“NAL USE ONLY ☐ UNCLASSIFIED NW 65924 Docld:32357595 Page 2 C SECRET OGC 77-3727 6-10-77 10 June 1977 MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. William W. Wells Deputy Director for Operations VIA Mr. Anthony A. Lapham General Counsel : FROM Maurice A. Sovern : Office of the Special Assistant to the DDO”
“el : Maurice A. Sovern SUBJECT : Office of the Special Assistant to the DDO for External Oversight : Letelier Assassination - Rosselli Traces 1. In August of 1976, the Senate Select Committee arranged a joint meeting between representatives of the Committee staff, the FBI and CIA …”
“NCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED E2 IMPDET CL BY 018630 NW 65924 Docld:32357595 Page 3 SECRET SECRET who in the course of his confirmation hearings was asked by John Marks (of Marchetti fame) whether the new DCI would continue to permit CIA obstruct Justice in the Letelier invest”
“context of discussions it became clear that he worked for the CIA. At this point, Rosselli was satisfied that Maheu was working for the government!: and,therefore, agreed to work at the Cuban mission described at their first meeting. Rosselli was not sure as to the length of h”
“elier investigation by refusing to make this material available to the Dade County investigators. 5. LA Division has again prepared the same answers to the original questions, now for direct transmittal to the Dade County authorities. However, the circumstances of the investigati”
“-2- It is-mywrecollection that on at least onesoeeasion; in’ the presence of Senator Howard H.Baker Jel, Roeseli% toldus the Senator 'that he, Rosselli, was concerned for his safety and. his life and that he was risking his well-being by testifying ■3 before the Committee. I .”
“had people in positions vis a vis Castro who could achieve the assassination. • Prior tothe Bay of Pigs, there was no discussion of guns. Rosselli claimed to have a better idea than Maheu, namely that with far fewer men than were involved in the Bay of Pigs, perhaps a hundre”
“- 2 agencies in the Kennedy assassination, ‘’Hoover sent the Rowley letter to six committee concluded was “puzzling” and investigation. senior bureau officials on an “eyes- because it was the Domestic Intelli • The body of Rosselli, who lived only" basis. There is no record ”
“Despite occasional speculation, the ,\ I The possibility that Rosselli’s mur ’.collective conclusion of all official. der might have been related to his U.S. government investigations into Senate testimony on the CIA schemes ■ the Kennedy assassination-including to kill Castr”
“gangland struggle — even so gruesome a detail from Rosselli though, the' murderer is still un 1967) did it." Rosselli, according to Morgan, that the Chief Justice could put his known.. name on a report which didn’t as The death of Rosselli, who had decided to talk about his”
“2 agencies in the Kennedy assassination ; ’Hoover sent,the Rowley letter to six committee concluded was “puzzling” and investigation. senior bureau officials on an "eyes- because it was the Domestic Intelli- The body of Rosselli, who lived only” basis. There is no record of F”
“bugging me after internal gangland struggle — even .1967) did it." so gruesome a detail from Rosselli- though, the murderer is still un- that the Chief Justice could put his known.. Rosselli, according to Morgan, decided to talk about his CIA activ- name on a report which did”
“3 - “Maybe Rosselli's information Kennedy discussed the ramifica- * As a condition to his appear- was the vital nerve of the Kennedy tions of a Castro assassination. . ances before the Senate Committee./ assassination,” a Senate source told 3 in the past year, it was agreed t”
“SECRET even 00021.0: had belen been Gi a reduce ncanci Li c s untte ounen mere "translator " and was meded Lien who had uselle feilitito canon only been to and recruitedthe Cubans For the actual assassinati on Taffecontes and Rosselli 1935 Inteurlz and 19,77”
“thatis Edith Dai- . high-ranking Cuban official, who hada name Kennedy met was withas-a CIA operatives turned over assassi 'told the mutual Mrs. Daigle said he wouldCastro,killto tell him nation equipment to Cubela during a !Rosselli family acquaintance -_ received that h”
“1117: k -2 - matters. He appeared on June 25 to discuss the plots against Castro; oh September 20 and 22 to discuss the Campbell affair; and on April 25 to discuss the retaliation theory. Now for current events. First, the two detectives in Miami handling the Roselli cas”
“recent testimony. band’s death. She did, however, tell with the U.S. by attacking U.S. lead- The internal FBI memo on the 1967 The Washington Post that she re ers.! interview with Morgan was sent, to ceived a call after Rosselli’s disappear- On the same day Kennedy was as h”
“3 “Maybe Rosselli’s - information Kennedy discussed the ramifica-' -As a condition to his appear-, was the vital nerve of the Kennedy tions of a Castro assassination. ances before the Senate Committee assassination,” a Senate source told in the past year, it was agreed that ”
“There w’ere four mi assassination attempts, the plotters were smuggled into Cuba with high-powered rifles. The last assassination squad, Roselli heard. made it to a! Havana rooftop before they were caught. This was around March 1, 1963. Then the project was abandoned. Rose”
“0002187 Coul they d have Cared SECRET been protecti on developedMore he Sere enlisted unller This benne Fosliment thatheRosselle told he Tunner had mitentWar an agenthis Cuban untar Mound Niche 07War me Cuba MP thy P08 9,17 Jack C Rosselle 6/24/25 arid voyerke ”
“clients referred to in WHEN THE wiretap case was HART, AS have local investiga- the report has.since been identified'; again to be investigated in 1966, . tors, has established three possible as Rosselli. And it has since been this time by a Senate committee ,scenario’s for Ros”
“PELKET 6 1* RobachR - Mullin /Enterlet cot- F 14 MAY 62 TOPSECRET Edwards MFR- Re Baltele merro Prepared for RRK Freloweng Aral braifung. Rosselli and Mahers spent consed: time in Miconi talker with the Courur. Geancauni also fusint. Grancanne put them in touchiw, a Cou”
“Cubans knew, then the offer which they understood from you to come from Wall Street was still outstanding? "A: I don't know if they still think so ... I didn't see them after that to tell them that" (Roselli, p. 45)." ** Roselli claims that he was motivated by "honor and d”
“attempts.i ington Field Office sent headquarters demise. 1 So on Feb. 15, 1967, the FBI official ten copies of a blind memorandum Neither murder has been solved. prepared a' draft reply to the Rowley summarizing the interview with Mor- 3 letter for his superiors saying “our in”
“the same conspirators, he sug- ganization -----behind**-41"- •" in Havana. Some of‘They supposedly were Cubans from gested, whom he had recruited earlier his henchmen even managed to de- the old Trafficante organization, to kill Cuban Premier Fidel Castro. velop contacts in C”
“shortly after his been recruited for the attempts./ ington Field Office sent headquarters 'demise. I “So on Feb. 15, 1967, the FBI official. ten copies of a blind memorandum Neither murder has been solved. * prepared a' draft reply to the Rowley summarizing the interview with M”
“assassination plots, and was reluctant to mention Santos - .**g**09t-**88 Trafficante. by name. - In fact, I cannotrecall Ro8selli ever. mentioning Trafficante by name and only very vaguely responding 7 g to questions if the questioner used the name Trafficante.”
“part of a known of the CIA-underworld plots: told the mutual acquaintance that the against Castro, they would have been conspiracy, it also said U.S. ’agencies aware that the lawyer had clients who Rosselli family had received a tele did not properly investigate the assas-' ”
“paresis J Liby ATTORNEY GENERAL LEVI RE: RAPHAEL GENER October 26, 1976 IN REPLY PLEASE REFER TO #R 5080 Honorable Edward H. Levi Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice. Washington, D. C. Dear Attorney General Levi: Aa you know, the Intelligence- ”
“patriotic. p. 61 Rosselli knew Trafficante before "operation" started. p. 62 Rosselli maintained some contact with Maheu after Harvey took over. p. 64 Rosselli still is social friends with Harvey. p. 66 In April or May of 1966, Rosselli was stopped in the street by two FBI ”
“-2- It is my recollection thatoon atleast one occasion, in the presence of Senator * Howard H. Baker, - Jr., Rosselli told-Tr s *: n - - .' ;’ --) 23 . ;: - dets Pgpy FECEWs 39575 the Senator that he, Rosselli, was concerned for his safety • sliver - A cP o’ his life, and tha”
“with the U.S. by attacking U.S. lead- The internal FBI memo on the 1967 ers. The Washington Post that she re- interview with Morgan was sent to On the same day Kennedy was as ceived a call after Rosselli’s disappear headquarters with a transmittal slip ance in late July wa”
“-2- It is my recollection that on at least one occasion, in the presence of Senator Howard H. Baker, Jet • Rosselli told the Senator that he, Rosselli, was concerned for his safety ando’s his life and that he was risking hta well-being by testifying.95e before the Committee I a”
“THE WASHINGTON POST Friday. August 27, 1976 Jack Anderson and Les Whitten g •1 Smudge Only Clue in Rosselli Case It was a grisly end for John Rosselli, fidence, so he came to trust us. We 1 gave information, according to our the dapper, debonair mobster about were the only r”
“tortaltig tef the mehestiled cetebeniney, A "Rothman was in touch with several weapons, micil tran:parl,ttoti froir.-e every two weeks to seecode tof him notercade s’ Ise jeepa neprocbed the 1 CIA agents," it former agent told The foeih-lw to Minim m Marsh, 196t, ncintants," on”
“p. 68-70 FBI agents Hill and Dodge met with Rosselli and his lawyer, Cantillon, At this time Dodge informed Rosselli that the FBI was aware that he was not a U.S. citizen. Dodge indicated something about Nevada and some other secret organizations. p. 71-75 Rosselli met with S”
“the delivery NOTE: The I recollection' for assassi 28 the time period for rifles, etc. les with telescopic sites equipment May 1962 I.G. Report indicates that Roselli reports to Harvey that the pills are in Cuba -- references to all calls to Roselli Roselli’s what”
“Roselli twieelini 952 member of the former com-• . xnittee and he is also a member of.I :the new Intelligence Cominittee. 11 :, - "Roselll was very candid but hera : did not volunteer, information.”,’ -Hartee 4. 8 %it9 tl - F Committee investitators said Foil elTa-y they ”
“arrange Ken- As Roselli’s associates tell it, he per- When Oswald was picked up, Roselli nedy’s assassination, according to suaded|Giancana that it would be to suggested, the underworld conspira- Roselli’s scenario. To save their skins, their advantage to win the good will of t”
“Esperia, Italy, and consumed by the task which has the CIA’s use of the underworld 71 when he died — was not first been a full-time operation since. and foremost a CIA operative.____ Rosselli’s body was pulled from Dumfoundling Bay on Aug. 7. HW 50955 DocId: 32423630 Page 679”
“ex- is no real evidence to support Roselli’s ,story. But there are enough curious he died of natural causes. When this plained the tragedy in Dallas. failed, snipers were dispatched to a Several key CIA officials believed circumstances to justify telling it. Here that Castro ”
“Chronology 2 ( more on Hunt Castro project) Assassination alleged to have Szulc,supra beenplanned as part of a smaller invasion effortand preparations were allegedly made in Costa Rica 18 n May 1965 Hunt Castro scheme "aborted when Dominican Republic strife broke out (”
“nightmarish contents, 10 days after securities and financial swindles. His bosses finally became fed up with Ros-i * Rosselli had disappeared from his sit-} operations reportedly ' were resented 4 selli ■ His ‘ execution would have re-. er’s home in Plantation, Fla. by Santo Tr”
“and! ■ came public. •. now.". incomplete.* One of the clients referred to in WHEN THE wiretap case was HART, AS have local investiga 1 the report has since been identified, again to be investigated in 1966, tors, has established three possible as Rosselli. And it has since b”
“July in Esperia, Italy, and consumed by the task which has the CIA’s use of the underworld 71 when he died — was not first been a full-time operation since . and foremost a CIA operative.__ Rosselli’s body was pulled from Dumfoundling Bay on Aug. 7. HW 50955 DocId:32423630 Pa”
“and, if so, could they have access to it? vi. Why was all contact with Rosselli stopped in 1955? می vii. Would it be possible for them to talk to the man or men who served as Chief of Station in Miami during 1960 to 19652 viii. Could they talk to the current Chief of Station in M”
“ROSSELLI CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS 1955 Meets Maheu at insurance friend’s home. 1960 Late July/early August. Maheu calls. Working for government. Recruit Rosselli only. Meet Brown Derby, L.A., for lunch. Long talk about project in Cuba. Rosselli wants verification. 2nd meeting, ”
“acquaintance that the against Castro, they would have been conspiracy, it also said U.S. ’agencies Rosselli family had received a tele did not properly investigate the assas- aware that the lawyer had clients who phone threat from unidentified Cu had been active in the assa”
“51: 000 The Washington Post August 22, 1976 Slain Mobster Claimed Cuban Link to JFK Death . By Ronald Kessler and Laurence Stern Washington Post Staff Writers Long before his recent murder, “Ills (Morgan’s) clients were aware John Rosselli, the CIA's underworld of the i”
“Washington, D.C. From Washington, D.C. 9 Rosselli traveled to Florida where he stayed for the duration of the Cuban missile crisis. He, at times, would,; through his Cuban contacts, attempt to verify the OK W/ location of the Russian missiles in Cuba. Rosselli claimed that th”