Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: LEG, HAVANA
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 10/11/55
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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Released under the john T.

• Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 141 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

4/27/201

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-10279-10238

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 100-42303-226

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: LEG, HAVANA

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE:

10/11/1955

PAGES:

8

SUBJECTS :

NRO, MAFIA, ORGANIZATION A/O MEMBERSHIP, BKG,

CRIM ACT, METHOD OF OPERATION, LEGIMATE

ENTERPRISES, POLIT ACT, CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE:

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION :

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS:

4

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 05/06/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

v9.1

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

DATE: 11-11-2017

Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

TO

CONFIDENTiAL

DATB: October 1I, 1955

FROM:

Legal Attache - Havana,

Guba (94-11)

GRADET - AIR COURIER

SUBJBCT:

and

THE MAFIA - HAVANA DIVISION

GENERAL INVESTIGATIVE INTELLIGENCE FILE

CRIMINAL SECTION, INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION

15

INDE

7-27-94

Classified by

SPEEJANEL

Organization and Membershi?

veclassily on

PADR / 30/85

# 211,321

No information has come to the attention of the Havana

Sserial

2/44/78

MeRottmon

12/2/27

ALI INF

from Havana to the United States and there are also a

number of them who have established their residence or

headquarters in Havana.

Efforts are being made at the present time to keep a

closer check on these individuals and to further ascertain

their activities and connections in Havana.

Should this

check reflect any organized tie-up between the various

American mobsters and hoodlums or should any indication

of the existence of a MAFIA become apparent, the Bureau

will be immediately notified.

It is noted in reports received at Havana from various

domestic field offices that American hoodlums who are

traveling to Havana are ofttimes referred to as members

of the MAFIA or "syndicate," etc. As stated above.

closer check will be maintained on these individuals to

establish their connection with one another.

There 1s set out later in this report information which

Indicates connections between American hoodlums and

officials of the Cuban Government.

While It Is realized

the Bureau Is primarily and principally Interested in

possible tie-ins between MAFIA or underworld elements

and politics or politicians of the U.s.

Government,

the

information set forth below 1s being submitted as also being

of possible Interest to the Bureau.

ATION CONTAINED

HICCIPIED

14,

100-42303: 226

EXCEPT

11-3-55

28

63

NOV 7

S RECORDED - 65

INDEXED • 15

301 50

1955

COSTPONTEM

1955

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

Havana 94-11.

CONFIDENTIAL

10/11/55

associated with his brother, HENRY

RAFFICANTE and they

uregeary control a borita operation in riorida.

JAMES

(" JIMMIE" ALONG

FBI 4454459 1s alleged to be

a Lieutenant

Of SANTOS IRAFFICANTE and operates as a messenger for

TRAFFICANTE between Florida and Havana.

LONGO was known to

ca

be at the Sevilla Biltmore Hotel in Havana in August and

September, 1955•

and other unidentified individuals to

criminal Activities and Methods of Operation

All Information In the possession of the Havana Office to

date with reference to the activities of the American gangsters

in Cuba relates to the operation of gambling casinos and

Inasmuch as gambling 1s legal In Havana,

these matters are not strictly criminal activities.

According to information furnished by I HAV-11, MEYER LANSKY

was in conference with Mr.

_JAMES ENNIS, Of the Hotel Nacional

In Havana, In January, 1955.

Informant was of the opinion that

LANSKY was trying to

arrange the gambling concession at the

Hotel lacional which, under authority of a law decree published

1/21/55, could be authorized to operate a gambling casino.

hat time there were negotiations under way for the purchase of the

Jotel Nacional from the Cuban Government by the Pan Americar

Affiliates,

a subsidiary of the fan American World Airways.

formation received by the Havana Office was to the effect that

LANSKY was awaiting the results of these negotiations to see 1f

/ul

he could then obtain the gambling concession at the Hotel Nacional

Source further stated that SANTOS TRAFFICANTE

TRo, of Tampa,

Florida, is presently running a numbers operation out of the

Hotel Sevilla Biltmore in Havana. It is noted that although

gambling is authorized in Havana, numbers writing 1s not but

It has always been tolerated Inasmuch as it affords a considerable

source of graft for the local police. Source stated that the fact

TRAFFICANTE is able to operate a numbers racket out of the Sevilla

Biltmore Hotel 1s an indication that TRAFFICANTE has backing from

the Cuban Government. It is noted that the Sevilla Biltmore Hotel

18 OWned by One ANETO BATTISTI, an Italian born Guban 61t1ze5f fUl

-4- CON

VENTAI

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

Havana 94-11

CONFIDENTIAL

10/11/55

Who was elected to the Cuban Congress in November, 1954, and

who for many years has been known unofficially as

the numbers

king of Havana.

Source further stated that TRAFFICANTE is

backed in his numbers operation by Brigadier General EULOGIO

CANTILIO EXPORRAS, Adjutant General of the Cuban Army (C(4)

Source also stated that TRAFFICANTE is attempting to obtain

the gambling concession at the Comodoro Hotel in Havana and

apparently has the inside track because of backing received

by him from General CANTILLO. It is to be noted that the

Comodoro Hotel does not have gambling facilities at the

present time but is eligible to obtain authorization for

same under the new Cuban law decree.

This hotel is a combination

beach club and hotel and has about 2,000 members in addition to

transient guests who may visit the hotel. (V,

CI HAV-11 on March 19, 1955, advised that he had received

Information to the effect that TRAFFICANTE was attemptingchu

take over the gambling operations at the San Souci Night

Source stated that the San Souct was presently owned by

Tropicana interests who bought up a controlling percentage

of the stock in order to squeeze out NORMAN ROTHMAN tiho had

operated the San Souci as front man and ostensible owner

although It has always been indicated that he was bank-rolled

by someone else. (4)(4)

In connection with the activities of TRAFFICANtE, it is noted

that HAV-11 on April 18, 1955, advised that TRAFFICANTE had

arrived in Havana on April 17, 1955, although according to

previous reports,

his arrival

date had been scheduled.for

April 20, 1955. (9

underworld.

He had been shot seven or eight times with a

shotgun and his throat had been out from ear to ear.

It is

not known whether WALl's murder is connected in any way with

the fact that TRAFFICANTE arrived in Havana on April 17 after

having previously announced to his friends that he was coming

to Havana on April 20, 1955.

From Information contained in the files of the Havana Office,

taken from reports submitted by the Miami Office in GIIF Surveys,

-5-001

WIDENTIAL

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

Havana 94-11

CONFDENTIAL

10/11/55

The article charged PERTIERRA with operating the gambling

at the National Casino and Jockey Club with the assistance

Of CHARLES "LUCKY" LUCIANO and his lieutenants, MEYER LAY SKY

and CHARLIE, CIMMS.

Both PERTIERRA and. MIRANDA are s t111

actively assocrated with gambling interests in Havana at

the present time.

In November

1952, HAV-11 furnished information to the effect

that "LUCKY" LUCIANO was making an effort to obtain official

approval for re-entry into Cuba. It 1s noted that subsequent

to LUCIANO's arrest in 1947, In Havana, he was deported to

According to the source, the person handling the

attempted approval for re-entry of LUCIANO into Havana in

1952 WAS ANTONIO MADAN VALDES. (A)U)

Source at the same time furnished information that MEYER

LANSKY was trying to secure the concession for gambling

operations at Oriental Park and that he subsequently purchased

a share of the Montmartre gambling casino from PERTIERRA who

for many years had owned and operated the Montmartre. Source

related at that time that LANSKY's brother, JAKE, was in Havana

looking after their interests in the Montmartre.

It is noted

that during 1946 and 1947 when LUCIANO was in Cuba, MEYER LANSKY

was one of his most frequent visitors and LANSKY, at that time,

was planning to buy a share in the gambling concession In the

National casino and the Oriental Park Race Irack.lQ(U)

In January, 1955 HAV-11 furnished Information with reference

to the possiblé, drug activities of MARIOXCARCIA who is associated

with the Montmartre Night Club and uno, was berreved to have .

connections with "LUCKY" LUCIANO. | No verification of this

cuba

information was obtained but 1t was referred to the proper

authorities of the Cuban Government and also the U.S. Treasury

Representative In Havana. (7/U)-

5

By letter dated 2/1/54, captioned "Bookmaking and Race Wire

" the New York Office re-

syndicate controls gambling and other Illegal activities in

Cuba.

The mob, according

to NY-207C, was reported to have

excellent connections with the Batista Government in Cuba and

were represented in their operations by an attorney who is

married to President Batista's oldest daughter.

-7=

CONF

DENTIAL

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

Havana 94-11

CONFDENTIAL

10/11/55

7

was lingerprinted by the Foreign Section of the Criminal Bureau

of Investigation of the Havana Police on 3/30/54 in connection

with an application for a firearms license..

GRANELLO was

assisted in this matter by a member of the law firm of PEREZ

BENITOA Y LAMAR.

"TONY" PEREZ BENITOA Is married to MIRTA

BATISTA; a daughter of President Batista.

Reports have also reached the javana Office to the effect

that Colonel ROBERTO, FERNANDEZ MIRANDA

law of President Batiste, has a1s0

with American hoodlums and gangsters.

Colonel FERNANDEZ 1S

cuts

active in the control of Oriental Park Race Track which was

taken over by the Cuban Government and is also rumored to be

In on deals in connection with the newly planned operations

no wet tat and y

at Oriental Park Race Track.

By letter to the Director dated 7/13/54, the Miami Uffice

furnished Information to the effect that EDUARDO, HERNANDEZ,

who was cuban Consul at Miami, Florida, and who also manages

property owned by Cuban President batista in the Miam Jarea,

FBI 643159 B.

FISCHETTI was a member of the Chicago CAPONE

SYNDICATE and was a high raking member of the U.S. underworld.

On April 28, 1955, CI HAV-Il advised that a concession to

bring slot machines into Cuba and to set them up had been

granted to MARTIN FOX, one of the owners of the Tropicana Night

Club in Havana®

Source stated that authorization for the amove

had been given by SANTIAGO REY, Minister of the Interior. Source

advised that GEORGE LEVINE,"

"Afferican hoodlum, had been negotiating

suven to Me toad yes very put out over the fact it was

On April 29, 1955, Mr.

EDMUND CHESTER, confidant and confidential

advisor to President Batista,

advised that the introduction of

slot machines and other gambling devices into Cuba was authorized

under the new law decree concerning gambling which had been

passed in January, 1955• CHESTER stated that a great deal of

pressure had been put on the Cuban Institute of Tourism to

obtain passage of the above: law decree by MEYER LANSKY.

A separate file is being set upyto correlate and report all

information which may come to the attention of the Havana Office

in connection with the so-called MAFIA.

This matter will be

given close attention and all Information received will be

promptly reported.

MIDENTIAL

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