Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: MM
To: HQ
Document date: 03/13/1959
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

6/2/2015

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-90110-10077

RECORD SERIES:

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER:

CR 97-3653-3

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM:

MM

TO:

HQ

TITLE:

DATE: 03/13/1959

PAGES:

10

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE:

CLASSIFICATION:

RESTRICTIONS:

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

ERWIN C KARDEN

JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Secret

1C; 4

Redact

08/06/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: RPT

w9.1

DocId: 32334084 Page 1

17

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Released under the John F. Kenedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (14 Use 2107 Hote):

DATE: 11-14-2017

MM 97-255

by WILLIAM LANKFORD, U.S. Customs Agent, Miami, Florida.

INFORMANTS

IDENTITY

LOCATION OF ORIGINAL INFORMATION

MM I-1 is Confidential

97-255-2

Source Abroad](5)

MM T-2 is CLARENCE H.

62-4003-226

HUDDLESTON, Chief of

Detectives, Miami Beach,

ready ges

Fla., Police Department.

by request

MM T-3 is JOSEPH MEROLA, 2018 N. Instant report, page 4.

Bay Road, Miami Beach, Fla.

MM T-4 is DANIEL VAZQUEZ,

Instant report, page 5.

727 E. DiLido Drive,

Di Lido Island, Miami Beach,

Fla., by request

MM T-5 is MM 639-S

Instant report, page 7.

Careful consideration has been given to each source

concealed in this report and "T" symbols were utilized only

in those instances where identities must be concealed.

-A-

COVER PAGE

T31036

SECRET

dit-leat

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## Page 3

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (11 U5c 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

FYD-804 (Rov. 9-23-58)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

SECRET

Copy to:

Ropert of:

Bate:

File Number:

Title:

1 - U. S. Customs, Miami

SA ROBERT JAMES DWYER

MAR 1 3 1959

MIAMI - 97-255

ERWIN C. KARDEN

(RM)

MIAMI

Offices

2/18/75

Decently an BA

(JFK)

Characters

REGISTRATION ACT • CUBA

AND INPORATT OF CORPATILS

LANES IS UNCZERSITLE

EXCOPI WENRE SHOES

Synopsis:

(S)IM 1-1 On 2/16/59, said subject and DON HELLER were supplyIng

to rebels in the Caribbean and Central America. MM

I-I said they were helping in conversion of Cuban pesos

and trying to assist in the evacuation of families of BATISTA

supporters in Cuba.

MM I-1 said subject and HELLER predicted

overthrow of Dominican Republic; Haiti, and future

revolution in Colombia, SA.] MM I-2 on 1/22/59, advised subject

had acted as banker for FIDEL CASTRO for purchase of arms

and had $28,000,000.00 at his Miami Beach, Fla., residence.

Jewel thieves in Miami area were aware of

subject's having

large sum of money at his residence. Another source on

1/24/59, said a ship's Captain saw a large amount of money ir

subject's house and was offered opportunity to take this mones

to Bahamas, BWI for conversion.

on.e0 to chan T-309

MM T-3 on 3/2/59, said

HELLER had $49,000,000.00 in Cuban pesos to exchange. Subject

reportedly said he had $54,000,000.00 in Cuban pesos. MM

Tol on 3/9/59 said subject's daughter engaged to son of

Colombian Ambassador to Cuba and subject made many trips to

Cuba prior to 1/1/59. MM T-4 said subject had millions of

Cuban pesos belonging to families of the BATISTA regime

and subject interested in changing Cuban pesos into American

dollars.

MM T-5 stated it was highly unlikely that subject

was banker for FIDEL CASTRO for purchase of arms.

RED: ICC-AAB-B-DiNebO, State,

as Cal

2-001

2-220NI, 05I, Besto

SECRET :D.

This document contalas nelther recommendations nor conelusions of any kine. It li the property of the FBl, and lí a loan to your agencys

Il and/or la contents ere nor to be distrloured outside your agancy.

DocId: 32334084

Page 3

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## Page 4

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

MM 97-255

SECRET

DETAILS:

This investigation is predicated oninformation

received from MM Tol, a confidential source abroad,

who on February 16, 1959, advised that according to a

reliable source in Nassau, BWI, DON/HELLER, President of

Liberty Aviation, 10700 Coral Way,

Taniami Airport, Miami,

Florida, had stated some of the planes belonging to Liberty

Aviation had been used

rebel leader in Cuba. (S)

in flying arms to FIDEL CASTRO,

MM I-l stated he believed HELLER and IRWIN KARDEN,

East Delido Drive, Delido Island, Miami Beach, Florida, were

possibly engaged in supplying arms to rebel organizations in

Central America and the Caribbean. (S)

MM T-1 said HELLER and KARDEN were also reported

said HELLER and KARDEN were also trying to help evacuate

sone of the families of BATISTA supporters from Cuba. (S)

MM T-1 advised HELLER and KARDEN stated in about

January, 1959, a shipment of small arms left an unidentified

European seaport bound for the Dominican Republic. HELLER

and KARDEN claimed after things became more settled in Cuba

followers of FIDEL CASTRO in Cuba would attempt to overthrow

the governments of the Dominican

Republic and Haiti, and that the

attempt to overthrow the Haitian Government would be led by

an Argentine Communist with a name

something like "CHE

GUEVARA" and later a revolt would take place in Colombia,

South America. (S)

MM I-2 on January 22, 1959, advised ERWIN C. KARDEN

was a financial agent for Cuban rebel leader FIDEL CASTRO and

had a huge amount of currency at his residence, 620 E.

Di Lido Drive, Di Lido Island, Miami Beach, Florida, and that

2.

SECRET

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## Page 5

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

MM. 97-255

SECRET

this

fact was known to a number of jewel thieves in the Miami

metropolitan area.

MM T-2 advised ERWIN C. KARDEN was a wealthy

individual and owner of Cobb's Fruit and Preserving Company,

Miami, and had been acting as a banker for CASTRO in the

purchase of arms for shipment to Cuban rebel forces.

MM T-2 stated a large amount of money had been

accumulated by KARDEN, but the money was obtained principally

from CASTRO supporters in South America, and the money amounted

to about $28,000, 000.00 in Cuban pesos.

MM T-? stated during the second week in January,

1959; officers of the Miami Beagh Police Department ascertained

CHESTER ZOCHOWSKI, aka., CHESTER GRAY, known jewel thief,

was seen on the property of the KARDEN residence and appeared to

-LA

be seeking a way to enter the house. Previously ZOCHOWSKI

had been seen at the Bayshore Country Club, Miami, Beach, at

a meeting with JOSEPH MEROLA; ABE, KATZ and DAVID YARAS, all

known jewel thieves in the Miami metropolitan area.

MM I? said it was not known how these thieves

learned of the money in KARDEN's possession, but MEROLA was

knows to associate with Cuban rebel exiles in Miami who were k

engaged in smuggling arms to Cuban rebels.

On January 22, 1959, Captain EDWARD SHAWLEY, in

charge of the Bahama,

BWI Police, advised SA PAUL A. CAJIGAS

he had been contacted by a man known to him as Captain

STEWART, a Canadian citizen, who was the Captain of the

"Allen's Cay" fishing boat which was capable of traveling

between the island of Bimini, BWI, and the United States.

3.

SECRET.

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## Page 6

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

DATE: 11-14-2017

Uses

REVIEWED BY FERJFK TASK FORCE

MM 97-255

ON

3/0/98 clat

17 RELEASE IN FULL

SECRET

L

RELEASE IN PART

TOTAL DENIAL

STEWART advised he had been taken to the residence

Of ERWIN C. KARDEN, 620 E. DiLido Drive, DiLido Island,

Miami Beach, within the past few weeks and was shown a bedroom.

which had boards over the windows and contained Cuban currency

stacked up so high that it almost completely filled the room.

STEWART said the Cubans who resided at this

residence showed him the money and said it amounted to a

cotal ot 934, 000,000.00 in Cuban pesos and contacted him

ecause they vanted him to take

sums of this money on his boat

to the Bahama Islands where it could be exchanged for other

money. The Cubans told STEWART he could have all the money

obtained over 75c on the dollar for the exchange of the

cuban pesos.

Captain SHAWLEY said he was unable to advise

regarding the number of men guarding the money; the denomination

of the bills, or why this money was shown to STEWART.

He

said it was his understanding that the money was from the

Cuban treasury and was taken out of the country on behalf

of former Cuban President BATISTA.

On January 23, 1959, Mr. WILLIAM LANKFORD, Customs

Agent, United States Customs, Miami, Florida, advised he

was familiar with CARL STEWART, referred to as Captain

STEWART of the "Allen's Cay" fishing boat, and that STEWART

was not actually the Captain of the boat. Mr. LANKFORD stated

the actual Captain was a man named (FNU) ARCHER, a Negro

Irom the Bahama Islands. Mr. LANKFORD explained STEWART

impressed him in the past as being a braggart, but who

traveled in such circles that information he furnished could

not be ignored.

On March 2, 1959, MM T-3 advised on or about

February 4 1959, JIMMY AZRAK (ph) a Syrian who operates a

4.

SECRET

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