JFK Case: MEMORANDUM:MASFERRER PROSECUTION, MIAMI, FLORIDA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00563722
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: January 4, 2022
• Case Number: F-2020-01423
• Publication Date: February 4, 1967

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4 FEB 1967
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Flans
SUBJECT: MASFESIUMI Prosecution, Miami, Florida
REFERSECR: Office of General Counsel Memorandum 67-0181
dated 2 February 1961
1: This memorandum is for your information.
2. In response to paragraph 2 of reference, WM
Division has made a review of our Miami Station and
Headquarters files to do/Ural:me those persons listed in
paragraph 4 and all persons listed in the FBI report
attached to reference with whom there has been any
Agency association.
3. Of the persons listed in paragraph 4 of reference
the following have had eons association with the Agency:
a. David Cabe=
I,. Father Maio Madrigal
c. Julio Cesar Moraine
4. Listed below are the persons cited is the 121
report attached to reference who have been associated with
the Agency. Of these, only two, Jesus Rodriguez and Arturo
Mayans-Alvares are currently employed. Nene of the remainder
have any current relationship. Members of the 2506 Brigade
are shown as suck In parentheses after their names:
a. Rolando Masferrer Rojas (Interment
Bevan* �tation-154E)
b. Beinaldo Mogello Rodriguez Peres
(member ef 2506 /triode)
e. Jess Manuel Macias, Jr. (masher of
2506 Brigade)
d. Ramiro Oonsales Infante (aember of
2506 Brigade)
0. Adolfo Bartel ome Jimenez Aquile*
f.. Eric Arias (nether of 2306 Brigade)
g. Alfredo Ruin
h. Rafael Torres (member of 2506 Brigade)
I
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1. Pablo Morejon-Figueros (eosher of
2604 Brigade)
j. Arturo Mayans-Alvarez
k. Manuel Jose Leon-Fernandez (mmeher
of 2606 Brigade)
1. Francisco Verona Verona-Seto
a. Jesus Rodriguez -
n. Lain Alberto Oliver* (avabor of
2604 Brigade)
Carlos Luis Soto Borges (memiber
of 2604-Brigade)
16: It in believed that the trial of Mesferrer or
any of his colleagues could damage Agency interests in
one or all of the following sectors:
a. Unfavorable publicity concerning
Agency operations against the Cuban target,
notably maritime infiltration operations
based in southern Florida.
b. The expoemre of current Agency
(primarily MAIM :meets, operational
facilities, covers and operations, notably
those in the maritime infiltration field.
c. The creation of a climate which
in the long rum could lead to continuing
damage to Agency interests and which would
render the execution of operations against
Cuba and certain other targets, especially
the Caribbean countries nore difficult and
more costly (by virtue Of the Necessity of
creating new or more complex cover mechanises).
S. The appearance of certain individuals at the trial
coald lead to the revelation of information concerning a wide
variety of operational natters-using the tern Noperational"
in its broadestseses. of the personnel listed in the 00C
:memorandum of 2 February 1947 (01MC 47-0144) David Dams*
was employed by the Agency is agent status. Cabema was a
key figure in the AMANITA operation, at one time an important
MATZ operation. Cebesa's brother is currently employed by
MAU; for some time it has been planned to terminate
-at an appropriate time. Cabeze in in a position of being
able to reveal considerable information concerning certain
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operational techniques and facilities employed by MAYS
in the past, an well as the identity of a number of former
agents of the MAU Station. Although, by extrapolation
and by embroidering on information and rumors circulating
in the (*ban exile community Cabeaa probably could present
a picture of MATE activity which might appear exciting
to the layman, it seems unlikely that he has access to any
significant amount of information concerning sensitive
current activities. While to the knowledgeable person,
within the Agency or within the federal community in Miami,
Cabeses infermation is likely to be unimpressive, there
seems to be little doubt that he could--as he has done on
a amber of occasions daring the past two yarn--present
a picture of 'MAU activity which might intrigue the
general public. It is impossible to predict whether Cabe=
would present the Agency in a unfavorable light or whether
he would choose to concentrate his criticise against other
federal agencies.
7. A number of the other persons listed in the
reference also are in a position to make allegations
concerning various Ageacy activities, including AMU
operations is the maritime infiltration and propeganda
fieldsreind Agency operations against the Militias target.
It is impossible testate We much accurate iatormation
concerning these topics is possessed by the group, or to
Predict the slant "high sight be taken by then in presenting
their stories. Is the opinion of AWL on the basis of
the information available to the Station none of these
individuals possesses a significant amount of sensitive
information concerning current or important past activities.
Mosever, an in the case of Cubes*, the claims made by these
imdividmals re Agency activities sight appear impressive to
the general public, especially if spiced with tidbits of
accurate tararmation.
S. Attachment details the past relationship of certain
individuals in the MC report to the Agency, notably. AWE.
We of those individuals are currently employed by MAU.
Should certain of the other individuals be summed to testify,
they could present a certain amount of information eoncerning
past practices, personnel and, facilities used by AMU.
9. Probably the greatest danger to the Agency lies in
the possibility that the circle of testimony might be expanded
by the defense through the subpoenaing of persons who are not
on the list or mentioned in the PSI report but who are known
to the listed personnel as being currently employed by MAWS
or as having been employed in the recent past. Given the
legal precedents established in other 'cases, it appears
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likely that these current employees (agents) of MAYS
would have to provide true and detailed answers in response
to questioning in court. Such testimaay could cause major
doofto to the:current operations, personnel and facilities
of the MUM Station. Although it appears that a number
of facilities which have not been exposed to agents (e.g.,
the principal cover unit,AGMS) would not be' coppromit4d
through the testimony of current agents, there MB no doubt
that the danger to AWAY'S activities, notably but not
exclusively to maritime infiltration operations, would be
severe. PoiiibIy more damaging in the long run would be
the surfacing of questions concerning the "right" of the
Agency to engage in "Illegal* activities frmalM.S. veil.
Conceivably the defenseirtmaApreeent the picture of an
official U.S. Government agency, the Dopartmat of Justice,
prosecuting hapless Cuban and Haitian exiles (RWoos) for
conducting activity of "the same type" as that conducted
by the Agency with the blessing of the U.S. Goverment.
An imaginative defense counsel might even go si far as to
accuse the U.S.. Customs Service and the Agency of conspiring
to "stop the competition" by the exiles with the activities
condacted by the Agency.
10. MANX believes that there is no question that the
trial of the Masferrer group would bring to the sartace�in
southern Florida and elsewhere in the U.S.--ithe latent
curiosity and in some came animosity concerning
operations against Cuba from bases la the LS. While the
Florida public in general is highly sympathetic 'towards the
Agency with, respect to its activities against the Castro
regime, there are a, small number of highly vocal persons who
madam the trial revelations as the basis for a renewed
attack against the "invisible government" operating in Florida.
MATZ that it would take very little publicity to lead
to the surfacing of the JMGCEAS complex an the successor to
the "meter ions Zenith Technical Enterprises, In.". The care
which has been given to the establishnent and the consolidation
of the MOAN cover is not likely to avail against a concerted
investigation by publicity mediator aggressively natooPY
private parties. Tee, the fact that MOMS in located in
an area nallaletered by the University of Miami could lead
to charges of Agency "corrnption of academic institutions."
The feet that the University of Miami leadersbAP .06246 as
it has in the past, cooperate closely with MATE tad the
Agency would not erase the publicity, and conceivably could
load to enough pressure on the University that it indeed would
be forced to re-esnadme its relationship to the U.S. Goverment
concerning the South Campus area, or its relationship to
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SHWAVEATHOCHAN. In summary it is most unlikely that any
future good would result from a trial of Masferrer and/or
any of his associates, and it is highly probable that there
would be created a climate which would wake MAU
operations--of all types--oore diffieult to carry out in
a secure and economical manner. This is not to may that
MIME would have to go out of business. This was not the
case in the "Zenith" flap, nor is it likely to be the case
vita Hasterrer. However, there appears to be little doubt
that the threshold Of sensitivity to Agency activities on
the part of the general Public end of those persons who,
from whatever notiOes, question the advisability of the
Agency,"operating" within the U.S. would be raised.
11. The question of using *mar Diosdado as a
prosecution witness presents additional problems. Wooded*
has been retained as the Customs officer at Hey West at
the request of the Agency. The Agency reimburses Customs
for Diosdado vs salary. Because of his encycloiiedic knowledge
of Cuba and the Florida Keys area and because of his long
involvement in "operational activities" by the Agency, and
by ACS1 on occasion, Wooded� is considered by many exiles-
-and some officials�as betalt "ft Company (Agency) Wm." It
questioned under oath, Diosdado presumably you'd have to
reveal details of his association with the Agency, actions
taken on behalf of the Agency, and conceivably details of
MAU operations. in certain instances notably regarding
current operations and several highly sensitive past
operations, the revelation of detailed information, especially
concerning Agent identities and operational techniques, could
be quite damaging. Possibly Diosdado could be carefully
briefed concerning the nature of his testimony so as to avoid
perjury while not giving sensitive data. However, his nature
is such that a reasonably clever defense counsel could provoke
him Into either indiscretions or contradictions which would
preSent hint the U.S. Customs and the Agency in an unfavorable
light. The fact that Diosdado has been repeatedly commended
by Customs and exiles ter his efficient and humane handling
of refugees and summon would count for little in &court-
room where the emotions of the Kasferrer fiasco would be
running high.
12. A further problem ould arise from the fact that
Diosdado played a leading role in the investigation of the
Hasferrer affair, including previous abortive attempts by
the Masterrer and Haitian exiles to launch operations from
Florida, and the fact that Diosdado personally (sating in
his official capacity as Customs Agent resident at Key West)
led the raid against the house at which the exiles were
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arrested and the arms confiscated. The defense might well
accuse Diosdado of having acted net only for the U.S.
Customs but also on behalf of the Agency.
1S. in addition to the foregoing points it should be
noted that historically the similarity of this operation
and the "Say of Pigs" could reopen the whole question and
offer a new discussion of the prisoner *Wong, Wn�sttan.
The racial issue also might arise because many of the persons
involved with Wasterror and potential defendants Are of the
Negro race. 41 Masferrer is brought to trial, the pablic
sympathy, which will probably be reflected in the lures
verdict would undoubtedly rest with the defendant net the
prosecution. Alarge percentage of the people undoubted)/
view Wasferreem activities as efforts to rid the Western
gemisphere of an abominable black dictator with the further
Intention of using Maitian� territory as a bane to remove
another dictator neither of whom are friendly to the U.S.
fSigned) Jadob D. Est:111110
Jacob D. /Interline
Acting Chief
Western ItemlePhors Division
Attachment
; 09geleme 2 Wsh dI (81.0181)
/Cm etre
3 February 1967
Distribution.
Orig & 1 -Addressee
1 - ADDP
1- DDP Reg
1 OGC
1 - CAM
1 - WE/Reg
1 - WEL/000
1 - WM/COG/AM
1 Masferrer 201
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