 Hughes's considerable business holdings were overseen by a small panel unofficially dubbed "The Mormon Mafia" because of the many Latter-day Saints on the committee,  led by Frank William Gay . In addition to supervising day-to-day business operations and Hughes's health, they also went to great pains to satisfy Hughes's every whim. For example, Hughes once became fond of Baskin-Robbins' banana nut ice cream, so his aides sought to secure a bulk shipment for him, only to discover that Baskin-Robbins had discontinued the flavor. They put in a request for the smallest amount the company could provide for a special order, 350 gallons (1,300 L), and had it shipped from Los Angeles. A few days after the order arrived, Hughes announced he was tired of banana nut and wanted only French vanilla ice cream. The Desert Inn ended up distributing free banana nut ice cream to casino customers for a year.Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 341. In a 1996 interview, ex–Howard Hughes Chief of Nevada Operations Robert Maheu said, "There is a rumor that there is still some banana nut ice cream left in the freezer. It is most likely true."
Eventually the brain trauma from Hughes's previous accidents, the effects of neurosyphilis diagnosed in 1932Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 91 and (undiagnosed) Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderBrown and Broeske 1996, p. 183-185 considerably effected his decision-making. A small panel, unofficially dubbed "The Mormon Mafia" because of the many Latter-day Saints on the committee, was led by Frank William Gay and originally served Hughes's "secret police" headquartered at 9000 Romaine. Over the next two decades, however, this group oversaw and controlled considerable business holdings,Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 263 with the CIA anointing Gay while awarding a contract to the Hughes corporation to acquire sensitive information on a sunken Russian submarine.Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 345-346The term "Mormon Mafia" has also been used to describe the Mormon presence in the CIA and FBI. see In addition to supervising day-to-day business operations and Hughes's health, they also went to great pains to satisfy Hughes's every whim. For example, Hughes once became fond of Baskin-Robbins' banana nut ice cream, so his aides sought to secure a bulk shipment for him, only to discover that Baskin-Robbins had discontinued the flavor. They put in a request for the smallest amount the company could provide for a special order, 350 gallons (1,300 L), and had it shipped from Los Angeles. A few days after the order arrived, Hughes announced he was tired of banana nut and wanted only French vanilla ice cream. The Desert Inn ended up distributing free banana nut ice cream to casino customers for a year.Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 341. In a 1996 interview, ex–Howard Hughes Chief of Nevada Operations Robert Maheu said, "There is a rumor that there is still some banana nut ice cream left in the freezer. It is most likely true."
A
Eventually the brain trauma from
R
considerable business holdings were overseen by a small panel
previous accidents, the effects of neurosyphilis diagnosed in 1932Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 91 and (undiagnosed) Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderBrown and Broeske 1996, p. 183-185 considerably effected his decision-making. A small panel,
A
was
R
.
and originally served Hughes's "secret police" headquartered at 9000 Romaine. Over the next two decades, however, this group oversaw and controlled considerable business holdings,Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 263 with the CIA anointing Gay while awarding a contract to the Hughes corporation to acquire sensitive information on a sunken Russian submarine.Brown and Broeske 1996, p. 345-346The term "Mormon Mafia" has also been used to describe the Mormon presence in the CIA and FBI. see