MARVIN KANTOR AKA MELVIN KANTOR.
Originator: CIA
From: LEONARD, ROBERT J.
To: CHIEF, FIOB/SRS
Document date: 03/16/1972
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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SECRETI

16 March 1972

MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, FIOB/SRS

FROM

SUBJECT

: Robert J. Leonard

: Marvin KANTOR

aka Melvin KANTOR

#539 326

PERONES FOR CELESSE T023

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

STATUS REPORT

ci1s14

Synopsis:

NORMAN reported that Melvin KANTOR, born 1937, whose

cryptonym is "KARP," and who was a student at Harvard University

and who had distant relatives in the Soviet Union, was,

in 1961, re-

ported by Eugene NOSKOV as having been recruited on ideological

grounds. Vladimir Vladimirovich IVANOV handled this case which

was turned over to the First Chief Directorate. NORMAN admitted

that NOSKOV could have been mistaken on the date as NOSKOV did

not have first hand knowledge of the matter.

Marvin KANTOR, a professor at Northwestern University,

born 9 May 1934 at New York City, New York, was a student at the

University of Copenhagen from 1957 - 1961. He visited his uncle

in Minsk, USSR in 1958 and 1959 and admitted to a CIA officer in

1961 extensive contacts and cooperation with Soviet officials in

Copenhagen, Denmark and in Minsk, USSR. He also recounted a clear

recruitment attempt by one Evegeniy KAN in Minsk in 1959 which he

allegedly refused. Yet he continued contacts with Soviets in Copen-

hagen through April 1961. He has made additional visits to the Soviet

Union in 1965, 1969 and 1970. He has repeatedly denied any contacts

in the United States, or abroad, by Soviet Intelligence since 1961.

trait

include en wicrali.

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Background:

Marvin KANTOR was born on 9 May 1934 in New York City,

New York, of Russian born naturalized parents, Irving and Sarah

(BRODSKY) KANTOR. Marvin KANTOR served in the U. S. Marine

Corps from February 1953 to August 1955, attaining the rank of

Corporal (aviation mechanic) and remained in the USMC Reserve

until 1963.

KANTOR attended the following schools: De Witt Clinton

High School, Bronx, New York, graduated 1952; Fairleigh Dickinson

University, New Jersey, 1956-1957 as a night student; University of

Copenhagen, Denmark, September 1957 - June 1961; Fordham Uni- 2z

versity, Bronx, New York, September 1961 - August 1962, M. A.

degree; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, September

1962, working for Ph. D. and employed as a lecturer in Slavic

languages.

KANTOR visited the Soviet Union on the following occasions:

May - July 1958

June - Sept

1959

August

1965

Mar - Apr 1969

Mar - Apr. 1970

Minsk, 3 days in Moscow

Minsk, 2 days in Moscow

Moscow, Study-Tour Group

Moscow, Study

Moscow, Leningrad - researching

KANTOR, upon receiving M. A. degree at Fordham University

in 1962, attended the University of Michigan where he studied for a

Ph. D. and was employed as a lecturer in Slavic languages. He was

still affiliated with the University of Michigan when he accompanied the

tour group of students to the Soviet Union in 1965. In June 1966, after

KANTOR's return from a years study in Europe, he indicated he would

begin employment as an instructor at Brooklyn College. By 1969

KANTOR was employed in the Russian Language Department at North-

western University, Evanston, Illinois.

In 1969, KANTOR advised the FBI that at no time since his

return to the United States in 1969, and also after his visit to the

Soviet Union in 1965, have any Soviet personnel contacted him other

than the communications he has had with his relatives in Minsk. He

stated that he feels the Soviet Intelligence Service has just forgotten

about him.

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SECRET.

Information From NORMAN:

NORMAN was given three pages of his notes, on 28 November

1967, and was requested to translate the notes and give an explanation

of how he obtained the information. NORMAN furnished the following

, in response to this request:

"The recruitments of the lst Section, 7th Depart-

ment, 2nd Chief Directory in 1960-1962, reported to

me by a senior case officer of the Ist Section, NOSKOV,

Evgeni, who, during the absence of the chief of the lst

Section, DERA, temporarily acted as Chief of Section ...

"4 'Karp' - KANTOR Melvin, born in 1937, a

citizen of the USA, student at Harvard University, has

far relatives in Russia, recruited on a loyal basis.

Against him worked a senior case officer (later chief

of Section), IVANOV, Vladimir. The file was given to

the Ist Chief Directory."

On 9 May 1968, the FBI furnished a translation of available notes

of NORMAN. A report on "Recruitment of Foreigners by the personnel

of the Ist Section" contained the following:

"1961 - 6 'Karl' - Melvin CANTOR, born 1937,

Harvard University student; has distant relatives in the

USSR. Recruited on loyalty basis (case) transferred to

PGU. "

On 27 July 1968, NORMAN was requested to consider carefully

several cases on NORMAN's list of "recruitments of the First Section

of the Seventh Department in 1960-1962 reported by NOSKOV." NOR-

MAN was asked if there could be any cases on this list which were in

1959. NORMAN replied that there could be 1959 cases included; that

NOSKOV could be mistaken; that the list was not important as to when

the recruitment took place. For NORMAN, who was preparing the re-

port for BOBKOV, it was merely who were recruited (agents) during

the entire period.

NOSKOV could have made some mistakes because

he was asking officers in the absence of the Chief of Section. Some of

these officers perhaps did not remember or just knew a little bit, such

as a file being given to the First Chief Directory. It was concluded pos-

sible, therefore, that there could be a 1959 case in this list.

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At this point, the case of Melvin KANTOR was referred to and

NORMAN was asked if he was reading that as Melvin KANTOR. NOR-

MAN was told there was a case on an individual by the name of Marvin

KANTOR. NORMAN stated, "If he is the same, 30 . . . was born in

'37, and was a student in Harvard, was studying, it's possible he . . .

because, you know there wasn't file and there isn't place where he can

check. "

NORMAN affirmed that there wasn't a file to look at to get the

information on KANTOR. He stated, "He (NOSKOV) has written him-

self 'given in First Chief Directory.' That's why he could make mis-

take."

NORMAN was asked if he thought the recruitment of "KARP"'

was made by Vladimir IVANOV. NORMAN replied that it was possibly

IVANOV but NORMAN did not know. NORMAN denied, however, that

it could possibly have been Yevgeniy NOSKOV who recruited "KARP"

because NOSKOV could then have written something definite without

mistakes. NOSKOV wrote too little on this case. This made NORMAN

think that NOSKOV was not directly involved in the "KARp" recruitment.

During an interview of NORMAN, on 27 and 31 January 1969,

concerning Melvin KANTOR, NORMAN was advised information had

been received that KANTOR brought a bottle of wiskey and some other

articles to a Soviet correspondent in Moscow named SHARIF at the re-

quest of an official of the Soviet Embassy, Copenhagen, Denmark, where

KANTOR was a university student; and, at SHARIF's request, KANTOR wrote

an article for which SHARIF paid him and KANTOR was required to give

SHARIF a receipt for the money. NORMAN identified SHARIF as an agent

of Vladimir IVANOV of the Seventh Department, SCD, KGB, and source

expressed the opinion, "It was combination of IVANOV and Seventh De-

partment that KANTOR had come to write a short article of his impres-

sions of Minsk - (and SHARIF) had given him 5, 000 rubles - it was

KGB's combination" because SHARIF "cannot do this ,- any corres-

pondent cannot do this thing - and SHARIF was an agent." NORMAN

indicated that the money given by SHARIF to KANTOR undoubtedly was

KGB money, and it was the KGB which insisted that SHARIF obtain a re-

ceipt from KANTOR.

Among handwritten comments NORMAN furnished while review-

ing photographs and names of numerous Soviets who had been in the

United States, are the following comments concerning Dzhavad Azizovich

SHARIF:

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October 2, 1969: "SHARIF, D.A. - an agent of

7th Department, SCD, KGB; in 1959 there were a

number of signals (indications) that he was studied

by American Intelligence for recruitment. SCD,

KGB was planning to make an operative game on this

basis."

November 7, 1969: "SHARIF, D.A. - a corres-

pondent; an agent of the 7th Department, SCD, KGB;

in 1959 SCD, KGB was hoping that he would be re-

cruited by CIA."

Among handwritten comments NORMAN furnished concerning KGB

agents about whom he had some knowledge, without the benefit of photo-

graphs or specific names to refresh his recollection, is the following:

"SHABAD - a correspondent, an agent of the 7th

Department, 2nd Chief Directory; in 1959 were signals

that the American Intelligence studied him - at the end

of 1959 he was in the USA with KHRUSHCHEV's group -

SHABAD was instructed if (there) would be approachment

to transfer a conversation in Moscow - but there was

not made an approachment to him in the USA in 1959."

NORMAN subsequently indicated he confused the name of Theodore

SHABAD, an American correspondent, with Soviet correspondent, SHARIF.

On 27 January 1969, NORMAN furnished information to repre-

sentatives of the FBI which has been reported as follows:

"(NORMAN) recalled that KANTOR was recruited

by the KGB in the USSR in 1959. He was recruited by

representatives of the 7th Department, Second Chief

Directorate while traveling as a tourist in the USSR.

(NORMAN) recalled that Vladimir Vladimirovich

IVANOV, a KGB officer, was operating an agent who

was a correspondent named Dzhavad Azizovich

SHARIF. This correspondent was placed in contact

with KANTOR and, on behalf of KGB, induced KAN-

TOR to write his impressions of Minsk. (NORMAN)

stated that SHARIF would not have done this on his

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SEGRET:

own initiative. KANTOR was given 500 rubles and

signed a receipt which the KGB intended to use for

blackmail purposes at a later date. (KGB would in-

dicate that the money was given by the KGB rather

than by a newspaper correspondent.)

"In addition, for blackmail purposes, KGB was

planning to place Vladimir Arsentyevich GRUSHA in

contact with KANTOR. GRUSHA was a KGB officer

who had been expelled from the United States as per-

sona non grata. KGB planned to photograph him with

KANTOR and use the photograph to support a conten-

tion that KANTOR was in contact with the KGB.

Source

did not know if this plan was actually carried

out.

"Source believed that IVANOV had contact with

KANTOR and was involved in the recruitment of

KANTOR, but, of course, was not alone in the ap-

proach.

"Source stated that the Seventh Department did

not have any information from the First Chief

Directorate (FCD) regarding KANTOR but began

study of him on its own initiative.

"When advised of the Soviet refusal of a visa

for KANTOR in 1961, Source stated this may have

been done on the instructions of KGB to avoid attract-

ing American Intelligence Service (AIS) attention to

KANTOR. Another trip to the USSR might appear

suspicious to AIS."

On 31 January 1969, NORMAN provided information to repre-

sentatives of the FBI which has been reported as follows:

"On January 31, 1969, the Source, in response

to questions, stated that he knew GRUSHA was to be

used in one of the cases handled by IVANOV but he

was not sure that this was the KANTOR case and he

might have been mistaken when he reported this on

January 27, 1969. He stated KGB "had a good thing"

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against KANTOR in the form of a receipt for money

paid to him and they could claim it was given by KGB.

"Source was advised that KANTOR reportedly de-

livered gifts to SHARIF at the request of a Soviet con-

tact in Copenhagen, Boris KHRYACHKOV, who was

assigned to the Soviet Embassy. Source commented

that FCD, recognizing that KANTOR could possibly be

recruited, arranged for SCD to select an agent (SHARIF)

to whom KANTOR could be sent to facilitate his assess-

ment and recruitment. In the event the recruitment

was successful, the SCD would inform FCD which in

turn would inform the Residentura in Copenhagen."

CIA Operational Debriefing of KANTOR, April - May 1961:

Under pretext of an inquiry connected with a survey of American

scholars and graduate students engaged in Slavic studies in Scandinavian

universities, KANTOR was interviewed by a CIA officer on 11 and 12

April 1961.

Although KANTOR was first interviewed under selected academic

cover, as the discussion reached the point of his contacts with Soviet

citizens and officials in USSR in 1958 and 1959, he was informed of

American Intelligence interest. KANTOR was interviewed in depth from

1500 to 2030 and then at dinner in a restaurant until 2330. The next day

KANTOR ascertained the interviewer's bona-fides without divulging in-

telligence connection and met again at 1500 as directed. The second de-

briefing lasted 4 hours.

KANTOR provided information that he had been in the USSR

twice, in 1958 and 1959, for protracted visits with his uncle in Minsk;

that he had been in contact with Soviet Embassy officials and RIS repre-

sentatives, both in Copenhagen and Minsk, since fall 1957 until February.

1961; that he had been subject to a RIS recruitment attempt in Minsk in

summer 1959, which he allegedly refused; and that he still planned to

visit his relatives in Minsk, in May or June, before returning to the

United States in September.

KANTOR was instructed by American Intelligence to proceed

with his application for a Soviet visa, make no effort to revive his semi-

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dormant contact with his last RIS contact in Copenhagen, and to re-

port the outcome of his visit to the Soviet consular officials.

KANTOR stated that he had been in the USSR twice, both times. on

a visitor's visa issued to him for stays with his uncle in Minsk. He was

on the first trip from end of May till middle of July, 1958. His first

visa was issued for one month and he renewed it for an additional period

of two weeks at the Minsk OVIR. He returned via Moscow by plane

directly to Copenhagen, but spent 2-3 days in Moscow. Otherwise he

was in Minsk all the time.

His second trip to the USSR lasted from 2 June 1959 to 8 Septem-

ber 1959. Except for the days, 6 and 7 September, which KANTOR spent

in Moscow obtaining valid Polish and East German transit visas, he

stayed in Minsk all the time, about 3 months.

KANTOR visited his parents in New York from November 1958

to January 1959. In the summer of 1960, he traveled with his mother,

by car, from LeHarve to Berlin when she went to the USSR to visit her i

brother.

KANTOR related that he was befriended by Boris Fedorovich

KHRYACHKOV, a Soviet diplomatic official in Copenhagen in 1957 and

1958. In Minsk, KANTOR was contacted on several occasions by a man

from a "Ministry, " Viktor Ivanovich SAZONOV, who, on their second

or third meeting, offered KANTOR 500 rubles to buy a gift for KANTOR'S

aunt. KANTOR refused this money. SAZONOV urged KANTOR to take

an active part in the "peace struggle" and to "cooperate" but made no

specific proposals or suggestions. KANTOR claimed that he was listen-.

ing to SAZONOV and nodding moreor less his assent to the idea that peace

is better than war, that atomic weapons should not be used, etc., etc.

KANTOR admitted that SAZONOV could well have concluded, on the basis

of their conversations, that KANTOR was more or less a sympathizer.

KANTOR stated that he guessed what SAZONOV was after, but since

KANTOR did not give out any information and agreed with SAZONOV's

general idea only passively, KANTOR did not think that their meetings

were of great significance.

KANTOR also stated that one request by

SAZONOV was outright foolish; namely, that KANTOR could help the

"peaceful forces" by signaling to them a threat of war from the West

(early warning!). The term intelligence was never mentioned during

KANTOR's stay in Minsk and he left in July without having accepted

any instructions or assignments from SAZONOV.

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KANTOR further related that he met KHRYACHKOV again at

the Embassy in September 1958 and stated he wanted to return to

Minsk for the whole summer of 1959 because he had enjoyed his stay

very much. KHRYACHKOV promised to help him get a visa. After

KANTOR's return from a visit to his family in the United States, he

again went to the Embassy and contacted KHRYACHKOV regarding

his visa. In February 1959, KHRYACHKOV initiated the beginning

of an obviously clandestine meeting system away from the Embassy

and KHRYACHKOV's home. From February to May 1959 they met

several times on street corners and cheap eating places.

KANTOR was

requested to tell whatever he knew about friends and student acquaintances

in Copenhagen, the specific requirements for admission at the university,

the organization "Clarte'" and other information not bearing upon KAN-…..

TOR's visa application. KANTOR reluctantly admitted that he submitted

four or five written "statements" in his own handwriting to KHRYACHKOV

during this period. KANTOR also admitted supplying the following names

of American students who were in Copenhagen at that time: Murry

BROWN; David BRIAR; Peter LENNEHAN; Raymond KEA, a Negro...

student; and Don COMERFORD. KHRYACHKOV evidenced interest in

Noel FOX and Daniel MIKELSON, editors of the "Scandinavian Times"

and Rembert Craven ALLEY, an American architect.

When KANTOR visited Minsk for the second time, in June 1959,

he was approached by Yevgeniy KAHN who said he had been in the United

States, implied he had been in New York and Washington, D. C., and

asked about KANTOR's background and the purpose of his visit. He also

asked that KANTOR meet him on the next day at the Hotel Byelorussia,

purportedly in connection with KANTOR's request for an extension of

his visa and sojourn permit in Minsk. KAHN appeared to KANTOR to be

more authoritative then SAZONOV.

The next day, KAHN told KANTOR that if he wanted to stay a

longer time with his relatives in Minsk, the Soviet authorities had to

be certain about his good intentions and good faith and that full infor-

mation was needed on his personal background, his family, his military

service, his friends, etc. KAHN asked KANTOR a lot of questions and

again talked at great length about peace and the war threats from the

West and about how every "decent" and "honest" person should actively

participate in the peace fight. He offered KANTOR money and travel to

other places in the USSR, which KANTOR allegedly refused. Then

KAHN gave KANTOR an address to contact KAHN at in Moscow should

he desire to contact KAHN.

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After the contact by KAHN, SAZONOV again began to make

more or less regular appearances and give "political indoctrination

talks."

Towards the end of July 1959, after the extension of KANTOR's

sojourn permit, SAZONOV invited KANTOR to the Byelorussia Hotel

where KAHN was expecting them. During this meeting, KAHN

identified himself as a representative of an intelligence service

"razvedka" and made the first clear recruitment pitch. He wanted

KANTOR to sign a loyalty pledge that KANTOR would collaborate

with Soviet Intelligence. KANTOR claims he refused point blank.

An argument ensued during which KANTOR said, "If you trust me,

why should I sign anything." In the end, KAHN said that KANTOR's

oral agreement would be acceptable. KANTOR, however, refused

this too and SAZONOV expressed "deep disappointment."

Although

they took KANTOR to dinner and continued to belabor him, KANTOR

allegedly remained adamant and refused to collaborate. KANTOR did

not see KAHN again but SAZONOV appeared once or twice. KANTOR,

though shaken up by the incident, did not reveal the recruitment attempt tc

his uncle.

In the middle of August KANTOR obtained another extension of

his visa and sojourn permit without difficulty.

On 1 or 2 September, KANTOR and his uncle were summoned to

appear at the OVIR and were brusquely informed that KANTOR had been

a "bad boy," had been "attending bad company," and that he was to leave

Minsk in three days. KANTOR connected this expulsion order with his

refusal to collaborate with the RIS. Since KANTOR had no valid Polish

transit visa he was turned back by Polish border authorities and had to

go to Moscow where he was admonished to register immediately with

the militia. He spent one night at the National Hotel in Moscow and

secured his East-German and Polish transit visas. He departed Moscow

on 7 September, exited USSR on 8 September and reached Copenhagen on

10 September 1959.

Although KANTOR, disgusted with the recruitment attempt and

his expulsion from the USSR, did not plan to go to the USSR again and

therefore did not seek further contacts with KHRYACHKOV in Copen-

hagen, he continued to frequent the International Club and there met

Vladislav Mikhailovich ABARCHALIN, in October or November 1959.

It was through ABARCHALIN that KHRYACHKOV resumed contact with

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KANTOR and explained that "'they" had been too "rash" and that every-

thing could be straightened out. KANTOR had several street corner

meetings with KHRYACHKOV between November 1959 and April 1960.

KHRYACHKOV continued to ask KANTOR about his friends in Copen-

hagen and advised him to lose or destroy his passport because of the

many Soviet, East German and Polish visas in it.

In April 1960, KHRYACHKOV introduced KANTOR to another

Soviet, "Grigoriy" or "Georgiy," and told KANTOR that he should

maintain contact with "Georgiy." At the second meeting with Georgiy,

in the middle of May 1960, KANTOR was requested to submit a written

statement about his student friends in Copenhagen, which KANTOR

allegedly refused to do. KANTOR had two more meetings with Georgiy.

during the summer of 1960, provided no information to him and moved

in October 1960, breaking contact.

In January 1961, KANTOR received a letter from his uncle in

Minsk asking if KANTOR could visit him again. KANTOR decided that

since he was returning to the United States in September another op-

portunity to visit the USSR might not materialize for a long time and so

he decided to make another trip for "sentimental reasons." KANTOR

therefore visited the Soviet Embassy in January 1961 and there met

Georgiy who expressed his pleasure at seeing KANTOR again. Georgiy

met with KANTOR during the first week of February 1961, asked KAN-

TOR the same questions about foreign students and again was refused

information by KANTOR who said he was too busy with his studies.

However, KANTOR admitted that he gave Georgiy his new address and

did not explicitely refuse to meet him again. Georgiy appeared to be

disgusted with KANTOR and made no arrangements for another meeting.

KANTOR subsequently went to the Soviet Embassy several times that

spring in connection with his visa application and was told to come back

on 14 April 1961.

All of the above details were admitted by KANTOR during a de-

briefing by American Intelligence on 11 and 12 April 1961.

KANTOR identified Georgiy as Georgiy MOCHALOV (aka

MOTCHALOV), Second Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Copenhagen.

He also identified photographs of Vladislav Mikhailovich ABARCHALIN

and Boris Fedorovich KHRYACHOV. KANTOR, in addition, identified

the following students who frequented the International Club and could

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have had contact with Vladislav Mikhailovich ABARCHALIN: Rembert

Craven ALLEY and Philip ROSENBLUM.

A memorandum, dated 5 May 1961, regarding contact meetings

on 3 and 4 May, prepared by a CIA Staff Employee, contained this

addenda on KANTOR's contacts with the Soviets. KANTOR stated that at

the meetings on 11 and 12 April he had forgotten to mention an episode

that had occurred on his first trip to the USSR in 1958. Before KANTOR

departed Copenhagen, KHRYACHKOV gave KANTOR two English language

books and two bottles of whiskey. KHRYACHKOV asked KANTOR to trans-

mit the books and one bottle of whiskey to one (FNU) SHARIFF, a member

of the staff on the Moscow News, whom KANTOR was to call up if he came

to Moscow, telephone number B 8-06-10. The second bottle of whiskey

was to be given to KANTOR's uncle as a present. On his return from

Minsk to Copenhagen, KANTOR spent three days in Moscow and stayed

at the Metropole. He remembered KHRYACHKOV's request, called up

SHARIFF (Dzhavad Azizovich SHARIF) and was visited by SHARIFF at

the Hotel. KANTOR transmitted the two books and one bottle of whiskey

to SHARIFF who asked KANTOR to write a short article for the Moscow

News about his impressions in Minsk. KANTOR agreed and wrote about

two pages. SHARIFE accepted the article, gave KANTOR 500 rubles as

a fee, and promised to send KANTOR a copy of the issue if the article were

to be published. KANTOR signed a receipt for the money. KANTOR stated

that he did not make any copy and does not know whether the article was

ever used. KANTOR said that this was the only time that he had received

any money from the Soviets and that he felt there was nothing wrong with

this payment.

KANTOR explained his dealings with the Soviets - letting both

KHRYACHKOV and SAZONOV believe he was not opposed to being friends

with the Soviets - as a very clever and skilful devise to enable him to

keep the door open for further visits to the USSR. After the recruitment

pitch and after his semi-expulsion from the USSR, he maintained the con-

tact with KHRYACHKOV and later MOCHALOV only reluctantly and only

because he did not want to cause any trouble to his relatives in the USSR.

However, the only threat KANTOR received was from MOCHALOV who

told him once that if he did not collaborate, no visa would be forthcoming.

KANTOR admitted candidly that his desire to study the Russian

language was so strong in 1958 and 1959 that if, at that time, the Soviets

had offered him an opportunity to attend a Soviet university, he would

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have accepted, even if he had been discouraged by U. S. authorities.

However, after his experience in 1959, he allegedly changed his view

radically and just wanted to be left alone.

He could not, however,.

provide a logical explanation of why he did not report everything. to the

U. S. authorities.

When questioned sharply on this point he became

emotional and stated that if he was still doing what the Soviets had told"

him to do he certainly would have grabbed the opportunity to destroy

his passport and simply deny that he had been in the USSR in 1959.

KANTOR stated he believed that while he had been very naive

in the beginning of his contacts with the Soviets and the RIS, he did not

really engage in any "subversive activity," did not supply any valuable

information to them, and did not commit anything conflicting with his

loyalty as a U. S. citizen.

Additional Information From CIA Re KANTOR:

A memorandum to the FBI, dated 9 August 1961, CSCI 3/766,

642, contained information from one of KANTOR's acquaintances re-

ferred to as "informant":

l'a) In mid-June 1961, KANTOR tried to interest

the informant in taking a trip to the USSR of about three

weeks duration... KANTOR expressed a willingness

to absorb personally any of informant's expenses in ex-

cess of the estimated cost, within 'several hundred

krones'. KANTOR stated that if this trip did not materialize,

he would probably make a short trip to Yugoslavia, 'for a

last look at Slavic Europe,' before returning to the States

... where he would attend the special language program

at Fordham University. • .

1 .

"b) Subsequently, when the informant decided he

could not make the trip, KANTOR decided to call it off,

although he was still desirous of visiting the Soviet Unior

again before returning to the United States.

"c) KANTOR felt that the USSR had honored all of her

agreements at Yalta and Potsdam and that the United States

had no legal rights in West Berlin, especially since the

USSR, legally at least, had moved out of East Berlin.

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However, he feels neither the USSR

nor the United

States is entirely in the right. He is favorable to-

wards the United States . . . however, if the USSR -

were to take the initiative (in a new approach to the

problem), then he would have to side with them . . •

KANTOR appeared to be a strict Marxist (on economic

questions) . . . under Communism it is possible for

a backward nation to advance to the status of a major

power in a short time. The United States system,

• . . is out moded and run by profiteers and gangsters

who have no interest in the underpriviledged. Cul-

turally, the Soviets have better tasts and are moving

ahead while the United States is standing still . . .

The main problem in the world is to prevent war and,

KANTOR feels, there is no doubt that the intentions of

the USSR are peaceful.

A memorandum to the FBI, dated 23 August 1961, CSCI 3/766,

845, reflects that the CIA had recently learned that KANTOR had been

in daily contact with one William STEINSMITH, an American citizen born

about 1933, currently living in Denmark without a residence permit.

CIA had been advised, by a usually reliable source, that STEINSMITH

had maintained a clandestine contact with a Cuban official in Copenhagen,

Gabriel CALAFORR Salas, and had sold pro-CASTRO articles to the

local Danish press.

It was also learned that KANTOR had recently ob-

tained a check for $1000 ostensibly from his father to pay for his fare

back to the United States.

Possible Connection to OSWALD Investigation:

In a memorandum to the FBI, CSCI 316/00925-65, dated 2 March

1965, this Agency pointed out the following coincidences in the backgrounds

of KANTOR and Lee Harvey and Marina OSWALD:

a) KANTOR was in Minsk, USSR, for six weeks dur-

ing the summer of 1958 and during the period 2 June to.

September 1959. Although OSWALD apparently did not

arrive in Minsk until January 1960, Marina OSWALD,

according to her own testimony, arrived in Minsk towards

the end of August.

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b) KANTOR claimed to have been something of

an oddity in Minsk since he was the only American

residing there at the time. As such, he claimed to

have attracted to himself a group of young Soviets

who displayed an unusual curiosity about America

and Western Europe. Among these young Soviets,

according to KANTOR, was a young man named

Igor (LNU), "whose father was a Soviet Army general.

OSWALD also reportedly considered himself to be an

oddity as the only American in Minsk and attracted

more or less the same type young Soviets as did

KANTOR. OSWALD listed among his close friends

in Minsk a young Soviet named Pavel GOLOVACHEV,.

whose father ostensibly was a Soviet Army general.

c) Both KANTOR and OSWALD had served as en-

listed men and technicians in the United States Marine

Corps.

d) As of 14 August 1964, KANTOR was employed

by the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as a

lecturer in Slavic languages and literature. Marina

OSWALD was enrolled in a special English language

course at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as

of March 1965.

CIA Interest in KANTOR:

Agency interest in Marvin KANTOR was first aroused upon re-

ceipt of information from the U. S. Consul in Copenhagen which was

sent to the l Blin a memorandum dated 16 April 1959. KANTOR had

22

On 29 November 1960, dispatch CDCA 5769 reported agent spotting

of KANTOR at Copenhagen University as a prospect for recruitment.

Headquarters replied by Dispatch dated 15 December 1960 warning of

KANTOR's contact with Soviet Embassy Clerk, Vladislav ABARCHALIN

22(CDCA)8044, 22 December 1959). It was suggested that it would be

interesting to get KANTOR's view of his contact with ABARGHALIN and

any other local Soviets and of the Soviet effort to contact American

zIRS

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students in Denmark. This dispatch also warned that KANTOR was of

Sensitua SouRcE delETEd

Prior to the above expressed interest in recruiting KANTOR,

CIA had been in receipt of FBI Reports on KANTOR characterized as

"Internal Security-R," based upon receipt of information on his contacts

with ABARCHALIN and Rembert Craven ALLEY and his visits to the

USSR in 1958 and 1959.

On 10 February 1961, Headquarters was advised that Marvin

KANTOR was considered ripe for a direct approach to explore his

REDSKIN, LCIMPROVE, LCHARVEST potential. Headquarter traces

and POA were requested.

A POA was granted on I March 1961 for contract, assessment

and polygraph only.

Consequently, KANTOR was approached and interviewed on 1l

and 12 April 1961. KANTOR revealed himself as a long-time, but

allegedly unwitting, Soviet Intelligence contact in Copenhagen. On 3

and 4 May 1961, a second debriefing was conducted. KANTOR reported

that he had visited the Soviet Embassy in Copenhagen on 17 April 1961

and was told that his chances for a visa were practically non-existent.

It was noted by (Copenhagen Station)that since KANTOR'S REDSKIN

• potential had evaporated and since the RIS had made no move to renew

their contract, that no further action was warranted and KANTOR was

instructed to advise CIA of any further contact by the Soviets in Europe

and to advise the FBI if the RIS should seek to establish contact after.

RANTOR's retura to the U.S. The last contact of (Copenhagen Station) 14-6

with KANTOR was on 29 August 1961, just prior to his return to the

U. S. on 2 September 1961.

On 7 May 1964, this Agency, in response to a request from the

U.S. Civil Service Commission, provided a summary of pertinent in-

formation on KANTOR.

On 25 August 1967, in response to an inquiry from the National

Security Agency, a copy of CSCI-3/781 263, dated 7 May 1964, pre-

viously sent to the Civil Service Commission, was made available with

the comment that it reflected all pertinent information available in CLA

files.

...•.---.-

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-...

CIA has had no further action regarding KANTOR to date.

FBI Information:

Pages 17-20 have been completely sanitized to preclude release

of FBI information. The

reports cited and quoted from are

(Below)

identified on the brown envelope/with an "X" preceding the

FBI citation. Two additional FBI reports were

utilized

that are not identifed on the envelope. They are:

FBI rpt dated 8/14/64 - Marvin Kantor

FBI rpt dated 5/4/64 - Marvin Kentor

SHERETT

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Soviets Involved in KANTOR Case:

NORMAN stated that Vladimir Vladimirovich IVANOV had the

case of Melvin (Marvin) KANTOR who was recruited by the 7th Depart-

ment, SCD, KGB. NORMAN did not know if IVANOV himself was in on

the recruitment of KANTOR but did consider that this was possible.

NORMAN did know that it could not have been Evgeni NOSKOV who re-

cruited KANTOR. NORMAN also stated that the case on KANTOR was

turned over to the First Chief Directorate.

According to KANTOR's statement in 1961, he was approached in

Minsk in June 1959 by Yevgeniy KAN or KAHN who identified himself as

a representative of a Soviet Intelligence Service and made a recruitment*

pitch which KANTOR allegedly turned down. KAN was described by

KANTOR as in his middle thirties (in 1959), balding, not of Jewish

appearance, spoke English, said that he knew New York and Washington,

D.C., showed a certain familiarity with American life and American

slang. KAN also said he was a lawyer and that he normally resided in

Moscow. He appeared to KANTOR to be more authorative than KANTOR's

first Soviet official contact in Minsk, Victor Ivanovich SAZONOV. KAN-

TOR was approached by SAZONOV in Minsk in June 1958. SAZONOV was

described as 35-40 years of age, medium size, dark hair, low forehead,

"sad dog" looks. SAZONOV spoke English and told KANTOR that he had

been stationed in Calcutta, India and that he knew Hindi.

KANTOR identified Boris Fedorovich KHAYACHKOV, of the

Soviet Embassy in Copenhagen; Vladislav Mikhailovich ABARCHALIN

whom KANTOR met about November 1959 in the International Club in

Copenhagen; and Georgiy MOCHALOV, Second Secretary of the Soviet

Embassy in Copenhagen to whom KANTOR was introduced in April 1960

by KHRYACHKOV as his replacement contact for KANTOR.

There is no evidence that KANTOR was in direct contact with

Vladimir Aleksandrovitch CHURANOV (TCHOURANOV). But an FBI

report, dated 10 June 1960, reflected receipt of information from a

In 1961, KANTOR advised that KHRYACHKOV knew of Rembert

Craven ALLEY, an American architect who was a frequent visitor at

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the International Club. KANTOR also advised that Rembert Craven

ALLEY seemed to be on closer terms with ABARCHALIN than other

students. KANTOR said that once, in the first days of November

1959, he met ABARCHALIN with Rembert Craven ALLEY and several

others outside at the "Drop Inn"' restaurant which KANTOR used to

patronize. KANTOR stated that it was ABARCHALIN who again put

KANTOR into contact with KHRYACHKOV at the end of November 1959.

KANTOR said that he last saw ABARCHALIN at a stag party at ALLEY's

place at Christmas 1959.

Rembert Craven ALLEY, JI. was interviewed by the FBI on 6

June 1961 regarding association with "LADISLAV"' (phonetic), an em-.

ployee of the Soviet Embassy at Copenhagen.

Conclusions and Recommendations:

As early as 14 April 1961, it was written by the CIA officer who'

interviewed KANTOR that with all the benefit of doubt that could be given

to KANTOR regarding his involvement with the Soviets, KANIOR's

motivation for his continued contacts, after his second trip to the USSR

in 1959, had to be considerably more complex than KANTOR had admitted.

The assessor stated:

"'In simple professional terms, from August 1957 -

July 1959, he has been under development by two RIS

representatives (KHR YACHKOV and SAZONOV), was

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the target of a recruitment attempt by KAHN, collaborated

with KHRYACHKOV even after the alleged refusal of re-

cruitment from November 1959 - April 1960 and remained

a casual RIS contact and source for GRIGORIY from April

1960 until at least February 1961. He revealed his RIS in-

volvement only to his mother, did not report anything to

American authorities until confronted. . . Under slight

psychological pressure he confessed with an obvious sense

of relief. . . But though Subject now claims that he feels

an American and that if it'comes to spying' he would rather

do it for his country, this late discovered loyalty does not

ring entirely convincing. . .

"The RIS has been in touch with Subject for more than

three years, has exposed to him three representatives in

Copenhagen and two in the USSR, and obviously has not

written off Subject as a hopeless case."

Subsequent to the above evaluation, KANTOR tried to obtain a visa

to visit the Soviet Union in the summer of 1961 and did indeed return to

the Soviet Union in 1965, 1969 and 1970. KANTOR's repeated denials to

the FBI that he has not been approached by Soviet Intelligence since his

departure from Copenhagen in 1961 and his suggestion that Soviet bureau-

cracy resulted in him not being identified with his previous visits to the

Soviet Union, deny the realities of KGB operations as we know them.

(Will Professors Richard BURGI or Frederick BARGHOORN dare to re-

turn to the Soviet Union?)

As a result of NORMAN's statements that KANTOR was recruited

by the Seventh Department, Second Chief Directorate, KGB, and turned

over to the First Chief Directorate, KANTOR should be considered as pos-

sibly an active agent of the First Chief Directorate, KGB, today.

Fortunately the FBI, with jurisdiction over this matter, is fully

apprised of all the facts herein.

Action:

Landin

Since KANTOR should be considered as a possible active agent of

the KGB, this case should remain open.

Point Termen

Leonard

FIOB/SRS

RJL:fmt

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