Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: NY
To: HQ
Document date: 06/16/1958
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Date:

6/15/201

Agency Information

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-90068-10099

RECORD SERIES:

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER:

62-75147-210-138

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM:

NY

TO:

HQ

TITLE:

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

06/16/1958

8

AMERICAN GAMBLERS IN CUBA

AMERICAN GAMBLing ACTIVITIES IN CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION:

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

06/24/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

MEMO

v9.1

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Page

31

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## Page 2

STANDARD FORM NO. 64

Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENI

TO

FROM

SUBJECT:

DIRECTOR, FBI (92=2867)

DATE:

:6/16/58.

SAC, NEW YORK (92-886)

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN

DUBA

. INFORMATION CONTAINED

LATE

UNCLASSIFIED

1-18-97

Re NY letter to Bureau, 6/4/58.

5668

SPYING

on 4/19/58, PCI EUGENE F. KEANE furnished the

50 sp

this information, KEANE's identity should be protected and

he should be described as contact with whom has been

insufficient to determine his reliability.

This information

should be carefully paraphrased so as not to reveal identity.

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN CUBA

= ут

Re Sans Souci

In June, 1957, KEANE and WILLIAM P. BUCKNER,.

FBI #1652818, both of whom currently operate

• bingongames

in the NYC area, went to Havana, Cuba,

to operate the bingo

concession in the gambling casino of the Sans Souì:

KEANE stated the operation of the Sans Souci

is controlled by SANTOS TRAFFICANTE with 60% interest; JE

STASSI, aka., Joe Rogers, of New Jersey with 20% and a

Cuban national, RAUD GONZALEZ with 20%.

KEANE added that

CONZALEZ has close connections with the "muscle men" in Cuba.

BUCKNER and he are considered experts in the

operation of bingo and because of this were asked to operate!

the bingo game in the Sans Souci as this concession was

consistently losing money.

KEANE stated the average attendance at the

Sans Souci was small and 400 patrons a night was considered good.

62-85147-210-138

Bureau

-Miami (62-3398) (Info)

1-Salt Lake City (94-221) (Info)

1-New York (92-032) (SUD])

I-New York

(92-886)

92=3623

EFF: meb

(8)

JUL 9 1958

REG- 73

85 JUN 78 1958.

1728

6°

1328

.28

1710.91/67

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NY 92-886

To stimulate

interest in bingo, KEANE and BUCKNER

offered as a door prize a mink

stole.

After considerable

advertising regarding the door prize of the mink stole,

1600 people

were in attendance

the night it was given

away at the casino of the sans souci.

KEANE added

that the "wise guys" felt that

this attendance was a "fluke."

To show that they could

keep the attendance high, KEANE stated the holders of ticket

stubs for the mink stole door prize were told that the stub

was worth $1.00 to play bingo on the following Monday evening.

KEANE explained that Monday was the worst night for attendance

at the Sans Souci.

On this Monday night, 1100 people weresid

attendance at the Sans Souci: As a result of this

increased attendance and the promise that he and BUCKNER

would supervise the entire gambling operation of the

Sans Souci, they were to be given the concession of bingo

KEANE stated that because bingo consistently

lost, he and BUCKNER did not feel that they could make any

money.

He stated that the bingo concession lost an average

of $22,000 a month.

He and BUCKNER, therefore, proposed

that they be given a percentage of the entire

gambling operation

"of the Sans Souci. They pointed out that if $22, 000 was the

average loss per month and they operated the concession in

the future for say $10,000 loss, they would in fact have

made $12,000 for the casino.

If bingo, for a given month,

would break even they would have made

$22,000 for the casino.

They also pointed out that they could keep attendance high

the added. attendance.

As a result of the above and with the understanding

that KEANE and BUCKNER manage the entire operation of the

Sans Souci, the breakdown was

then to be:

TRAFFICANTE

40%

STASSI

20%

GONZALEZ

20%

KEANE and BUCKNER

20%

-2-

88082-18028

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NY 92-886

KEANE stated that now that he represented

20% of the Sans Souci he was offered the opportunity

to see the books and observe the overall operation of

the casino.

he stated that for a period of about two weeks,

he watched

the operation of "21, roulette and crap,"

giving particular interest and attention to the security

of the money to make sure

"No one was taking off the top."

He added that during the course of his

obversation of the casino he talked to the cashier, a Cuban

national who said the

"bank" for the Sans Souci was about

$400,000. On closer scrutiny of the books, however, he

determined that the actual cash on hand was $16,000 and the

remainder of the $400,000 was in I.O.U.'s and checks

"dated from the year 1"

, which he

considered worthless.

He said that because of the above and the following incident,

he and BUCKNER left Cuba and returned to the US.

KEANE stated that he was in Cuba the last

four or five days in June, 1957; for about eight or ten

days in July, 1957, and from mid-September to the end of

October, 1957. During this time, KEANE stated he never

received any money, paid for him own expenses and did not

put any money into

the operation of the Sans Souci.

KEANE said the main reason he left the Sans

Souci and Cuba and returned to the US was the result of the

small bank and the following:

He explained that slot machines were illegal in

Cuba but that all casinos, hotels, etc. have a large number

of slot machines.

He states this

was possible because a

relative of Cuban President BATISTA, who KEANE believed

was BATISTA's brother, had control of all these slot machines.

he stated that the relative of BATISTA got 50% of the "take"

from the machines and the remaining 50% went to the

casino or hotel where the machines were located.

He said that on one occasion he witnessed

-3-

deep-eat

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NY 92-886

the "BATISTA people" taking money from the machines located

in the Sans Souci and witnessed the counting of it.

The total take from these machines was $11, 000-$5,500 to the

"BATISTA people"

and $5,500 for the Sans Souci. He säid the

$5,500 for the Sans Souci was taken to SANTOS TRAFFICANTE'S

office but that when the figure was entered in on the books,

it was $2,700 and not $5,500. KEANE added that you could

not ask. anyone about this discrepancy

"because for this you

i could get killed, better you get out and go home.

KEANE requested that the information concerning

the discrepancy in the take from the slot machines be kept

in strict confidence.

KEANE stated that from what he observed

at the Sans Souci and the knowledge he obtained from

looking over the books of the casino, that the entire operation

is losing from $18,000 to $33,000 a month. He stated that

on thinking it over, he felt that Sans Souci "must be a

drop or something, maybe junk."

When questioned about the

latter statement, he said,

"This is strictly guess work.

It does not figure that a joint would stay open just

lose money."

Re SANTOS TRAFFICANTE

KEANE stated that. SANTOS, TRAFFICANTE, whO

- FLA

also used the name, LUIS SANTOS, gets most of his money

from the "Bolita"

game In Tampa, Florida.

He added that

no Americans, to his knowledge, are in the numbers game in

Cuba as the operator of the game there gets only about 1%

Can CUBA

interest on his bank while in the US the average operator

gets 4% interest on his bank.

BORN IN ITALY

Concerning TRAFFICANTE's interest in the

Sans

souci,

KEANE stated he believed he has some interest,

but "fronts" for others for the total 40% or 50% that he

represents.. KEANE went on to say that TRAFFICANTE "is not too

bright."

He stated that when he read in the Ny newspapers

concerning the Apalachin, NY, meeting 11/14/57, and read

that one LUIS SANTOS ran

into the woods, he felt that this

individual was in fact TRAFFICANTE.

-4-

de0g8-1o0dd

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NY 92-886

He stated "this shows the mental capacity

of this character.

why run? Why use a phony name?

stated that TRAFFICANTE spoke with a slight accent. and he

felt that TRAFFICANtE was born in Italy.

TRAFFICANTE "spoke Spanish like a native iHe said also that

KEANE stated that besides his interest in the

Sans Souci, TRAFFICANTE also has a percentage of the Deauville,

a small

gamoling casino in Havana.

Re DINO

GELLINI

KEANE stated that he felt TRAFFICANTE was a

front man for others at the San Souci because DINO CELLINI

did most of the talking for TRAFFICANTE concerning this

casino.

He stated CELLINI, is one of the main "fronts"

in

Cuban gambling in that he talks for TRAFFICANTE at the

Sars Souci, is Night Manager of the casino and the Hotel

Riviera and runs a school for Cuban dealers.

He said CELLINI originally came out of the Midwest,

possibly Cleveland or Cincinnati, Onio, and has been in

Cuba for 8 or 10 years.

Prior to his coming to Cuba, CELLINI

stated he believed CELLINI was in trouble

D.C.,

never been back to the United States and feels that it is

are i think to the undistin.

operated a "gambling joint" in Washington, D.C. KEANE

Washington,

He added that CELLINI has

because of the trouble in Washington, D.C. He said CELLINI's

wife,

his brother and his mother are all in Cuba and

all

with the exception of CELLINI come to the US occasionally.

He added CELLINI's wife makes the most frequent trips:

Re JOE

/STASSI, wa., Joothogers

ISTASSI, as reported above, had 25% interest in

the Sans Souci

and later 20% interest (while BUCKNER and

KEANE had 20%. He said STASSI, who comes from New Jersey,

was never seen

by him while he was at the Sans Souci.

REANE stated STASSI's Son, JOE STASSI, Jr. Whò

is about 18 years old, watched out for his father's interest

in Sans Souci.

He said the younger STASSI was either a

"stick man or dealer.

CUBA

CUBA

-5-

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NY 92-886

KEANE explained that if a person puts money

in a place like the sans Souci, he is entitled to put

one or two people on the casino payroll.

These people

could be anyone, porters, bartenders,

dealers, etc.,

who are on the spot to protect the investment

and

available

should a decision have to be made concerning the operation.

Re MEYER/IANSKY

One of the big money men in Cuban gambling. KEANE

stated that he has a big interest in the gambling at the

Hotel

Riviera and Hotel Nacional.

His brother,

LANSKY

JACK

is Manager of gambling at the Hotel Nacional.

he JOEySILESI, wa., Joe!

CUBA

KEANE stated that the above-captioned individual

is in Hayana and is. tied in with the gambling interest.

Re FRANK

ERICKSON

KEANE stated that ERICKSON has a lot to say CUBA

about the operation of the casino at the Hotel Riviera.

KEANE stated he heard it

rumored that ERICKSON has a one

million dollar interest in this hotel.

Re NICHOLAS

DI

CONTANZO

KEANE stated that "NICK", aka., "Fat the Butch"

from Yonkers, NY, is in Havana and is tied in with the

gambling interest. He stated that "Fat the Butch"

ran

a crap game for 14 years in a club in Harlem.

Former

Mayor LAGUARDIA belonged to this same club.

OTHER INFORMATION FURNISHED

BY KEANE ON 4/19/58

RE NICHOLAS-RATTENI

KEANE stated that NICK RATTENI, aka., Nickerry

(ph) told him that he, RATTENI, heard the FBI

was making

inquiry about his past association with VINCENT RAO. KEANE

CUBA

206/

-6-

dOCS-100E8

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NY 92-886

stated RATTENI operates a garbage carting service in Yonkers,

RATTENI, according to KEANE, is worried about the FBI

inquiry

and stated that RATTENI could not understand why

the FBI was interested in him as he hasn't done anything

illegal.

Re. GERARDO CATENA

KEANE stated he knew captioned individual as

JERRY CATENA who owns the Runyon Sales Co..of New York and

Newersey with another individual by the name of (FNU)

KEANE stated that this company sells jukè

boxes. He added that CATENA knows the FBI is interested

in his activities and is worried about the FBI inquiry.

Re De Feo Cadillac Agency

KEANE stated this dadillac agency, in either

Yonkers or White Plains, has sold Cadillacs

to several

"characters.

KEANE stated he heard that the FBI was

asking

all background information concerning

these

including the serial and motor number

of the automobile

sold, credit information including the

credit references

given.

NY 1894-C. during contacts April 7-14, 1958, advised

SA THOMAS J. EMERY that he and a shylock friend of his, cuBA

JIMMY/COLLANZA (ph) had been at Local 1004, ILA, to see

HENRY "BUSTER'BELI recently and BELL remarked that he had

just returned from a trip to Cuba and Panama, supposedly

on ILA business. BELL mentioned something about his union's

plan to back a construction project in Panama in which

about 15,000 housing units are to be.

built.

BELI did not

elaborate on this and the informant stated

he is not aware

exactly how this union fits into the Panama project.

Informant advised that while in BELL's office

at Local 1804 on South Street, NYU'"BOSQUE"

BELL introduced

them

to a Cuban referred to only as Mr.

ensuing conversation indicated he was one of BArISTA's

-7-

S0008-00088

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## Page 9

NY 92-886

top men, and was

the one who was instrumental in getting

MEYER LANSKY and LEFTY CLARK (true name WILLIAM BISCHOFF)

nationally known gamblers, and top hoodlums, into Havana

casinos.

This individual

remarked to COLLANZO (ph) and

informant, that this "trouble"

, referring to the

current revolt in Cuba, would

be over by next tourist

season, and that plans are being made to open several new

casinos, and make Havana the giggest gambling center in

the world. This Cuban stated that new casinos will not

necessarily be connected directly with hotels, and that

there will be a yearly license fee of about $100,000 to

operate such a casino.

Informant was not aware of this individuals$

business with BELL, and knew only that he was supposed

to be staying at the President Hotel, NYC, under the above

name,

"BOSQUE.

The following informants in the NY area have

been contacted for any information they might have regarding

Cuban gambling activities with negative results.

NY 889-C was contacted by SA HOWARD C. LA DUKE

on 2/28/58.

NY 211-C was contacted by SA STEPHEN L. HALPIN on

3/14/58.

NY 2227-C was contacted by SA THOMAS T. MC SHANE

on 5/8/58.

NY 1170-C/contacted by SA LEON KEIMER On

4/25/58.

NY 1763-0 was contacted by SA JAMES T. MC SHANE

on 5/8/58.

Investigation in NY is continuing to develop the

Identity of subscribers of telephone contacts made by

WILBUR CLARK, ALLARD ROEN and I,J.MC GINTY when they were

staying in NY hotels during first week of May, 1958.

Extra copies of this letter are being submitted to

Bureau for forwading to Legat, Havana and information copies

are disseminated for the Miami and Salt Lake City offices in

view of the interest of these offices in this matter. P.

-8-

40088-10020

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