| Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 27107 Hote). DATE: 11-14-2017 JFK Assassination System Date: 4/27/201 Identification Form ——c—rrn rrr ry AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : Agency information FBI 124-10300-10069 HQ CR 97-3726-27 —_ CC nn ee ORIGINATOR : FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: “PAGES: SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : 05/04/1998 Document Information FBI DWYER, ROBERT JAMES DIRECTOR, FBI 12/18/1959 1) NRO, ASSOC, TRA, PLAN, COUNTERFEIT MONEY PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT Unclassified 4 Redact ro INDEFINITE ', a v9.1 DoclIda: 32309703 Page 1
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote). DATE: 11-14-2017 Repnui st m - FD-263 (t- 12-55} FEDERAL .. ¢AU OF Reporting Office Office of Origin Dato Invostigative Pariod MIAMI | MIAMI DEC 1 $1959 10/7 - 11/23/59 TITLE OF CASE Report made by Typed By: ROBERT JAMES DWYER RJDFbna f CHARACTER OF CASE MANU CALIXTO ROJAS DIAZ APPROPP UNTEACENCIES AND FIELU WP EIces . - ADVISED By fe Opting ~ INTERNAL SEU | bom : REFERENCE: Report of SA ROBERT JAMES DWYER, Miami, “10/6/59. . . Bureau letter to Department 10/19/59. es Bureau airtel to Miami 11/23/59. Miami airtels to Bureau 11/25/59 and 11/29/59. geen Te oT AWN 10 DECI ASSIFIED By " Px ot y ree; Te. a ae sm herr ver ans “JAN 251962 “ SLDIKSR saa MIAMI, FLORIDA ff is tiv 6-49 Sa OG je lL. ™~ | at ‘de oe by U. S. Customs. ne pun Ay) " é has Jef O17 ty VN ue. ea ee a Me te id: Ly 1*BE sf Syet hap ee Copies mado: 4y - Bureau :{97+3726 )(RM) - INS, Miami (RM) 1 - U. S. Customs, Miami (RM) 1 - U. S. Border Patrol, Tampa, Fla. (RM) e 4 3 - Miami (105-1791) 7 on v ae e 9 Pook J A fi es b a 9 D503 6 1999 *aaned to you by the FBI, and noWiidr  U. B. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1988 O—344750 nar its contents are to'D DoclId: 32309703 Page 2?
——— - = > -m- : whe = * ite om l<Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (4PUSt 2107 Ho t. * DATE: 11-14-2017 « . win “ ° ‘ : yey 2 . an rt € 4 “"4 a a ed ye te bed Fad ot ae ‘ _ ve 1 fm < MM 105-1791 2. Will maintain contact with Inomigration and Naturalization Service, U. S. Customs and U. S. Border Patrol regarding activities of subject. “gf a er ie ate aelleet nenee etek odie 3. Will recontact LYNN BAIR for further coverage oy -Of subject. : <8 se “~-.4,- Will report all details of subject's flight mt 2 to Aruba, Dutch West Indies, and any administrative action taken against him by Immigration and Naturalization a Service, Miami. + ay te roth r oss. 4 EDENTITY ov MM T+1 is LESTER BRUCE THRON, "pst pS MM T-2 is General MANUEL BENITEZ, 60 Palermo, Coral Gables, Plorida (By request) MM T-3 is Dr. ALCIDES DE LOS REYES, 1674 Southwest 8th , Street, Miami, Florida (By request) MM T-4 is CHARLES WILLIAM HORMEL, PCI MM T-5 is GEORGE RICHARDSON f FRANKLIN, 1762 S. W. 14th ° Terrace, Miami (By request) y, MM T-6 ightor 638-spf (nud ee INFORMANTS LOCATION OF ORIGINAL — ee elk eto S 134-373-Sub A-3,7 _Imstant_report, pages 1,6,7 Instant report, pages 1,7,9 nen . C - ~we eae 134-92 ~ , Instant report, pages 2,10,11 : | - od Instant report, pages 2,12. — | -B- - _ = COVER PAGE - 200 - 100 ~%A DoclId: 32309703 Page 3
" » Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote}. DATE: 11-14-2017 £ 2 4 re | |. s - , WD806 Rev. odd) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 1 - INS, Miami (RM) 1 - U. S. Customs, Miami (RM) 1 - U. S. Border Patrol, Tampa, Fla. (RM) SA ROBERT JAMES DWYER Office: MIAMI DEC 1 8 1959 105-1791 BUREAU FILE 97-3726 MANUEL CALIXTO ROJAS DIAZ ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA HEREIN IS GNOLASCIFIED 724% DATEVZ7465 BISA Subject reported to appear person in charge of Cuban Department of Logistics in Miami in early 1959. U. S. Border Patrol reported subject, on 9/23/59, left Nassau, BWI, with passenger and arrived in Miami alone. On 9/24/59, subject offered a person $25.00 to return - a rented airplane which he reportedly used to smuggle ‘ alien into U. S. On 9/25/59, subject reportedly flew guns from Ft. Pierce, Fla., to Cuba. MM T-2.. also reported subject flew guns to Cuba on week-end lof 9/26/59. MM T-3, in September, 1959, advised jsubject has been flying guns to Cuba. MM T-1, iin October, 1959,! advised subject was flying for former ‘Cuban Senator ROLANDO MASFERRER and was interested in . {going to Dominican Republic. MM T-3, in October, 1959,, said some anti-CASTRO leaders considered subject unreliable and dishonest, and that FREDESVINDO BOSQUE, representative of General PEDRAZA, was checking on } subject. On 10/17/59, subject telephonically contacted | Miami Office and said his life had been threatened, and- that he wanted protection. On 10/20/59, subject again ~ contacted Miami Office and said he intended to object to U. S. Department of S request that he register as agent of foréign principal... MM T-4 advised that subject is an associate of ORLANDO PIEDRA, former head of Cuban Military Intelligence. In June, 1959, PIEDRA asked MM T-4''to join subject in smuggling aliens into U. S, and to point out various air strips in southern _ This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of any kind. I is the property of the FBI, and isc foan to your agency; #t and/or its contents cre not to be distributed outside your agency. DoclId: 32309703 Page 4
' Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 Aas usc 2107 Hotey. DATE: 11-14-2017 ~ al eee? MM 105-1791 Florida to subject. {MM T-5, on 11/4/59} ‘paid he went to Nassau with subject a few weeks previously in Cessna airplane. In Nassau subject met with RAMIRO RANGEL, Cuban counterfeiter, and "MIKE" ARRUTIA, former Dominican Consul in Nassau. They discussed plan to counterfeit Cuban pesos, U. S. notes and British pounds. Prior to this ROJAS met with NORMAN ROTHMAN, Miami Beach hoodlum, concern- ing making counterfeit money. By letter dated 10/15/59, the U.-S. Department of Justice advised that subject was ' ‘xequired to register under Foreign Agents Registration i © Act. On 11/21/59, U. S. Border Patrol advised they & received information that subject rented airplane and x flew it to Dominican Republic. In Dominican Republic = subject loaded plane with anti-BETANCOURT pamphlets to iw ak drop over Venezuela. Subject converted this plane in as 4 = © Dominican Republic, attempted to fly to Venezuela, became Ait < o.= lost, landed in Aruba, Dutch West Indies,.and was. arrested. 0 qa =< ‘Zl. MM T-6/ ‘advised that an article appeared in a Spanish Sm aye newspaper stating that subject had been fined $200. 00 by ta s ii &) @ authorities in Aruba. Zoalggs —- -p- # hog “ | DETAILS: ' On September 24, 1959, L AIR, Green Mansions Motel, Miami Springs, Florida, advised. he was an employed -pitot-and” knew the subjects —— BAIR explained that he came to know the subject while working as a flight instructor, and that he taught the subject how to fly. . BAIR advised that ROJAS was at his apartment that morning and wanted BAIR to return a rented plane to DuPont Air Interests, Miami International Airport, . Miami. The plane had been returned by BOB OVERLY, and -; was flown by ROJAS, who, when he returned, hit a rock and damaged the plane. RQJAS offered BAIR $25.00 to return the plane to DuPont Air Interests, to which BAIR - refused. BAIR said the plane was a Cessna 172, and. had been used by RQJAS for two days. ROJAS left this plane at Regina Aviation Company, Miami International Airport. ROJAS had only four or five hours logged on the airplane's tachometer, | had used it two days and had brought an alien into the | United States in this airplane. ; , =2- DoclId: 32309703 Page 5
r Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 27107 Hgt DATE: 11-14-2017 . \ - oy \ pear nn an MM 105-1791 BARRINAT said that during the early part of 1959, MANUEL RQJAS informed him that the Cuban. Government had formed a Department of, istics. under the command of Captain GASPARYGONZALE ZA. BARRINAT was told by ROJAS that the Departgent of Logistics would have persons in the we United States who would try to obtain information about arms shipments to Cuba, and that this information would be turned over to the United States and Cuban authorities so that they would be able to seize these arns. BARRINAT said that ROJAS appeared to be the person in charge of the Department. of Logistics' activities in Miami, and was the person who handled correspondence with Captain GONZALEZ LANUZA in Cuba. BARRINAT said that the only other person known to him to be connected with the Department of Logistics was FRANK } PEREZ, a a National residing in Miami. — Lee MM T=-1, on September 25, 1959, advised that on ' September 24, 1959, early in the morning, MANUEL RQJAS returned from a flight to Nassau in a Piper Apache airplane { and landed at Tamiami Airport, Miami. “ | MM T-1 said that on September 24, 1959, ROJAS | and EVELIO ALPIZAR took a twin-engine Beechcraft airplane | from St. Lucie County Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida, and ; flew over the B and L Farms near Homestead, Florida, did not land, and returned to Tamiami Airport where the: plane was left during the night. MM T-1 advised that the plane was originally flown t Ft. Pierce by three Americans, a man named -LES THORN, a woman named VIRGINIA (last name unknown), and another person named WILLIAM/SERGALIS. Slaw <= MM T-1 advised that these three persons apparently had nothing to do with the use of the plane, and that the plane was to be returned to Fort Pierce, Florida, on the \ evening of September 25, 1959. ~ -5- DoclId: 32309703 Page 6
FP Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 199? (44 usc 27107 DATE: 11-14-2017 a —s MM 105-1791 On October 9, 1959, MM T-l1 advised that LES THORN had been offered, and accepted, a job as maintenance man and part-time pilot for Compania Dominicana de Avacion Airlines, Dominican Republic, and would leave for that country to take that position. MM.T-1 said that THORN had talked this over _ with ROJAS, who stated that he, too, was interested in obtaining such a job in the Dominican Republic. ROJAS advised MM T-1 that on ROJAS' authorization, EVELIO ALPIZAR paid $50.00 to THORN for past services performed. MM T-1 said that ROJAS 1s flying for ROLANDO MASFERRER, | and that LYNN BAIR, an American pilot, planned to see ROLANDO MASFERRER the following Monday concerning some- deal.that ROJAS is setting up with MASFERRER and BAIR. ° MM T-1 said it was undoubtedly concerning arrangements — to make some illegal flight out of the United States for MASFERRER by. BAIR. MM T-3, on October 13, 1959, advised that: some anti-FIDEL CASTRO leaders in Miami feel that MANUEL ROJAS and certain other individuals-are unreliable and dishonest in their dealings with the anti-CASTRO movement, and that these individuals have been known to collect money to carry out anti-CASTRO activities, but have been using a portion of the collected funds for their own personal — benefit. -~3 stated that on 0 r 12, 1959, FREDESV IND SQUE, &@ representative of General JOSE PEDRAZA, 8 d he was checking on ROJAS concemir his --- -rellability and loyalty to the anti-CASTRO movement. NM T-3 explained that General JOSE PEDRAZA is a former Cuban General in exile in the Dominican Republic, and considered the military leader of the anti-CASTRO movement. . On October 17, 1959, MANUEL ROJAS telephonically contacted the Miami Office and advised SA WILLIAM P. KELLY that in the morning of that day he had received a telephone call from an unidentified male Cuban, who threatened his life. Then later during the morning . ‘Qe os af a) I 4 —— ee - - - DoclId: 32309703 Page 7
. Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107, Kot er. DATE: 11-14-2017 . . . uo an a ay V — MM 105-1791 | he received another phone call from an unidentified female ~ Cuban who asked to meet him at 220 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach. ROJAS stated he declined this invitation. ROJAS said that during the early evening of October 17, 1959, he received another telephone call from the same woman who asked ROJAS to meet her at the Toledo Restaurant in downtown Miami at about 9:00 P.M. ‘ROJAS stated he was very nervous about the possibility of an attempt made on his life. He desired the FBI to protect him. ROJAS stated that although he was very much afraid he might be assassinated,. he did not mo wish to notify local police authorities, and he had no 4 intention of meeting the unidentified Cuban woman at the * Toledo Restaurant. . On October 20, 1959, ROJAS telephonically contacted SA WILLIAM P, KELLY, and stated he had received a letter from the United States Department of Justice, dated October 15, 1959, requesting him to register under the provisions of the Registration Act. ROJAS stated that he intended to contact the Department of Justice and object to this request that he register. Cubbe On October 25, 1 MM T-4 advised that roms Je. was .an associate of ORLANDO/| TEDRA, a Cuban exile residing ~*"~—— in Miami, who was formerly: t Chief of the Cuban Military Intelligence Service, and (first name unknown) MEDINA, brother, ‘former Cuban Consul General, Miami, ANTONIO MEDINA. MM T-4 said that. in June, 1959, PIEDRA asked MM T-4 to join ROJAS in flying unidentified persons. out of : Cuba into the United States and also to point out to ROJAS - the various airfields and airstrips located in South | Florida that could be used for such an operation. La ; MM T-5, on November 4, 1959, aavidee thee Loa — few weeks prior to that date ROJAS asked -5 to fly to NASSAU, which they did, together in a Cessk@ 172 airplane and while in Nassau, . ROJAS met with. RAMIRO GEL, an: —_ ex-Cuban politician and counterfeiter, and with "MIKE" UTIA, | former Dominican Consul in Nassau, and that these three ~ / men discussed a plot. to counterfeit Cuban pesos, United Deisi/ hard States notes and British pounds . - -10- a - - -— ~ - a DoclId: 32309703 Page 8