Originator: FBI
From: MM
To: HQ
Document date: 1961-09-26 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32334046

## Page 1

Released under the John F. Kennedy

assassination Records Collection dct of

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NW

64578 Date: 11-01-2021

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/3/2015

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-90110-10039

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 87-58729-88

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM:

MM

TO: HQ

TITLE:

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

09/26/1961

29

DOCUMENT TYPE:

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

FRITZ WERNER DORIGO

JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Unclassified

4

Redact

08/06/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: RPT, INC ADMIN PAGE

v9.1

NW 64578 Docld:32334046 Page 1

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## Page 2

FD-283(A0v.8-1÷30)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

RIPORTING OPFICE

MIAMI

OFFICI OF ORIGIN

MIAMI

TITLE OF CASE

UNSUBS (2); Armud Robbery of

Approximately $117,200.00 1n

Jewelry and Cash, Residence of

EDITH and FRITZ WERNEK DAIGO,

Hallandale, Fla.,

3/20/61

DATE

SEP 2 6 1961

REPORT MADE BY

HOMER R. HAUER

CHARACTER OF CASE

ITSP - MT

INVESTIQATIVE PERIOD

6/1/61 - 9/12/61

mab

REVERENCE:

Report of SA WILLIAM F. HEIST at Miami, dated

4/25/61.

-P-

CHICAGO

AT CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Will conduct an Intensive investigation concern-

1ng IRVING HORNSTEIN, Who 1s alleged to have fenced the

Jewelry in this case.

Maximum utilization of appropriate

confidential Informants and other confidential techniques

should be exploited fully in the Investigation of HORNSTEIN

to dotarmine the present location of the jewelry.

2. Will conduct an intensive investigation

concerning known jewel thief JAMES MARTIN. Maximum

utilization of confidential informants and other confidential

techniques should likewise be considered in the investigation

APPROvED

COPIES MADILI

Bureau (87-50(25)

.д-: 8.840--8.8

Chicag®

187-16639)

Minneapol1g

Newark

New York (87-22200) (Info)

Taupz

2

àm

2

87-14998 DEL 0E 1n2LCE

87-80491

Disegmination Record of Attachad Roport

DO NOT WRITE IN SPACES BELOW

81-58729-

88

REC-4

8 SEP 28 1961

87-58729-881

C.NE Notators tes mado

Agency

Request Recd.

Date Fwd.

How Fwd.

BY

BACT

HESEHTA

for

Perior at

10/2008

150u Bufile:

STAT SECT!

120109!

NW 64578 Docld:32334046 Page 2

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## Page 3

MM 87-14090

since Investigation has determined that she was in no

way connected with this robbery.

Leads are not being set out in this report

to identify the subacribers to the telephone numbers

called from the telephone of NORMA SEID since this

Investigation was previously requested in Miami letter

to pittsburgh, copies to Chicago, dated July 25, 1961.

JOSEPH RAYMOND

MEROLA, principal suspect in Joe merola

this case,

1s currently Incarcerated In the Federal

Correctional Institute at Tallahassee, Florida, where Jeseph menda

he 18 serving a five year sentence.

Juseph filiterila

- INFORMANTS-

By communication dated June 5, 1961, the

Memphis Office advised the following:

On May 17, 1961, GEORGE H. TREADWELL, JR. was

Memphis,

MOYNIHAN.

TREADWELL was exbibited photographs of WALTER

PATRICK SCHANG, aLSO KnOwn as fal, MiKe/paLaTeNs.

ака MIrE.

TREADWELL! Immediately identified the photographs

exhibited to him as photographs of individuals whom he

lonew as PAT and MIKE In Miami,

Though Interviewed In detall, he was unable to

furnish any information to the interviewing agents con-

cerning robbery of the owner of the Hofbrau Haus in

addition to that which he had made known previously to

Bureau Agents at Miami.

He likewise was unable to

furnish any pertinent infornation relative to JOSEPH

RAYMOND MEROLA other than to state that in his opinion,

MEROLA was a member of the "syndicate"

When asked to

explain what he meant by "syndicate", he became very

vague and stated that it was a group

of hoodlums

operating out of chicago, Illinois.

He said that he

became acquainted with MEROLA originally in connection

with his endeavors to sell his airplane.

-E-

mona-cour

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87-58729-88

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13399009

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MM 87-14090

He advised that he does not know and has never

met any individal named ANDREW NICHOLAS MASTRO. He

I1kewise stated that he possesses no information with

regard to the JOSEPH DIMARE murder case.

TREADWELL stated that he does not have any

information regarding the identity of any Individual or

group of individuals to whom MEROLA might have disposed

of the stolen Jewelry. He did state, however, that

MEROLA had numerous contacts and 1t would be no problem

to dispose of stoien jewelry in Miami. He added, however,

15 repose of stole s

that he did not know from his personal knowledge

who

those contacts are.

He was requested to advise the FBI in the event

he was contacted at some future date by MEROLA, et al.

He was furthes requosted to furnish any Information that

might come to his attention regarding activities of jewel

thieves operating anywhere. He stated he would do so.

By communiestion dated June 21, 1961, the

New York Office advised the following:

New York PCI WYNN LASSNER was interviewed

extensively on june 19 and 20,

196J, by SA WILLIAM DaVID

KANE. He furnished the following information:

IASSNER advised that he returned to New York on

June 18, 1961, from California whare he has been the guest

Of HARVEY HEWITT.

He explained tiat HEWITT brought him

out to the coast with him the first of May, 1961, 1n

connection with a coametics business which HEWITT may

purchase. HEWITY wants IASSNER to enter business with

He stated that HEWITT is coming to Greenwich,

Connecticut,

this week whare

he had hired a home for the

LASSNER stated that

he drove HEWIIT's car back

to New

York for hit.

Concerning MAURICE "RED" POILACK,

IASSNER

advised that he has known bim for years and that POLLACI

1s presently resicing at 11t5 York Avenue, New York city.

He stated that no has not seen PDLLACK since he returned

Forder torettin

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87-58729-

88

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MI4 87-14090

from Fort Lauderdale,

and has no desire to have anything to

do with him.

He stated, however, that POLLACK called hit

yesterday, while he was

out and left a message for him to

call back.

LASSNER stated that POLLACK has never discussed

his aotlulties with him, but that he knows that PoLLach

1s broke and 1s probably ready to try for a "score"

sald that,

despite his desire to ramain away from POLLack,

he will maintain contact with him on behalf of the New

York Office for any Information he can develop. He stated

that 1t 1s very Ilkely that POLLACK might ask him (LASSNER)

to accompany him to care cod, 1f POLLACK goes there, since

he has Invited LASSNER to go with him for weekends in the

past, LASSNER shried that he would not accompany POLLACK

to Cape Cod, but will be alert to any conversation by

POLIACK regarding plans to go to Cape Cod and will notify

the New York Office Immediately.

Concerning the ponsibility that POLLACK intends

to "heist" the jewelry owned by PAT MAGEE, LASSER advised

that this possiblllty is very likely, inasmuch as PAT

MAGES has much valuable Jewelry and POLIACK 1s desperate

for money. LASSNER stated that POLLACK would never even

hint to him of such plans, however, because POLLACK knows

that IASSNER has been a close friend of PAT MAGEE for years

and that LASSNER dated PAT long before she met HEWITT.:

In connection with information furnished by

LASSNER to former SA CARL ROOD about the activities of the •

two "trigger men" named FAT and MIKEIfrom Chicago and their

alleged kidnapping and murder activities, LASSNER advised

that he received this information from HERKIE STYLES: He

stated that STYLES obtained some of the information from

llving across the hall from PAT and MIKE and deduced some

of 1t as a result of questions asked of him by the FBI

concerning PAT and MIKE.

LASSNER stated that STYLES 18

York '0fl10a.

LASSNER stated

that, at no time, did he observe

any weapona containing silencers, while at MEROLA's home.

-Gio

-Cover Fage.

88-58729-881

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MM 87-14090

LENNY GAINES, 210 West 90th Street, New York

City,

advised SA KANE on June 20, 1961,

that

he never

gaW

any weapon containing silencers, while at MEROLA's

home.

PCI GEORGE WEINGER advised SA WILLIAM F. HEIST

the following Information on July 20, 1961:

He, WEINGER,

was in New York City from

approximately July, 3,

visited and stayed with MAURICE

A MAURICE "RED POLLACK WEINGER®

advised that during his stay he overheard a conversation

concerning the criminal activitles of JOSEPH RAYMOND

MEROLA 1n the Miami area.

WEINGER stated that he learned

that MEROLA masterminded the robbery of the owners of the

Hofbrau Haus, and WEINGER believes there were three

Individuals, other that MEROLA, who participated in this

robbery.

WEINGER did not learn the identities of these

Individuals.

He advised that MEROLA and his associates

had considerable difficulty in getting rid of the jewelry

from this theft and were dissatisfied with the small amount

of money raceived compared against the expensive items

stolen.

WEINGER stated he heard that the Jewelry was

disposed of in Chicago and received by an individual

referred to as "DUNJO" (phonetic), who 1s either an owner,

manager or affiliated with the Club Chez Paree in Chicago.

By airtel dated August 30, 1961, the Chicago

office advised that inquiry through

informants refect

that "DUNJO" 1s 1dentical with DON JOSEPH MEDLEVINE, Owner.

Inquiry of

positive

Information that MEDLEVINE 1s fencing Jewelry or furs,

although, 1t 1s common lowledge that MEDLEVINE In his

capacity

as owner of the night club 1s well known

and associates with Chicago hoodlums.

On August 15,, 1901, MM 722-6 telephonically

advisea SA H. WAYNE SWINNEY that he had learned from JOE

MEROLA and MIKE SWIATEK, Who were Involved in this loss,

that the Jewelry was originally sold to an individual.from

New Jersey.

This individual had offered to pay $30,000.00

for the total amount of jewelry stolen and had made

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88-58729 - 88

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MM 87-14090

$15,000.00 depos1t.

The purchaser had given the subjects

two days to determine whether or not they would accupt

his offer.

This offer was not accepted and the money was

returned, as well as that portion of the Jewelry which

had been given to the New Jersey man to

hold.

The informant was not aware just who had gone

into the victim's home at the time of the robbery.

It

was his Impression from talking to MIKE SWIATEK that the

Jewelry had gone to Chicago where 1t was subsequently

sold to RED STEINHART of New York.

The Informant was

not aware whether or not it actually went to STEINHART

Indismuch as the informant was with MIKE SWIATEK in New

York the previous week,

at which time they ran into

RED STEINKART and STEINHART was not known to SWIATEK.

It is noted that JOSEPH MEROLA waS Interviewed

by Pittsburgh SAs JOHN S. PORTELLA and THOMAS G. FORSYTH,

III In Miami at the request of MEROLA, made to Departmental

Attorneys WILLIAM KENNET and WILLIAM KEHOE.

Prior to the commencement of the interview on

August 14, 1961, Departmental Attorneys KENNEY and KEHOE

spent approximately ten minutes alone with MEROLA, after

which SAs PORTELLA and FORSYTH were called into KENNEY's

office, Room 201,

Federal Bullding, Miam. Before. the

beginning of the interview, KENNEY

advised SAs PORTELLA

and FORSYTH that Marold had set the conditions that the

Departmental Attorneys be present; that he would never

testify to any Information furnished; that he requested

his identity be protected so that none of his information

ever could be traced back to him;

and that he would not

disouss any matter in which he had been participaht.

On August 15, 1961, JOSEPH R. MEROLA stated

that this robbery was committed by him and MIKE SWIATEK

and WALTER PATRIC TANG.

MEROLA stated that 'ANDREW

NICHOLAS MASTRO b: nothing to do with this armed

robbery.

MEROLA stated that PAT and MIKE used a Nash

one block away.

He sald that, they definitely did not use

-I-

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87-58729-88

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