Released onider the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote). DATE: 11-14-2017 i. JFK Assassination System Date: 6/2/2015 Identification Form Agency Information . AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: — 124-90110-10077 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 97-3653-3 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: MM TO: HQ TITLE: DATE: 03/13/1959 PAGES: 10 SUBJECTS : ERWIN C KARDEN JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Secret’ RESTRICTIONS: 1C; 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LAST. REVIEW: 08/06/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE RPT COMMENTS : | v9.1 ; | Docld: 32334084 Page 1 17
Released under the John F. 1 a : _ BD=204 (Rov. 0-23-48) Nae ; we . ~ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUST ICE . FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SECRET. Copy tor L- U. S$. Customs, Miami (RM) , a, SA ROBERT JAMES DWYER. MIAMI Bapurt oft Offices File Number: ‘MIAMI ~ 97= 25 5 | ‘ite ERWIN C. KARDEN | | Character REGISTRATION ACT - CUBA (ARE WHeCES AT TO? COMPA TERS ! rors LMREIA 7S UFCLESSITLER | sO ‘EXCEPS WERE SHO8B_,. Syiopsiss uo OREN LE ae . ae ae Ck > Ey T-1 on 2/16/59, said subject and DON HELLER were supplying» ant arms to rebels in the Caribbean and Central America. MM ae T-1 said they were helping in conversion of Cuban pesos and trying to assist in the evacuation of families of BATISTA supporters in Cuba. MM T-1 said subject and HELLER predicted overthrow of Dominican Republic; Haiti, and future revolution in.Colombia, SA>] MM T-2 on 1/22/59, advised subject had acted as banker for FIDEL CASTRO for purchase of arms , and had $28,000,000. 00° at his Miami Beach, Fla., residence. Jewel thieves in Miami area were aware of subject’ s having large sum of money at. his residence. Another source on © /25 459. said a ship's Captain saw a large amount of money in subject's house and was offered opportunity to take this money to Bahamas, BWI for conversion. MM T-3 on 3/2/59, said . . HELLER had $49 000,000.00 in Cuban pesos to exchange. Subject reportedly said. he had $54,000,000.00 in Cuban pesos. mM T-4 on 3/9/59 said subject's daughter engaged to son of | Colombian ‘Ambassador to Cuba and subject made many trips ‘to Cuba prior. to 1/1/59. MM T-4 said subject had millions of Cuban pesos belonging to families of the BATISTA regime and subject interested in changing Cuban pesos into American dollars. MM T-5 stated it was highly unlikely that subject was banker: for | FIDEL CASTRO for purchase of arms. ne 2 P 3 _ “elds, Lop desert Mean ‘ SECRET iy. ey _ This document contalne neither recommendations nor conclustens of any kind: Wt ls the property of the’ Fl, ond ff @ loan to your agency, # and/or Lis contents ¢ are e not to be distributed ¢ eutside your agency. = a oa | pocra: 32334084 Page ; 3
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 USC D107 Hotes. DATE: ‘possibly engaged in supplying arms to rebel- organizations in Central America and the Caribbean. (S) Jamsary, 1959, a shipment. ‘of small arms. left an unidentified European seaport bound for the. Dominican Republic. ‘HELLER - QUEVA *:and later a revolt would take place in Colombia, South, America. (Ss) 11- 14-2017 f MM 97-255 DETAILS: . This investigation is predicated oninformation received from MM T-1, a confidential source abroad, who on February 16, 1959, advised that according to a- reliable source in Nassau, BWI, nee “President of Liberty Aviation, 10700 Coral Way, iami Airport, Miami, Florida, had stated some of the planes belonging to- ‘Liberty “Aviation had been used in flying arms to FIDEL CASTRO, rebel leader in Cuba.. (Ss) MM T-1' stated he believed HELLER and. IRWIN -KARDEN, East Delido Drive, Delido Island, Miami Beach, ‘Florida; “were MM T~1 said HELLER and KARDEN were also reported te be helping in the conversion of a” large amount of Cuban pesos which had been brought to Miami by exiles who fled Cuba after the fall of FULGENCIO BATISTA regime. MM T=1 said HELLER and KARDEN were. also trying to hélp ewe (S) some of. the families: of BATISTA. Supporters | from Cuba MM T-1 advised ELLER and KARDEN stated in about ‘and KARDEN claimed after things. ‘became more settled in. Cuba followers of FIDEL CASTRO in Cuba would attempt to overthrow w! the governments of the: Dominican Republic and Haiti, and that the © attempt to overthrow the Haitian Government would be led by an Argentine Communist with a name something like "CHE — att sally MM T-2 on January 22, 1959, advised ERWIN C.. KARDEN Q was a financial agent for Cuban rebel leader. FIDEL. CASTRO. and had a huge amount of currency at his residence, . 620 E. . Bi Lido Drive, Di. Lido Island, Miami Beach, Florida, and that j ] ce ee ' Docld: 32334084 Page 4
i 44 USC 2107 Hote}. FY medy As 1 Loni d= Collection Act of 19923 { T ohn F. Kennedy Assassination Recor Released under the John F tex DATE: 11-14-2017 ; MM 97-255 this fact was known to a number of jewel thieves in the Miami metropolitan area. , MM T-2 advised ERWIN C. KARDEN was a wealthy individual and owner of Cobb's Fruit and Preserving Company, , Miami, and had been acting as a banker for CASTRO in. the purchase of arms for shipment to Cuban rebel. forces. MM T-2 stated a large amount of money had been accumulated by KARDEN, but the money was obtained principally from CASTRO supporters in South America, and the money amounted MM T-2 stated during the second week in January, 1959, 0 icers of the Miami Bea Police Department ascertained ‘CHESTER / OCHOWSKI, aka., CHESTE “GRAY, known jewel thief, pee was seen\on the property of the! EN residence and appeared to -LA be seeking a way to enter the house. Previously ZOCHOWSKI ae had been seen at the,; yshore Coyntry Club, Miami. Beach, at Ca a meeting with Jose arnora, Anekat2 and DAVID ARAs , all. | known jewel thieves ifbthe Miami metropolitan ared. ? . MM T-2 said it was not known how these thieves learned of the money in KARDEN's possession, but MEROLA was | Docld: 32334064 Page 5
Released, under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hotey. DATE: 11-14-2017 ons ; a en | | | . UScs REVIEWED BY #JFK TASK FORCE MM 97-255 | On Siu 98 Qo ; 1 AELEASE IN PART | Ci TOTAL DENIAL STEWART advised he had been taken to the residence™? "2" of ERWIN C. KARDEN, 620 E. DiLido Drive, DiLido Island, ~ Miami Beach, within the past few weeks and was shown a bedroom which had boards over the windows and contained Cuban currency stacked up so high that it almost completely filled the room. STEWART said the Cubans who resided at this residence showed him the money and said it amounted to a | total of $34,000,000.00 in Cuban pesos and contacted him because they wanted him to take’ sums of this money on his boat ; | to the Bahama Islands where it could be exchanged for other . money. The Cubans told STEWART he could have all the money obtained over 75¢ on the dollar for the exchange of the Cuban pesos. Captain SHAWLEY said he was unable to advise regarding the number of men guarding the money; the denomination of the bills, or why this money was shown to STEWART. He ~~ said it was his understanding that the money was from the Cuban treasury and was taken out of the country on behalf of former Cuban President BATISTA. On. January 23, 1959, Mr. WILLIAM LANKFORD, Customs Asant, United States Customs, Miami, Florida, advised he was familiar with CARL STEWART, referred to as Captain ~ STEWART of the "Allen's Cay" fishing boat, and that STEWART was not actually the Captain of the boat. Mr. LANKFORD stated the actual Captain was a man named (FNU) ARCHER, a Negro from the Bahama Islands. Mr. LANKFORD explained STEWART impressed him in the past as being a braggart, but who traveled in such circles that information he furnished could not be ignored. On March 2, 1959, MM T-3 advised on or about : - February 4 1959, JIMMY AZRAK (ph) a Syrian who operates a | pocld:32334084 Page 6