Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: PG
To: HQ
Document date: 11/21/1958
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/2/2015

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-90100-10024

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER:

52-72398-66

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:N 54027 Date:

08-25-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: PG

TO: HQ

TITLE:

DATE: 11/21/1958

PAGES:

10

SUBJECTS :

JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA

THEFT OF 318 WEAPONS, 16 BLANKETS, ONE CARBINE

RANK, OHIO NA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW:

07/29/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: AT

v9.1

HH 54027

DocId: 32331806

Page 1

2

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## Page 2

PG 52-1687

Confidential

CECIL HONDOURA. No long distance telephoné calls from this

town to Miami during the

"pertinent period could be found.

HONDOURA has yet to be identified.

Miami note

report of SA KENNETH C. MOORE, 11/22/57, at Miami,

captioned "CHESTER ZOCHOWSKI, was.

ITSP - MAJOR THEFT."

which sets forth background information re

FESSALANO and

results of interview with him on 10/3/57. It is noted

In this interview,

FESSALANO admitted he was born and raised

in New Kensington,

and grew up with the MANNARINO brothers.

He said during airplane flight from Miami to Pittsburgh, he

became acquainted with JOE MEROLA, a fellow passenger,

also livee in Miami.

He said MEROLA told him that he too

knew the MANNARINOS.

Regarding the CECIL HONDOURA mentioned by PESSALANO, it 1s

noted that during the investigation of the MANNARINO brothers

by Pittsburgh, ARTHUR NEWMAN, PCI, contacted by Legat,

Havana, Cuba,

advised that in the past the MANNARINO brothers

had shipped slot machines into Cuba, probably through ALBERTO

ARDURA, aka. Alberto Ardura Moya, who PCI deseribed as the

"bag" man for ROBERTO FERNANDEZ MIRaNdA, brother-In-law

of Cuban President FULGENCIO BATISTA.

PoI reported that since

MIRANDA received 50% of the "take" from all slot machines

operating in Cuba, ARDURA is normally the individual to whom

slot machines are exported from the United States.

PCI

advised this is done by ARDURA to insure control of slot

machines."

*(И)

The above is mentioned in view of the similarity of names

between ARDURA and HONDOURA and should be considered whe

PESSALANO is' re-interviewed.

LEADS

CHARLOTTE

Charlotte requested to expedite Investigation set forth in

Pittsburgh airtel to Savannah, 11/12/58.

= 7.-

ContIdeft 1a2

NW 54027 DooId: 32331806 Page 2

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