Originator: HSCA
From: CIA
Document date: 00/00/0000
Document type: NOTES

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180-10142-10311

2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

SECRET

Box 24

Folder3

OTOOFITT

A Sept 27, 1960 cable to the Directur frum mAsH (08a8)

stated:

"1. FBI has adused of approach made to Frank

Fiorini tur procurement of two mId arcraft which would be

brought tostates by one Czech and une luban pilot. Approach

made by vorman Rothman who is hood indicted for

gun running and stolen bands currently out on $50,000 bund.

"2. FBI. contact felt Rothman interest was straight profit motiveer

hope for favorable treatment se above rap. Contact stated no

chance whateuer latter and that had adursed. Florin, that FBI

couldnot.handle.:.such.adeal but would pass to sther interested

u.s. gou't.agency. Said that inspite of abde derog into belleued Rothman

could very probably produce.

THIS COPY IS NOT

"3. Has Has, any interest pursue." FOR RELEASE.

Headquarters responded on Sept 28, 1960 (Dir 02972)

istatng, "It Ret para 1 plan inuolves detectiun of mI6

and E crech pilot from Cuba Has. vitally interesteu.

Adurse all pertinent detarls."

IMASH responded on Oct: 1,1960 (MASH 0891):

"I Wiew Rothman forthcoming trial local FBI teels

Justice Department.

-be aduised prior any cIA contact subi..

This to prevent any complication prosecutiun if op succeechs

and Rathman attempts... make deal re possible prisun term.

2. Per telecun ag sept masH. aduised. Has Santago

Rey also approached by Rothman with same plan ret A

[MIGPLANE], If HQs decides g0 ahead withops, mAsH piaN

make contact through Rey."

This cable was followed by another. cable

to the Director

10142-10311

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SEGRET

"Request replies to rets Leeferences are masit obas,

masH 0891). FBI still hay open dates case Ret A and had

called several times. Also desire grue positive answer to

Santiago Reye on ref 8."

No. responding cable frum Hag.

is contarned in this file.

The ble cuntained two memuranda for the recora prepared

by catherine lamaistre, dated June 30, 1901 and July lo i%o

The tune 30 memo contains the following information:

a- Rothman's DOB Is do deL 1914; POB is Bronx, Ny.

b- "When Rothman first came to cIAls altention in

sept. 1958, he was living in Dallas, Texas and was

allegedly engaged in public relations work. According is his if.

sloria, he made a one-week trop to los Angeios in september

on undisclosed business."

c-"In Out 1959, Rothman was managing the Biltmore.

Terrace Hutel in miami tromwhich he was reportedly

the FBI

to besupplying an anti-castro organization with arms which

he obtained through u.s. gangsters....

d- Following Pittsburgh conuiction, Rothman went to

chicago, Where he surrendered an charges of playing a key rule

in one of the biggest robberies in modern criminal history, the

# 13,5 million looting os a Canadian bank.....

• "Robbery inas

touched off when the canadian branch uf the mafia recervera

hurry up uider from the carrbbean for arms. The caradian.

matia did not have the money to buy arms, out it knew now

to get hands on the contents of the Brockville, oniario bari.

It called upon the u.s. matia

BETassistance, and it was then

that Rothman entered the putur

e, it was charged. " Subsequent!

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portions of lost turned up in shanghai, Argentina, cuoi

and Australla.".

e-Before Rothman was tracked down in connection with the above

crimes, he was. reported dy the FBI as traveling to bucatan to

seek. a bave of operations against the castro gout. In this enter-

prise he was associated with (Teddy) Whitehowe Insua, formerly

ot the cuban Grurl Aeronautical Associatiun, ex-Colonz!

orlando Piedra. Negueruela 8, former member of BRAC and

head of cuban Bureau of Investigationo

, and Colonel Rober to

Fernandez miranda, brother-in-law uf Batista and former

cummander of the presidential guards as well as president

of the National Sports commission. While no mentiun is made

of Rolando masterner in this connection, Ruthman has engaged

¡in meny exploits and deals with masterrer."

f. "In sept 1960 Rothman shill out on 850,000 bund,

made an approach to Frank forini, soldier of fortune,

offering to obtain two migs- one flown by a crech

and another by a Cuban. Florini felt that Rothman's interest

was stimulated by a straight prott motive or by hopes

for favorable: treatment regarding the fed, case agarnith'm."

g." In oct. 1960, Rothman again appeared in Dallas,

where he approached Robert E. Grinnan, and oil

contracts. promotion. man.: Rothman claimed to have

connections with. Nor-Roth Industries of a.y.& and stured

that clients of his had an interest in purchasing million

netric tons of diesal fuel oll andil million metricton

of crude oi!

to be delivered ouer a five-year period

Hamberg, bermany. onSabREduzzled by the otter,

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reported to the FBI. lie went to N.f. In Nouember and me t

Rothman and the other principals of the deal, a mary

Talley and a Dr. Phillip Paneth de Panay. Largely

because of Grinnanis suspicions the deal was never

consumated."

h. "As of December 1960, Rothman was luing in

Dallas, Texas."

The second memorandum for the record (July 10, 1461)

contains additional background information and an updated

that

location on. Rothman... The memo inchcates fate during

the Batista regime, Rothman was the superulder of

slot machines ln camaguey province under the nationai

superuisor, Alberto Ardura moya, who was one a the

of the tropicana nightelub in Havana. The menu states

that recent reports place Rothman in miami.

The ble also contains a memorandum for the

Deputy Chiet of the western Hemisphere Division from Clarl

w.simmons.re a meeting. with Rothman and David m.

mcconnell. The memo is dated June 30, 1901. The meeting

occurred on tune 29,1961, at the Deputy Attorney veneral's office

and was for the purpose of, evaluating "Rothman's claim to

operational assets inside cuba and elsewhere in the Carisbear

area, An agreement was macle that Does would be

nonted of Rothmants "apercitunal potential in cuban affairs" un

Jhly 5, There is nu

SECRET the file of

ate any

further communication with mcconnell).

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E000FITT

At the beginning of the meeting mcconnell spoke to simmon

privately, Mccunnell described nimself as a "leading political

figure in the Democratic Party machine in N. Carolina,

"and

starea ne was acquainted with Robert Kennedy, General Taylor, and

General van Fleet, Mclunnell is a corporate tax attorney anc

was concerned. about the embarasiment to the kennedy

administration caused by the cuban "tasco." te stared that

Rothman chins to have assets and capabilities which would

enable Rothman to destroy the arms dumps on the

plantation of ex-president carcenas of mexico, to set up

operational bares in the Yucatar at a cost of 1850-861, 000, to

sabatoge targets in cuba identitied by the lis. guit,

and to provide positive intelligence on the actuities of

Chinese Communist. Groups in the weitern Hemaphere.

wonen Rothman was peesiedy questioned by Simmons he

made the fallowing points:

1- castro had executed three of his close trienas:

(Francisco- war name)

Rogelio Gonialez, Sari mario, and ¿figenio Fernandez.

a- Rothman has the operationzi capadility to destroy arms

dumps. of Cardenas. He has agent assets in mexico with whom he

he made contact... 4 to 5 munthiago.

8- He had Indians construct an airstrip in the furatan.

One 8.26 had landed there.

y- He is well acquainted with sanchez Arpange and

considers him a close personel friend. He last met Arango 6

weeks agu..

s° He has the personnel and capabilities

wu.attackeor

sabatoge any target it SEGReng in cuba. He has a a

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basic plan tor assassinatión of castro. The plan called tor an

air attack with napalm against castro when he was addressing

a rally: He hus 100 pilots who had partepaled in the

invasion of cuba and are now working for the congolese Air Force

Rothman would not identity the pilots.

6. Ruthman sald he hace many agents going in and out of Cuba

He is in contact with o agents at thig time. The agents

are in the tourist-travel business or import-export busines)

and enter the u.s. through 3rd countr, ed.

1- lie knows of many chinese communists guina into

Canada from Cuba.

8 - Rothman expressed resentment over gun-running

charges He said "that cIA used the same people in the.

gun running acturtes and the some houres, for which he

(mr. Ruthman) was being prosecuted by the Federal Government.

He sald that he had superuised 40 ship operatiun on behalf

of the Frente against cuba. He sand that cIA would trucic

the stuff to the point of shop pick-up, where he (mr. Euthma,

would supervise the loading of the shops. He sald that ne

had purchased the aott ship "reefer" which was the hrst

boat to support the underground in cuba. He added that

he knew everything the cIA planned in maritime operatio

and for the inuasion."

4- Rothman stated he is a close friend uf John Abbes

Garçia

leniet of Dominican Republic Security.

At the cunclusion of the memorandum, simmons commente

that he did not beheueSEfiRman's claims of controlling

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agents..and material assets.: Herecummences that there be no

further. discussion. with euthman re these a claims.

simmons notes from this neeting give mcconnell's

address as Charlotte, n. Cardina, This memo includes

additionel comments made by Ruthman-

a-claims to know Prio, Betancourt

b- "sus pects patrice op as being funny and ill aduised."

c-. In the last year. Rothman has met Arango 20-25 times.

Rothman knows friends; "Garcia" and "Tito"

d. Austin Young is. Rothman's persunal pilor:

e- He last visited

the Dominican Rep. in 1959 er tre

purpose.of communicating with assets and contacts." Tonn Abbes

asked Ruthman du Jub"

The tole. also contains some information on Eduardo

whitehuuse, orlando Predra, ana miranda Fernandez.

I. ten Eduardo Julio Whitehowe Insua (00B 3-14-14)

aka Teddy".. Whithouse is described as a compatriot uf Ruthman'

An April 5,1960 report states that whitehouse and Elliot

Spinning intended to take a B-ab to vera Cruz. Sam lubin

(believed to be identical with Sam "Stretch" Rubin, chief

doorman at the Biltmore Terrale Hotel) was reported to be

the owner of the 8-26 (Reg# N32446). A. Dec. 34,1959

report indicates.that. us.customs seized a B-ab at miami and

another. (N2881G) at vero Beach, when Whitehouse and

Spinning. attempted to move thempefuld Der 1960 report

states that whitehouse was sesponsible for setting fire

to the sugar crops in earlSEGRET states he wi aiked by

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Alberto Fernandez

for. help. Fernandez his set up a

guerilla organization. A 13 Feb 1961 repurt states that

according to Alexander I Rorke, Jr., Unitenöure has

70 pilots quailable and ready to take drastic action agains

Castro and have worked out a "detinite plan of actun"

to accomplish. "Castro's ouerthrow."

Il: Orlando Predra

Predra was tormerly in charge at the dept. at Investigato,

under Batista.: A 8 Jan 1960 report states that

according to enrique fernandez parajon, born he anch.

Precra are heading the "military secton" of the countere

revolutonary group which is receiving monetary suppurt

frum Batista. A 4 march 1960 report indicates Piedra

met ur planned to meet with General Jose Pedraza durine

the later's visit to washington, Precra is described ai a

member of BRAC who fled Cuba on Jan 1, 1959.

Reference is made to a new orleans FBI repurt, datec

march 27,1961. on Uct 2, 1959 there is a report that

Predra recelueu. orders by Batista thre toe Suarez Nurez to

immediatelya.consolidate.anti-castroforces.

miranda fernandez - There is one

report, 3-8-61, unicis

states Miranda. admitted seth

tal to furnishingaid

to Rulando masferrer in 1959-1960. He stated he is now

providing aid and assistance to his former military

regiment who arestill in cuba working against castro.

He thinks. the group SECREtlated w.th FRD.

END

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Leslie wizelman

DED summary

• varona

The sed prouded the following documents and information:

@ memo à visit to R. Ruben de Lean Garcia, dated 1-ab-61

De beon arrived in mami and was contactedl 25-61. De leon, because

of the respect he commands from the different facton leaders in

Cuna, was assigned the mission of bringing the sual factions

together in order to expedite the solution of the cloan problem.

He stated the groups in cuba have completed plans to ejiect the

overthrow of the castro regime.

@ memo from miami field office - reporting being contaited

oy carter Ogden, formerly a large landowner in cusa,

iono is now residingin mississippi. Ogden was in miami

a special mission for the see. of the Army: Ogder. impiia

that it had something to do with consideration of or. Rubes

de Lean Garcia as an important aduler to the us Armys

connection with the situation. In Cuba.

B memo dated a8 Dec 196a ie baciground di de Leon.

o memo of chicagoan's conversations vita varona, source:

or. Martin F. Pella: On 23 sept 1963 varuna was visiting Chicago

ind told pella that the pres. of Honduras had offered him

the

use of an island off Honduras as a base tor anti-castro

acturtes. Eur

He varona told pella at difficutes encuuntered oy

muis somoza in planning rãlas on cuba, Pians were made chiy

to be dropped because aims expected irom the us gou'd we

not delivered.

1111001:

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varona

@ Interulew with former Bay of Pigs prisoner. -

Edgardo Antonio Buttari: Dec 23-24, 1962.

Enlistedin CRE In July 1960: went to suatemala.

24 Aug 1960- oscar Carol was assigned neat

the

Cuban instructors. and persunnel at TRAX bare.

Col. Vallejo was Am-officer in charge. Late in Nou 1960

repiaced by "Frank

who arrued with

"Burnie", "Gordon"'" Pat"

and

C. B.

Describes Bay us Pigs

invasion and aftermath.

11110012

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