Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: LEG, HAVANA
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 12/29/1958
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

5/1/2015

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-10212-10135

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : CR 62-9-210-15

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: LEG, HAVANA

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE: 12/29/1958

PAGES:

3

SUBJECTS :

MZF, ASSOC, THP, B/F INT, GAMBLING

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS:

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 07/23/1996

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

y9.1

DocId: 32293859

Page 1

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## Page 2

Release unter-ther

DATE iANdskorbit ablet 7

Offer Men

Assasstnation Recorts

cortection not ot

UM • UNITEY

GOVERNMENT

TO

Director, FBI

CONFI

IAL.

DATE:

December

29

FROM :

Legat,

Havana (64-153)

Hood Li

SUBJECT:

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES

st

ANTI-RACKETEERING

DECLASSTRIED BY -29-94

Reference Havana letters

August

27,

and September

8, 1958,

and Miami teletype of October 23, 1958, transmitting information

received from Legat, Havana.

Set forth below is additional information which has come

to the attention of the Legat,

Havana,

concerning theractivities and

interests of American gamblers in Cuba:

AND FIELDAY IONS

ADVISED BY VOLVING

J UMCZASSIVIED

Classified by 5P6 B5 A/GEL AID INFOENTION CONTAINED

GENERAL INFORMATION:

SLIP(S) OFACM

DATE. /

14-S

The disturbed political situation in Cuba and the resulting

WHSRE SH0WK

decrease in tourism has had a severe affect in recent months on the

gambling casinos in Havana.

Most of the casinos are barely breaking

even.

It is apparent, however, that American gamblers continue to

have an optimistic long-range view concerning the eventual success

of gambling casinos in Cuba.

In recent months on the occasions when

gamblers have sold interests in casinos, there has apparently been

E:X02

a number of

other gamblers interested in buying those interests.

SIn addition,

the Legat, Havana, continues to receive information

indicating that other

gamblers in the United States are planning

721326

classifyton: 0a08/2-12-4f

to invest in and construct more casinos in Cuba as soon as the

political situation stabilizes:

On 9/29/58, T. James Ennis, manager of the Hotel

that he was informed by a Florida hotel

manager named

setting up an island-wide punch board operation in Cuba..

VON HAGEN

stated that PILAR GARCIA,.. Chief, Cuban National Police, had indicated

that he would allow such

an operation if given a percentage.

On 12/18/58, HAV-31 informed that a new gambling casino

of small size called The Colony would shortly open up on the Isle

of Pines, Cuba, and that this casino would be operated by an

individual named BEN FINNEY and another individual named PHIL

SCHAEFER.

CuL

A HAV-31 also informed that an individual named STANLEY

who. formerly owned a number of houses of prostitution and

had just been released from

12

369 i kn 240 0 c

in which he could invest money

1

-

Havana

DJB: MEG

qu Cards

56247 2103-

C 120

Si Tropini

PY JAN 13

1959

1/1/59%6

NK

Di orche

SAN TRAN

lee to 4110

* 1113/59 dig/aje

DocId: 32293859

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Note).

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## Page 3

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USc 8107 Rote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

CONFIDENIIAL

Havana 64-153

12/29/58

arrest pressure was brought upon witnesses, investigating officers

and newspaper reporters, as well as the girl herself, to "forget

about the whole thing."

Source noted that one Cuban newspaper

reporter wrote an article intimating that SCALIA was linked with

the MAFIA!

Source stated this newspaper reporter was subsequently

threatened with death if he did not "forget about the MAFIA and

keep his mouth shut."!

Source said that the principal police officer

who had acted on behalf of SCALIA in this matter was

Lieutenant

COlONEL TRENALDO GARCIA BAEZ, the head of SIM. U)

SANS SOUCI NIGHT CLUB CASINO:

Havana, (uba)

The

Sans Souci Night Club and casino continues to be

operated by SANTO TRAFFICANTE.

On 12/19/58, HAV-33 informed that

TRAFFICANTE, his wife and their two daughters had been

observed in

the Sans Souci casino on 12/15/58.

Source said that a nephew, of

TRAFFICANTE nAmed SANTO JOSE TRAFFICANTE is now managing the, kiosko,

an adjunct to the Sans Souci, which operates as a gambling casino.

for the "poorer money crowd." ClA

MTROPICANA NIGHT CLUB AND CASINO: duane

Cuba.

The Tropicana continues to be owned by Cuban interests,

In the past ARDURA CUb%

for General Roberto Fernandez

Miranda, the brother-in-law of

President

FULGENCIO BATISTA.

The new manager of the casino is LOUIS MCWILLIE,

CUBA

a Dallas,

Texas, gambler who replaced WILLIAM GUSTO BISCHOFF (Miami Top Hoodlum)•

BISCHOFF now owns part of the money craps game at the Hotel Capri casino.

HOTEL/SEVILLA-BILTMORE CASINO:

Havana Cuba

As previously indicated, the Hotel Sevilla-Biltmore casino

is owned by AMLETTO BATISTI, Cuban Congressman.

Sources have advised

Legat, Havana,-that' BATISTI has been observed

on numerous occasions

in conversation with SANTO TRAFFICANTE, JR., and that there are

indications that these conversations

are related to "bolita" operations

in Florida. It should be noted that BATISTI is consideredto be the

biggest "numbers" banker in Cuba.

NORIENTAL PARK RACE TRACK AND CASINO:

Havana Cube

The Oriental Park Race Track and gambling casino continues

to be operated by GEORGE LEVINE. CU64

On 9/15/58, JOE MEDINA, American Express Company representative

in Havana (conceal),

advised that LEVINE had seen him on that date and

had requested MEDINA to wire $20,000 to JOHN KEILLY, c/o Central Bank

-8- COMSADENTIAL

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