ROSELLI, JOHN

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01430496
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: February 15, 1972

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I FEED ONLYi..1.1[1:1- I
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SUBiECT: (Optional)
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
jb)(3)
FROM:
Director of Security
TO: (0er Otligncrion, room number, ond
building)
DATE
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
EXT"::::SiON NO.
6777
OFFICER'S
INiTIALS
DATE
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
to whom. Draw a line cams column o(ter each comment,)
Ex. Dir. -Cornpt.
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FORM
3-62
610
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USE PREVIOUS
EDITIONS
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LI CONFIDENTIAL
0 itiNsTEERoNtfty
El UNCLASSIFIED
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15 -1....?72
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director-Comptroller
SUBJECT : R.OSELLI, John
I. This meTriorandum is for your information only.
Z. Reference is made to our recent conversation regarding
the Agency's participation in political assassinations. Attached
hereto is a memorandum dated 19 November 1970 which was fur-
nished to Mr. Helms setting forth the circumstances of the Subject's
activities on behalf of the Agency. Initially Roselli was unwitting
of Government interest, but as time went on, he suspected that the
U. S. Government was involved and specifically the CIA.
3. Roselli is presently serving a prison sentence for con-
spiracy in a Federal penitentiary in Seattle, Washington and awaits
deportation upon completion of his current sentence.
4. This Agency was aware that RoseIli intended to expose
his participation in the plot should we not intervene on his behalf.
The DCI decided to ignore his threats and take a calculated risk as
to the consequences that may occur with the disclosure of his story.
This was subsequently done by Rosen' or someone on his behalf fur-
nishing Jack Anderson details of the incident. Attached hereto are
two of Anderson's articles dealing with Roselli. Anderson is also
Editor of the Washington Bureau of the Washington Post, Sunday
supplemental "Parade."
5. Individuals who were aware of this project were: Messrs.
Dulles, Bissell, Colonel J. C. King, Colonel Sheffield Edwards,
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William Harvey, and James P. O'Connell. Also included were
Robert A. Maheu and his attorneys Edward P. Morgan and Edward
Bennett Williams.
6. On 26 February 1971 arrangements were made with
Imrrigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Raymond
Farrell to flag any action that may be taken by his organization
regarding deportation proceedings against Roselli. On 26 January
1972 Jarnes F. Green, Associate Commissioner for I&NS, advised
that they were deferring any deportation action for another year
and v,ould again call it to our attention upon expiration of the
deferral.
.Atts
fl4,717
Howard Jasborn
Director of Security
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.1. (..3 y 370
MTMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
: ROSFLLI, Johnny
1. This memorandum is for information only.
2. In August 1960, Mr. Richard M. Bissell approached
Colonel Sheffield Edwards to determine if the Office of Security
had assets that may assist in a sensitive mission requiring
gangster-type action. The mission target was Fidel Castro.
3. Because of its extreme sensitivity, only a small group
was made privy to the project. The DCI was briefed and gave his
approval. Colonel 3. C. King, Chief, WH rivision, was briefed,
but all details were deliberately concealed from any of the
JMWAVE officials. Certain TSD and Commo personnel partici-
pated in the initial planning stages, but were not witting of the
purpose of the mission.
4. Robert A. Maheu was contacted, briefed generally on
the project, and requested to ascertain if he could develop an
entree into the gangster elements as the first step toward accom-
plishing the desired goal.
5. Mr. Maheu advised that he had met one Johnny Roselli
on several occasions while visiting Las Vegas. He only knew
him casually through clients, but was given to understand that
he was a high-ranking member of the "syndicate" and controlled
all of the ice-making machines on the Strip. Maheu reasoned
that, if Roselli was in fact a member of the clan, he undoubtedly
had connections leading into the Cuban gambling interests.
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6. Maheu was asked to approach Roselli, who knew Maheu
as a personal relations executive handling domestic and foreign
accounts, and tell him that he had recently been retained by a
client who represented several international business firms
which were suffering heavy financial losses in Cuba as a result
of Castro's action. They were convinced that Castro's removal
was the answer to their problem and were willing to pay a price
of $150,000 for its successful accomplishment. It was to be made
clear to Roselli that the U. S. Government was not, and should not,
become aware of this operation.
7. The pitch was made to Roselli on 14 September 1960 at
the Hilton Plaza Hotel, New York City. His initial reaction was
to avoid getting involved but, through Maheu's persuasion, he
agreed to introduce him to a friend, Sam Gold, who knew the
"Cuban crowd." Roselli made it clear he did not want any money
for his part and believed Sam would feel the same way. Neither
of these individuals was ever paid out of Agency funds.
8. During the week of 25 September, Maheu was introduced
to Sam who was staying at the Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach.
It was several weeks after his meeting with Sam and Joe, who was
identified to him as a courier operating between Havana and Miami,
that he saw photographs of both of these individuals in the Sunday
supplemental "Parade." They were identified as Momo Salvatore
Giancana and Santos Trafficant, respectively. Both were on the
list of the Attorney General's ten most-wanted men. The former
was described as the Chicago chieftain of the Cosa Nostra and
successor to Al Capone, and the latter, the Cosa Nostra boss of
Cuban operations. Maheu called this office immediately upon as-
certaining this information.
9. In discussing the possible methods of accomplishing this
mission, Sam suggested that they not resort to firearms but, if
he could be furnished some type of potent pill, that could be
placed in Castro's food or drink, it would be a much more effective
operation. Sam indicated that he had a prospective nominee in the
person of Juan Orta, a Cuban official who had been receiving kick-
back payments from the gambling interests, who still had access
to Castro, and was in a financial bind.
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10. TSD was requested to produce six pills of high lethal
content.
11. Joe delivered the pills to Orta. After several weeks
�of reported attempts, Orta apparently got cold feet and asked out
of the assignment. He suggested another candidate who made
several attempts without success.
12. Joe then indicated that Dr. Anthony Verona, one of the
principal officers in the Cuban 1:�dle Junta, had become disaffected
with the apparent ineffectual progress of the Junta and was willing
to handle the mission through his own resources.
13. He asked, as a prerequisite to the deal, that he be
given $10,000 for organizational expenses and requested $1,000
worth of communications equipment.
14. Dr. Verona's potential was never fully exploited, as
the project was canceled shortly after the Bay of Pigs episode.
Verona was advised that the offer was withdrawn, and the pills
were retrieved.
15. Of significant interest was an incident which involved
a request levied by Sam upon Maheu.
At the height of the project negotiations, Sam
expressed concern about his girlfriend, Phyllis McGuire,
who he learned was getting much attention from Dan
Rowan while both were booked at a Las Vegas night club.
Sam asked Maheu to put a bug in Rowan's room to deter-
mine the extent of his intimacy with Miss McGuire. The
technician involved in the assignment was discovered in
the process, arrested, and taken to the Sheriff's office
for questioning. He called Maheu and informed him that
he had been detained by the police. This call was made
in the presence of the Sheriff's personnel.
Subsequently, the Department of Justice an-
nounced its intention to prosecute Maheu along with
the technician. On 7 February 1962, the Director of
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Security briefed the Attorney General, Robert
Kennedy, on the circumstances leading up to
Malieu's involvement in the wiretap. At our re-
quest, prosecutidn was dropped.
16. In May 1962, Mr. William Harvey took over as Case
Officer, and it is not known by this Office whether Ros�elli was
used operationally from that point on.
17. It was subsequently learned from the FBI that Roselli -
had been convicted on six counts involving illegal entry into the
United States. Our records do not reflect the date of conviction,
but it is believed to have been sometime during November 1967.
18. On 2 December 1968, Roselli, along with four other
individuals, was convicted of conspiracy to cheat members of the
Friars Club of $400,000 in a rigged gin gummy game.
19. Mr. Harvey reported to the Office of Security of his
contacts with Roselli during November and December 1967 and
January 1968. It was his belief that Johnny would not seek out
the Agency for assistance in the deportation proceedings unless
he actually faced deportation. Roselli expressed confidence that
he would win an appeal.
20. On 17 November 1970, Maheu called James O'Connell,
Roselli's first Case Officer, to advise that Maheu's attorney, Ed
Morgan, had received a call from a Thomas Waddin, Roselli's
lawyer, who stated that all avenues of appeal had been exhausted,
and his client now faces deportation. Waddin indicated that, if
someone did not intercede on Roselli's behalf, he would make
a complete expose of his activities with the Agency.
21. On 18 November 1970, you were briefed on the latest
development in this case, and it was decided that the Agency
would not in any way assist Roselli. Maheu was so advised of
the Agency's position, and he was in complete agreement with
our stand. He further advised that he was not concerned about
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any publicity as it affected him personally should Roselli decide
to tell all. He stated he would advise us promptly of any develop-
ments that he may become aware of in this matter.
Howard J. Osborn
Director of Security
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that the CIA had ever partici-
pated in any plot on Castro's
life. Asked whether the at-
tempts could have been made
with his knowledge, he re-
plied: "It could not have hap-
pened."
We . have complete confi-
dence, how e v e r, in Our
sources.
, The plot to knock off Castro
' began as part or the Bay of
Pj opt.ratii.ti The intent was
to ellinina;,. the Cuban dictzt�
down withoutlhe charismatic
Castro to lead them.
After the first attempt
failed, five more assassination
teams were sent to Cuba. The
last team reportedry made it
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THE WASHINGTON POST Mordny, ),lit. IS, 191
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By jack Anderson ;tor before the motley invad., late against President Ken- � complete w:th secret trysts at .
glittering Miami Beach hotels..:
ers landed on the island. Their- nedy.
Locked in the darkest re-
arrival was expected to touch To set up the Castro assassi- and in id ni ght powerboat
cesses of the Central Intelli-
off a general uprising which nation. the CIA enlisted POI_ dashes to ses.ret landing spots
gence Agency is the story of 2I Ion the Cuban MASI.. Once, TIo-
the Communist militia would__
en Maheu. a former
six assz.ssination attempts', . � ' agent: With shadowy contacts, :seiit's boat v��as shot out from.;
nave had more trouble putting
against Cuba's Fidel Castro. w'no had handled other under
For 10 years, only a few key
people have known the terri-
ble secret. They have sworn I
never to talk. Yet we have
learned the details from.
sources whose credentials are
beyond question. �
We spoke to John. McCone,
who headed the CIA at the
time -of the assassination at.
cover assignments for the CIA
out of his Washington public
relations office. He later poison capsules to slip inta:!,
moved to Las Vegas to head Castro's food. The poizon was
up billionaire Howard Hughes' supposed to take three days to
Nevada operations. act. By the time casts� died,
.Maheu recruited John Ro- his system would throw off all
to a rooftop within shooting selli, a ruggedly handsome traces of the poison, so he
distance of Castro before they gambler with contacts In both would appear to be the victim
were apprehended. This hap- the American and Cuban un- of a natural if mysterious ail-
tempts. He acknowledged the pcned around the last of Feb- derworlds. to arrange the as- mcnt.
idea had been discussed inside ruary or first of March, 1963. sassination. The dapper, hawk- Roselli arranged with a � .;
he CIA .but insisted it had Nine months later, Presi- faced Roselli, formerly mar- Cuban.. related to one of Cas-.
Aeon "r ej cc ted immedi- dent Kennedy was gunned ried to movie actress June tro's. chefs, to plant the deadly
ately." He vigorously denied down in Dallas by Lee Harvey Lang, was a power in the pellets in the dictator's food.
Oswald, a fanatic who pre- movie industry until his con-
viously had agitated for Cas- viction with racketeer. IVillie
tro in New Orleans and had Bioff in a million-dollar Holly-
made a mysterious trip to the wood labor shakedown. The
Cuban Embassy in Mexico CIA assigned two of its most
City. trusted operatives, William
Among those privy to the Harvey and James (Big Jim)
CIA conspiracy, there is still a O'Connell, to the hush-hush
na gg in g suspicion�unsup- murder mission. Using phony
ported by the Warren Com- names, they accompanied Ro-
mission's findings�that Cas- selli on trips to Miami to line
(no became aware of the U.S. up the assassination teams.
� plot upon his lift:. ant! siime- The full story reads like the
how recruited oi���,�ahi:�, s'..ript of a James Bond movie,
under him.
For the first try, the CIA:.
furnished Roselli with special:1:
On March 13, 1961, Roselli de- :
livered the capsules to his con; -
tact at Miami Beach's glamor-
ous Fontainebleau Hotel.
A couple of weeks later, just
about . the right time for the
plot to have been carried out
a report out of Havana Said .
Castro was ill. But he r
covered before the Bay of F;ss .
invasion on April 17. 1961.
Four more attempts y 1.e
made on Castro's life,
tir:t. Bell-McClure 1..c
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T:oVCaFifi2: g011 Yeerry-G0-117.01Lad
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THE WASHINGTON POST
Tueglay,Fe.b.23,1971 Bit
71 C
er '
, /Th�
i Q1) Pi
CIA
13v j a cic ..1 ii d r ), ., nn , .; oh hv Fie�bert ::%:aiteu. a for.. Fer-e:ii v�-.:h. r:eadiy p.:lison � is stil on the CIA payroll.
mer F17,1 a;:ern, v...ro a.-7,--,;,ted c:::-,:.:':...�5 v.-itich -he . tried 7--;','':". :1�:imi.-'"-: :r) 1:5 a fr:ef:11' �
I The in' sir ry man 'Ahem the �
:to iis that he had handled tin- throuzh a -.-ciatiVe oll Castro s � ''' . � - ,* � . -- � 1" - �-".
. Central Inv.:lige:ice Agency: , � .--'1,�-� v.�(-1 i':�;.:.sei 1,-- -�,.F-.......7
.ZO (".:::'-r"..:.zz in.:er Cr.'s r.....:-.-iti�:�s.
, � oercover assign mews for the chef to plant in the dictator's : :Lirvey nil Ile 1..;,d a ........ith rs..
I retell:zed to ,,,,.!..,:s� irate C...:ha's �
� C: �.. :lc re.f..:e.4..!-Ir.�.,�,-v,r. In for.:-i. ',...;�,:�.7. mar'.e7.rnen armed 1 eard" 'for Tioseili z:�.�:: eaiied
,Fidel Ca.oro 1-...s bee n I.,:ci n ,�� � - �� � - �� : � � . � - -
I u � ,..,.�� , co- cc: ah.7. 1 :.; t:.e. *---,.'itn r.::-7,0....ered Belgian ri- i th�-� Friz,r's Club c;,ye
i :., �-�:...1:m
�n the sick ward of thc.' Los same 'Iatieu, incidentaliy. who fies attempted to infiltrate rap." Said Harvey: "The
Angeles County jail. is now involved in a leral bat- � close enough to gun Castro 'Friar's Club indioment is
lie is han(!!'mme� hawk'fi'ced� Ile over phantom hiiiir,naire dow�n. !phony. Roselli had no more to
John �110se1i- once a dar'inaz! Howard Hughes' Nevada oper- A-li to!l� szA A'!--,'lti":1 a'-� 'do with thl:t than I had."
figure around Iioll:,:wood ancl!atinns.. tempts WC :e 7:1,3-i(s. the 1h7.t. Mi .!1,-..:...c.el,e-s 1::,-,�,-.y,-,rs ,....-,... rIrc.,..
I Las Vegas. now a gray. 6'6-1 Roselli was so flattered over the spring of 1963. Through-HIT-vine to get cic.�:.-1,:.-ez�y :!��i-
I year-old inmate With a resPira-I being asked to perform a se- out this period, Roseili worked their client, citing On: stories
tory ailment. I cret mission for the 1.3.S. cov- under the direct supervision !about his secret CIA service. .:
1 Confidential FBI files idea-'ernment that he paid all his 'of two secret CIA agents. Wil-I
tify him as "a top ��'�Iaria fig-1 expenses out of his own liam Harvey r�nd James (13i; I - F.:earl:1s Fiasco
ure" who watched over �
"the! pocket and risked his peck to iim) O'Connell.. � - I
concealed interests in Las. land the assassination teams' I Under pressure from ti:c
� Vegas casinos of the Chicago on the Cuban coast. Roseilrs Reward II firearms lobby, the Treasury
underworld." . I In James Bond fashion, he The FBI which got wind of 'Department. has failed to en-
� Roselli has admitted to] held whispered meetings in the assassination plot. has I force a vital section *of the
friends that. he was a rum run-IMiami Beach hotels with Cu- tried to pump Roselli for ind
, 19C..8 federal firearms act.
ner during the Roaring Twen-,
bans willing to make an at- formation. But he was sworn i .
ties. Operating a m tr
long the East I tept on Caso's life. Once to sP.e. nee by the CIA. and up i The law v.as passed after
Coast, he learned how to evade � he called on Chicago racket to this moment he hasn't bro. the murders of Sen. Robert
Coast Guard cutters and po. boss Sam Giancana to line up ken it. !Kennedy and Dr. Martin Lu�
lice patrols. a contact. The confidential Meanwhile, the Justice De- i ther King; It authorizes the
.His name later became files report that Giancana had Tartment, as part.' of its cracie-iTre"urY Secretary to require
linked with the bi;.gest names ..r.,ambling interest and an in- down on orzanized crime. 'full reports of all firearms and
in the Chicaco and Los Ance- tercst in the shrimp business tried to nail Roelii. The I--BI ammunition sales. .
les underworlds. He also de- in. Cuba." However, the, Chi, discovered that 'niS. Chicago! For the two years that the
veloped contacts in the Cuban can eangster took no direct birth records had been forged i law has been in force. :he
underworld before Castro took part in the assassination plot, that his name was really Fi...ITreasury Department. has_i;.�-
over the Havana ganthling ca- lioselli made midni;;...ht lippo Sacco and that he had 1 ncired thi'..
sinos. dashes to Cuba with his hired come to this country . from t;un industic":yhpasrocvcyrnion.
pia :Til cede.
He had the right back- assassins in twin powerboats. Italy as a child. He was con-lit
ground for a hush-nush rrus-IOnce a Cuban patrol ship vieted for failing to register as Inig would be a bookkeedin.
htmare. .
� sion that the CIA was pland turned its guns on his dark- an alien. �
The federal ,ZOVer.11Me0,
nin; in lOtil. As .part of the!
i enci ')oat
. tore a hole in the He was als.o convicted for i which
1
WOUld have to cornr.:le
13aN' c'i. P;:s ;r�v?'-'�or.� the CIA; heutom and :an% Cnc "nat Bo- conspiracy to rig card ::tmes; all the :1'..f's d� ills
hoped to ,.110.:...: off Cas.tro ana ccli was fished it of the at Los An;eles* -exellisive.'."7"::1 rclus:11 I') :'ll''.::ci
ic:,..-e C.t::-..-, e.s. lwater by the other 'coat. which Friar's Cub. :,..'.".! mill:on it -...-01;:r: cr..-- Z.
� I escaped into the shadows. . Of Resclli's two CIA asso-!crilsulers :'7;1 st.;�:-: lu 1
iii,..1;F: 'Neck i In earlier columns, we re- ciates. Harvey has now rettred.tain the iircarm-` file�s� -
.1,ot,eili was recruited for the i ported how the CIA furnilted to Indianapol'.s and O'Conne:I i :,. �.-..-� e-..- ��--� - -
./
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