Originator: HSCA
From: CIA
Document date: 06/12/1978
Document type: NOTES

## Page 1

180-10141-10275

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

SECRET

SEC.

DDO

summaiy

3/9/78

Leslie Wizelman

ED Browder -vor 1

Volume one of the Browder files. covers the period from 1954 to 1961

A may 28, 1954 cable to from mexiro City reports that Browder

was born in Amarillo, Texas on June aa, 1917. Mé has a lorg

record of passing bad checks and has been convited twice

in federal courts fur violation of the Neutrality Act and theft

of gout property in attempting tosend a planes to assist

on the revolution against the venezuelan government, Under

the name of Edward Sabatino, Browder obtained reservations

in the Hotel monte cassino in mexico on may 6. "For

info... this man considered either soldier of fortune or

provocateur and into wanted on his activity by Havana.

Other Browder aliases: Edward Browder sabatino,

Eduardo Sabatino, Edward Sabatino Obruier

In a leter from Browder to mr. Henley Luce (Mme-Life), dated

11-15-54 , Browder offers Luce exclussue rights in full coverage

of revolution in costa Rica, Browder offers to send a

C-47 to Dallas to pick up two. of Luce's representatives.

In the pis, Browder says he would like to haue George silk

on this assignment. A Nou 14,1954 letter states that

frum Time

a wire was sents saying

"sorry cannot undertake."

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180 10141-10275

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## Page 2

SECRET.

summury

kuritten

3/2/78.

•Normas Rathora.

- 201

mclusive dates....

1951-1975

1- categorize aol file on Rothman- as

"former witting

collaborator (relationship.terminated). OI.code A3."

(AS 09 17 2 1925

From back at File

Four

. 2- Tenante pages

author gluen

of legal pad notes- hand written -no date or

Appears to be notes from an interview, but it 13 not labeled

-re who is bang interulewed... It coula be Rothman or

-Dava m. mcconnell. The

first entry sente is

"1. David m. mcconnell

20387.16

Charlote,. N.C..

2727-P0B"

the second entry..i......

" Norman Rothman

American citizen -DOB NC. 2? Dec 1914

- Runs Bar Bel-Air hotel

Owner sans Souci, night club, Havana

Dispute..with.brother-in-law.of

Batista. Moved to prouince Ununb-4030

425. Surfside. Blud.

sounds like it's an ineryew with Rothman.

The third enter is labelled"Items". and lists several pornts.

Item a- "Cardenas plantaton- ammo dump

Roth. claimsable

blowup.ifw/permissiun.FBI.

BaR. will assemble, operators

for pb.".

Item Bi. "Can set up bases in Yucatan. - 850-100,000 cost

strips. fur B-26/.napalm...get FC

Arango boys to staff deal."

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Item.C.....

"Assign I sub targets - can handle '/

Latin friends.

congo Flap cutting into recrust poal."

D-"Claims analysis Inuasien Hup"

e-"Claims know Prio, Betancourt"

f= iclaims his contacts

can get into chinese commie groups

g= "suspects Patrick op

as being tunny and illaduised "

page 2" labeled "R" lists anh

a - 425 Surfside Bludj Belain Bar- Cubans Frequent -

ex-inuadors; Batistranos...

"Francisco - friend-executed) Rogelio Gonzalez-"Francisco"

war.name.j.sor/marion(sp?/-business.acquaintance

Efigenio.

Fernandez (Dr.) - associate.

blgra.

c- Apristi (Peru) group = contacts.

mexico - Cardenas - contacts , opposed Frente'..

story. re camps-malcontents/ shootings, Cardenau-

commo ula mexitrienas. Last contact 4-s munthsago

@ mexi triends in contact with friends; has met i

Last met. ayrs ago Acapulco; Has wiseled farm after

Acapulco; Has been in Yucatan; Last. there 1959- twodays-

claims Inclan frienas..

Sanchez Acango:

Mas met;. Last met six weeks ago

In last year-ca. 20-25 times

R knows trenchs:

"Garcia" and "Tito"

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-3-

d'Re sub-Fargets:

FC Target:

Invasions (congo) Flyers names_

Base for ais target - mexico

2B-265 / 6as/ Bombs.

2P- 51'5.

monr.oe.Am.Emb checkea.outR an prevous cherse

claims airstrip in existence

Austin. Young -R "personal pilut").

e- Chinese commie Group

... claims groups chinese commiest going into canada

from.Cuba. Gr.ps i.Peru / Lima- ca 2 yrsago

•f-Cuban Assets

How many agents?

..How many sent last yr ?

At date - ca. 6 who in Travel business ?

Export Busines)

Nature of Des. - coast Guard asked R. re infiltrations /

exfiltrations. at Bel Air interview; also re shipments. AlSo

...askedre.

Puerto Rico. Capability re Black market money

exchange - thru 6."

6- Dominican Republic

"Last visit - 1959. purpose -Batista, Commotoassets/

contucts.. Jubn Abbes askeaR do joh.".

h- Gun-running

"Claims same people /houses. used by dIA in thore jobs tor

which & prosecuted..

claims shippedat

40 shops fur.

Frente - CIA trucked the stuff up- he (R) loader.

Purchase: 20 tt... "Reeter"- pilot baat to underground."!

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31d Azency

3 DBF 3502815 00t 24-

at Batmore Terrace. Hotell, managed by subj (Rothman)

w.ho...Ls.

supposed.to.proub@.source.thru.uis..gangster.s.fom

guns and

..ather weapo.os

1900+59-under indictment

Pittsburgh-

... Interstate

Transportation af stolen arms."

10 DeC 59=

"Going to

Lucatan mexico to seek a

site for a base of sperations against the castro guut."

31 Dec 59 - Sub

asterreturning. trom mexicocity,

reportedlyremarke.d.

that

"We have a/strip" "Acompatriot

of subj:. Eduardo Whitehure, is later sald to remark. that we.

have the planes." "Berleued that both subj. and whitehouse are.

acquiring planes. tor purpose

in Yucatan Peninsula fir

Orlando. Piedia aria

sething.up.bare.of operations.

23 June 1960 - conuicted

anti-

castro... group headed. by... Col.

Roberto

Fernandez miranda.".

of interstate. transp.uf firearms

stulen trom Nat'l Guard.

Armory -canton, onsu..

sentence:

5yrs, and $10,000pne.

5. Feb 1260 - subj released trum Allegheny

after

County Jail-appeal

bund posted

32 Sept 1960 - "Approach made by subj... Who is

ood

indicted for gun

dinning

andstolen bond.currently.oug

on

$50,000 buna.

FBI

..profst motive

ur

hope

contact.felt.subj.interest straight

favorable treatment re above rap.

Also

belleue inspite.

of derot

into.subi.coula probably produces

two..mig

arcraft. anech would be brought to states

by one

Lzech

and crie Cuban pilut."

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5-

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4- pitehouse Insua,.. Eduardo Julio

aka "Teddy

compatriat of Rothman -

5. April 1900- report - subj (whitenouse) lost. u.s. astizenship... by

voting.in cuba.

He & Elliot Spinning Intended to tale B- a 6

...to vera cruz..

San Rubin (believea to Be Identical @

Sam "Streten"

Rubin - chuet doorman at

Baltmore Terrace Hotel)

reported.ouner of 3-26.

Reg # N32446..

(N28816)

31 Dec 1959- 45 custon sezeu 3- a6 at miami 8 another

B26 at vero Beah, when whitenuuse l spinning attempted to nove

1a Dec 1960 - whitehouse- pilot pro. in 1960-respensible

for setting fire to sugat crops from air.

Asked by Alberty

Fermandez...

for help yo

- Fernandeznas

set up a guerrilla

organization fur...ex-employzes.

- whitenouse.

ormeriy...head.of. cuban crus Aeronati

Administration

13 Feb

1961- According to Alexander: I. Rorke, Jr. , Whitehouse

has.

20 pilots aunbable 8 ready to take draste action against

Astro. a have worked out a "detrite plan of acton" to

accomplish "Castro's ouerthrow.i.

5- Orlando i Piedra 201-247879 Pote

in charge

of Dept.

Inuestratens

Cuban Nationzl. -

8 Jan 1960

, Under

According. to. Enrique. Fernandez Parajon, both he d

subj. (Predra) are heading. the "military Section! of the

counterrevolutionary group which is recelving. monetary support.

from Batista. "

4mar 1960.- subj met or planned to meei @ ben. Jose

Pedraza during. the later's ünsit.. to washington.

Reportan su a see ages on as macer) of the wo

BI office Who

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-6-

member of BRAC

- fled Cuba 1 Jan 1959

- tatep 175. a Oct 1959- recered orders from Batista

by Jose suarez Nunez to mmeciately attempt. to

_ consolidate whatever anti-castro forces he is able

for a move against castro with a particular arted conditions.

1.

_6= Miranda Fernandez

8 march 1961

Adam Fred in 1959.

-8.11960 had furnished aid

directly to Rolando masfercer. Now proulding aid

8 assistance to his former military regiment uno arestil!.

In cuba working against. Castro.

He thinks group is

associated. @_FRD.

X. 7. Dispatch

to chief, Ell From

Cable to Dirèctor From mASH.

MASH. 0828

Sept 271960

"''FBI has aduised at approach

nade to Frank forin.

for... procurement.

of two

reratt... which would be

brought to states by ore

ech and ane cuban pilot.

Approach... made by....

Norman Rothman.... who is hood.

indicted for... gun ranning and stolen bunds currently. out

on A 50,000 bond.".

...2. " FBI contact

tet Ruthman interest

was straight prott motie or hope fur...

tavorable treatment

re aboya

rap, Contact stated no chance in ateuer latter

and that had aduised forini that FBI.

¡coula not

handle

such a deal but. would pass to other

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L. SECRET

..interested

M.s. gou't agency. sald. that inspite of

above.. derog

infa beleued.... Rothman could very

probably produce... 3, Has Has. any interest pursue. n

(.entrre.cas.(e)

8r Sept 28 1960-cable

org- n. imier.

TO JMASH. From Diréctor -

Releasing officer: R.8. Gomez Lved Holman

sапatиse

Authenticating.af.Fices - Esterline

cite DIr 0a972

_reponse

10. #7

"If Ret para 1 plan.

and Crech pilot from cuba

Aduise.all.pertinent.details.."

MASH 0828

muolues. detection of mIG

Hgs, untally interesed.

(Entere Cable.

trom

9- MASH

respons

Dir agra

Get 11900

-Cite mash 0891.

mash 828

11. View Rothman... Forthcoming. trial local FBI. feels

Justle department be aduised prior any cIA contact subj.

This to prevent any complication prosecution it op succeeds

.and Rothman attempts make deal re possible prison.

a. Per telecon a9: Sept mash acuised 19s Santiago

Rey also approached by Rothman with same plan retA.

If furs.. H9s decides go ahead with ops, mash plars.

make contact throughRey."

ushat

Mosti

10- From mash to Dir... oct 20,1960-

mash 1162

Request.replies to.. refs.

deferences are masit oba5;

SMasH 0891) - "FBI still has. open cale Ret. A and has called

several times..: "Also desire... grue positive answer to

Santiago. Rey..

...on Ret B."

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8

11- memorandum... for.

_recora. Subj: Norman Rothman

Gated. 30 June 1961

-preparea by Catherine La Maistre

A- D03-26 DeC 1914

POB - Bronx, NY

#- " When Rothman first came. to cIA's attention in

•September 1958, he wa

nuing in Dallas, Texan and was

allegedly-engaged.in public.relations work. According

to his wife, Gloria, nemade a bre-week trip to Los

Angelos in september on

unchsclosec. business."

3- In October 1959

Rothman was manzging the Boltmure

Terrace Hotel In Miami

from when he was reportechly

the FBI to be supplying

an anti- castro organization

with arms.whech.he obtained

Through Us. gangstrs"..

4..

"Following..Pittsburgh conuktun,.Rothman.went.to

chicago, where he surrendered on charges of playing

akey role in one of the biggest robberies in modern

crom... history, the 13,5 million

.luotng of a canadien bank.

Robbery was touched off when the canadian branch ut the

matra recerved a hurry-up order from the caribbean.

for arms.. The canadian mafia did not have the money

to buy arms, but it knew how to weast ger handston

..the contents of the Brockullle; ontario bank... It called.

..upun the us. matic. for. assistance, and it. was then..

that. Rothman entered the picture,, It was charsed."!. *subsequently

portions of loot turnedup in Shanghai, Argentina, luba..

& Austral.a..

continued

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q-

5- " Betore... Rothmanl

was.tracked.downin.comnectich....with the

above crimes, he was reportech by the FBI as traveling to lucatan

to seek a base of operations

agaunst.. the castro gou't. In this

enterprise he was associated

with.. Ecuardo (Teddy) Whitehouse Insua,

formeriy at the cuban Grunt

Aeronautical Assocrationy. ex-colone!

Órlando Piedra Negueruela:, former member. of BRAC and head.

or Cuban Bureau of Investigations; and colonel Roberto Fernandez

micanda,

_brother-in-law. of Batista and former commander

of the presidenhal guards as well as president of the vatione!

Sports Commission. While no mentiún is made of Rolando

mastersert in this connection, Rothman has engaged in many

exploits and deal with masterrer.

6- "In september 1960, Rothman stoll Out un $50,000 bond,

made an approach to. Frank. Fiorind, soldier of fortune, offering to obtain

wamigs-one.floson by. a czech. and another by a Cuban. Florini felt that

interest

Rothman's potos was stmulated by a straight profit motue or by

ropes for favorable treatment regarding. the Federal case ogainst him."

J--In oct 1960 R. again appeared in pallas, where de approschoo

Robert. E. Grinnan, an oil contracts promotion man.

Rothman claimed

to have connectens. with. Nor-Roth.. Industries. of NYC. andstated

hat chents of his had an interest in purchasing. ⅜ million metric

ons. of diesal fuel oil and one milliin metric tuns of cruele 0, l

ro be delivered. over a tive-year perrud to Hamberg, Germany Grinnan,

suzzled by the offer, reported to the FBI.

He went to u.f. in November

and met Rothman and the other principals of the deal, a mary

alley

and a Dr. Phillip Paneth. de Panay, Largely. because of

rinnaris. sur polions

thedeal.was.never.consumatez.

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"As of. December 1960, Rothman was burng in Dallas, Jeras,

mares regennaes.

re meeting with. Norman Rothman... & Dauld m. mcConnell

datea June. 30, 19 6)

met @ Rothman and mcconnell on agtune 1961 in office

of Deputy Atty. Gen:) toleualuate" Rothman's claim to.

operational assets inside cuba and elsewhere in the

4 - 6:30

Caribbean.area.

6839 P.M. Agreed that R would return

to...

Miami on Friday 30 June, and Mr. AcConnel!

would.phuneSmmentan.Julys..toreualuatiun.of

"Rothmants. operational potentel in Cuban affarrs."

McConnell spoke to Simmons] ppluately. mcconnell. describec

mmseltas a "leading politeail... tigure in the Democratic party machine in

vicarolina, that he was: acquainded @ Rob. Kennedy, Gen. Taylor, Gon-Uan

Fleet.", corporate tax lawyor's concerned over embarassment to the

kennedy administration caused by the Cuban "frasco." Mcconnell stated

that Rothman claims to have assets and capabilthes... which would anzble

Rothman to destroy the arms dumps on the plantatin of ex-pres-Cardenzs

of mexico, to setup operational. bases in the pucatan at a cost oftso-

31000, to sabatoge targets. in Cuba identted by the Us gou??

and to provide positive intelligence on the actuites of Chinese Communit

groups. in the western Hemisphere."

Ruthman stated O castro hua executed 3 of his close friends:

Rogelio Gonzaleza; Sori Marin jEligeno Fernandes.

continuac

3/ FV

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$5

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2- operatiunal capability

cardenas....He had: agent. assets

..contact asrecently.a.y.to.

...merican friends...

to...destroyarms.aumps.or

in. merico, saud de mode

...months.. ago..@.

3-.constructed.an.arrstrip../n.the.Yucatan.gbuxlt.

by Indians One B-26 had landed there....

y-.well-acquainted@sapchez.Arango.considecs_bim.

a good persunal friend.... Last mét.

5-hac.thepersonneld.capabilhes.to.atlacka.con

sabatoge.anytarget..of.our.choosing.incubu.He.nad

.abasie plan fur assass, of Castro... plan called for an

ar.atack@napalmagainstcastro

when he was addressing

arally. ....Haa 100 pilots.. wno hack

participated. in inuassun

Of cuba a nuo working.for .. Congolese.

Air Forco. Would not

identity pilot......

6= sald he had many agents

going in dout.uf Cuba...

•Sala he was in contaet

@. 6 agents

.at this tim e

..Agents.. were in the tournst travel.. büaness ur exportmpurt

businesses...entered.us ua... 3rd countrie

2-knows.ot.nznychinese.commupists..going.into

..Canada from Cuba,

8- expressed resentment ouer gun-running

eoergos..

that con used the same people in there gun running achurtei

emr, Ruthnes

and the same houses, for which he

was. being prosecuted

by the Federal Government. Hesand that he had supervisec

40 shop operazions. on behalt ot the Fronte aganst cuba.

He sard that cIA would. truck the stuff to the point

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12-

of shop pick-up, where he (mr. Rothman) would

superuise the.loading..of the ships. Hesald that hehad

-purchased the aul ship "reeter"..

.which.ww.the.first

...boat.

to support.

the underground in cuba... He addec

that he knew everythiny the GIA planned in

..maritime operations, and for the inuasion."

9- close friench ut John Abbes Garcia, Chef of

Dominican zer. Security.....

_comment.bylsimmus-Jdid.not.belieueeothmznis.clo.n

of controling agents and material assets...... Recommence).

no.furthordiscussiun@Rothman...re.these.claun.

13.- memo for recora. - subj. vorman pothman

10 July 19601

prepared.by Catherine.

Lemaistre

...- During Batista regine Rothman was superuner of

Slot machones.in. Camaguey prounce under the nattunz!

supervisur, Alberto... Ardura moya, Who was one of

..owners of

. Tropicana Nightclub in Havana.

indicates as af sec lado. Ruthman Huing in Dallar, out

recent repurts. plaie him

a miami

14- Ruthman's silent partner in sans souci - Eu femio Fernandez Orega

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