Originator: FBI
From: NY
To: HQ
Document date: 01/20/1958
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD_ NUMBER: 124-90068-10036

RECORD SERIES: • HO

AGENCY FILE_ NUMBER: 62-75147-210-101

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: NY

TO: HO

TITLE:

DATE: 01/20/1958

PAGES: 13

SUBJECT:

AMERICAN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES IN CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE:

ORIGINAL

CLASSIFICATION:

REVIEW DATE:

06/24/1998

STATUS

Redact

PAPER. TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Unclassified

NEW

CLASSIFICATION:

UPDATE DATE:

RESTRICTIONS:

JFK Act 6 (4)

COMMENTS:

MEMO

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records

Solection Act of 1992 144 USC 2107 Notel. Case#:Nw 68262

Date: 09.22.2022

NW 68262 Docld:32328085 Page 1

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NY 92-886

CONFIDENITIAL

NYO files roblect that

In 1131; COSTELLO and KASTEL

organized the Midtown Novelty Company in NYC, which company

operated slot machines and was later forced out of business.

In 1935, COSTELLO and MaTET,

together with REED

LAINARD. and DUDLEY and HAROL

FETGERMAN, organized the

Bayou Novelty Company in New Orleans LA

On 10/9/39, COSTELLO, KASTEL and the GEIGERMAN'S

were indicted by

•a Federal Grand Jury at New Orleans on a

charge of income tax violation.

on 4/3/45, the Now Orleans Office advised that

KASTEL was then alleged to be the contact between COSTELLO.

and the GEIGERMAN brothors who were then in active management

Of COSTELLO'S New Orleans interests.

In 1952, KASTEL was listed by the Kefauver Committee

as one of the Top Hoodlums in the United States.

FRANK

COSTELLO testified before that Committee that KASTEL was in

partnership with him in the severly Club and the Louisiana

Mint Company, Now Orleans, Louisiana.

bookmaker

who had connections with Top Hoodlums' through-

out the country including PHILIP KASTEE.

NY 1449-C

advised in January, 1956, that MEYER

• LAnSKY was then the head of the syndicate running three

hotols in Cuba. Informant stated that these hotels were,

the Nacional,

the Tripcanna (Tropicana), and the San Souci.

He stated that this syndicato consisted

of most of the

Top Hoodlums in the United States including FRINK COSTELLO,

PHILIP KISTEL, LEFTY CLARK, (ENU) MC CUTLEY from Cleveland,

and TONY ROGERS from Now

York.

Informant stated that these men controlled all

gambling including control of the numbor game (bolita)

which took in anywhere from $175,000.00 to $300,000.00

operating only on Saturdays:

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CONFIDENTIAL

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NY 92-886

DUTCH GOLDBERG is an/alias for LOUTS SHOMBERG,

CONFIDENTIAL

a Iop Hoodlum öf the NYO.

In April, 1947, BEN MARDEN was reported residing

at 101 West 55th Stroot, NYC,

and roportedly had boon

backing proadway shows for a fow

prior seasons.

NY 165-0 advised in 1951, that he had heard that

BEN MARDEN was operating in part in havana,

Cuba for the

gambling syndicate and about two rears earlier had been

sent to the Fronch Riviora to introduce the Amorican crap

game into French gambling houses.

NY 99-0 also advised in 1951, thet BEN MARDEN had

gone to Luropo as a representative of

American gambling

intorosts. Informant

stated

that MARDEN'S purpose was to

100k into the possibility of oponing a gambling casino and

to introduce the imerican game of crap shooting •

Informant

stated. that MiRDEN had

startod to gain prominonce in 1930

or 1931 when he shot and killed his partner, HARRY BLOCK,

who mis in partnorship with MARDEN in the Alabama Club in

NYC.

According to a Pinkerton Detective Agoncy report

dated 9/15/52, which was received on a confidentiai basis

from JOSEPH L. VAVON,

1930 Harrison St., Hollywood, Florida,

informants had advised that MARDEN bad

an interost in the

San Souci Restaurant in Havana.

According to that report

information had beon recoived in NYC that MARDEN had severed

a connoction with a jowolry exchange at 37 West 47th St.,

three months earlier.

Iformation had also beon received

that MARDEN was financially interested in the Blue Chain of

Cuba, a Havana Radio Station,

In May • 1953, EDWARD I

NYC,

advised

on a

confidential basis

PINKER, 550 Park Avenue,

that it had recently

cometo his attontion that BEN MARDEN had furnished financial

backing to Presidont BArIStA in Cuba for the revolution

which placed

BATISTA in power.

He doclinod to give the

source of this information and stated that as a result of

this financial backing, MARDEN then had control of all

gambling in Cuba.

5

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CONFIDENTIAL

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## Page 4

NY 92-886

CUN- IDENTIAL

NY 156-0 advised in

punry, 1954, that TONY

GOBELS was a good friend of BEN MARDEN.

GOBELS was alleged

to have a good connection with Colonel

BATISTA of Cuba

and spent quito a bit of time in Cuba.

TONY GOVELS iS an alias of ANTHONY RTCCT, FBT

#2772484, a Top Hoodlum of tho Miami Offico:

In November, 1955, AL 2937-0 advised

• the Albany

offico that BEN MARDEN had been at Saratoga, NY, during

August, 1955.

Informant statod that MiRDEN

was alleged

to be associatod with DANNY ARNSTEIN

and NAT HERZFELD,

wealthy Ny businessmen, in purchasing Gulfstream Race track

in Florida. Informant stated that negotiations might bo

closed in the noar future on a figure in the neighborhood

of $5,200, 000.00.

JAC

BURKE

In 1946, the Los Angelos Office advised that JACK

BURKE was quite close to MICKEY COHEN and had rocently been

managing

COvEN'S gambling joint in Burbank, California.

Informants of the Los Angeles Office had stated that JACK

BURKE was among the numerous hoodlums, gamblers and petty

tho humorone not e

crooks who hung around MICKEY COMIN'S Night Club, the La Brea

Social Club in Los Angeles.

In 1947, the Los Angules Office advised that

JACK BURKE had boon identified by Assistant Chier of Police

JOE REED, LOS Angeles POlice Departnont, as boing one of

the individuals

associated with MICKEY

COHEN in a gambling

Ho stated that othor individuals associated

in this oporation wore SANDY WATSON (former LAPD Officor),

OLM CONTRATO (Iormer Mayor of Huntington Park), DAVE RUBIN

(woll known membor of the COHEN gang) and PHILIP GARIBI!

LAPD #211,82.

MICKEY COHEN is a Top Hoodlum of the Los Angelus

Office..

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CONFIDENTAL

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## Page 5

CONFIDENTIAL

NY. 92-886

FLA

from

In April, 1950, JOSEP

BLaSt, wr., Joo Rivers,

NYC, wes ported to havo

#prated

Harrison,

aurine 121nd 1950 with SamplE GEORGIA

wa.,

"Jimmie The Sniff"

and

PRANE MIGGIANO, This game was reported to have beon

raided by the Wostchester County Sheriff's ffico and the

Harrison PD. N4

In November, 1953, an informant advisod that. Jor

RIVERS operated a book at

the Melann Tavorn on Wostchester

Avonue, Bronx, NY, and had proviously worked at yonkors

Raceway.

In 1953, information was roceived from the

Thoroughbred Racing Protective

Bureau that JOSEPH SILESI

of the Pine Paper Company, 532 West 57th St., NYC, had

been ojocted from Hinlonh

Park 1/20/47, for bookmaking.

N7 136-C advised in Docomber, 1953, that JOE

RIVERS and (FNU) MULLIGAN wore oporating a vory big crap

game somewhere on LIs

assistod by a porson nicknamed "Label".

Informant advised that 36

polico officials woro coceiving

$10,000.00 a month, pay-off for tale game Intorment also

advised

that

AMMy up was also ond of the game's ovorators

well known rackoteer, ownod a plece. of

the game.

known as

of "Banty" was the shylock for the mob at

SE A NIS'S gano.

Informant statod that this individual

always carriod a largo amount of cash. on his

porson and was

a short mindle-aged man with

very bowed logs.

In 1954s JOSEPE

was among

a list of NYCP!

oma, 265 spadette star VIC 124

bookmaking suspects.

NY 205-0 alviaod in Septembor,

1954, that JOE

RIVERS had a largo floating crap game in Nassau County,

one of the threo largost gamos in the NYc area.:

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CONFIDENTIAL

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## Page 6

NY 92-886

CONFIDENTIAL

In January, 1951, Detective HERBERT HUNLESSEO

District Attorney Staff, NYC, advised that according

informants, Job kIVaks

was running a big crap game in

LIC.

In March, 1954, FRANK NOLAN, Schenley Liquor

Company, advised on a confidential basis that he had

received information indicating

that JOE RIVEkS was

the right-hand man for JOL ADONIS and had a loan shark

associate called "Label".

NOLAN advised that hiveks

job was to collect the syndicate out of gambling in ni.

NY 207-0 advise

March, 1954, that JOE HIVERS,

a right-hand nan for JOI

TIS

was running one of the

largest dice games in N

In 1955, the Albany Orfice advised that information

from an informant indicated that JOE kiVEkS had been

affiliated with gambling casinos in Now Jorsey, Saratoga

Springs, Ny, and in Las Vegas.

AL 2937 had advised me

Albany

Office that RIVERS was

associated with MANNy BROWN,

MASALIO

ShUNO, and dOm

pui starina in the operation of an

elaborate gambling establishmont set up by JOE BIANDI

at Glondald, NY

Similar information had beon

recoived

by the Albany Offico from anothor informant.

largecrap game oporating in thoN

arca.

NY 842-C advised in June, 1956, that JOE RIVERS

orn oe of a large cloating crap gene togothor with

LLIGAN and CHARLIE Niggor Lips'

11

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CONFIDENTIAL

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## Page 7

NY 92-386

CONFIDENTIAL

N1. 136-0 arvisod in Jaguery, 1957, that the dico

game operated by JOE RIVARS and HUGHIE MULLIGAN was the

bisgest gamo in NYC.

In July,

1957, the Albany Office advised that

according to PCI TOM DI

JOB RIVERS was connocted

with a group oporating the "Lake House" outside Lako George

NY. Othor individuals in this group wore GUS (INU -possibly

MIRPHY), who formerly worked for FRANK COSTELLO at the Villa

Nova Club, NYC, GUS's brother-in-lar,

ATEX (LNU), "Uncle

Peto" MORIS N, "Fat Boy" CINSTANTINE, and JULTUS CLDSTETN.

on 5/11/56, J SEPH'STLEST, Wa., JOe Rivers, was

interviowed by SA TH.MAS

265 Euryatte 35, We. StriaT wided that his wis then

"TOLE at SILESI's residence,

omployed as a modiator by the foy Novelty Workors Union,

International Local 223, 132 Nost 43rd St., NYC.

Tho "New York Daily Nows" of 1/B/58, carriod an

article stating that JOSEPH SILEST, alias, Joo Rivors, age

60, of 265 Lafayotto St. NYC, and SaNTOyIRAFFICANTA, -

alias Louisisantos,. age 4c 0I

rampa, Florida, wore wanted?

for quostioning in

the ALBERT ANASTASIA killing.

According

to this. articlo, District Attorney FRANK H GAN had

announced

at a pross: conference

that it had bodome extromely important

to examine RIVoiS and TRAFFTCANJE beforo the Grand Jury

concorning

tho ANASTASIA killing on 10/25/57. HOGAN was

quoted as saying that he bolieved their tostimony might

shod light on the motivation for this killing.

According

Tirves was describod by District Attorney

HOGAN as boing

to this articleane oxtremely active opcrator in cambling

modium build, dark complexion,

gray hair,

and a conservativo

dressor.

iccording to tho articlo,

District Attornoy HOGAN

emphasized that XIVERS and TRARPTCANTE wore not wantod as

tho actual killors of NASTASIA.

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CONFIDATA!

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