t i 4 {Released undes the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote). DATE: 11- 14- 27017 Lo : Be we kD ees aa C | : STANDARD FORM NO, 64 n Y _ Office Memorahdum - ¢ UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT wf YP : Director, FBI DATE: April 25, 1949 FRO BAC, San Francisco SUBJECT: LEONID orem Crm *8 ‘ INTERNAL SECURITY - R (Bufile 100~357357) Energy? freeGt | Daied Ceclarsiit OY edatiunta | SWAY Reurlet dated March 23, 1949. iusifads interviewed by Agents of this office on April 11, 1949 in regard to his knowledge of BENTHEN's background and present activities. ‘%; At the het: of the interview jasifdineds out that he was ‘not very. well acquainted BENTHEN while they bo ‘resided (in Japan and that ty ey ne er. So =met “us SiG fied bys sae advised that BENTHEN served as a 2nd Lt. in the arti? a a under G us OV of the Tsarist Army, graduating from the CHITA Misdvary Scho ~~ after the revolution, in 1919 or 1920. In connection with SEMENOV's army (4 7 Sshee ~~ pointed out that--all officers serving under SEMENOV: were selected for their ability ’ and character. In 1920 or 1921 BENTHEN left Russia for Shanghai, China and shortly | . thereafter entered jt jewelry, usinesse While in Shanghai BENTHEN married oo connected with the North ‘Sakhalin Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi \ ALEXANDRA PETROVNA;GRIGORIE! Lesister“of MIKHAIL PETROVIC GORIEFF who was Se NS interests and a sister Company of the Nerth Sakhalin Coal Company| where ALSR was Cs. ' employed.) Both ALEXANDRA and MIKHATD: GORIEFF were White Russians and considered ~ - i BENTHEN fo be one. 7. | | BENTHEN~ ft Shanghai in 1922 or 1923 for Yokohama, Japan, arriving: oe _./ there in a very poor financial condition. His dealings in precious stones gave ~, him an opportunity to open a small jewelry store in Yokohama. BENTHEN, during ' « his orev in Yokohama, became a frequent visitor to his brother-in-law's J MIKHAI L PET ROVICH GRIGORIEFF's, office in Tokio. [arse was introduced to BENTHEN LS by M.PsAGRIGORIEFF during. one of BENTHEN's visits to GRIGORIEFF's offige. (AISR YS explained that|he frequently saw GRIGORTEFF on business matters since ey wereG both }Ymployed by the Mitsubishi interests. / ALSR met |BENTHEN on an average of once every two or three months] mo tly a GORIEFF's office and/on a few(. SS S6ccasions]at GRIGORIEFF's home #@He,;ALSR,) never isited BENTHEN at his home or {s 3 * store, nor did BENTHEN ever visi ALSR's Mee — - ‘ ao ra There were two persons whom| ALSR Swas able toyr all as being friehdly with BENTHEN during his residence in Japan, DOMBROVASHANUSHENSKY, who was employed by the same Company as M..P. GRIGORIEFF and one WNIKOLSKY (ph). DOMBROVA YANUSHEVSKY was a former Tsarist infantry officer who up to 1937 was a White Russian. Having been born in Bessarabia, which at that time was under Rumanian domination, YANUSHEVSKY decided to accept Rumanian citizenship in 1937. | 4 EAB/Lom woe ed : a RORY Ep ectin POG SEFIET, ag a CC? 65-4033 ~° F 60 MAY 6- 1988 'Docld: 32331045 Page 2?
f Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 HdFey DATE: 11-14- 2017 on ‘ Director, FBI \ sek ih April 25, 1949 In 19h5 ‘YANUSHEVSKY accept Siviet citizenship ~ "for reasons of protection". ay | } NIKOLSKY formerly lived in Kobe, Japan but moved to Kyoto, Japan after | World War II. NIKOLSKY originally came from the Ural section of Russia. and arrived in Japan in 1920. CAccording to(ust) ne NIKOLSKY is stateless at the CH) present time and is in thé Jewelry business: ($finsi kurther advised that BENTHEN has a r brother in Shanghai. whom he, BENTHEN, is trying to bring to the U.S. a Rinever met this brother Cs) and has no information regarding him except the fac at BENTHEN is quite concerned that his brother might be sent to the Island of Samar with the other Russian emigrants from Shanghai . . | BENTHEN left Yokohama for‘the U.S. in 1937 arriving at the port of San Francisco, California. The jewelry and watches which he brought with him gave 1 him an opportunity to enter.the jewelry business in San x1) shortly after his arrival, which business he has followed ever since. CS, ‘Arse Jrenenbered corresponding with BENTHEN on few occasions in connection with his @fforts to obtain an affidavit for himself, and his family to enable th to enter the U.S. BENTHEN was unable to send{ ALSR}jthe necessary affidavits(S) ; explaining that he had to send one to his brother in Shanghai and as a result he | was not able to furnish any for ALSR Yo) . | Kn reply as to whether| ALJR’ ‘ever met) BENTHEN, [itsk advised t t gt (AL ALJR met C J him a féw times in Tokio and |saw BENTHEN twice infSan Fran@isco. lained CS } that BENTHEN is a very thoughtful man and a good ‘samaritan having off ered to } (help ALJR financially upon ALJR's arrival in San Francisco |two years ago. CoS nr BENTHEN is at the present time helping a Russian emigrant who recently arrived , in the U.S. According to R\this emigrant is a drunkard and can't hold on Ss) to any of the jobs BEN’ was able to secure for himp>{ According to SF-1664 this person is one NIKO % OROBOV who recently arrived frém the Orient with his 16 year old daughter. ~ , In discussing(present contacts between ALSR and ENTHEN, (ALSH isp arises C 6d that BENTHEN came to visit(him at) VLASSOV's pome. the_day/ALSR and (arrived in San Francisco. ALSR stated that ey ALSR, occasionally cron in to C $4 visit BENTHEN at his store but’has visited BENTHEN'S “home on one occasion when ; _ BENTHEN invited him to dinner to meet his brother-in-law|who came to San ( | ; Francisco from Téxas where he is en 6yed as an oil epéineer. The brother-in-law - goes under the name of PETER PAULYGREGORY, former. YGRIGORIEFF, is a graduate of the University of California and was attending an Engineering Convention in San Francisco at the time(ALSR|met him. KES). 5) In regard to BENTHEN 's political views (ALSR stated that he believes BENTHEN to be neither pro nor anti-Soviet. He explained that he has never heard BENTHEN criticize the Soviet regime | nor has he ever heard hin praise it. 3 an . __ oe - . . ee | Docld: 32331045 Page 3