MEMO: KAMKIN, VICTOR PETROVICH
Originator: CIA
From: M.D. STEVENS
To: C/RB/SRS/OS
Document date: 12/17/1959
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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1704-10439-10043

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

Office Memorandum - UNITED STATES GOVENNMENT

TO

: Bruce I. Solio, C/RB/SRS/OS

FROM

: M. Do Stevens, RE/SRS/OS

SUbINCT:

KAMIN, Victor Potrovlos

AI-2752 - SSD-90097

DATE: 17 December 1959

A review of sabject's filo has been made in connection with

a request fron the CI Officer, French Desk, with roference to

Information fron the Chief of Station, Paris, that Subject's Washington

book store, as of the summar of 1959,

was one of the four book storos

In the Urdted States where subscriptions could be bought for "RODINA",

the bullotin odited by the Repatriation Cormittee of East Berlin,

"RODINA"! (LA PATRIE), which is distributed in various Languages

and 1s ralled In sealed envelopos, has been torbiddon dietribution

In Franco. (See attachod thermofax.)

Security filos raflect that in April 1957 the FRI advisod that

Victor Petrovich KAMKIN, Elena Andreevna KAMKIN and Nina SAPELKIN

had been the subjacts of an Internal Security - R type investigation

as of 1951 and that:

"There is no derogatory data of a subversive

naturo in the files of this Bureau concerning the subject of your

inquiry (KAMKIN) •

It should be noted, however, that Victor

Petrovich KANKIN is currently of irvestigative interast to this

Burgau and, accordingly, it is roquested that any contact of him

In behalf of the Contral Intelligonce Agency ba handlad by this

burgau."

It was advised orally that the Buroau was ulng KAMKIN

DE & BUUICEO

according to an undated blind memorandum (possibly a Staff C

Wittine namoranian), Nina SAPELKIN is Elena KAMKIN's sister and as oi

LAMKINS

ChuRch

iN FALLs 1951 was Living with the KAMKINg in Tenresses, Nina SAPELKIN was

VA..FROM

born in Russia 13 August 1912; and was evacuated fron Shanghai to

ALL.

LAFi

-...

Samer, Philipping Islands under IRO auspicos in April 1949,

14.3.5.

accomparied by her husband Semen I.

SAPELKIN and their two childron.

She care to the Unitod States in 1951 and lived in Tennessea for

a tiro with the KAMKINs.

The SAPELKINs reportedly renounced

Sovlot aitisenship in Shanghai in September or Octobar 1948.

The KAMKINg also wore born In Passia and KAMKIN attended

high school and univorsity in Harbin, Manchuria.

Thereaftor until

19h5 he was in the printing and publishing business in China;

and

during 1946-47 says ho was with "Special Services,

Section II,

Ampbag

Marine Corps", working on its newspaper,

"North China

Marias" In 1947 he

was co-publisher of "Free Word" which he says

was an anti-soviet newspaper closed by pressure of the Soviet

B:12.61

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From 1947 to 1949 he stated that, he was the owner of

"Anchor Printing Shop" in which the "North

China Marine"

contimed publication in Tsingtao,

the United States in 1949 arriving in San Francisco in March.

As of 1957 KAMKIN was being used on an unclassifiod basis by

the CIA Ilbrary asa publications procurement channel.

It is, of

course, pussinle that Subject's interest. in "RODINA" is on behalf

of this Agoncy.

The othor book stores involved in the report to the French

Dosk were the well known Conmunist "Four Continents Book Store",

(MS-2000), "Imported Publications and Prociucts" (MS-2001-I) and

"Undversal Distributors Company" (#91916).

These organizations aro

registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Continents Book Store le flagrantly Communist, needs

and the "Imported Publications and Products" is reported to be

one of the four principal outlets for Conmunist political prop-

aganda in the United States.

"Universal Distributors Company" 1s

described as "an official distributor of Communist Party literature"

and as "Comminist controlled".

It, is the distributing agency for

the Four Continents Book Store.

Information from a reliablo confidential infornant reflects

that during the summer of 1959 KAMKIN indicated he plannad to

opon a branch booh store in San Francisco to bo operated by S.

SAPPIKIN.

The store was to be called Zanie,

Fussian Book Store,

and located at 5237 Geary Street,

San Francisco.

Thie S. SAPELKIN,

in all probability, is Mrs. KAMKIN's brother-in-law Senen I.

SAPELKIN, MS-5000, who with his wife Nina, neo DAVIDOVA,

DAVIDE Ihe wife Nina, per the check shot, residod at Bouto

subject, of an FBI Record Check Request In May

I, Van Icer, Tennessee from 1951 to 1952, which was the KAMKIN's

address during this perlod.)

The 1355 FBI Rocord Chock Request on SAPEIKIN indicated that

he was formerly a painter; that his wife Nina was a dentist, that

both were born in russia; that he arrived in the United States

fron Franco aroand the end of 1954, was stateless and had his first

papers and that she arrived in San Francisco 5 Juna 1951.

were residing at 1405 Harvard Street, N.W., Washington, D. Co

which was the

address of Subject'e book store); and had formerly

residod in Tientsin and Shanghai.

Both their childron

vere born in Tientsin, one in 1946 and one in 1949.

An RI check roquestad in 1957 for USIA indicated that the name

Semon I. SAPELKIN appearad in a report from a reliablo source in

May 1950, which dealt with refugees in an IRO camp at Guinan,

Samar, Philippine Islands; and, according to the report, ho had

been a member of the Russian Rosidents Association (probably Russian

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Fral grants Association) and of the Soviet Club in Shanghai.

An ONI name chock on KAMKIN; In November 1954, roflocted tho

cruss-raferencing of his namo to

"Foreign Servico Dispatch, Hong Kong

P402, 22 August 1952", the subject of which was "Contact

of Mr.

Verd andy VASILIEVITCH

SAPELKIN with the Hong Kong Consulate Genoral";

while results of a 1957 "f" check basod on this sans

"Foreign

Service Dispatch, Hong Kong #402, 22 August 1952, Secret",

reads as follows:

SMS• SAPELKIN raported that he had recontly

received various commundcations from a White Pussian friend of his,

Mr. Victor P. KANKIN who was formerly head of the Russian Emigrants

Association in reingtao, China.

Mr. KAMKIN left China early In

1949 and has resided in the United States since that time.

SAPELKIN and KAMKIN reportedly had certain contacts with a Eugens

GORDENEV, Russian-spealdng officer attached to the G-? Section of

the First Marino Division in Mentsin following the Japanase Surrender

In 1945. Mr. KAMKIN has now written to Hong Kong asking Mr.

Mro KAMKIN

indicates that he le Involved in certain intelligence ectivities.""

[In a letter of 13 July 1950, offering his services to ONI, Subject

named GORDENEV as one kho could "substantiate uy work in China".

ONI advised CIA that their records contained no derogatory infor

mation ragerding Subject, but that ONI did not contemplata utiliz-

ing his servicos

disPARe

H6l5

subject's friend "Mr. SAPHLKIN" may Hell be Mr. Vardandr

has Vasilievitch SAPELKIN, the Subject of Hong Kong Dispatch, #402,

boen obtained, who in all probability is relatod to Mrs. KAMKIN's brothor-11-law,

ARC

To the

Samen I. SAPRIKIN.

Ins individuad.

MOS

Accurding to a 1955 RI check conductad on one Alexander So

1 460

"ORIOFF for G-2, a report of 17 May 1950 advised that ORLOFT (ino

had been described as an "Old Soviet worker") was closely associated

with Verdamin Vasilievitch SAPELKIN, an alleged Soviot agent at

the IRO Camp at Sanar, P. I.

sister Nna and her husband Semen SAPELKIN were evacuated to Samar,

P. I., fron shanghal under IHO auspicos in April 1949.

Vendandn Vasillevitch SAPELKIN's friend URIOFF, according to

a report of 8 April 1950, was alleged to have influenced a district

loader of the IRO Camp at Samar with pro-Soviet propaganda, and to

have worked with a number of other pro-soviet interrees in the ca

to Sovietize the Russian refugess interned there.

According to a

raport dated 5 May 1950, ORLOFF allegedly was believed to be a

Soviat agent. (The report noted that this information originated

In the IRO Camp in Samar; that much information originating there

had proven unreliable; and that the reliability of this particular

intormation had not beon determinedo)

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However this may be, It appears that there could be much truth

in the allegations.

Information in Security filos reilects that

ORIOFF very possibly is identical with a "Count ORLOFF of the

Russian Cormittoe", (apparently a committoo of Iio), Who assistod

tho Commercial Counselor for the Bulgarian Legation in securing

IRO employment for one Bogdana OTTAI, a possible Soviet agent in

Paria who was living with and was engaged to marry Kiril VASSILEV,

who was belleved to be an agent of the Bulgarian Military Intelligenco

servico.

"Count URLOFF"

also helped arrange OTTAI's entranco into

the Unitod States.

Aluxander S.

ORIOFF and "Count ORIOFF"

may holl

be identical with Alexander ORLOFF, DI-2881, a highly suspect

individual of Russian birth, and

former AMTORG employee

who was

security disapproved by OSS in 1943. This latter individual, per

a 1943 OSS investigation, was known as "The Count".

A Dacembar 1954 Staff C memorandum regarding KAMKIN, reported

that unevaluated information datod 1 June 1948 indicated that ons

Victor N. KAMKIN was involved in a money printing transaction with

the Japanese, In which he used the machinery of the Chihli Press

in Tientsin to facilitate the countorfitting.

The source of this

information had pointed out the possibility that Victor No KAMKIN

might be identified in some way with a V. P. KAMKIN who was named

as a charactor reference by one Vladimir Vasily IVASHKOFF.

was not idontifled.)

(IVASHKOFF

The memorandun advised that according to a

report dated I June 1948 from a U. S. Naval. Attache, Nanking, to

the American Ambassador, Nanking,

V. N. KAMKIN was a printer and

publisher in Shanghai and Ister was in charge

Publishing House, known as Nashe ZNANIE. He was closely associated

with Bernard S. HOGARD of the Chihli Press, who in turn was

associated with alleged Soviet espionage agent Olga NAKVASIN.

According to the Staff C memorandum, a report from the FBI

datod l4 August 1953 indicated that a source of unknown reliability

stated that one Victor KAMKIN, nho operated a book store ais a

possiblo cover in Tientsin, China, acted as a paid informer of

the Japanese during World War II; and was a paid informer of U. S.

Army Intelligence aftor the War.

With the assistance of the

American Military Goverrment in Tsingtao, China,

he became. Chainian

of the Fussian Immigrant Society in Isingtao in 1948. There seems

small doubt that this Victor KAMKIN is identical with Victor No

KiMKIN,

and with Subject, Victor P. KAMKIN who was forerly head

of the Russian Immigrant

Association in Tsingtao, China, accord-

ang to hig friend SAPElKIN, as reported in Hong Kong Dispatch

#402. Note that Victor N. KAMKIN was in charge of a Russian

Publishing House in China known as Nashe Znante; and that the

branch store Subject intended to open in San Francisco (and may

also to he called Znanio (this work In Pussian

means "Knowledgo").

Bernard S. ROGARD of the Chihli Press, referred to

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as a close associate of Subject and

also of allegod

soviot aspionago

agent olga NAKVASIN,

Is tha Subjoct

of SSD file #35095.

ROGARD is a former U. S. Marine whose

parents were Polish-horn and who livod in China for

twenty years prior to returning to the Unitod States in

He allegedly was pro-soviet, 10:

Russians who did not avail themselves of Soviet citizon-

ship made available to them; hired as Editor of his

Tientsin Evering Journal, following its resumption after

the War,

one Leonoff who was an employee of TASS;

followed a Commurist inspired line in his newspaper;

and publishod without comment in his Tientsin Evening

Journal a letter discrediting American Military Police

In Tentain, comparing them unfavorably tith Soviet

Hilitary Police In Harbin who were praised in glowing

termez etc.

ROGARD, "If used" by Projact PILIAR,

was to be limited to Category Il; but his wife, Rauza

bragimoil ROGARD, 1179069, had/clearance for a "ver

sensitive use on another Project".

Mrs • ROCARD appears to have had clearances for

responsible positions with Agency Cover Companies) since

Her association with the Agency was terminated ir

May 1259, with the tormination of Project ABUNA, but

she gave the Agency) a "hard time" for months and refused

to sign her secrecy agreement until 30 November 1959.

Various relatives ot hers have in the past been

associated with the Agency.) Mrs. ROGARD appears to

have had much the same history is Subject.

vorn in Russla of Russian-born parents,

nationality; left Russia in 1919 for Harbin; was

educated in Mukden and Tientsin; and was employed in

engin in various import-oxport firms, etc.

thorough study has been made of the ROGARDS! files.)

M. D. Stevens

0S: SAS: D:ile

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