JFK Assassination System Date: 10/14/20 Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: HSCA RECORD NUMBER: _ 180-10118-10067 RECORD SERIES: BRIEFING BOOKS AGENCY FILE NUMBER : Document Information ORIGINATOR: HSCA FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: 01/11/1978 PAGES: 32 SUBJECTS : MARCELLO, CARLOS, BACKGROUND DOCUMENT TYPE: BRIEFING BOOK CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: = Open in Full CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW: — 09/20/1993 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : Box 2. MLK material withdrawn. v9.1 ] Docld: 322767342 Page 1
cen na inn aD ingistarten ee aad drat Sen wen ene eae ee a Nl TABLE OF CONTENTS © PROCEDURAL OUTLINE: ‘Outline for - Conducting Both Ep : ‘Kennedy and King Subcommittee. - ‘Hearings SoS . BACKGROUND: os ‘Biography. Of ‘carlos. ‘Marcello: and General Objective of Hearings | KENNEDY SUBCOMMITTEE - OBJECTIVE I: | TO, determine whether. carlos: Sek . Marcelle and other organized crime figures, because of their. business: . interests in Cuba prior 'to’the rise - ; _ o£ Castro, were involved, inskilling - eg SO BS |. the President in order: to, neverse .. 5 me American pol icy . towards Cuba, Soma OBJECTIVE II: To deterniine whether Marcéllo;: éither™ aloné or with. other Organized’ Crim oo ' figures, killed the President. ‘bécause | ‘of ‘a crackdown against Organized | on Crime initiated by the Kennedy | Administration. KING SUBCOMMITTEE | . OBJECTIVE III:.. To determine the extent, of - Carlos a + “Marcello’s knowledge of an! “Liberto so alleged participation. in the, assassina-. tion of By. King. , be 7 ‘OBJECTIVE Iv: To determine the extent (of eek Marcello’ Ss. knowledge ‘of James Earl ‘Ray's activities” in New Orleans. ‘OBJECTIVE V: To ‘détermine: the. ‘xélationship: Of Marcéllo with ‘associates or relatives” of James’ Batr ‘Ray * Marcelle s “association Ries - OBJECTIVE VI: TS. ‘deterinin @. So , “with or: 2ag Fr .GD ED participation. of: white. thate., .gxoups | _ in the: assassination. of Dr." “King. ws Docld: 322767342 Page 2?
2408 Uae vetiniianricSa tetrad Ae iI an ach a “ent Bete hia a De ate tatu rate ay, at naan eeidbednaletha a ew PROCEDURE FOR KENNEDY AND KING. SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS _ le - The Chairman should recognize Elizabeth Berning, _ Clerk of the Committee, to read for the. record those Members “who | are officially designated to be on the Subcommittee today, pursuant to Committee Rule 12. 3. | 2. - The hearing should go into Executive Session. There should be a motion: | : | ” that today" s hearing and one | subsequent day a hearing be held in Executive ‘Session "since on the basis of information obtained by the Committee, the Committee believes the -- evidence or testimony may ‘tend to defame, degrade, oS ‘or incriminate: people, and consequently, Section 2(K) (5)" of Rule ll of the Rules of the House and committee | Rule 3-3(5), ‘require such hearings be in Executive Session. | . oS . There must be three Members present ‘to vote on this ‘motion. A rollcall vote should be taken. . 3. ' The Chairman should swear the witness” at this time. He should state that. he understands a copy of our: Rules have already been given to the witness. He should © ask the witness if this is true. The Chairman should Docld: 32267342 Page 3
Ft pe hb Savina etna aaa hy Loa Conder ES SS a tin EBON onl mn fT Re bes Procedure for Kennedy and King Subcommittee Hearings Page 2 state that the witness is appearing pursuant to ‘subpoena. ‘4. — The Chairman should give a brief statement com cerning | the subject of the investigation. He should state that House Resolution 222 mandates: ‘the Committee | "to conduct a full and complete investigation and study | of the circumstances surrounding the: . e ; : oe assassination and death of President John F. : | | Kennedy" Br. Martin Luther King, Jr. Jt including. determining whether the existing laws of the united seat ‘concerning the protection of the. President and the investigatory jurisdiction and capability of agencies. and departments are adequate in their provisions and enforcement, and whether there was. full disclosure of "evidence and information among agencies and departments of : . the United States Government, and | whether any evidence or information not in the possession of an agency - ‘or department would have been of assistance. in investigating the assassination, and why such information. was not provided or collected by’ that agency ‘or - department, 7 © and to:make recommendations to the House a . if the Select Committee deens it appropriate - for the. amendment | . Dacld: 32267342 Page 4
eta e te ida Ace BRET LMR! el a a gee ee elt hd taal Sh AMT Bln as in lt we heh eo HS ri ee at aera citreus iq lyme sa tee tm et En Pint abate elon agar Cod ge ona EAN ta baa Be ne ba Pe a ia naan Nate naittnt patint See oe Procedure for Kennedy and King. Subcommittee Hearings Page 3 of existing legislation or” the enactment of. new — “legislation. 5. The questioning of the witness may now proceed. / | . 7 6. | . if ‘the witness takes the Fifth Amendment to a question, and the Committee desires | to. immunize . the witness, the Chairman should give the. withess a copy Of Judge Bryant! Ss order immunizing the witness and compelling testimony from him, The witness should now . be directed to answer the question that. was ‘propounded. 7. , “Pursuant to Committee Rule 3. Sy any objection of the witness or witness’ “counsel must. be. specifically ruled upon by the Chairman. The witness should be directed to answer the question if. ‘the Chairman believes the witness is improperly refusing to answer. ‘should the witness object on the grounds of pertinency, he ‘should be given a brief explanation of the pertinency of the. question and. then directed to answer it.) 8. a At the conclusion of the questioning of ‘the witness, pursuant to. Rule 3. 6 of the committee, the @ So Chairman should offer the witness and/or his counsel. five minutes to explain or amplify the witness! testimony. “Docld:32267342 Page 5
FeV atta a Linnie thie ln 8 ata host SA a ese seom oe Shee ements ean aes kn ae Niele hate Sata enna AOR ga Scotty a Ciena tn atl ate mln Ei san pean Denn Siete Ae hte a Ae Procedure for Kennedy and King Subcommittee Hearings Page 4 9.0. The witness should be informed that he is under the continuing subpoena of the Committee, and - “subject to the call of the Chair ata future date. Boctld: 32967342 7 Page 6
wht iS indacSiScea niet nck SERNA ate SE EIA pants Fy ioe Teerneut ad LeubrastRS GD 200k chica Ben ancenne Y eenlvaic a cad nbn ed AN nla et nh ok ALO ne enna ek hob Re ate tet baal Ae ae E Sa aie te 22 Nema ae Tie ahead Drehaedbe eek mend A alba cte Atta ES Tie tg eB wt Debt bg cenindi shee, GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF HEARING | This first session with Marcello ‘has the Limited Purpose of - obtaining Marcello! s direct testimony in each of the areas” in which he may have been involved - or of which he may have knowledge. No detailed cross-— examination will be attempted. if deemed appropriate, Marcello’ Ss answers will then be tested by, further | investigation over ‘the course of the next six months. | 7 / At that. ‘time, Marcello may be recalled to “probe the | veracity and accuracy of his testimony at the first: session. | RS GENERAL BACKGROUND ON CARLOS MARCELLO Carlos Marcello is reputed to be, as he was at the time of both the Kennedy and King assassinations, _ “the head of organized crime in the New Orleans area. “The bulk of Marcello's income during the ‘period of the° ~ assassination derived from gambling and real estate “investments. Marcello is also alleged to have had substantial control over state and local government . officials in Louisiana. A-number of law enforcement ® officers in Jefferson Parish are considered to be on his payroll. ~Docld: 32267342 Page 7.
Se ah aged etait ane ak ena Sy ceeectetas cork ALD unate whedmetents amine mittee ee LAO Ree de ate non etree wheal een ad nee eRe athe id Pent inant int ER idan athe eet AN EEE ae cc anatase etna Marcello was born on February 6, “1910 at _ Tunis, Africa. The failure of his. parents to have Carlos "naturalized when they arrived in New Orleans on October, ll, . 1910 has. left “Marcello vulnerable to possible deportation, Ce a battle ‘he has been fighting since 1952. » Marcello grew - up in Jefferson Parish, on the outskirts of New Orleans, _ as a petty hoodlum. He was convicted of assault and | robbery | in 1929 and of the sale of marijuana in 1938. 7 - Since that time, Marcello has not been convicted of a | crime except for 1968 when he was convicted of assaulting an FBI “agent. : | | , It has been allegea that Marcello received his first opportunities in organized crime from Meyer Lansky ¢ . "who gave him a percentage of the slot machines in New , orleans. In the forties, Marcello used the Jefferson — Music co. as a front for handling ‘the distribution of slot and pinball machines. Along with Mafia members Lansky, Phil Kastel, and Frank Costello, he also obtained oe an interest in the Beverly Club, a plush gambling « casino in Jefferson Parish. In 1947, when New. Orleans Mafia “boss Sam’ Corollo was deported, Marcello acceded to Corollo! Ss. e throne. FBI files indicate that Marcello’ s primary source of illegal revenue was a local gambling network operated Docld:32267342° Page 8
by his” six younger brothers - primarily Joseph and” Vincent - and lieutenants Joe Porretto and. Nofio. ; Pecora. surprisingly, however, the preponderance ‘of | material in the FBI files on Marcello in the late fifties and the sixties pertains to Marcello! s ostensibly legitimate » real estate transactions. The “files reflect relatively | little organized crime activity, although it is alleged his investments in real estate are a method of "laundering" i . money for other mafia families. ‘When Robert Kennedy became Attorney General in 1961 under his brother' s administration, Marcello was” targeted as one of the organized crime figures ‘against which the Justice Department was to launch an unprecedented . onslaught. On April 4, 1961, Marcello was deported: to Guatemala in a manner which he allegedly described to -- associates as a “Kidnapping. " Approximately 2 to 3 months later,: he clandestinely re- entered: the United States. . "thee ‘crackdown: of the Kennedy | Justice Department allegedly  infuriatea Marcello. At his retreat at churchill Farms. “in September of 1962, “Marcello is | alleged ‘to have complained to a meeting of his associates that Bobby Kennedy was a "stone" in his shoe and to have assured the group that both Kennedys would be killed. Docld:322767342 Page 9.
sew celia Dea tae natal ahi od mre aie Sm ae ata AE AAM Eig m naten dente EBL cons on patna nea lanier dice pamreimrth amet se Te cu tA see tent ier scot eer a “abee ahnee nde neti ante ap eaten! fm ab stinite alah ASE natn datratepaa ine Loa OBJECTIVE TT. “To. determine whether Carlos 1 Marcello and 7 : | | other Organized Crime Figures, because of their business interests in Cuba prior to the rise of Castro, were involved in killing the ‘president | in order to reverse American policy towards Cuba. FACTUAL BACKGROUND A. Organized Crime Interests in Pre-Castro Cuba oe Although there are numerous rumors to the contrary, ry ) ; - oO “there i is no | firm evidence that Marcello had any sub- | | stantial business interests. in Cuba. If Marcello had ‘business interests in n Cuba, they would most likely involve gambling’ or narcotics. - Tt is known that. two. of his closest associates in the Mafia, Meyer, Lansky | and Santos Trafficante, had substantial Cuban business - interests. It will be necessary to probe Marcello! s - "relationship with them to. determine both ‘whether. “Marcello had Cuban business interests or whether ‘they +. golicitea Marcello! Ss aid in an attempt to recover their ; ‘financial losses in Cuba. | a Be Marcello's Participation - In or “Awareness of Assassination Plots Against Castro @ 7 oo The ‘Schweiker Report emphasizes that the — Mafia- CIA plots against Castro suggest. ‘the possibilities Docld:32267342 Page 10.
feng ate eee a were nage Hie 3a Stennett Seeretemete rn EEH me cin peat Aon me nee Se ene a SE ane te ee bch ew ance cee bat can Ran a that either (1), Castro used organized crime in the. - assassination of President Kennedy as a form of | retaliation or (2) that organized crime was | “motivated to assassinate President Kennedy as an alternative method to effect a change in the Cuban government. To probe hypothesis number | 1, Marcello will be questioned about his relationship, if any, with Castro. To probe hypothesis number 2, “Marcello will be questioned to. determine whether he was ‘involved ‘or 1 knew of CIA-Mafia plots to assassinate Castro. There. is. no firm evidence that Marcello had a ‘relation- ship with Castro or participated in the Mafia-CIA plots. C. ‘Marcello! s Participation In or Knowledge of Anti-Castro GEOUpS Based in New Orleans New orleans was a center of anti- Castro activity, . “several g groups of anti- Castro Cubans’ ‘trained at Lake . Ponchartrain ‘for raids on Cuba. Marcello' Ss close ' friend, Nick Popich, owned land along. the lake which “was used as a training camp. Furthermore, it is” alleged that organized crime supplied guns to many of ‘the anti- Castro groups. tt is ‘rumored that Marcello's @ criminal attorney at that time, G. Wray Gill, Sr. supplied | funds to some of ‘these groups. ‘In addition to the - DoctId: 32967342 Page 11
Whetnneintinmanctilae tn Sd nh tet Sanath enn ana akan hr inch wtf bho tetanic et eae SPN at bin Spent a nas Cathe cea tania oie ht Mamet atte Acme am mtiee San ts nahin Acide nk eerie wba tess elite ne groups actively training at Lake Ponchartrain, “Marcello appears to have associates who have ties. to New Orleans Cuban exiles. “Marcello should be ‘questioned about his relationship with these individuals -.and organizations. Docld: 32267342 Page 12.
A. Organized Crime Investment in Pre-Castro Cuba l. Visits to Cuba prior ‘to 1960 2. Nature and Extent of Business ‘Interests, -.--Including Partners a. a. -gambling- casinos, dog or race tracks b. | hotels | | c. narcotics 1) meeting with Carl Noll discussing “shipments of heroin to Norman Rothman at Sans Souci 7 | | - @ | 2) meeting with Joe LaPiccolo in 1956 - regarding Cuban/Guatemala heroin — 3. Nature of Relationship with Organized Crime Individuals Who Had Substantial Investments In Cuba a. Meyer "Lansky b. Lewis McWillie nor Mike and William Mebaney, - a.” Norman Rothman e. Santo. trafficante _ “els La Stella meeting | - Doctor in New Orleans | f. Frank Sturgis | | : 7 ge ‘Charles Tour ine e 'B. Marcello! s Participation In or. Awareness of “Assassination Plots Against Castro ‘Docld: 32967342 Page 13
1. Knowledge of Mafia- CIA Plots ‘a. » from Santo. Trafficante, John. nn Roselli, a ‘Sam Giancana, Robert Maheu | be awareness of any U. ‘s. government plot to. assassinate Castro. | | | 2. Awareness ‘of other plots to assassinate. ' Castro a. Knowledge of Sam Benton, Ed. nein, | Marcus “Perez Jimenez (alleged meeting in “Miami to discuss hit on Castro. “Benton / r - : os one gays must check with man in New orleans) 3. Nature_ and Extent, if any, of dealings with , Castro 1960- ~1963 . er, - a. ‘personal — b. business ~cuba as narcotics supplier | _Tarms shipments — | “-@: Marcello's knowledge of or participation. in n Anti~ | Castro groups based in New Orleans 1 Training Camps at Lake’ Ponchartrain a ae 7 Crowns Ranch (owned by Nick Popich in 1963, subsequently by Sam Marcello) ‘b. Supplying arms | “Munitions raid on. “Bill MeClaney’ s . ee . _ property - Sam Benton arrested Docld:32267342 Page 14
or Supplying, funds . ee 6. Wray Gill “allegedly transferred Po - funds to Cuban groups. a 2. Association with groups based in New Orleans ‘a. Cuban Revolutionary Democratic Fund (FRD) | | 1) Arcacha Smith -(head of FRD, associate of David Ferrie) — | 2) William Dalzell 3) Proposed trade: Cuban citizenship and @. a oo : gambling concession for $200, 000 a 7 | .b. Cuban Revolutionary Council (CRC) - 1). Manuel Gil, (head ~ arranged Oswald - | Carlos Bringuier. debate) © | : c. Information Council of ‘the Americas (INCA) _ 1) Ed Butler (head, participated in| » = Oswald- “Bringuier debate) 2) Seymour | Weiss (charter member, Director Of Standard Fruit)” +3). William I. Monaghan (Oswald associate, S Standard Fruit) Docld:32267342 Page 15
-OBJECTIVE.. II. To determine whether Marcello, either alone or with other. organized crime” figures, killed the President because of a crackdown against organized crime initiated by ‘the Kennedy Administration? FACTUAL BACKGROUND - A. Organized Criminal Activity The Kennedy Administration crackdown on organized 7 ‘crime was focused on. targeting particular individuals for investigation and prosecution. ‘To: evaluate Marcello’ s 7 eo. 7 _ reaction to being made a "target" of the ‘Kennedy Adminis— . | tration, it ‘is necessary to, determine what the” ‘loss to - Marcello and other. organized crime leaders would have "been had Kennedy succeeded. Marcello! s illegal activities were allegedly centered around’ gambling and possibly harcotics. He is alleged to have said he could close down "50 - 75%" Of: the handbooks in Jefferson Parrish: ) if he so desired. _ FBI informants indicate he may hve extensive ‘dealings | in | narcotics, particularly from Guatemala and Honduras. | | B. Marcello Deportation Case and David Ferrie The aspect of the Justice Department’ s crackdown on organized crime which would have most obviously raised the ire of Marcello towards the Kennedys was” Docld:32267342 Page 16
Marcello's deportation | to Guatemala. “The Immigration - and Naturalization Service in 1952 first began its efforts to deport, Marcello as an undesirable ‘on the basis of his 1938 marijuana conviction. ‘The ‘dilatory ‘legal tactics of Marcello's attorney, Jack Wasserman, enabled : Marcello to remain in the United States until 1961. Since the status of "deportability" requires that a ; country be willing to. accept a deporte, Marcello directed ‘much: of: his delaying tactics ‘to assuring that no country would accept him. He initiated legal. | @ - an proceedings in Italy, bribed Italian attorneys and officials, and allegedly submitted a. forged Guatemalan | birth certificate to the Italian counsul in New Orleans as a last-ditch effort ‘to forestall deportation to ‘Italy. When Robert Kennedy became Attorney General at .. vd i the outset: of 1961,. stories. appeared in the New. Orleans cat “press that Kennedy | would act to expedite Marcello’ S- - deportation. INS finally seized on the forged Guatemalan birth certificate to effect his deportation to Guatemala. | On April 4, 1961, Marcello was driven : by his attorney, Phil smith, to the New Orleans INS @ 7 | “office to make his required quarterly report on his | whereabouts. When Marcello entered the office, he was handcuffed by two agents, driven to the airport, ~ “Docld: 32267342 Page 17
“placed alone on an INS plane, ‘and “flown to. Guatemala. Although his. attorney was “permitted to _accompany | Marcello to. the airport, Marcello’ ‘s “plane took off. , while the attorney was running across: ‘the - runway. in an effort to make a phone call to set in motion : “degal proceedings. 7 | Marcello re-entered the vs etna approximately two ‘months after his deportation; his method of re-entry remains a mystery. Marcello alleges he took. a commercial Flight through Miami, ‘but INS officials @ ae doubt this. “It is alleged he may have been flown in 7 from Guatemala by David Ferrie ina | private plane. ‘Ferrie did work as an investigator for. Marcello’ Ss attorney ‘on Marcello's case after he- re- entered ‘the - country. . David Ferrie has been a ‘central figure in ‘the : “assassination case.” Two days after the assassination, he was arrested in New ‘orleans based upon allegations that, he knew Oswald, “trained him for the assassination, and ‘was to fly Oswald out of ‘the country after the assassination. Oswald had David Ferrie’ s jibrary card vin his possession when he was’ arrested. r ) Oo ~ Ferrie also has been linked to Jack Ruby. On ‘Dbocld:32267342 Page 18
September 24, 1963, Ferrie called Jean West in Chicago. On November 21, 1963, Ruby met Jean West and Lawrence a Mayers in ‘Dallas. | | a Ferrie. also has significant | ties to the Cuban | groups in New Orleans. He worked as an investigator "for. Guy Bannister at 544, Camp Street. Bannister. had_ substantial involvement with Cuban groups. 544 Camp Street was the headquarters for several Cuban pacar including FRD, CRC and others. It also was ‘the address’. listed on the Cuban literature Oswald distributed in @ ae . New Orleans. | es | aor _Financing of Marcello s Real Estate Transactions ‘Through Teamster Pension Funds A major aspect of the ‘Kennedy Justice Department's. - offensive against organized crime was Robert Kennedy 's indefatigable effort to prosecute Jimmy Hoffa. The “Teamster Pension Fund, was a primary source: of capital for. projects ‘constructed by organized ‘crime, and Gt vas “Hoffa who controlled the diversion of those funds. If organized crime was motivated to order the assassina— tion as a response to the Justice: Department crackdown, Bobby Kennedy's drive against Hoffa to deprive the Mafia of its source of funds would have been a component = @ element of that motive. . Docld: 32267342 Page 19