Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: PRICE
To: ROSEN
Document date: 02/28/1958
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (41 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JEK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD_NUMBER: 124-90068-10052

RECORD SERIES: HO

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 62-75147-210-112

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM:

PRICE

TO: ROSEN

TITLE:

DATE: 02/28/1958

PAGES: 5

SUBJECT:

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE:

ORIGINAL

CLASSIFICATION:

PAPER. TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Unclassified

NEW

CLASSIFICATION:

REVIEW DATE:

STATUS

06/24/1998

Redact

UPDATE DATE:

RESTRICTIONS:

JFK Act 6 (4)

COMMENTS:

MEMO

DocId: 32328101

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## Page 2

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

SEEMED,

N'Sy

Memorandum to Mr. Rosen

Re

- American Gambling Activities in Cuba

Meyer Lansky and Associates May Be Using Cliff Jones as Front

In Downey Rice's report to Hilton Hotels

unnamed

underworld sourcest re quoted as having said that Meyer tansky

and Abner "Longie' willman are the principals in the operation

of the Havana Hilton casino being "fronted" by Cliff Jones.

Cliff. Jones and his "law firm' (Jones and Wiener) are known to have

represented several of the leading gambling establishments in

Las

Vegas, Nevada,

and investigation by the Nevada State

Tax Commission and the Kefauver Committee brought out that

Jones actually held a proprietary interest in some of the

"gambling casinos. One of these was the Thunderbird and another

was the Tropicana..

It has been established that a loan of

several hundred thousand dollars was made by Meyer and Jake

Lansky to Marion Hicks, the principal of record in the Thunderbird.

Also, Jake/Lansky has

reported income from the Thunderbird in

Federal income tax returns.

When Frank Costello was shot

and slightly wounded in New York in 1957, the police found on

his person a slip of paper bearing figures which exactly

corresponded

with a particular operation of the casino in

the Tropicana.

. There had been allegations previously that

Costello was

; "in" the Tropicana.

ever Lansky's Status and Political Influence in Cubay

Meyer Lansky's participation in Havana, Cuba,

gambling

activities dates back at least to the 1930's although his tenure

there may not have been continuous since that time. There have

been a number of press articles in which it was alleged that

in effect Lansky is President Batista's unofficial "ezar" @ rate.

by the NYCPD and questioned concerning

the Anastasia murder according to the press. He is stated

to have been charged with vagrancy and released on $1,000 bondi

Also, in press reports Interior Minister Santiago Rey of Cuba

is quoted as stating that lansky will not be readmitted to

Cuba and that the Cuban Government

will take steps to prevent

lativatra persong wanted by other countries for criminal

(x) Ethe Legal

Attache at Havana, Cuba, has received

information indicating the possibility that

Meyer. Lansky is

"well wired" with high political figures in Cubag Potential

Criminal Informant Goffredo Cellini who is associated with

Meyer and Jake Lansky at the Hotel Nacional casino has related

- 4-

DocId:32328101

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## Page 3

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

DATE: 11÷14-2017

20

femorandum to Mr. Rosen

o Gambling Activities in Cuba(P) M

to the Attache that a representative of Andres River guero,

Cuban Prime Minister, had been in touch with Jake Lansky.

Rivero Aguero has frequently been mentioned as the candidate

of the Cuban Government coalition parties to succeed President

that for a contribu-

tion of $3,000 a month-from each of the casinos at the Hotels

informant said that Jake Lansky indicated that he would not

"sit still for the shakedown" and simply refused to pay any:

sum at all to Suarez Rivas for Rivero Aguero.

Informant said

¡that he got the impression from Jake Lansky that the latter

apparently believed that his brother, Meyer, was SUlI]CIentLy

well connected. with the Cuban Government anc

so had no desire

Ito start lining the pockets of the potential candidates for

the Presidency.

The informant in this matter was in a good

position to obtain the foregoing information in view of the

fact that he acted as interpreter between Suarez Rivas and

Jake Lansky•

If reports are true that Cliff Jones is "fronting"

in the Havana Hilton for Meyer Lansky,

Lansky's connection in

that group could conceivably be indicative of good political

connections in Cuba®

One of the group, Roberto Mendosa 15

has-

a brother Mario who is a prominent lawyer and reputedly

legal adviser to the Cuban Government. EM

In view of the above, it will be interesting to see

if Lansky is denied readmittance to Cuba k)

ACTION:

in Cuba

Hoodlum

cuba

The situation concerning American gambling activities

is being

followed closely in connection with the Iop

Program.

1B0r

4. 5/3.8

Tall alone nom

SEDI

DocId: 32328101

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