Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 19927 (44 USC 2107 Hote). DATE: 11-14-2017 JFK Assassination System . Date: 4/28/201 Identification Form \ Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: — 124-90055-10139 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER: _ 105-76826-20 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: DONAHOE . TO: BELMONT TITLE: \ DATE: 01/16/1961 PAGES: 3 SUBJECTS : ANTONIO DE VARONA MANUEL ANTONIO VARONA DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LASTREVIEW: 06/08/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE MEMO COMMENTS : v9.1 Docld: 32326547 Page 1
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records | DATE: 11-14-2017 : Memorandum to. Mr. Beliiont. ‘Re: MANUEL, :ANTONIO“VARONA 1905-76826 Cs . * overthrow of Castro. - In view of the serious implications of infiltration of this CIA-supported anti-Castro activity the 12-13-60:data was . telephonically supplied to CIA on 12-15-60 and confirmed in writing - CIA by letter 12-16-60-advised of receipt: of data from- one of its contacts who had received it from Julia Cellini that the Cellini brothers have long been associated in. the narcotics and white slavery rackets in Cuba. Reportedly the Cellini brothers planned to support y of Castro. (a) * Moving. in on their old.business. ‘after LOY 7 Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote;. con . rr : ~ | Chief, Office of .Secretary of Defense on 12-13 60 and came from one | William A. Ullman who got it from Tomlinson. &) - 7 ((105-76826-17) -. During a White Slave Traffic Act investigation in tas yf it was alleged. that. both Julia Cellini and Dino. V. Cellini were — ‘procurers. The family had.a history: of; involvement .in- gambling. — _ Edward Goffredo Cellini had been .a croupier-dealer in.a gambling house. | 1953-1956 al.Attache, Havana, from. March, in which informant was: employed... - 2 - N Docld: 32326547 Page 2? ston -about 10! years. : Cea Eee Goffredo. R. CélLini was a criminal informant (Havana 31 of the Le ©: (31-71997)- [Dino. Cell ini (FBI No. 2198122). was. considered. during the period by the. Legal Attache, Havana, as a, potential criminal informant but. he was discontinued in February, 1956,_[ Hé was: a floor man for. the gambling casino at the Tropicana night. club-in = | Havana, (137-858) In 1959 Washington Field (WFQ) advised Dino Vincent”. | (uf . ‘Cellini.was formerly associated with Joseph Francis Nesline, WFO top: “ hoodlum, in a gambling operation in Washin 1958 through. May, 1960. Cellini has extensive background of employment .in gambling: operations,: He went to Cuba,in 1957 and in 1958 was Afternoon Manager of Wilbur Clark's Casino’ Internacional (gambling casino). His brother, Dino, was one of the overseers in gambling casino at Hotel Havana Riviera. . dis brother -Edward Goffredo Cellini was.Evening.Mandger of same casino i) “Informant .was. personally associatéd ]@/| With such hoodlums. as Jack. Lansky and Meyer Lansky,.had contact with ~ -
DATE: 11-14-2017 fixe, © en ; . st o— 3 - le Sy 7 p> . . a \ ae peta PF ie vase a Pt ore Tas FORCE | ow 276-77 Weg ___ fy JA RELEASE IN FULL ‘ O RELGASE IN PART | {3 TOTAL DENIAL sien Santog# Trafficante and personally: knew. Americans: holdin Large Pia gambling interests. in Havana. including Frank Erickson. [He furnished extensive data on hoodlums and’ gambling. Beginning in July, 1958, Legal Attache. was. authorized to pay him up to $160 monthly for services. © His. discontinuance in May, 1960, was prompted: by his- return to'U.S. Le al Attache felt he was stable, Fesponsible family man. (137-4014 y_(U) Re: ‘MANUEL ‘ANTONIO ‘ VARONA SAY 105-76826_ - . | ' ‘Memorandum to Mr:. Belmont | | _ In connection with a sécurity investigation in 1957 it was established that Benvenuto.M. ‘Cellini. is apparently the father in the Cellini family and he resided at 8144 Eastern Avenue, N.W., _| Washington, D. €. - Julia; Dino, Edward. and Goffredo were identified as four of his children. , (105-58517-9) _ Files of Identification Division contain no arrést records — for Benvenuto, Julia, Edward‘ and: Goffredo Cellini on basis of riame— +/isa5". Dino Cellini has record: of only two convictions (1941 and 1945) on gambling ‘charges. make contributions. of millions: of dollars but définitely points ‘to possibility Cellini brothers. are fronting.for. gambling interests. | _, 1.. Attached is letter to CIA advising.'that Agency of the — additional data. received. In view of CIA's ‘support of both: Varona and FRD:‘we are asking CIA whether it. has obtained. any verification of these’allegations and whether it has received any other data Mere GO) yen by U.S:- gambling “ u) . . | Background of Cellini family does not indicate they’.could . od interests, , ~ 2., In view of critical public reaction which could be expected- to follow. the reactivation of large-scale gambling operations in: Cuba by top hoodiums..should.Castro. be overthrown; recommend Investi ative | Pivision consider. desirability of instituting mquiriés. along this dine from criminal intelligence standpoint... ~ Ah, dt POEL . \ hp G* Ppp afer pee Docld: 32326547 Page 3 Peete. under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 USC 2107 HoTte;.