Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: HAV
To: HQ
Document date: 3/12/58
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Date:

6/15/201

Agency Information

AGENCY :

FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-90068-10071

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 62-75147-210-120

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM:

HAV

TO:

HQ

TITLE:

DATE: 03/12/1958

PAGES:

6

SUBJECTS :

AMERICAN GAMBLERS IN CUBA

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 06/24/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS:

MEMO

v9.1

DocId: 32328120

Page

26

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## Page 2

FORM-NO. 84

Office Memi

UM • UNITED ST

OVERNMENT

Director, FBI (9282867)

DATE:

March 12, 1953

FROM :

Legat, Hayana (64-153)

Caba

CONFIDENTIAL

SUB

JOLASSIFIED

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN CUBA

ANTI-RACKETEERING

, SHOWN

HERBIN IS UNC

EXCEPT

OTHERWI

Reference Havana letters dated January 14, 1958,

and December 13, 1957.

There is set forth below additional information

which has been developed concerning the activities of Ameri-

can gamblers in Havana since the submission of referee embour

asinos in Operation

Class. & Et..

Reason - FCIM I!,

2/88.-

Wilbun Clark's- Casino

Date of Review

Hotel Nacfonal

4

This

casino continues-to be operated by individuals

previously identified to-the Bureau. JAKE LANSKY, MIami OffiCe

hoodlum, oversées

actonat ands assisted operations of the casino in the notel

TUCKER who has an interest in

the casino.

46

3-7

CLASSIFIED BY

18-

On February

5, 1958, PCI GOFFREDO CELLINT (conceal),

who is empilgyed in the casino

at the Hotel Nacional, advised

that GEORGE SADLON, an old associate of MeYER and JAKE LANSKY,

L4

was in Havana staying at the Hotel Nacional and frequenting

the casino there.

On February 27, 1958, PCI CELLINI advised

that JAKE LANSKY,

by General MANUEL BENE VALDE a buba seator and at date

Chief of Police in Cuba.

General BENITEZ indicated that he

was highly Indignant over the treatment MEYER

LANSKY had been

receiving, and he considers MEYER LANSKY to bela

good friend

and one of the few gentlemen in the gambling profession.

He

ndicated he would do everything in his power to put his sup-

port behind a movement to return MEYER LANSKY to Cuba:

He

stated he intended to publish an open letter in both

the

English and Spanish languageVnewspapers. Havana in the

Imme zag uture indicatings

SUPER TO MEER LANSKY. EDM

12 - Bureau 2 Ra dUr

БЕС. В-КОБЕНИ Г

62-75147-210-130

01204

19

1 - Havana

MM;

NK

•45

1958

DUB: 1g

(13

2 MAIN 5 19RN SL C 3/1/55

CANFISENTIAL

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## Page 3

iL"

Havana 64-153

CONFIDENTI/8/23/58

Source informed that immediately prior to the con-

versation with JAKE LANSKY and SAM TUCKER;

BENITEZ indicated

se had been in conterence concerning the matter with SANTO

RAFFICANTE, and JOEYSILESI, Wa, Joanivers.

The English language and Spanish language newspapers

of Sunday, March 2, 1958, carried an open letter from General

BENITEZ supporting

_the return of MEYER LANSKY to Cuba.

ote

avana Riviera Casino

FEDN

On January 23, 1958, Havana-4 advised that DINO

CELLINI,

who acts as a floor boss at the Hotel Havana RiViera

casino, continues to operate a school for Cuban dealers.

Source

sate sent late in the amber mates at Cut

23rd and Infanta Streets, Havana, Telephone U-8781.

On February 4, 1958, TIM HALL, Reservations Manager,

Hotel Nacional, confidentially advised that HARRY and BRISMITh

part-owners of

the Hotel Havana Riviera and believed to be of

Jewish extraction, are

, are two brothers who had made a great deal

64.6

of money during prohibition days running a number of "drinking

joints" in Toronto, Canada, which were almost continually filled

with Americans who

came across from the United States to get

drunk. He informed that they owned the Prince George Hotel in

Toronto. He said he had heard that they had made such

a great

deal of money in Canada that they desired to,

hide the fact by

investing some of it in the Havana Riviera. fx m

On March 10, 1958, Assistant Manager NEIL WALSH,

Hotel Havana Riviera,

gonfidentially advised that he had

certained from TOMMY

GUINAN, an employee in the casino at

the Havana RIviera and brother of the famous lex Guinan, that

the

following individuals have some "points" in

Riviera casino: C A

MEYER LANSKY

HARRY SMITH

"DUSTYY" PETERS

EDWARD LEVINSON.

IRVING "NIGGIE",

EDDIE TORREO

(8W

"RUDY" A KORNOCK

DINO CELLINI

89882-10088

CONFISENTAL

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## Page 4

Havana 64-153

+ .

4: 099,

CONFIGENTIAL

3/12/58

On February 3, 1958, NICHOLAS DI COSTANZO, wa. "Fat

The Butch"

, advised that he is an "old Yonkers boy"

and that

he was born

in Italy.

He said that he has three children -

a son who is a graduate of Holy Cross and Georgetown Law

School and who recently passed the bar in the District of

Columbia and in New York, a daughter who is a graduate of

the College of New Rochelle in New York, and another daughter

who is presently attending Marymount College in New York:

He informed that his son will handle legal work for him con-

cerning interests he owns in Florida and New York.

He indi-

cated he had purchased a substantial amount of real estate

in those areas during World War II which had increased greatly

in value.

He furnished a calling card in the name of "DI

COSTANZO HOLDING CO.,

537 South Broadway, Yonkers 5, N. Y.,

Telephone Yonkers 5-3800." This card. shows NICHOLAS D]

COSTANZO as President and indicates a residence telephone

of Yonkers 3-5325 *DI COSTANZO indicated that a certain

number of points in

the Capri casino operation are being

held open for GEORGE

Calit,

15, 1958,

advised that

casino of the Hotel Capri.v

Сива

February

26, 1958, TED SCOTT, writer for the

"Havana Post", advised that on

the preceding evening he had

seen JIM NORRIS of the International Boxing Commission and

SANTO TRAFFICANTE conversing

together at the

e Hötel Capri

gambling casino.

This information was confirmed on the

same date by PCI OSCAR LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ.

On the same date another source advised that the

following individuals had been identified as working in the

casino of the Hotel Capri:, Cuba CO

FEARRY BROOKS,

formerly of Cleveland and a former

associate of MICKEY COHEN;

ABIES COHEN:

JIMMY SAIGH;

HY SAMUELS;

MATTY BROWN.

(foto Havana Hilton)

On February 18, 1958, RALPH

RUST and CALVIN "TOMMY"

CHAPPELL,

former dealers

• Vegas, Nevada,

they had

come to lavana at the request of eurona torr

It. Governor of Nevada, to work in the casino at the Havana (Squ

d00C8-0018

-4-

STORET

CONFIDENTIAl

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