Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: DONAHOE
To: BELMONT
Document date: 01/16/1961
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Date:

4/28/201

Agency Information

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-90055-10139

RECORD SERIES:

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

105-76826-20

Document Information

ORIGINATOR :

FBI

FROM:

DONAHOE

TO:

BELMONT

TITLE :

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

01/16/1961

3

ANTONIO DE VARONA

MANUEL ANTONIO VARONA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION :

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/08/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

MEMO

v9.1

DocId: 32326547

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

SECR

Memorandum to Mr. Belmont

Re:

• MANUEL ANTONIO VARONA

105-76826

Chief, Office of Secretary of Defense on 12-13-60 and came from one

William A. Ollman who got it from Tomlinson. xu

In view of the serious implications of infiltration of

this ClA-supported anti-castro activity the 12-13-60 data was

telephonically supplied to CIA on 12-15-60 and confirmed

in writing

(105-76826-17)

CIA by letter 12-16-60 advised of receipt of data from one

of its contacts who had received it from Julia Cellini that the

Cellini brothers have long been associated in the narcotics and white

slavery rackets in Cuba.

Reportedly the Cellini brothers planned to

support the FRD in hopes

of moving in on their old business after

overthrow of Castro.

During a White Slave Traffic Act investigation in 1945

it was alleged that both Julia Cellini and Dino V. Cellini were

procurers

The family

had a history of, Involvement in gambling.

Edward Goffredo Cellini had been a croupier-dealer in a

gambling house.

: (31-71997)

Dino Cellini (FBI No: 2198122) was considered during the

1953-1956 period by

the Legal Attache, Havana,

criminal informant but he was discontinued in February, 1556-J he was

a floor man for the gambling casino at the Tropicana night club in

•Havana. (137-858) In 1959 Washington Field (WFO) advised Dino Vincent

Cellini was formerly associated with Joseph Francis Nestine,

WFO top

hoodlum, in a gambling operation in Washington about 10 years ago.

(<137-4014-102 Q(4)

Goffredo R. Cellini was a criminal informant (Havana 31JK)

of the Legal Attache,

Havana,

from March, 1958 through May, 1460,

cellini has extensive background of employment in gambling operations

He went to Cubain 1957 and in 1958 was Afternoon Manager of Wilbur

Clark's Casino Internacional (gambling casino). His brother

was one of the overseers in gambling casino at Hotel Havana Riviera.

Mis bröther Edward Goffredo Cellini was Evening Manager of same casing y

in which informant was employed. Informant was personally associated

with such hoodlums as Jack Lansky and Meyer Lansky, had contact with

-2-

УРЕТ

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## Page 3

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

DOO

REVIETAD BY P31/JFK TASK FORCE

Re:

Memorandum to Mr. Belmont

MANUEL ANTONIO VARONA

105-76826

ON_

716-97 DAC/RTP

RELEASE IN FULL

O RELIABE IN PART

I TOTAL DENIAL

Santo Trafficante and personally:knew Americans: holding Large

gambling interests in Havana including Frank Erickson. He

furnished extensive data on hoodlums and gambling.

Beginning in

1958, Legal Attache was authorized to pay him up to $100

monthly for services.

His, discontinuance in May

,1960, was

prompted by his return to U.S.

Legal Attache felt he was stable,

responsible family man. (137-4014)

(u)

In connection with a security

Investigation in 1957 it

was established that Benvenuto M. Cellini is apparently the father

Files of Identification Division contain no arrest records

for Benvenuto, Julia

Edward and Goffredo Cellini on basis of name

search. Dino

Cellini has record of only two convictions (1941 and

1945) on gambling charges.

Background of Cellini family does not indicate they could

make contributions of millions of dollars but definitely points

to possibility Cellini brothers are fronting for gambling interests.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

seat

Attached is letter to CIA advising that Agency of the

additional data received. In view of CIA's support of böth Varona

and FRD we are asking CIA whether it has obtained any verification

of these allegations and whether it has received any other data

indicating financial backing of anti-Castro elements by U.S. gambling

interests.

In view of critical public reaction which could be expected:

to follow the reactivation of large-scale gambling operations in Cuba

by top hoodlums should Castro be overthrown, recommend Investigative

intelligence standpoint.

definesre Cilfa

SAG

gamblini

0f07

seen son

Let to MM, BS, NN * SU,

Sand memo do Kenned

HI -3:2

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