MAHEU, ROBERT A.
Originator: CIA
From: DIRECTOR OF SECURITY
To: DDCI
Document date: 1966-06-24 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32275436

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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

8/27/201

AGENCY: ROCKCOM

RECORD NUMBER: 178-10002-10297

RECORD SERIES : ASSASSINATION FILE

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : A-I(K) MISC.-ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: CIA

FROM: DIRECTOR OF SECURITY

TO : DDCI

TITLE: MAHEU, ROBERT A.

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

06/24/1966

6

ROSELLI, JOHNNY

ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES

ASSASSINATIONS, FOREIGN LEADERS

BISSELL, RICHARD M.

CIA

ORGANIZED CRIME

EDWARDS, SHEFFIELD

HARVEY, WILLIAM

LAS VEGAS

MAHEU, ROBERT A.

NEWS MEDIA, SMITH, SANDY'

CUBAN EXILES

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Secret

RESTRICTIONS: 1A

CURRENT STATUS :

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW:

07/08/1993

OPENING CRITERIA:

COMMENTS:

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178-10002-10297

SECRET

EVES GILY

24 June 1966

MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence

• SUBJECT

: MAHEU, Robert A.

1. This memorandum is for information only.

2. In August 1960, Mr. Richard M. Bissell approached

Colonel Sheffield Edwards to determine if the Office of Security

had assets that may assist in a sensitive mission requiring

gangster-type action. The mission target was the liquidation of

Fidel Castro.

3.

Because of its extreme sensitivity, only a small group

was made privy to the project. The DCI was briefed and gave his

approval. Colonel J. C. King, Chief, WH Division, was briefed,

but all details were deliberately concealed from any of the

JMWAVE officials. Certain ISD and Commo personnel partici-

pated in the initial planning stages, but were not witting of the

purpose of the mission.

4. Robert A. Maheu was

contacted, briefed generally on

the project, and requested to ascertain if he could develop an en-

tree into the gangster elements as the first step toward accom-

plishing the desired goal.

5. Mr. Maheu advised that he had met one Johnny Roselli

on several occasions while visiting Las Vegas. He only knew

him casually through clients, but was given to understand that

he was a high-ranking member of the "syndicate" and controlled

all of the ice-making machines on the Strip. Maheu reasoned

that, if Roselli was in fact a member of the clan, he undoubtedly

had connections leading into the Cuban gambling interests.

PHOTOCOPY

FROM

THE

GERALD

FORD LIBPARY

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6. Maheu was asked to approach Roselli, who knew Maheu

as a personal relations executive handling domestic and foreign

accounts, and tell him that he had recently been retained by a

client who represented several international business firms

which were suffering heavy financial losses in Cuba as a result

of Castro's action. They were convinced that Castro's removal

was the answer to their problem and were willing to pay a price

of $150,000 for its successful accomplishment.

It was to be made

clear to Roselli that the U. S. Government was not, and should not,

become aware of this operation.

7. The pitch was made to Roselli on 14 September 1960 at

• the Hilton Plaza Hotel, New York City. His initial reaction was

to avoid getting involved but, through Maheu's persuasion, he

agreed to introduce him to a friend, Sam Gold, who knew the

"Cuban crowd." Roselli made it clear he did not want any money

for his part and believed Sam would feel the same way. Neither

of these individuals was ever paid out of Agency funds.

8.

During the week of 25 September, Maheu was introduced

to Sam who was staying at the Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach.

His initial impression of Sam was that of a hard, uncouth indi-

vidual who looked and acted like a common run-of-the-mill hood-

lum. However, his living accommodations at the hotel belied

this, as did the fact that Maheu learned Sam was under periodic

surveillance by the FBI. It was several weeks after his meeting

with Sam and Joe, who was identified to him as a courier operating

between Havana and Miami, that he saw photographs of both of

these individuals in the Sunday supplemental "Parade. " They

were identified as Momo Salvatore Giancana and Santos Trafficant,

respectively. Both were on the list of the Attorney General's

ten most-wanted men. The former was described as the Chicago

chieftain of the Cosa Nostra and successor to Al Capone, and the

latter, the Cosa Nostra boss of Cuban operations. Maheu called

this office immediately upon ascertaining this information.

9. In discussing the possible methods of accomplishing

this mission, Sam suggested that they not resort to firearms but,

if he could be furnished with some type of potent pill, that could

THE GERALD R.

FORD LIBPARY

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be placed in Castro's food or drink, it would be a much more

effective operation. Sam indicated that he had a prospective

nominee in the person of Juan Orta, a Cuban official who had

been receiving kickback payments from the gambling interests,

who still had access to Castro and was in a financial bind.

10. Cornelius Roosevelt, Chief, TSD, was consulted and

assigned Dr. Raymond Triechler to develop a pill that had the

elements of rapid solubility, high lethal content, and little of

no traceability. Six of these items were produced and, after

being checked out for their effectiveness by Dr. Edward M.

Gunn, three pills were ultimately turned over to Sam for the

mission. Neither ISD nor Dr. Gunn was briefed on the ultimate

use of the pills.

11. Joe delivered the pills to Orta. After several weeks

of reported attempts, Orta apparently got cold feet and asked out

of the assignment. He suggested another candidate who made

several attempts without success.

12. Joe then indicated that DI. Anthony Verona, one of the

principal officers in the Cuban Exile Junta, had become dis -

affected with the apparent ineffectual progress of the Junta and

was willing to handle the mission through his own resources.

13. Dr. Verona was approached and jumped at the oppor-

tunity of getting involved in an independent operation. He was

told that the private interests backing the project did not want

the U. S. Government and, particularly the CIA, to know of their

involvement. (So far as this Office knows, he has never divulged

his participation in the project to the Agency.)

14. He asked, as a prerequisite to the deal, that he be given

$10, 000 for organizational expenses and requested $1, 000 worth

of communications equipment.

15. DI. Verona's potential was never fully exploited, as

the project was canceled shortly after the Bay of Pigs episode.

Verona was advised that the offer was withdrawn, and the pills

were retrieved.

FROM THE GERALD R.

FORD LIBPARY

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16. Of significant interest was an incident which involved

a request levied by Sam upon Maheu and now shapes up as a

potential flap.

At the height of the project negotiations, Sam

expressed concern about his girlfriend, Phyllis

McGuire, who he learned was getting much atten-

tion from Dan Rowan while both were booked at a

Las Vegas night club. (Rowan, at that. time a rela-

tively unknown comedian, is now a partner in Rowan

and Martin, the summer replacement for the Dean

Martin coast-to-coast TV show. ) Sam asked Maheu

to put a bug in Rowan's room to determine the ex-

tent of his intimacy with Miss McGuire. Maheu

told Sam he didn't have the facilities, whereupon

Sam threatened to leave Miami to go to Vegas and

take care of the matter himself. In order to pre-

vent this, Maheu contacted Edward Dubois, a

Florida investigator, and asked him to handle the

job.

FROM THE GERALD R.

FORD LIBPARY

Instead of installing a bug

in the room, the

technician placed a tap on the phone, which ob-

viously did not serve Sam's purpose. The techni-

cian involved in the assignment was discovered in

the process, arrested, and taken to the Sheriff's

office for questioning.

After he failed to reach

Dubois by telephone, he called Maheu at the

Kenilworth Hotel, Miami, and informed him that

he had been detained by the police. This call was

made in the presence of the Sheriff's personnel.

Subsequently, the Department of Justice an-

nounced its intention to prosecute Maheu along

with the technician. On 7 February 1962, the

Director of Security briefed the Attorney General,

Robert Kennedy, on the circumstances leading up

to Maheu's involvement in the wiretap. At our re-

quest, prosecution was dropped.

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Two articles appeared in the Chicago press,

one on 16 August 1963, and one on 20 August 1963,

that suggested Sam was working with the Agency.

The first article appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times

written by staff writer, Sandy Smith, and had as its

headline: CIA Sought Giancana Help for Cuba Spying.

It relates that the Agency reportedly was in touch

with Sam in 1959 and requested that he assist them

in obtaining intelligence out of Cuba. It also men-

tioned the Las Vegas wiretap, which the article

claimed was handled by a "Florida investigative

organization. " It further went on to state that,

upon inquiry of this organization, they stated the

tap was placed at the request of the Central Intelli-

gence Agency. The other article appeared in the

Chicago Daily News, authored by Columnist Iony

Weitzel, and commented that during March 1962,

Sam confronted an FBI Agent who was shadowing

him and said,' "Why don't you fellows leave me

alone?

I'm one of you!" Sam allegedly stated that,

after Castro's rise in Cuba, a CIA operative con-

tacted him and wanted to know if Sam could do any-

thing for the Government on the turbulent little island.

Sam said he had friends on both sides, but no clout.

That was it.

17. Roselli was introduced to James P. O'Connell, of this

Office, who was identified to him as an employee of Robert A.

Maheu, Associates. Over the several months of close contact be-

tween these two individuals, Roselli began to speculate as to

O'Connell's true employer and, at one point, stated that he was

convinced he was employed by the CIA, and that the project was

sponsored by the Agency. He hastened to state that he was not

forcing the issue, nor would he want confirmation of this and,

further, he would not mention this to anyone else, including Sam.

Sam was never introduced to any Agency personnel and, while CIA

was never mentioned to him, it is Maheu's belief he eventually sus-

pected the Agency was the power behind the operation.

PHOTOCOPY

FROM THE GERALD R. FORD LIBPARY

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18. In May 1962, because of Mr. O'Connell's assignment

to an overseas post, it was decided to turn Roselli over to

Mr. William Harvey, who was at that time Chief, Task Förce W.

Harvey was introduced as William Walker. It is not known whether

Roselli ever became aware of Harvey's true name.

Howard Holaru

Director of Security

PHOTOCOPY FROM THE GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY

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