Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: BAUMGARDNER
To: BELMONT
Document date: 01/25/1961
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

Date:

5/29/201

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-90089-10107

RECORD SERIES :

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 2-1622-72

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: BAUMGARDNER

TO: BELMONT

TITLE :

DATE: 01/25/1961

PAGES:

6

SUBJECTS :

ROLANDO MASFERRER

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: Consulted

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 07/21/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: APPROVAL OF DOJ

COMMENTS: MEMO, REFERRED TO DOJ

v9.1

DocId: 32330072

Page 1

---

## Page 2

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (11 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

Memorandum to Mr. Belmont

RE:

ROLANDO ARCADIO MASFERRER ROJAS

2-1622

Masferrer once had a barracks-type house in Miami where some

of his supporters resided.

In early January, 1961, some of these

persons were arrested by the Miami Police Department for vagrancy and

others were ordered to leave. On 1-20-61 Masferrer advised Bureau

Agents he had been ordered by the police to give up the house since his

supporters had become a general nuisance and created disturbances in

Miami. An informant who has furnished reliable information in the past

reported on 12-30-60 that Masferrer is broke and it is unknown if, or

when, he will get financial support from any Cuban or American group.

DIRECTOR'S CONFERENCE WITH ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL YEAGLEY ON

1-5-61 RE PROSECUTION

Mr. Yeagley contacted the Director on 1-5-61 to discuss the

Masferrer case.

After receiving our detailed reports, Yeagley

thought the Department had a case which it could present to a Grand

Jury; however, due to the break in diplomatic relations with Cuba,

the

presentation of such a case to a Grand Jury would be a delicate

matter.

Mr. Yeagley had received a call from State Department as to

what Justice planned to do on the case, and Yeagley believed, when he

called State back, that he should get confirmation from State that

Justice should go

ahead with the case despite the break in diplomatic

relations.

The Director agreed that this was a wise thing to do.

The Director pointed out to Mr. Yeagley that with the present state

of public opinion, the Department was inviting great trouble if

it proceeded against Masferrer.

that since all sympathy in the Miami area is with anti-Castro forces,

it seemed that if any move was made it ought to be at the specific

request in writing of the State Department.

Mr. Yeagley thought these

suggestions were excellent and would advise the Bureau of the final

outcome of the matter after conferring with State.

CURRENT STATUS

On 1-6-61 Mr. Yeagley telephonically advised Mr. Belmont

I he had talked with Thomas Mann of State Department and Mann had

advised it would be helpful to State's position if Masferrer's

activities

were

stopped and

State had no objection to the presentation

of this case to a Grand Jury.

Yeagley told Mann that Justice was

not anxious to proceed against Masferrer without a request in writing

from state.

- 5 -

DocId: 32330072 Page 2

---

## Page 3

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

DATE: 11414-2017

a'?5

Memorandum to Mr. Belmont

RE:

ROLANDO ARCADIO MASFERRER ROJAS

2-1622

On January 25, Mr. Yeagley advised that several discussions

had been held with Eric Heger, Legal Advisor of the State Department,

Heger offered to furnish a letter

to Justice saying that State Department had no objection to prosecution

However, Yeagley wanted a more positive

statement such as that it would be in the national interest to do so.

Yeagley said that Heger has now left the State Department and no

further word has been heard from the State Department and consequently

the Justice Department contemplates no further action as to Masferrer

unless and until the State Department sets forth its position definitely

lin writing.

DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION PERTAINING TO MASFERRER'S ACTIVITIES

All information developed during the course of our

investigations of Masferrer has been promptly disseminated to

State, Central Intelligence Agency, the military intelligence

agencies, Bureau of Customs, INS and the Internal Security Division

of the Department of Justice.

ACTION:

This is submitted for your information.

- 6 -

DocId: 32330072 Page 3

---