CIA FILE ON VICTOR PETROVICH KAMKIN.
Originator: CIA
From: STEVENS, M. D.
To: SOLIE, BRUCE
Document date: 12/17/1959
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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1704-10300-10020

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

Öffice Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERAMENT

:

Bruce to 30210, 6/RB/SRS/OS

1.9TE:1? December 1959

FROM

D. Stevena,, Fa/SRS/OS

SUBJECT:

KAMKIN, Victor Petrovioh

AI-2752 - SSD-90097

A review of Subject's filo has been made in connection with

a request from the CI Officor, French Desk,

inforration from the Chioid staffer slanty that Subject's Washington

book store, as of the summer of 1959, was one of the four book storos

In the Unitod States where subscriptions could be bought for "RODINA"',

the bulletin edited by the Repatriation Conmittoo of East Boriin.

"RODINA"! (LA PATRIE), which is distributed in various languagos

and 19 talled in sealed envelopes, has been forbidden distribution

in Franco. (See attached thermofax.)

Sacurity files refloct that in April 1957 the FBI advisod that

Victor Petrovich KAMKIN, Elena Andreevna KAMKIN and Nine SAPELKIN

had been the subjects of an Internal Security - R type investigation

as of 1951 and that:

"There is no derogatory data of a subversive

nature In the files of this Bureau concerning the subject of your

inquiry (KAMKIN). It should be noted, however, that Victor

Petrovich KAMKIN is currently of investigativo interest to this

Bureau and, accordingly, it is requested that any contact of him

in behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency be handlad by thin

Bureau."(tewas-advised-onetty.that thee hungenerasse

KAMIEN:

9529 800

MaS. SApecKIN

According to an undated blind memorandum (possibly a Staff C

Lived wittitre memorandum), Nina SAPELKIN is Elena KAMKIN's sister ard as of

ChuRCh WArmS 2951 was Living with the KAMKINs in Iennesseo. Nina SAPELKIN was

1252h195? whir born in Russia 18 August 1912; and was evacuated frum Shanghai to

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Samar, Philippino Islands undor IRO auspices In April 1949,

accompaniod by her husband Semen I. SAPELKIN and their two childron.

She came to the United States in 1951 and livea in Tennessoo for

a time with the KAMKINS. The SAPELKINs reportedly renounced

Soviet citizenship in Shanghai in September or October 1948.

The KAMKINs also wore born In Russia and KANKIN attonded

high school and university in Harbin, Manchuria. Theroaftor until

1945 he was in the printing and publishing business in China; and

during 1946-47 says he was with "Special Sorvices, Section II,

Amph., Marino Corps", working on Its newspaper, "North China

Marina". In 1947 he was co-publisher of "Free

Word? which he says

was an anti-Soviet newspaper closed by pressure of the Soviet

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Consulate. From 1947 to 1949 he stated that ho was the onrai of

the "anchor Printing Shop" in which the "North China Marine"

continued publication in Isingtao, china.

The KAMKINs came to

the United States in 1949 arriving in San Francisco in March.

As Of 1957 KAMKIN was being used on an unclassifled basis by

the CIA Lbrary asa publications procurement channel.

course, possible that Subject's interest in "RODINA" is on behalf

of this Agency.

The other book stores involved in the report to tho French

123m 2000) s

"Universal Distributors Company" (#91916) • These organizations are

registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Four

Continents Book Stora is flagrantly Communist 4 needs no definingi

and the "Imported Publicationg and Products" is reported to be

one of the four principal outlets for Communist politicel prop-

aganda in the United States.

doscribed as "an official distributor of. Communist Party Idteraturon

and as "Communist controlled".

It is the distributing agency for

the Four Continents Book Store.

Information from a reliable confidential informant reflects

that during the summer of 1959 KAMKIN Indicated he planned to

opon a branch book store in San Francisco to be operated by So

SAPELKIN. The store was to be called Znanie, Pussian Books Store,

and located at 5237 Gary Street, San Francisco.

This S. SAPHIKIN,

In all probability, is Mrs. KAMKIN's brother-in-law Semen I•

SAPELKIN, MS-5000, sho with his wife Nina, nee DAVIDOVA, aka

DAvIlor, was the subject o1 an tid necord check roguest in nay

1955.

(The wife Nina, per the check shot, residod at Route

I, Van Leer, Tennessee from 1951 to 1952, which was the KAMKIN' &

address during this period.)

The 1955 FBI Record Check Hequest on SAPPKIN indicated that

he was formerly a painter; that his wife Nina was & dentist; that

both wore born in Russia;

that ho arrived in the United States

fros France arcand the end of 1954, Has atstelass and had his first

paper; and thit she arrivod in San Francisco 5 June 1951. They

vere residing at 1405 Harvard Street, Nok., Washington, D. C.

(which was the address of Subjoct's book store); and had formerly

a treaten shan a had on on thor children

An RI check roquested in 1957 for ÜSIA indicated that the name

Semen I. SAPELKIN appeared in a report from a reliable scurco in

May 1950, which dealt with refugees in an IRO camp at Guinan,

Samar, Philippine Islands; and, according to the report, ho hac

boen a member of the Russian Fesidents Association (probably Russian

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End grants Association) and of the soviet Club in shanghal.

An ONI name chock on KAMKIN, In November 1954, reflocted the

crose-roterancint of his numo to

"Forelyn service dispatch, long none

SAPELKIN with the Hong Kong Consulate General";

while results of a 1957 "f' chock based on this sane "Foreign

Servico Dispatch, Hong Kong #402, 22 August 1952, Secret",

reads as followss Mr. SAPELKIN reported that he had recently

received various communications from & Whito fussian friond of his,

Mr. Victor P. KAMKIN who was formerly head of the fussian Emigrants

Mr. KANKIN left China early In

1949 and has rosided in the United States sinco that time. Both

SAPELKIN and KAMKIN reportodly had certain contacts with a Eugone

GORIENEV, Russian-speaking officor attached to the G? Section o1

the First Marine Division In Tientsin following the Japaneso surrondor

In 1945. Mr. KAMXIN has now witten to Hong Kong asking Mr.

SAPELKIN to supply cortain econonic Information on North China and

Manchuria for the use of the American Goverrment'. Mr. KAMKIN

Indicates that he is Involved in cortain intelligence sctivities."'

Lin a lotter of 13 July 1950, offering his services to ONI, Subject

named GORDENEV as one who could "substantiate my work in China".

ONI advised CIA that their records contained so derogatory infor

ins hi regarding abject, but that ON did not contemplate utiliz-

Subjoct's friend "Mr. SAPFLKIN" may well be Mr. Verd andn

Lsopta) ISs Vadillowitch SAPIKIN, the Subject of Hong, Kong Dispatch, H02,

beer obtained, who in all probability is related to Mrs. KAMKIN's brother-in-law,

•REFERENCE

ARE Tothe

Semen I. SAPELKIN®

individude.

According to & 1955 RI check conducted on one Alexander S

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XORIOFF for G-2, a report of 17 May 1950 advised that ORtOFf (who

had baon described as an "Old Soviet worker") was closoly associated

with Vendanin Vasilievitch SAPELKIN, an alloged Soviot agent at

As reported above, Mrs. KAMKIN's

sister Nina and her husband Semen SAPELKIN were evacuated to Sanar,

P. I., from Shanghei under IRO auspices in April 1949.

Ventanin Vasillevitch SAPELKIN's friend ORLOFF, according to

a report of 8 April 1950, was alloged to have influenced a distriet

to sovietizo the Russian refuggas interned there.

According to a

roport dated 5 May 1950, ORIOFF allegedly was bolievad to be a

Soviat agent. (The report noted that this information originated

in the IRO Camp In Samar; that much information originating there

had proven unrellable; and that the reliability of this particular

information had not been determined.

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However this may be, It appears that there could be much truth

In the allegations.

Information in Security files reflects that

ORIOrE very posalbly is identical with a "Count ORiOfF of the

Fussian Committoe", (apparently a committoo of 1K6), Who assisted

the Commercial Counselor for the Bulgarian Legation in securing

IRO employment for one Bogdana OTTAI, a possible Soviet agent in

Paria who was living with and was engaged to marry Kiril VASSILEV,

who was belleved to be an agent of the Bulgarian Military Intelligenco

service.

"Count ORIOFF" also helped arrange OTTAI's entrance into

the Undtod Statos. Alexander S. ORIOFF and "Count ORIOFF" may w9ll

bo identical with Alexander ORIOFF, DI-2881, a highly suspect

Individaal of fussian birth, and a former AlloRG employee who was

security disapproved by OSS in 1943. This latter individual, per

a 1943 OSS investigation, was known as "The Count".

A December 1954 Staff & memorandum regarding KAMKIN, reported

that unevaluatad iniormation dated 1 June 1940 indicated that one

Victor No

KAMKIN was InvOlved in a money printing transaction with

the Japanese; In which he used the machinery of the Chihli Press

in Tient'sin to facilitate the countorfitting. The source of this

information had pointed out the possibility that Victor N. KAMKIN

migat be identified in some way with a v. ?. KAMKIN who was named

as a character reference by one Vladimir Vasily IVASHKOFF. (IVASHKOFF

was not identifiod.) The memorandum advised that according to a

report dated 1 June 1948 frem a U. S. Naval Attache, Nanking, to

the American Ambassador, Nanking, V. No KAMKIN was a printer and

publisher in Shanghai and later was in charge of the Russian

Publishing House, known as Nashe ZNANIE. He was closely associated

with bernard so logard of the chinlt fross, who in turn was

associatod with alloged Soviet espionage agent Olga NAKVASIN.

According to the Staff C memorandum, a report from the FBI

dated l4 August 1953 indicated that a scurce of unknown reliability

stated that one Victor KAMKIN, who operated a book store as a

possible cover in tientsin, china, acted as a paid informer of

the Japanese during World War Il; and was a paid informer oî U. So

Army Intolligence after the War.

merican Military Goverrment in Tsingtao, China, he became Chairma

¿ the fussian Immigrant Society in Tsingtao in 1948. There seem

small doubt that this Victor KAMKIN is identical with Victor No

#402. Noto that Victor N. KANKIN was in charge of a Russian

ublishing House in China known as Nashe Lanie; and that th

ranch store Subject intended to open in San Francisco (and ma

hare opened) was aldo to be called Znante (this work in Russian

means "Knowlodge").

Bernard S. ROGARD of the Chihli Press, referred to

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abovo as a close associata of Subjoct and also of alleged

Sovint espionage agent Olga NAKVASIN, is the Subject

of SSD file #35095.

ROGARD 1s a former U. S. Marine whoso

parents were Polish-born and who lived in China for

twenty years prior to roturning to the United States 1n

1950. He allegedly was pro-soviet, le: ridiculod white

Russians who did not avail themselves of Soviet citizen

ship made available to them hirod as Editor of his

Tiontsin Evening Journal, following its resumption aftor

the War, one Leonoff who was an employee of TASS;

followed a Communist inspired line in his newspaper;

and published without comment in his Tientsin Evening

Journal a letter discreäiting American Military Police

In Tientsin, comparing them unfavorably with Soviet

Military Police in Harbin who were praised in glowing

ROGARD, "if used" by Project PILLAR,

was to be limited to Category II, but his wife, doth

bragiT COCARD, #79059, had (clearance for a "ver

use on another Projoct'

MrS. HOGARD appears to have had clearances for

(responsible positions with Agency Cover Companies since

1953. Her association with the Agency was terminated in

May 1959, it A the or mart of Por not as any refused

verto rod tip dene s notori a rente to Turke

to sign her secrecy agreement until 30 November 1959.

Various relatives of hers have in the past been

haye had much the same history as Sabject.

She was

born in Russia of Russian-born parents, of Turko-Partar

nationality; loft Russia in 1919 for Harbing was

aducatod in Mukdon and Tientsing and was employed in

Tientsin in various import-export firms, etc.

thorough study has been made of the ROGARDs' files.)

Ma Da Steveng

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