- a A ae somone ete nent venterteet ee - Le A a RR Re Yee SL 3 8 A Letter to, the Direct! CONFIDENTIAL A had decided to sell their rights to this concession. He stated it appeared this decision was brought about by the edict of the Nevada State Gambling Board requiring a separation of interests by individuals owning gambling operations in Cuba and Nevada.’ LANSKY advised that ‘while the combination would have to sell their concession rights in a poor market, nonetheless they had made a substantial profit on their initial investment in the casino during the first two years of operation and they would not suffer any loss. LANSKY stated he was certain the selling agreement would have to be acceptable to the Hotel Nacional; in that the caliber and reputation of the individuals buying the concession will have to meet with the hotel's approval. JACK LANSKY stated the question of whether or not he would remain in.Cuba and operate the casino would depend upon the identity of the individuals who bought the concession. , / . LANSKY stated the combination had yet not opened the | Stardust, a new gambling casino in Las Vegas which had been built by them because of difficulty in obtaining a license for the Stardust until such time as they have sold, their interests in Cuba. \ LANSKY stated the edict \of the Nevada State Gambling Board requiring a separation of interests was strictly a political maneuver directed in the main at CLIFFAJONES, . former Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, and that while the. decision would, of course, affect JONES, who has just recently invested a substantial amount of money in the Hotel Havana-Hilton, it was also affecting other individuals with interests in both places who have nothing to do with Nevada state politics. He stated that JONES, prior to buying an interest in the gambling casino in the Havana-Hilton, had discussed the.matter with the- Governor of Nevada to insure there would be no difficulty and had been assured he would have no problem. LANSKY stated that subsequently, however, JONES, a Democrat, had thrown his support behind other Democrats in the forthcoming Nevada elections in November and as a result, the present incumbent, a Republican, had sent the word down to the Nevada State Gambling Board to "put the Squeeze" on JONES. HAV-31 advised on May 28, 1958, that JOE*MORISI has been a employed as a supervisor in the casino at the Hotel _Nacional, for aHavann , substantial period of time. Source said MORISI was jeaving ‘the casino~*”* June 1, 1958, and intended spending approximately a 4month seeing friends and thereafter expected to arrive at Atlantic City, New Jersey, about July 4, 1958, to accept a position in an illegal_ gambling <a operation there. t eS . Source said that LOUISXNIER, an associate of SAM TUCKER, ar e tho fe will take over MORISI's job at the casino. We av AWA Cu be. A EE ON NR ae, NW 45693 DociId:32328150 Page 3
“ a A NE NR TN Re yt eR ANU mR ak GN MAY ° e — —_~ : \ ° : } . : . | . Co x | Letter to the Director CONFIDER { ohto Je C,. Cuba | - HAV-31 stated that GEORGE GORDON | who is reported to repres to represer” certain Cleveland interests and who is presently working at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas, Bin gome to Havana to discuss with JACK LANSKY the possible sale dts e“Goncession at the Hotel Nacional. Source said it appeared efforts were being made to have GORDON "front" for a : mew group of buyers of the casino. — A os HAV-31 advised on May 27, 1958, that TOM McGINTY had come to Havana to discuss the disposal of the casino at the Hotel Nacional. In this regard, on May 29, 1958, THOMAS KELLEY, resident manager of the Hotel Nacional, advised that TOM McGINTY was in Havana for the purpose of discussing the problems that had arisen in connection with ownership of the casino because of the recent edict of the Nevada State Gaming Board. Mr. Kelley indicated that ‘MC GINTY had said that SAM TUCKER would probably be "transferred." On May. 30, 1958, HAV-31 advised that an individual named "SAMMY" (possibly identical with SAMUEL LAWRENCE@BRATT,, a former associate of théSLANSKYs in gambling operations | in ~Broward Couaty, Florida) was “im. Havana to discuss the Cw a sale of the Nacional gambling casino. Source said he had ascertained "~~ that LOUIS NIER;<«ménationed above, has a partnership with SAM TUCKER in an apartment building in Las Vegas’ and that NIER is reputed to have a substantial interest in the W. and S. Horse Breeding Stables in Lexington, Kentucky. On June 4, 1958, HAV-31 advised that GEORGE GORDON had turned down the offer made to him by the Desert Inn group to be the front man for the Nacional gambling casino. Source stated that an individual named MELAGOLDEN is presently in Havana and that GOLDEN will be the operator of the Stardust, a new gambling casino being wb constructed by the Desert Inn. “combination. in Las Vegas. Source. "eid further that LOUIS NIER, SAM TUCKER and JACK LANSKY had been invited to the opefing of a new gambling casino in the West Indies, location On June 11, 1958, HAV-31 advised that on June 10, 1958, F less CHAR RTOURINE, “Miami top hoodlum, had visited the casino at the vane . Nacion to see JACK LANSKY and in LANSKY's absence had talked to : HARRYACOLDBERG. Cwha Source also advised that since MEYER SKY, New York top hoodlum, returned to Havana on May 30, 1958, ‘he had paid tw two visits, Cue to the casino at the Hotel Nacional and on the second occasion had a been in the back room of the casino counting thehouse ‘receipts, together~ with JACK LANSKY. On June 5, 1958,. JACK LANSKY advised that as yet no buyer had been obtained for the casino at the Nacional. He advised that ‘a decision on his part as to whether he would stay with the casino would depend upon whether he could work out satisfactory terms with Lo “coor. NW 45693 DociId:32328150 Page 4
SON ee a A I NR nna eee wrt rt er — se ee a hn Ae (ye Rt Ht EE eA os Ps Letter to the Director the purchasers. [on June 13, 1958, Lieutenant Heriberto Hernandez, agent of the Departmen? of Investigation, Cuban National Police, advised that the casino at the Hotel Nacional had been offered to the ‘Hotel Nacional itself, but that no agreement had been reached.) 9) u), | On June 13, 1958, PCIL____———SdS mentioned that he OTHER 4 believed the present interest holders in the Nacional casino would be given plenty of time by the Nevada Gaming Board to effect the sale of their interests. Source said he did not believe JACK LANSKY would leave the casino unless there was a very radical change in ownership. Source believed there would not be any actual change in ownership but just a change in faces in Havana. On June 18, 1958, Thomas Kelley, mentioned above, advised that SAM TUCKER had received permission from the Nevada State Gaming Board to take whatever time was necessary to dispose of the interest he had in the casino at the Hotel Nacional. Kelley was of the opinion that TUCKER might attempt to delay taking action on selling his interest in the casino until the November elections in Nevada in order to see whether the present incumbents might lose out thereby resolving his problem. ee Pemeens x OTEL HAVANA-RIVIERA CASINO Navamc pl lee On May 21, 1958, HAV-31 advised that JULIUS E AROSENGARD, a member of the Board of Directors of the Hotel Havana-Riviera, is acting as MEYER LANSKY's legal representative and also as hi / gambling po representative in Cuba in LANSKY's absence from Cuba. / AVA NGA, “uDE, (Sahay 30, 1958, HAV-31 advised that MANNYJSHERMAN was in, Havana .>—SHERMAN ‘was staying at the Havana-Riviera Hotel. He has “Sy FBI_No. No..447418. In 1953, he worked as a shill in the gambling casino at the Sans Souci Night Club. SHERMAN has the reputation of being an operator of vfast dice games." - [. On June 9, 1958, PCI employed as a "bouncer" at the Hav A ANTOR is managing the casino at shift and that JO INK, a Cana dian, is. managing..the_casino..on the | night _ shift. Sourcé said that DINGYCELLINI is normally present in the casino from about noon to 8 p. m\ and that CELLINI has assumed the title of director of the casino. Source said that information had been received that HARRY and BEN/SMITH, Canadian Hotel operators, were attempting to to separate themselves fro ‘from the ‘Havana- a-Riviera } Hoter Ce "ea Mee LTE ATEN ho tg 6 J and casino. ‘operation. , ee & CONFHENTIAL Qos VD ~WOVOh (conceal), who a-Riviera casino, advised that fe Havana-Riviera on the > day... d “is. managing..the. e_casino.on the Casa NW 45693 DociId:32328150 Page 5
5 = os ‘ —_— - Letter fo tne pivecon | CONF IDNTIAL - On June 2, 1958, numerous sources advised the Legat, Havana, that, MEYER LANSKY had returned to Cuba on May 30, 1958. In this regard, JAKEYLANSKY advised. on June 5, 1958, that MEYER had returned to Cuba permanent ly with the approval of the Cuban Government. —_— An article appearing in "The Times of Havana" on June 19, 1958, indicated that both HARRY and BEN SMITH had been charged with theft and fraud involving the stock of the Brilund Mines, Ltd. This article described the SMITH brothers as being owners of the Hotel Prifce George in Toronto and the Havana-Riviera Hotel. Both brothers were free on $50,000 bond each. . on June 23, 1958, pcr[L___—————=édidvised that W/e,, OTHER 4 E VINSON from Las Vegas is back in Havana and staying at the Hote Adlg Havana-Riviera. LEVINSON is the former director of the gambling Cub w casino at the Havana-Riviera.and was an. interest holder_in the casino. _ S#id’ that LEVINSON had sold part of his~interest in the . casino to DINO CELLINI. pCI[____] further informed that on June 22, 1958, JACK LANSKY, MEYER LANSKY, EDDISXCELLINI and MAURICEYLICHTMAN had a Cuba private meeting in the rear of the bar adjacent to. the gambling caSino~ at the Havana-Riviera. Source stated that another individual was also present whom source did not know. Source was unable to furnish the subject matter discussed at this méeting. : HAV-31 advised on June 23, 1958, that the additional individual at this meeting was a person by the name of ALLEN, a 7 ; bookmaker from Miami. HAV-31 did not know the purpose of the meeting. It should be noted that HAV-31 has previously informed that LICHTMAN represents the interests of former, Cuban Minister of the Interior, SANTIAGO REY, in gambling operations in Havana. LICHTMAN has frequently been seen in the company of JACK LANSKY. Serre ST On May 9, 1958, PCI a that CHARLES TOURINE, Miami top hoodlum, continues to have a large interest in. the gambling casino at the Hotel Capri. Source noted that TOURINE'S son had been in Cuba recently and had purchased some fighting cocks which he transported to Manila, P. I., to use for gambling purposes there. HOTEL CAPRI CASINO: Ravan ay Cuba ; On May 16, 1958, PCI [ ___| stated that ROBERTO ''CHIRRI.". Pitennoza, one of the owners of the gambling casino at the Hotel .#Wavana-Hilton, had recently, Lost $150,000 in one night gambling at—the~Capri.! ee oreo ied Ghrormed that MARBINXKRAUSE, who owns "two points" in the Capri, had lost $30,000 in one night playing Lled setter a ne: ay 1 blackjack theré: /Havavie OVO Vil beta ber | | | “e TIAL | re NW 45693 DociId:32328150 Page 6