OFFICE OF FINANCE RECORDS - E. HOWARD HUNT
Originator: CIA
From: LAWRENCE J. HOWE
To: THE RECORD
Document date: 02/21/1974
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

1977:0

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21 February 1974

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Office of Finance Records - B. Howard Hunt

1. On the instruction of Mr. Steyen L. Kuhn, Chief

of Oparations, PSI, the undersigned made an appointment

Ior cne arternoon of 2u february 1974 to interview Mr.

William Cauflald

Chief, Certification and Liaison Divi+

sion; Office of Financa, and Mr.) Joseph Hudson of Finance

on the subject of Mr E. Howard funt.

At the outset of

the Intarviow Mr. Caufiold advised the undersigned that

Instruction had been received fron the Director of the

Office of Finance, Mr. Thomas Yalo, that discussion on.

the subject of Mi. Hunt was to be carried out only with

the VItICe O1 tns Inspactor General: Mr. Caufield stated

that he had informed Mr. Yale of the requested interview.

and had received this instruction with the suggestion

that the undersigned contact Mr. Yale directly with any

inquiry.

Accompanied by Mr. (Caufield,

the undersigned

brigzed Mr. Yale on the nature of the request and iden-

tified the "Task Force" effort being undertaken by the

Office of Security in concert with the Offices of the

Inspector Ganeral and Legistative counsel, Mr. Yale

responded that he recognized the legitimacy of the in-

quiry. Mr. Yale explained that subsequent to initiation

of the complete audit being undertaken by Mr. Quinn of

the Audit Staff, the Deputy Director for Management and

SeIVICeS,

Mx. Harold L. Brownman, had requested the

Offica of Finance to discontinue their investigation oi

Pr. Hunt to avoid duplication. Mi. Yale added paren-

thatically that it was the naturo of Finance Officers

not to lsave a job half done and that an "informal"

inquiry into Mr. Hunt's financial records had neverthe-

less continued at a more subdued pace.

RETURN TO CIA

Background Use Only

Do Not Reproduce

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3. A review of the circumstances surrounding Mr.

Hunt's conversion to Contract Type A employment and

assignment was then undertaken by Messrs. Yale, Caufield,

Hudson] and the undersigned.

The contract and payroll.

Files of MI. Hunt were reviewed for possible indications

of the nature of the operational activity undertaken in

Madrid.

A review of traval vouchers indicated that Mr.

Hunt and his family made accountings indicating departure

from Washington, D. C.,

on 5 August 1965 with an arrival

in Madrid, Spain, on 16 August 1965.

The costs of this

travel ware charged to the budget of the Western Hami-

sphere Division, Deputy Directorate for Plans, Madrid

Station Support account.. A subsequent accounting sum-

marized PCS travel expenses and included a payment for.

apartment rental for 16, 17 and 18 August 1965 with a

payment in tha amount of $125 to Mr. F3 Reid Buckley for

this purpose.

4.

It was determined that an allottes bank account

in Mr. Hunt's name had been established at the Riggs

National Bank of Washington. All salary and other non-

operational reimbursements were made to Mr. Hunt through

sterile check to this account. An operational account

was established for Mr. Hunt with the. Chase Manhattan

Bank of New York City.

A review of all payments made to

Mr. Hunt through the Chase bank account through Mr. Hunt's

operational advance subsidiary account, or 1442 account,

had been made.

There was no record of any operational

accounts of advances being processed through this channel.

Mr. Yals statod that this fact defined his concern.: He

felt that it was inconceivable that Mr. Hunt could have

undertaken operational activity without sone transfer of

or accounting for funds.

To date, no such records have

been developed-

No reference to a project or project

digraph or operational FAN number has been located. Al

expenses connected with vt. Hunt identified to date were

Charged to the/Madrid Station Support.

A review made of

Madria Station records has not indicated any "Developmental

and Target of Opportunity (DITO)" funds or "Other Opera-.

tional Activizy (D0A)" funds expended by or on behalf of

MI. Hunt.

These two accounts would normally be tha source

of operational funding not charged against a specific pro-

ject activizy.

SECRET /SENSITIE

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5. A reyier of all of tha travel vouchers on record

for MI. Hunt during this period also failed to identify

a project.

In addition to the PCS and return vouchers,

two other accountings are on record.

One accounting

covered a trip by the entire Hunt family to Paris. "for

the renewal of visas."

A second voucher covered a TDY

trip fron Madrid to Hashingion with return to Madrid

mada by Mr. Hunt from 5 January to 8 Januazy 1966. Tho

voucher states in the space providad for the citation of

the travel order number - "no travel order."

ing was approved and signed by Mr. Thomas Taranessines,

then Deputy Director for Plans. No justification or

statement of purpose for this TDY was given on the account

ing.

6. Nr. Yale deterained that further toview of passible

sources or identification of operational funding was in

order.

NI. Yala gava instiuctions that the entiro 1442

advance account of Mi. Hunt be revieved for other possiblo

channels of funding outsido of the Ney York Chase accout.

After discussion, it was agreed that particular attention.

be taken to any itons connected with publishing or book

royalties. MI. Yals noted that the royalty offset waivas

provision amended to M5. Hunt's contract was, in his ex-

perience, sonewhat unusual.

7.

NI. Yale was informed by the undorsigned of the

intention to interview MI. Edward Ryan, currently Chief,

Division D, who was at the time of Mr. Hunt's Madrid assign-

sent, Deputy Chiaf of the Western Henisphere Division.

MI.

Yale

suggested that Mr. Davis Poxell also be intervioned.

The undarsigned informed MI.. Yale that this had been dono

and briefed MI. Yala on the generally jogative rosulis of

tas intervian.

Ms.. Yale then racormended that Mr. Saw

Halyern be interplaned.

Mr. Yale noted that yr. Halparn

had been an assistant to Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald when tho

latter was Chief, Western Hemisphere Division and had ac-

companied MI. Fitzgerald when he became Deputy Diractor for

MT. Yalo recalled that subsequent to Mr. Fitzgerald's

passing that Mr. Halper remained on the statt and actod as

an Ezecutive Officot for MI. Thomas Jaramessinas. Mr. Yals

stated that from his experience, Mi. Karamessinas would

hays dolegated all the arranging of "details" surrounding

un assignment such as Mr. Hunt's to Mr. Halparn. 'Nt. Yalo

offered the parenthetical observation of his surpriso at

what he interpreted to be reticence to data to interver

HI, Halpain.

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SSORST/SENSITIVE

The undersigned assured Mr. Yale that he would be

informed of any information identifying any possible project

activity developed in subsequent investigation. Mr. Yale

stated that any information in this area would greatly

facilitate the job of checking computorized financial

records.

Lawrence J. Howe

7/339313173

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