Originator: FBI
From: MOE, JOHN C.
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 04/09/1959
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Date:

5/28/201

Agency Information

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

FBI

124-10283-10099

RECORD SERIES:

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 100-42303-522

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM:

MOE, JOHN C.

TO:

DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE: 04/09/1959

PAGES: 40

SUBJECTS :

MAFIA, BKG, MEMBERSHIP, CRIMINAL ACT, B/F INT,

LABOR UNION ACT

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4; 11(a)

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 01/29/1999

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF IRS

COMMENTS: RPT, TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES i, ii, INDEX PAGES 32-34

Heleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of

1992 44 6C 2107 Motell Case#iNk/ 68262 Date: 09-22-2022

v9.1

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Report For 1

F6-269 (5-12-603

Reporting Office

TITLE OF CASE

SAN DIEGO

MAFIA

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Office of Origin

NEW YORK CITY:

Date

479/59

Report made by

JOHN C. MOE

CHARACTER OF CASE

Investigative Period

2/28;4/4/59

INFORMATION CONCERNING

Typed By:

mic

Synopsis:

REFERENCES:

Bureau letters to New York dated February 24

and March 18, 1959.

Bureau airtel to New York dated March 27, 1959.

- P-

operty of F

LEADS

SAN DIEGO

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED

DATE 2/02/S BY SPSmACGeL

Will conduct all interviews in this

matter under

suitable pretext without disclosing that the Mafia is the

subject of this investigation.

Contact SD 968-0, a Sicilian,

associate of

national top hoodlums and others, who is in

a positionito

furnish information concerning any active Mafia activity.

2. Will maintain contact with SD 969-C who has

furnished information concerning alleged Mafia activities

in the past, who is an Italian in contact with Italian

Grand A. Price me SUrE 05150 a ma a one sin

1O NETY HE MENDEZ! RULER 3A19

Bureau (100-42303)

LOU BEN: O

2

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New York

COHEZ NUDE

San Diego

(94-69)

TIE POSE BA

PAL COPIES MADE, 8975, 4/9/189 13 1950

Ce nesto do per dev do at some mot un

TO MSCA RE NEOULST GATLU

¡SEE DUFILE 52-8172031

THIS REPORT

IS NOT TO BE DISSEMII

REC- 12

REG. 8

COPIES DESTROYED

his eport iscloaned to you by the Tibl, and nein-

# U..S. GOVEL

to be

018 344750

distributed outside the

agency to which loaned

NW 68262 Docld:32303087 Page 2

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## Page 3

SD: 94-69

leaders in the San Diego Division.

will specifically

ascertain through SD 969-C whether FRANK BUONO, president

of the San Diego Fisherman's Association and former Italian

Vice-Consul, has any information pertinent to this matter.

3.

Will contact Immigration and Naturalization

Service Investigators TRUMAN LEFORS and BENJAMIN PEARSON

concerning information that ANTONIO BUSTERNA and JASPERE

(JOE) MATRANGA are being granted permits to re-enter the

United States.

Both have been deported from the United

States to Italy and are currently residing in Tijuana, B.

C., Mexico, where they allegedly maintain contact with

the Sicilian leaders.

4. Will. contact 'ARNE LOHMAN and CLARENCE SPOHR,

United States Customs Agents who have numerous sources in

Tijuana, B. C., Mexico, concerning any Mafia activity in

Ti juana.

5. Will contact Sergeant GEORGE ORR, San Diego

Police Department LEIU Officer, concerning any information

he may have relative to Mafia activities in San Diego.

6.

A news item appeared in "The San Diego Evening

Tribune" concerning testimony of CHARLES SIGARUSA, U. S.

Narcotics Bureau,

before U. S. Senate Rackets Committee on

April 8, 1959, relative to

Detroit

narcotics dealings of JOHN PRIZIOLA,

Top Hoodlum, described as a "Mafia leader" therein

and SALVATORE VITALE Of San Diego. Will report material

in San Diego files concerning this matter.

....

ADMINISTRATIVE

This is principally an administrative report.

The category captioned Penetration is designated Administrative

Page inasmuch as it discusses informant coverage and to

comply with Bureau airtel to New York dated March 27, 1959,

relative to the use of I-symbols.'

As noted in this report, investigation under the

Top Hoodlum Program and current and continuing liaison

with informants and other sources within the San Diego Division

- A -

COVER PAGE

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SD 94-69

JOHN KEYES

-

(JOHN ANDREW CANNONICO

SD 92-78)

Ambassador of

Goodwill

AUGUSTUS JOSEPH MUREO

(SD 66-1045,

former PCI)

Sergeant at Arms

TONY AGOSTA

(LEO ANTHONY

AGOSTA, SD 92-114)

CASPAR IMPASTATO

Financial Secretary

-

Treasurer

SD T-I related that JOSEPH LIMANDRI (SD 92-77)

asked SD T-1 if he would be willing to run for Mayor of

San Diego on a ticket sponsored by the Italian-American

Civic Association. SD T-l stated that LIMANDRI commented

"Everyone else has a record"

not intend to run for any public office in san

SD T-l informed that he does

Diego inasmuch

as his background might thereby be publicized.

on March 10, 1959, SD T-2 advised that FRANK

BUONO, President of the San Diego Fisherman'S Association,

401 Harbor Lane, San Diego, who resides at 1016 Hygeria,

encinitas Cal fornia, told him that he considered some of

the San Diego tavern owners and bartenders to be members of

the Mafia.

BUONe did not further disclose what he meant

by the Mafia or how he arrived at this conclusion.

According to SD I-2, BUONO commented that the

Italian-American Civic Association was

organized by FRANK

BOMPENSIERO and ANTONINO MIRABILE.

BUONO related that he formerly belonged to this

organization, but left it due to the characters of some of

the Sicilian

members involved.

He related that other Italian

members also left the organization for the same reason,

these included Attorney DOMPROCCORI

CAlF

BUONO further fold SD I-a that prior to MIRABILE's

death, a cousin, FILIPPOjACQUARO, who was a witness to the

CALIF

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SD 94-69

briel

H. PENETRATION OF MAFIA GROUPS

This section is designated Administrative Page

inasmuch as it discusses informant coverage and to comply

with Bureau letter to New York dated March 27, 1959,

concerning the use of I-symbols in this report.

As noted in this report, investigation under

the Top Hoodlum Program and current and continuing

liaison with informants and other sources has developed

no information indicating current Mafia activities in

the San Diego Division.

The following listed sources with whom frequent

contact is maintained are considered to be in a position

to furnish information concerning any Mafia activities

and/or individuals or groups with Mafia associations:

is 1. SD 968-C who Is designated SD T-1 throughout

this report.

This informant is of Sicilian extraction.

speaks Italian and Sicilian Iluently. He was associated

with LARRY MANGAN who was shot by rival Chicago gangsters

and with NICKACIRCELLA, another Chicago hoodlum. He was ti

acquainted with RALPH/CAPONE,

Miami TOp Hoodlum, and withLA.

GABRIEL and SAM MANNARINO, Pittsburgh Top HoodLums.

was in business with PETER LICAVOLI, Detroit Top hooaLun,

PA-in a bar in Tucson, Arizona. He is related to JOSEPH and

FRANCISCO MATRANGA, San Diego Top Hoodlums.

He is described

in a report of Los

Angeles POLice Department Intelligence

Unit as an associate of former members of the "old Detroit

Purple Gang"

He has furnished valuable information,

including photographs of most of the San Diego Top Hoodlums

and is in constant contact with them. Information furnished

by him has resulted in the arrest by United States Customs

Agents of one narcotics violator,

directly in the arrest

by Bureau Agents of MAURICE MICKY MANDEL, aka - FUGITIVE,

CONDITIONAL RELEASE VIOLATOR; BANK ROBBERY, who planned

bank robberies in San Diego and San Francisco, and he has

furnished other information of value concerning local

violations.

ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE

- 28.-

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SD 94-69

SD 969-0, citizen of Italy, resident of

Tijuana, B. C., Mexico, who was utilized

extensively under

the Top

• Hoodlum Program by the San Diego Office.

Under

guidance of this office, this informant obtained employmentAll

with San Diego Top Hoodlums FRANCISCO ERNESTO MATRANGA

JOSEPH MATRANGA, and ANTONINO MIRABILE. He has furnished

valuable information concerning San Diego Top Hoodlums

of Sicilian extraction, as well as Italians residing in

rijuana and Ensenada, B. C.,

MexiCo,

some of whom have

been deported from the United States to Italy for criminal

offenses.

3.

SD 979-C, an accountant who handles accounting

matters for several of the San Diego top. Sicilian hoodlums.

4. PCI MICHAEL AMBROSIO, Of Sicilian extraction

who resided in apartment adjacent to ANTONINO MIRABILE,

considered most important San Diego Top Hoodlum prior to

his recent death and who was considered to be MIRABILE's

bodyguard or lookout.

5. PCI JESSE GLIFFORD HILL, Who was formerly

employed in American Consulate, Tijuana, B. C., Mexico,

and who assocates socially with several

San Diego Top

Sicilian Hoodlums and is acquainted with Italians residing

in Tijuana, B. C., Mexico.

6. United States Immigration and Naturalization

Service Investigators TRUMAN LEFORS, BENJAMIN PEARSON, and

other Immigration and Naturalization Service employees who

have numerous contacts in Tijuana,. B. C., Mexico.

Sergeant GEORGE ORR, IEIU. Officer, San Diego

Police Department, handling Intelligence investigations

and other: San Diego Police Department Officers.

8. United States Customs Agents CLARENCE. SPOR,

ARNE LOHMAN, and others who have numerous sources in

Tijuana,: B. C., Mexico.

9.

Investigator CHARLES WOODS (NA), San Diego

County District Attorney's Office..

ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE

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SD 94-69

Contact will be maintained with the above

sources in örder to be aware of any information concerning

Mafia activities or associations of any individual or

group in the

San Diego Division.

Penetration of any of such groups majlbeeaccomplished

by San Diego

sources, principally SD 968-c or SD 969-0.

Relative thereto, on January 24, 1959, SD 968-0

Sicilian Hoodlums,

to run for Mayor of San Diego on a ticket sponsored by

the Italian-American Civic Association. The latter

association is described in this report. LIMANDRI, in

making this request, commented "Everyone else has

a record"

While Confidential Informant does not intend

to run for any public office in San Diego inasmuch as

his criminal background might thereby be publicizea, he

has been instructed to maintain close association with

the principal San Diego Sicilians. He is furnishing

information concerning them on a current and continuing

basis.

ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE

- 30*-

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SD 94-69

INFORMANT PAGE

SD I-1 IS SD 968-C, contacted by SA JOHN C: MOE.

LA T-2 is Sergeant F. T. MC DONALD, Intelligence

Division, Los Angeles Police Department -- Information

furnished to Mr. VAN BRUNT, Chief Investigator, California

Crime Commission.

(Deemed

advisable to conceal identity

by Los Angeles Office.)

SD T-3 1s SD 969-C, contacted by SA JOHN C. MOE. •

SD T-4 IS SD 923-C, contacted by SA JOHN C. MOE.

This informant is currently in local custody charged

with

murder along with four other individuals of San Diego

TOp HoodLum ANTONINO MIRABILE.

This informant allegedly

masterminded the attempted robbery of MIRABILE which

resulted in MIRABILE's death.

Contact is not being

maintained with him in view of pending local prosecution.

SD T-5. is monograph "MAFIA" Section II, United

States, July, 1958 (58J 153) issued by the Bureau.

ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE

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## Page 9

Report For

FD:263 (5-12-55)

Reporting Office

SAN DIEGO

TITLE OF CASE

MAFIA

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Offico of Origin

Date

NEW YORK CITY

4/9/59

Report made by

JOHN C. MOE

CHARACTER OF CASE

Investigative Period

2/28:4/4/59

INFORMATION CONCRNING

Typed By:

mức

Synopsis:

REFERENCES:

Bureau letters to New York dated February 24

and March 10, 1959-

Bureau airted to New York dated March 27s 1959.

-P-

Approved

Copies made:

LEADS

SAN DISCO

will conduct all interviews in this matter under

sultable pretext without disclosing that the lafla. is the

subject of this investigation.

Contact SD 960-6, & Sicilian, associate of

national top hoodluns and others, who 1s in a position to

turnish intormation concerning any active lada accivity.

Will maintain contact with SD 969-C who has

furnished information concerning alleged Valla activitles

in the past, who is an Italion in contact with Italian

Special Agent

Do not write in spaces below

In Charge

100

42301

2

- Bureau (100-42303)

New Yorke

San Diego (94-69)

SEARCHED.

INDEXED.

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

THIS REPORT IS NOT TO BE DISSEMINATED

14c2

1nH& ü1a20

perty of FBI - This report is loaned to you by the

FBI, and neither it nor

its contents are to be distributed outside the agency to which loaned.

# U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1955. 0-344750

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