Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, LA
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 01/27/1965
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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

Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

5/1/2015

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-10218-10329

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 92-3267-653

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: SAC, LA

TO:

DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE: 01/27/1965

PAGES:

8

SUBJECTS :

JRO, BKG, AKA, ASSOC, LCN, CRIMINAL ACT

DOCUMENT TYPE:

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION :

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS:

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 04/20/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

INC MEMO

v9.1

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

LA 92-113 G

On March 4, 1964, LA 4448-C-TE who is an admitted

member of La Cosa Nostra and for many years a known friend

and associate of ROSELLI, first furnished information that

ROSELLI was a member of the Chicago

"Brugad" of La Cosa Nostra

and one of the most powerfal and influential members of this

organization.

Informant also stated that ROSELLI's true

name is FILIPO (Philio SACCO; that he was born in caserta,.

Italy about 60 years ago and that he was brought

United States by his parents when he was a young boy. He a ar

said that ROSELLI has observed unusual precautions to guard

the

secret of his birth.

Investigation has verified the fact that FILIPO

SACCO was born in Italy and came to the United States with

his mother when a small boy.

Massachusetts, leaving school in November, 1917•

He attended school in Bosto" iges

In May,

a charge of larceny was filed against PHILIP SACCO in Cambridge,

Massachusetts.

In September, 1923 there was a default and

a capias was issued. This case was nolle-prosequi in May, 1926.

Informant first met ROSELLI in Los Angeles in the

middle 1920s at which time he was already using the name

JOHN ROSELLI.

They became close friends and informant learned

Of ROSELLI'S

birth and family early in their association

and met other members of ROSELLI's family.

LA 4448-0-12

recalled that one of ROSELLI's boyhood

friends was ALBERTO DANGREDO TANCREDI TORTORA; that

ROSELLI and TORTORA were in trouble together In the

Boston (informant's recollection) area possibly a narcotics

matter and on one occasion ROSELLI showed informant a police

photograph of TORTORA and ROSELLI together taken when they

were both young men. Informant believed it was a Boston.

Police Department photograph.

He said ROSELLI had apparently

obtained the photograph through a Police Department contact

and had destroyed it many years ago.

Informant recalled that about the time JOHN

was also in Los Angeles

he had committed back east (recalled as New York).

Informant

said that TORTORA was persuaded by VITOX&ENOVESE to return

, to the East Coast and

turn himself in upon the promise that

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*Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (14 USC 2107 Note).

DATE: 11-14-2017

LA 92-113 G

Chicago newspaper stories of the death of TONY CHARLANDO

(for which TORTORA was charged) state

that TONY CHARLANDO and

five of his "gang" heavily armed, went to the home of his

brother CHARLES CHARLANDO and that this was the culmination

of a feud between the two brothers. During the ensuing fight

CHARLES and TONY CHARLANDO and a thirdman, who endeavored to

assist CHARLES, were wounded.

Several days later TONY died.

shortly after the shooting, five men were arrested in the

vieinity.

The names of these five men were not identical

. to

any of the koown aliases of TORTORA or ROSELLI. However, it

is noted that TORTORA was charged with this murder so was

probably one of the five men arrested.

' "The Journai"

in the "chicago Daily News "Chicago newspaper which merged

, in its issue of April 29, 1922,

relates that TONGREDE TORTORA was arrested at his soft drink

parlor in Chicago and a quantity of opium, cocaine and morphine

were found.

Iwo men and two women were also arrested.

The

men arrested were RALPH STORTOTO, age 21 and GERONA DURANDO,

age 30.

No record of the shooting of TONY CHARLANDO or the

nartocics arrest of TANGREDE TORTORA has yet been located in

the Chicago Police Department files.

The fingerprints of

ROSELLI were searched through Chicago Police Department files

with negative results.

Assuming that ROSELLI was one of the five men involved

in the CHARLANDO shooting and/or was one of the two men

arrested on the narcotics charge with TORTORA, it is logical

to speculate that he had the Chicago Police Department record

purged.

This becomes more logical in view of LA 4448-C-TE's

statement that ROSELLI showed him a police department photograph

that ROSELLI is a member of the Chicago

of himself and TORTORA taken when they webruaane men and

doubt had access to contacts in the Chicago Police Department.

In view of the above it is apparent that TORTORA

has knowledge concerning ROSELLI's activities which is

vital to the continued investigation of ROSELLI's past.

He

is the only person known and may be the only person living

who knows this information. If he would talk he could

possibly furnish information which would enable the Bureau

to bring this investigation to a logical conclusion either

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

LA 92-113

G

by furnishing information to link ROSELII to a prosecutable

crime or deportation as an alien.

The Legat in Rome has furnished information

that TANCREDI TORTORA currently resides on Corso Italin

street, Acerra, Italy and is a dealer in fruits and vegetable:

with his brothers PARIGI and COMIZIO.

He is single, reportedly

in good health and since his deportation to Italy has not

been known to engage in any suspect activities and hasnot

come to police attention. It was not possible to determine

if he is now or has been affiliated with La Cosa Nostra.

TANCREDI's nephew, CARMINE TORTORA, SOn Of PARIGI,

is a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy and now an officer

in the U. S. Navy.

Nearly a year has gone by since LA 4448-C-TE

originally furnished the information concerning ROSELLI.

It is the opinion of the Los Angeles Office that an interview

of TORTORA could now be conducted without unduly jeopardizing

the informant.

The interview of TORTORA is an extremely critical

and important step in the ROSELLI investigation.

It should'

be well thought out and planned. It should be thorough and

exhaustive.

To accomplish this, the person conducting the

interview should have'knowledge, or have readily available

knowledge of ROSELLI's complete history, background, and

-activities as the Bureau knows them.

Such knowledge would

suggest lines of questioning which might not otherwise be

apparent. It would assist in discerning if TORTORA was

telling the truth and in general would tend to make the interview

more productive.

The Los Angeles Office for more than seven years

nas, under the Criminal Intelligence Program, conducted, ar

intensive investigation into the background, history and

activities of ROSELLI.

It is a complex case involving

numerous

associates and varied activities. During all of

this period the ROSELLI case has been assigned to SA HAROLD

F. DODGE who is familiar with all phases of the investigation.

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Released under the John/f.

DATE: 11-14-2017

Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act ol 1992 (11 use 2107 Motel.

LA 92-113 G

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended the Bureau initiate steps to

have the Legat, Rome determine whether or not an interview

Of TANCREDI TORTORA, aka.,

could be conducted in Italy;

the circumstances under which it could be conducted and

whether

or not a Bureau Agent other than the Legat could assist in

the interview or be present or closely available during

the

interview.

It would be desirable if the interview and the

subject matter could be maintained in a confidential manner

as TORTORA's life could possibly be endangered.

For

security reasons it might be desirable to conduct the interview

at some other location away from TORTORA's home town.

The Los Angeles Office recommends that when arrangements

for an interview have been completed the Bureau authorize

SA HAROLD F: DODGE to participate, if possible, in

the conducting of the interview.

There are several factors indicating TORTORA will

cooperate in this key interview.

For example, according to

LA 4448-C-TE, in the late 1920s the close relationship between

TORTORA and ROSELLI was already deteriorating. Thereafter,

they developed separate interests and the close relationship

never again existed.

As noted above, ROSELLI has, through

the years, indicated distrust of TORTORA. Several years ago

informant received a letter from TORTORA for ROSELLI in which

he expressed financial need and made a request for money.

ROSELLI told informant he was ignoring the letter and

refusing to send any money and again expressed his distrust

of TORTORA and his concern that TORTORA might cooperate with

authorities and expose his past.

This concern is well

rounded, for, as noted above, TORTORA is in possession of

highly compromising information concerning ROSELLI's past.

Therefore, in view of the above and considering the

fact that the Italian Police will be able to exert some

persuasion on TORTORA, there is a logical basis to believe

that TORTORA might cooperate with the Bureau.

It is felt

that this critical interview

should be conducted utilizing

the element of surprise. As TORTORA speaks English, it is

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