JFK Assassination System Date: 6/15/201 Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: FBI “ RECORD NUMBER: _ 124-90068-10093 RECORD SERIES: . HQ AGENCY FILENUMBER:  62-75147-210-134 Nn Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: HAV TO: HQ | TITLE: DATE: 05/09/1958 PAGES: 12 SUBJECTS : AMERICAN GAMBLERS IN CUBA AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN CUBA DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LASTREVIEW: — 06/24/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE COMMENTS : MEMO, INC 2 ADMIN PAGES eee v9.1 30 NW 45693 DociId:32328142 Page i
HAV 64-153 a y "MM 342-C advised that| the new "bag man" for ' RICHARD GERSTEIN, States Attorney, Dade County, is JAY WEISS, son of SAM‘ a 7h of some liquor fe stores in Miami Beack," 4 if. | | _ : . In referenced Havana letter. of 3/19/58, it was pointed out that JACK LANSKY had been turned back by Cuban authorities at Rancho Boyeros Airport outside Havana, when he attempted to enter Cuba from Miami on 3/15/58. \ Lieutenant HERIBERTO HERNANDEZ, Chief of the Private Police at the Hotel Nacional, confidentially advised on 4/17/58 that JACK LANSKY returned to Cuba on 3/20 or 21/58 and was allowed entry. HERNANDEZ said that JACK LANSKY's refusal of entry by members of the Cuban Military Intelligence Service (SIM) on™ 3/15/58 was based on a desire by the then-head of SIM, Colonel CARLOS/CANTILLO to "shake down" LANSKY. ,. This source informed” that friends of LANSKY made contact with SANTIAGOLREY, Cuban .Minister of the Interior, in an effort)to ascertain the reason for LANSKY being refused entry and that when REY found out CANTILLO was responsible, he had CANTILLO transferred to a> ; regimental command in Holguin, Cuba. (Thereafter, REY advised ‘ LANSKY's friends that he could return to Cuba whenever he desired. Lt. HERNANDEZ informed he understands, in return for this "favor,"  . a gambling debt which REY had at the casino at the Hotel Nacional . (¢ in the amount of $20,000 was written off the books. It should \ be noted the possibility exists that this matter could have been an indirect "shake down" on the part of SANTIAGO REY, the affair / being engineered by him in order to put LANSKY in a position where yp \V/ the debt would be forgiven. However, in the past, JACK LANSKY has indicated that SANTIAGO REY has always been a good player at \ the casino, ae caused any trouble, and always paid his debts ™~ promptly. (x _ @ | 4) 2? . On 4/2/58, Hav-31 informed that because of the bad ©. / publicity Cuba was receiving in the press concerning revolutionary | activities, the gambling business had fallen off substantially. Source stated the only casino that had not released employees oa is the casino in the Hotel Nacional. Source said that the ON Nacional had hired an ingividual known as "LITTLE BOBBY,SASSO,C whose father, "BIG BOBYXSASSO, was a wheel boss at the Havana NE Riviera casino. w@, .. ad & fi ~ wns F: a oy we  QNNGR-N90 SF We NW 45693 DociId:32328142 Page 2 =
q a . pS SRE ERED POC TS SS SS ae ere yt A ea ee ne te St an es er en “ veneers HAV 64-153 On 4/9/58, Hav-31 informed that the afternoon dice table operating at the casino in the Hotel Nacional had been shut down and that a rotating plan of vacations for employees would be. put. into operation in the near future until such time as business picked up. ; On 4/17/58,. JACK LANSKY advised that the Desert ‘Inn group operates the casino in the Hotel Nacional. LANSKY said at the. present time, the gambling business in Las Vegas is excellent and that, based on this fact, the Desert Inn crowd feels it can "sweat.out" bad business in the casino in Cuba for a long period of time. LANSKY.informed further that the Desert Inn group also has a new casino in Las Vegas called the Stardust. On. 4/21/58, it was ascertained that. SAM TUCKER, who is identified above, owns a yacht which he keeps in Havana and that this yacht. is for the. purpose. of entertaining wealthy gambling clientele. It should be noted that, in the past, information has been received. from some sources that MEYER}EANSKY was. think- ing of buying.a yacht or had a yacht available to him so that vi. ?' he could "sneak" back into Cuba. Since LANSKY is known to be a “~~ gubstantial hidden interest Holder. in the. casino. in the Hotel a, Nacional, TUCKER's yacht could be made available to him; however, JACK LANSKY has previously indicated that MEYER has no intention of returning to Cuba without. the approval of the Cuban Government. . us @UEA on 4/27/58, rer] protect identity) advised that lat .GEORGBKSADLOW, who is a member o he. LANSKY organization, i was in Havana.to see JACK LANSKY and that SADLOW also visited Lo . with WILLIAM OTTO: ‘BISCHOFF, Miami top hoodlum, who operates the gambling casino in the Tropicana | Night. Club. On 5/6/58, ANTHONY VAUGHN, Director, Hotel Nacional, Havana, confidentially advised that a meeting. was being held in New York on that date by individuals who had interests in ‘gambling operations in Havana and Las Vegas to discuss a recent statement by the Nevada. State Tax Commission requiring. . N separation of gambling interests in Havana. a Las Vegas... Wi A EV Mr VAUGHN stated MAURICEX KLEINMAN , THOMA cGINTY and SAM “ YEA TUCKER, who have interests both in the Desert Inn in Las Vegas * and the Hotel Nacional in Havana, were among the individuals ~ attending this. meeting. = 7, jee Thy. ti. tor ge pps? § 99 EQ -\oodske NW 45693 DociId:32328142 Page 3
HAV 64-153 Hav-31 advised on 5/7/58 that. ROY BURNEY SELL, who has- been employed as a dealer at the casino in the Hotel Nacional, | is leaving Cuba in about ten days for the Dominican Republic, where BELL will work in a gambling casino. Source stated that three individuals operate the casino in whieh BELL will work, one of them being an individual named PATAS LOT (phonetic) from Miami. FP PLA. lO Lu f2 -Hav-31 also informed that. LOUFSKNIER has been working | recently in a semi-supervisory capacity at the Hotel. Nacional Casino and it appears that NIER is a close friend of SAM TUCKER. Source stated that about two months ago,.SAM TUCKER and BENNY GAINES of Miami entered into some sort of financial agreement for a new enterprise, nature unknown. iy Hav-31 further stated that he had heard "talk" employees of the casino in the Hotel Nacional that JO ; is extremely interested in getting back to the United ‘States or at least close to the United States and that there was conjecture ~ ADONIS might come to Cuba. HOTEL HAVANA- RIVIERA CASINO On 4/2/58, Hav-31 advised that, because of the fall- off in the gambling business in Havana, the Riviera had fired ten dealérs from the casino. LE As the Bureau was previously advised on. 4/7/88, NEIL @.p-,, WALSH i pi stant lager of the Hotel Havana Riviera, wavised cao. that VINSON, Alormer operator of the gambling casino at the Havana Riviera, bad returned to Las Vegas and had- replaced fui, i by IRVING NIGG # DEVINE. WALSH indicated that DI CELLINI had //,. a been considered or this. position but that LEVINSON, who owns =. several points in the casino, did not feel that- CELLINI was "big cnough" to handle the operation. On 4/10/58, ‘JAMES ENNIS, Manager, Hotel. Havana Riviera’ advised that LEVINSON had sold a part of his interest, amounting to 24 points, to an individual named JO from Montreal, _Canada, a close associate of HARRY and BE) ITH, who own sub- stantial interest in the Hote Ha Havana Riviera. . C vA 4 Us a orn As Legat, Havana, has. previously advised, Agkt&ivror, a New_York gambler, is reported to be protecting the interests of \ OEMT! Aq ? gee t= =-X\Q9 4 NW 45693 DociId:32328142 Page 4
HAV 64-153 MEYER LANSKY and pean fercesox 4m | he Hotel Riviera Gambling Casino. ALVA ‘ Fe BF On 4/15/58, TONYAVAUGHN of the Hotel Nacional, advised he had received information that JULIUS“ROSENGARD, who @ is listed as a director holding property interést, in the fovea ! Havana Riviera, may possibly represent the money interest of , FRANK COSTELLO in the hotel. Hav-31 advised on 5/7/58 that one of the owners of, ~ OTHER 4 the Havana Riviera is an individual named AARON‘WEISBERG, who. ¢ & is reported to have forty per cent of the hotel and possibly NP some of the gambling casino. HOTEL CAPRI CASINO eo On 4/17/58, PCI \ figures in phe gambling casino-at the otel rab. continue to Cura * be NICHO. . “——-__ RICHARDSDEE, NAT}HARRIS and CHARLE \ LARRY;SNOW, Ww. was formerly associdted with the. Capri is now _ assisting JO LESI and CLIFF/JONES inthe operation of the casino at the Hotel Havana Hilton. On 4/14/58, it was ascertained through observation / at the casino inthe Hotel Capri that both FRANKRENZONI, also \ known as TommyfRenzoni, and BEN/*KRAKOVER are both working at j the casino. Their presence at this casino tends to- substantiate . ,: information previously furnished Legat, Havana, from. reliable ___ , sources that SANT@XTRAFFICANTE has an. interest in the Hotel / Capri Casino, since both RENZONI and KRAKOVER were long-time associates and employees of SANTO TRAFFICANTE at the .Sans Souci Casino, where TRAFFICANTE is the principal interést holder, _ prior to their going to work for the Capri. {oa 4/25/58, Hav-4] advised 1 that PAUESBELLO and FRANK QO) RENZONI were employed in t gambling casino “in the Hotel Capri and residing in the Riomar Apartments in Miramar, Marianao, Havana, Cuba. 0 Avy WwW Hav-31 advised on 4/30/58 that PAUL BELLO, mentioned above, works as a dealer at the Hotel Capri Casino. He is originally from Steubenville, Ohio, and is closely associated at the Capri with another dealer named LEONARIKCOZz0. Source noted that COZZO had formerly worked the gambling casino in the Hotel Sevilla Biltmore and is reported to have recently bought 4 a $45, 000 home in Miami and to be driving a new Cadillac . | SW Fé9 5 conor serrat ae AAU R- (9982 Co NW 45693 DociId:32328142 Page 5