determine the authenticity of his claim of being involved in a raid over Cuba on 4/25/63. Background to this alleged (continued) . | SPORE LL . HW 55271 DBoclId: 32300010 Page 6
raid indicated that Rorke was closely associated with Frank Fiorin and had distributed a leaflet which referred to participation in expeditions against Castro in the Spring of 1961 which were commanded by Fiorini, the Commanding Officer’ and organizer of the Anti-Communist | International Brigade. It was reported that during April, 1963 Fiorini had claimed that plans were in progress for a new 'strike'"; also, that Fiorini had been in contact with Edgardo Sopo Barreto of the MRR who, on 5/1/63, alleged that Fiorini made frequent visits to Manuel Artime Buesa's organization* where he made irresponsible claims that were not true. During an interview in Miami on 4/27/63, Fiorini advised that he first met Rorke in 1960 in Miami, at the home of a leading anti-Castro Cuban, Pedro Diaz Lanz. He stated that about one month previously in Miami, he met with Rorke, Hansruedi Tanner and Geoffrey Sullivan who wanted Fiorini's help in proposed aerial action over Cuba; however, Fiorini declined to assist them. He denied knowledge of the 4/25/63 mission beforehand and expressed doubt that it actually took place: t (continued)  _ REFERENCE SEARCH SLIP PAGE NUMBER 97-4623-35 p.8 (8 “$9 _ 36 p.i-3 -68 encl.p.4 85397" -84 p.1,2. - | BC ~107 p.90-93,95,96 (Interview with 8 riorint., 4/27/63, Miami, set out). Correlator's Note: Subsequent information in this file indicates that facts of the investigation were submitted to the Justice Department and prosecution was not authorized. * Not further identified. Probably the MRR. JEK Act 6 pPhrom Jerry Brooks (100-434935) who identified himself as a Captain in the "Minutemen". Brooks wrote that information he would send from time to time would concern "the Minutemen who are really Alpha 66 not so-called Cuban Exiles"; also, that one DePugh had given explosives to Frank Fiorini the past year "Habana. : (1) (B) vy at Hilton". Brooks wanted to send some information JPK Act 6 (continued). -28- HW 55271 DBoclId:32300010 Page 9
- . : : “2 ew : JEK Act 6 (1) (B) SECRET BN i \ iE (continued rr ce 6 RE, | . 2) an address-at which "the F.B.I. & Secret Service won't @Onnect you with me." He furnished a list. of "Minutemen" which in command of Minutemen." ~ included "Mr. Frank Fiorini, ga °° 2end St., Miami, Florida, 2nd (Copy of letter and list enclosed) 100-434935-1XK encl. (Not Indexed) With reference to foregoing, Frank Anthony Sturgis, better known as Frank Fiorini, 2515 Northwest 122nd Street, Miami, was interviewed on 4/24/63. He denied any connection with Alpha-~66, even though in the past he had admitted cooperation with Cuban anti-Castro groups. Fiorini said: that several weeks previously, date unknown, - a Mr;. William DePugh in Missouri called him and inquired about Jerry Brooks (100-434935). Fiorini called an address where Brooks supposedly . resided but obtained no information. He notified DePugh of that fact © and had heard nothing since then. He was unable to furnish information concerning anyone else on foregoing list. Fiorini, who had always expressed cooperation with the FBI in Miami’ in the past, again contacted DePugh in Missouri by phone -on or about 5/2/63 and on 5/7/63, he furnished additional information on Brooks obtained from DePugh at that time. It was Fiorini's observa- tion that DePugh would not cooperate with the Bureau ih view of his connections in the "Minutemen". Fiorini also pointed out that Brooks Supposedly was in Miami for two or three days (date not given), reason unknown to Fiorini. . 100-434935-6 p.1,2 Ce ane On 6/14/63, MM 639-S advised that Rich Albert Lauchli of Collinsville, Illinois recently arrived in Miami, Florida with a station wagon load of arms for sale. American adventurers and mercenaries, Gerald Patrick Hemming, Jr. and Frank Anthony Sturgis, took Lauchli around to meet the different Cuban exile leaders in Miami and he subsequently sold weapons to the Second National Front of the Escambray, American mercenary Bill Garman, Ramon Font of Comandos L, and miscellaneous equipment to other organizations. 109-584~3742 p.36 (4 |. KO HW 55271 DBoclId:32300010 Page 10