Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, MM
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 9/3/57
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/12/201

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-10296-10189

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 109-430-1744

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Hosassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Note) .

Case# :NU 53932 Date:

08-17-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM:

SAC, MM

TO :

DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE :

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

09/03/1957

7

JAN, P/P, ASSOC, POLIT ACT, ARMS

DOCUMENT TYPE:

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION:

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS:

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

Redact

04/08/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

INC MEMO

v9.1

HH 53932

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## Page 2

jan°

RECORDED

SAC, Miami (2-165)

Director, FBI (209-4301-1744

CARLOS PRIO SOCARRAS

FOREIGN POLITICAL MATTERS

* CUBA

JAMES EDWARD POVELL

IMPERSONATION

KIDNAPING

September 6

1957

L INFORMATION CONTAINED

EREIN IS UNCLASSINED

DATE 114)83 BYSPSCIC/O

211,326

7-9-94

SP 8 MAC/KSR

Reurlet dated 9/3/57.

Based upon your conclusion that the tactsao

not constitute a bona fide kidnaping complaint, no

further action need be taken regarding that phase of

che investigation other than to advise local police of

the alleged plot to kidnap Carlos Prio Socarrao.

NOTE:

Brother-in-law of Prio advised Miami Office on

8/12/57 one of Prio's associates received information that

subject Powell and two others were acting under instructions

of Batista agents to kidnap Prio and take him to Cuba where

he would be shot by Cuban authorities who would announce

he made an unauthorized landing Facts developed by Miami

larceny, worthless checks and impersonation.

In early July,

1957, he contacted Batista agents in Cuba and Miami in effort

to get money based on his claim he could furnish information

regarding Prio and arms shipments. Info he furnished was

unfounded.

On 8/12/57 prior to the report of the alleged

kidnaping plot Powell was arrested by Miami Agents for

impersonating a Department of Justice official allegedly in

Miami to investigate Prio.

Powell is in jail.

kidnaping plot appears to have been attempt by Powell to work z

con game against Prio as well as Batista.

Miami advises it 1s

conducting no further investigation since facts

not consideredi

to constitute bona fide kidnaping complaint.

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MM 2-165

Mr. HERNANDEZ also was able to advise Agents immediately

prior to the arrest of POWELL, that he was in possessior

of a revolver.

Ihis was found on his person at the time

of his arrest.

POWEL.I was brought before the U. S. Commissioner

and placed in jail under $10,000. bond:

the evening of August 12, 1957, several hours

after POWELL's apprehension, Dr. ENRIQUE HENRIQUEZ, brother-in-

law of CARLOS PRIO, and a former PSI of this office, telephoni-

tal a very sportant matter: DAVIS to call upon him in regard

Dr. HENRIQUEZ advised that information had been

girl friend of CARRASQUILLO, had come from Cuba fifteen days

previously with instructions from the Cuban authorities to

kidnap CARLOS PRIO, transport him by plane, then located at

Nades, Florida, make a landing at a fixed place in Cuba so

that the cuban authorities could shoot him, claiming that

PRIO was trying to escape from an unauthorized landing; that

CARRASQUILLO would do the actual shooting; that machine guns

had been seen in POWELL's car.

former defense minister in PRIO's government, NICHOLAS

Cuban at a soon a hope to e sata

Dr. HENRIQUEZ said that

had come from Cuba and told ANTONIO PRIO; brother of CARLOS,

that there was a project on to kill PRIO.

Dr. HENRIQUEZ said that the PRIO group would like

to have the information concerning this matter furnished to the

newspapers, so that the public could be informed of the activities

of the BATISTA government, as it would make good propaganda for

PRIO:

SA DAVIS advised Dr. HENRIQUEZ that the FBI could not

become involved in internal Cuban politics and that it would not

make premature press releases.

SA DAVIS advised HENRIQUEZ that POWELL, who andwered

the same general description which HENRIQUEZ furnished, had

been arrested that afternoon on an impersonation charge and

was in Federal custody.

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MM 2-165

Dr. HENRIQUEZ expressed

• surprise and

seemed to be

disappointed.

SA DAVIS told Dr. HENRIQUEZ that he would like to

talk to any persons who possessed information that POWELL Or

any of his associates, or anybody else, planned to kidnap

PRIO:

The investigative jurisdiction of the FBI over

kidnapping laws was explained to him.

Dr. HENRIQUEZ said that he would have to check

first to determine whether or not the persons who possessed

such information could be made available for interview and that

he would immediately notify SA DAVIS on the following morning

in the event they could be interviewed.

Dr. HENRIQUEZ did not call on the following morning

and has, as a matter of fact, not called to date to furnish

this information.

Also, during the above interview, Dr. HENRIQUEZ

was informed that if CARLOS PRIO felt that he needed police

protection, that he shald immediately notify the local police

authorities.

Two days later, HAL MC INTYRE, Investigator,

States Attorney's Office,

Miami, telephonically advised that

DAVID WALTERS, attorney for PRIO, had asked him to locate

and interview POWELL concerning the alleged kidnapping plot.

MC INTYRE was advised that POWELL was in

jail:

that POWELI

men had offered himmoney to furnish information concerning arms

smuggling:

Also, on the day following the interview with

Dr. HENRIQUEZ

SA DAVIS advised Consul General HERNANDEZ

that information had been received from a source, which was not

disclosed to Mr. HERNANDEZ, that BATISIAhad allegedly instructed

POWELI, to kidnap PRIO. Mr. HERNANDEX replied that any such

allegation was, of course, ridiculous and that the cuban

government would not stoop to such tactics.

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MM 2-165

Mr: HERNANDEZ again pointed out that POWELL had

voluntarily and on his own initiative approached Col: CANTILLO

in cuba,

claiming to possess information concerning planes and

guns to

be smuggled into Cuba and

that POWELL had made about

two trips to Cuba to see CANTILLO:

HERNANDEZ said that

neither he nor CANTILLO had paid POWELL any money, although

they had offered to pay him money in the event POWELL Was able

to furnish any information which could be used as the

basis for any seizures by the appropriate U. S. authorities

before such arms or planes were shipped out of this country.

Bureau dated August 7, 1957 entitled

Liaison, Foreign Miscellaneous"

Borne a eat a deran eater to, the

Col: CARLOS CANTILLO GONZALEZ, head of the Cuban Army Military

Intelligence Service had originally requested information on

POWELI on July 5, 1957:

Examination of Miami file on POWELL reflects that

he has a criminal record which includes such charges as forgery,

larceny after trust, worthless checks, escaping from convict

camp and impersonating an Army officer.

In view of the failure of HENRIQUEZ and PRIO to

make available for interview their source, the political

rivalry between the PRIO and BATISTA people, and the fact that

POWELI, was obviously attempting to work a con game against

both factions, the above facts were not considered to constitute

a bona fide kidnapping complaint.

This information is submitted for the advice of the

Bureau:

-5-

Sap-taran

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