Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: PEARCE, J. ROBERT
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 10/31/1961
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

• Date:

4/24/201

Agency Information

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-10197-10499

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

92-2717-371

Released under the John

F. Kennedu

Assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Cased: NW 45737 Date:

11-16-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

TO:

TITLE:

FBI

PEARCE, J. ROBERT

DIRECTOR, FBI

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

10/31/1961

81

ABR, ASSOC, BANK RECORDS, B/F INT, CUBA, PUERTO

RICO

DOCUMENT TYPE :

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION :

Secret

RESTRICTIONS: IC; 4; 11(a)

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

• DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 10/23/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF IRS

COMMENTS :

v9.1

HH 45737

DocId: 32287723

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## Page 2

SEC

PH 92-444

Leads (cont 'd)

PHILADELPHIA:

AT PHILADELPHIA, PA.

1. Will maintain contact with IRS, Philadelphia.

2. Will concentrate investigative effort on BRUNO's

Ileutenant, PHILIP TESTA, noting his continued activity in

numbers operation in the

Philadelphia area.

3°

Will report contacts with informants who have

knowledge of ANGELO BRUNO.

(Legal Attaches, Canada and Panama.](/(u)

4. Will report results of requested investigation of

Administrative Data

on 10/23/61, IRS Agent WILLIAM LYNN advised SA J. ROBERT

PEARSE that

JFK Law 11(a)

Banking records of the late IRVING CAREY at the Little.

will be analyzed by an accountant for possible assistance

conducting the BRUNO investigation.

In this regard, It should

be noted that IRS has these records in their possession.

By letter received 10/4/61 the Bureau advised that

[the Legal Attache, London, had again discussed with British

Security Service M5 and Colonel CUMMING the insurance polley

held on the gambling casino, Plaza Hotel, Havana, Cuba.

name JOSEPH STASSI was unknown toLloyds of London, who were

reinsurers in the amount of $70,000 to the American International

Reassurance Corporation of New York C1ty. (5)

_D

COVER PAGE

SECRED

IR

REVIEWED BY WJFK TASK FORCE

ON 7/2k8 let

I RELEASE IN FULL

RELEASE IN PART

• TOTAL DEMAL

92-2711-3914

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PH 92-444

SECRET

Lucerne Corporation

Panama

Information has previously been reported showing

ANGELO BRUNO in possible receipt of payment by insurance com-

panies for damage done to the gambling casino, Plaza Hotel,

Havana, Cuba, January 1, 1959. Investigation has established

chat payment was made in the amount of $105,000.00, portions

of which, it any, going to ANGELO BRUNO not known cIt has beer

developed, however, that owners of record of thie casino were

FRANK BURD and JOSEPH STASSI, both of New York City. In re-

gards to prior information alleging BRUNO to have financial

interests in the gambling casino in Havana, Cuba, it 1s noted

BRUNO in this regard as being CARL "PAPPY"

" IPPOLITO, as well as

other individuals.

More recent Information has shown that

ANGELO BRUNO's close business associate in the Miami, Fla.:

area; IRVING CAREY, deceased, had a financial interest in the

above-captioned concerns which has been established to have

been located in the Plaza Hotel, Havana, Cuba.

Prior Invest1-

gation has also shown that KENNEIH LATER had entered into a

civil claim against 'FRANK BURD for payment of moneys allegedly

lost by LATER in the business operation of captioned corpora-

tion.

By letter dated September 22, 1961, the New York D1-

vision furnished a pre-trial examination of FRANK BURD on

December 1, 1959, Docket Number 26518, Municipal Court of the

City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, 9th District, which

pertained to civil action by KENNETH LATER against FRANK BURD,

Defendant. This pre-trial examination was made available by

JEROME. F, P. TOBIN, Attorney for Plaintiff KENNETH LATER, to

SA JAMES

M. MC ANDREW on August 25, 1961. This interview 1s

being set forth in detail, as it shows not only the history of

organization to some extent of the captioned companies, but

furnishes details regarding operation of the company and, in

addition, lends credit to previous information developed show-

Ing BRUNO. and IPPOLITO as having connections with this gambling

casino, it being noted that they are referred to herein as ANGIE

and PAPPY ®

- 3-

SECRET

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SECRET

PH 92-444

Business Interest

Dominican Republic

Information previously developed showed ANGELO BRUNO

in receipt of money originating in the Dominican Republic.

GOLOB, JOSEPH MANGONE, and BERNARD

The follow-

ing Investigation was

conducted in an effort to further develop

ANGELO BRUNO's association with this business venture in the

Dominican Republic. In this regard, 1t is noted that BERNARD

ALLEN, who currently operates in the Dominican Republic, and

ALLEN!s former business partners, JOSEPH MANGONE and BEN GOLOB,

previously employed NORMAN FROKIN, and ALLEN currently has

FROMKIN as a business partner in the Dominican Republic.

On October 10: 1961, PH T-1 advised SA J. ROBERI

PEARCE, that

JEK Law 11(a)

=: 40. =

SICKET

927717-391

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PH 92-444

SECRET

JER Law 11(a)

By communique dated October 11, 1961, the San Juan

Division advised that on October 11, 1961, NORMAN FROMKIN and

JOSEPH "SHEFFER" had arrived in San

Juan aboard Pan American Air-

ways Flight 431 from Cuidad Trujillo. It was said that FROMKIN

claimed that the purpose of the trip to Puerto Rico was to meet

with one VICTOR JORGE, who arrived in Puerto Rico from St.

Thomas, Virgin Islands, on the same date,

and who obtained $2,000

in coin to operate a surplus property business in the Dominican

Republic, inasmuch as hard money was disappearing in the Dominican

Republic.

In this regard, it should be noted that JOSEPH VINCENT

SHESSER is an employee of FROMKIN and BERNARD ALLEN in the

Dominican Republic.

The following investigation was conducted to ascertain

additional information regarding BRUNO's association and business

Interests in the Dominican Republic:

By letter dated October 5, 1961, the New York Division

advised of interview of RONALD RUDLIN.

Instant letter stated

that the records of the Credit Bureau of Greater New York,

furnished September 27, 1961, by PAULINE DE FIORE, to IC JOHN

F. GOOD, contained no record of RONALD RUDLIN.

By communique, October 18, 1961, the Newark Division

furnished results of interviews of MARVIN FROMKIN, and Mrs. IDA

FROMKIN MILLER, other relatives of NORMAN FROMKIN.

= 41 =

SECRET

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## Page 6

SECRET

PH 92-444

ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

On October 6, 1961, Lieutenant WILLIAM STEIGER,

Commanding Officer, Special Investigative Squad of the Chief

Inspector, Philadelphia Police Department, stated that PHILIP

TESTA, Philadelphia Police Department Number 222651,

residence

769 South 8th Street, was a large numbers operator.

It should

be noted that TESTA is a lieutenant of ANGELO BRUNO.

E. POLICE PROTECTION

AND POLITICAL TIES

No additional information has

been developed

since date of last report in regard to BRUNO's political ties..

F. PENDING

PROSECUTIVE ACTION

On October 23, 1961, WILLIAM LYNN, Internal Reve-

nue Service, Intelligence Division,

Philadelphia, advised that

JER Läw 11fa)

On October 18, 1961, Departmental Attorney TOMAS

MC BRIDE advised that in the near future, upon completion of In-

ternal Revenue Service inquiry In the Miami, Fla., area, results

of both the FBI and Internal Revenue Service would be reviewed

for the possibility of ascertaining the possible avenue of prose.

cution of ANGELO BRUNO or his associates for tax violation.

After the pertinent interview, MO BRIDE advised that

he would

probably convene Federal Grand Jury in Philadelphia or at Miami,

Fla., to hear witnesses in this regard.

..=: 69=.

ECRET

92-2717-5271

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