"FAMILY JEWELS"

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01430431
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 25
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: May 16, 1973

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I-ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
UBJECT: (OPconol)
FROM:
Howard J. Osborn
Director of Securit)
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EXTENSION NO.
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
OFFICER'S
INITIALS
DATE
16 May 1973
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
L Executive Secretary,
CIA Management
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EYES OltILY
CRET� CONFIDENTIAL 0 TraLA, El UNCLASSIFIED
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16 May 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Secretary,
CIA Management Committee
SUBJECT "Family Jewels"
1. The purpose of this memorandum is to
forward for your personal review summaries of activities
conducted either by or under the sponsorship of the
Office of Security in the past which in my opinion con-
flict with the provisions of the National Security Act
of 1947.
2. These activities cover the period from
March 1959 to date and represent as accurate a record
as is available in our files. Those activities which
took place prior to the date of my appointment as
Director. of Security on 1 July 1964 have been developed
to a certain extent through the recollection of the
senior people in this Office who were involved or who
had knowledge of the activities at the time they
occurred.
3. I have gone back to March 1959 because I
believe that the activities occurring since that time
still have a viable "flap potential" in that many of the
people involved, both Agency and non-Agency are still
alive and through their knowledge of the activity repre-
sent a possible potential threat or embarrassment to the
Agency. I would be glad to provide clarification or an
explanation of any of these activities if desired. You
have my assurance that unless otherwise stated each of
these activities was approved by higher authority--the
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Director of Central Intelligence, the Deputy Director
of Central Intelligence, the Executive Director-
Comptroller, or the Deputy Director for Support.
Attachments
Howard J. csoorn
Director of ecurity
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"FAMILY JEWELS"
1.
Attachment A
2. Johnny Roselli -- The use of a member of the
Mafia in an attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro.
3. Project MOCKINGBIRD -- During the period from 12
March 1963 to 15 June 1963, this Office
installed telephone taps on two Washington-
based newsmen who were suspected of disclosing
classified information obtained from a variety
of governmental and congressional sources.
4. Yuriy Ivanovich Nosenko -- A KGB defector who from
the period 13 August 1965 to 27 October 1967
was fined in a specially constructed "jail"
at He was literally confined in a
ce11Ibehind bars with nothing but a cot in it
for this period.
5. Various Surveillance and Support Activities --
These are briefly summarized and range from
the surveillance of newsmen to the provision
of specialized support of local police officials
in the Metropolitan area. I believe that each
one is self-explanatory and, therefore, no further
comment is needed here.
6. Equipment Support to Local Police -- Attached is a
list provided me by the Director of Logistics
(he will simply report these items in his
report) which we have provided local police in
the Metropolitan D. C. area over the past four
or five years on indefinite loan. During the
period when the Agency's installations in this
area appeared to be a target of dissident elements
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a conscious decision was made by the Agency to
utilize the services of local police to repel
invaders in case of riot or dissension as
opposed to utilization of our GSA guards, who
are not trained in this type of activity. This
equipment has been issued over the years to
local police, principally Fairfax and Arlington
County Police Departments. I do not believe
that this is totally illegal under the provisions
of the National Security Act of 1947, but I am in-
cluding it since I am sure that it would be con-
sidered as such in light of the recent congressional
fuss over our police training activities.
7. Audio Countermeasures Support to the United States
Secret Service
8. Test of Specialized Equipment in Miami Immediately
Prior to the Political Convention There
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SUBJECT: Johnny Roselli
1. 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.
2. Because of its extreme sensitivity, only a
small group was made privy to the project. The DCI was
briefed and gave his approval. Colonel J. C. King,
Chief, WH Division, was briefed, but all details were
deliberately concealed from any of the JMWAVE officials.
Certain TSD and Communications personnel participated
in the initial planning stages, but were not witting of
the purpose of the mission.
3. Robert A. Maheu, a cleared source of the
Office of Security, 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 accomplishing the desired goal.
4. 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.
5. 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 inter-
national 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
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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 United States Government was
not, and should not, become aware of this operation.
6. The pitch was made to Roselli on 14
Seuternber 1960 at the Hilton Plaza Hotel, New York City.
was present
during this meeting and was identitied to Roselli as an
employee of Maheu. actively served as Roselli's
contact until May 1962 at which time he phased out due
to an overseas assignment. 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 were
ever paid out of Agency funds.
7. 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 ascertaining
this information.
8. 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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9. TSD was requested to produce six pills of
high lethal content.
10. 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.
11. Joe then indicated that Dr. Anthony Verona,
one of the principal officers in the Cuban Exile Junta, had
become disaffected with the apparent ineffectual progress
of the Junta and was willing to handle the mission through
his own resources.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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 assign-
ment 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
announced its intention to prosecute Maheu along
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with the technician. On 7 February 1962,
the Director of Security briefed the Attorney
General, Robert Kennedy, on the circumstances
leading up to Maheu's involvement in the
wiretap. At our request, prosecution was
dropped.
15. In May 1962, Mr. William Harvey took over
as Case Officer, and it is not known by this office
whether Roselli was used operationally from that point on.
16. 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.
17. 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 rummy game.
18. 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 deporta-
tion proceedings unless he actually faced deportation.
Roselli expressed confidence that he would win an appeal.
On 17 November 1970, Maheu called
Roselli's first Case Officer, to advise tnat
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.
20. On 18 November 1970, Mr. Helms was 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
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complete agreement with our stand. He further advised
that he was not concerned about any publicity as it
affected him personally should Roselli decide to tell
all.
21. Subsequently, Roselli or someone on his
behalf furnished Jack Anderson details of the operation.
Attached are two Anderson columns dealing with this
matter.
22. The last known residence of Roselli was the
Federal Penitentiary in Seattle, Washington.
Attachments
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THE 17.k511INGTO POST 19:I
iternuts to. Kill. Castro
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Laid to JA
liv Jut .k ..1;u-Lerson � tor before the -motley invad- late against President :.er, complete wi!h secret try:Its at
! i,gilttering Miami Beach hotels- -
r.e s iunded on the island. Their nedy.
Locked in the darkest re-! . I
arrival was expected to touch!' To set up the Castro as. i � ti- , and rn i d n i g h t p-ov.-erboat
cesses of the Central Intell:-.
!off a general uprising, which !nation, the CIA enlisted. 1.-t b-; dashes to -aecret landing spots �
;gence Agency i.: the story i.,'I: on the Culeao coast. On ce, Ro- � c't :the Cc:mhoinist militia would !ell. M
- aheu a for ,
six assassination attempts" t . ' agent W sh ith adowy c.ontae , ;:-.,31!i!s boat. -.za-t shot out F7o7n -
ilave had more trouble putting � - .
against Cu'oa's I'idel Castro. ! � Who 'ad handled other und- k 'under him.
i down without the charismatic! .
For the first try the CIA..
For 10 y,�ears, only a few key . cover assignments for the Ci k .
stecial� ;1
people have known the tern-Castro to lead them. !out of his Washin 'urnished Roselli 'xiihgton publii .
oison . f
ble secret. They have sworn I After the first attempt ;relations office. ! He later , capsules to slip into-
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never to � talk. Yet we havee failed, five More assassin m
ation. o 'V ved to Las egas tO head astros food The poison .t�ta.,t
:learned the details from! '
teams were sent to Cuba. Ine
,. :up billionaire Howard 'Hughes' ..� :pposed to take three days to
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sources whose credentials are! :Nevada operations. -. By the time Castro died.
:last team reportedlY made it; .. systeM would throw off ail
. beyond question. Maheu recruited John Ro--: ..�
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V'':� We spoke to John McCone.:to a rooftop within shooting !sell:. a rugge.dly handsome .s of the poison, so he
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. who headed the CIA at the !distance of Castro before they g'irntler with contacts in both iw,.% appear to be the victim
time of the assassination at- i were apprehended. This hap-;the American and Cuban un-!of natural. if mysterious ail-
..
!tempts. He acknowledged the!pened around the last of Feb-, derworlds, to arrange the as-:me,
! . idea had been discussed inside Iruary or first of March, 1963. isassination. The dapper, hawk- i R.-; 'Ii arranged with a
j 'maCubs 1 related to one of Cas- , the CIA but insisted it had! �Nine months later, Pre former11/ si- "faced Roselli,
i
.410.e.-"teo's . i -fs, to plant the deadly. been "r ej e c 'e d immedi-Ident Kennedy was gunned !ried to movie actress. --
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:ct� �-� -'ately." He vigorously .denied!clown in Dallas by Lee Harvey iLang. was a power in, the1peli the dictators food.
that the CIA had ever particHOswald, a fanatic who pre-imovie industry uniu his con"! On M. -. -. 13, 1961, Roselli de- .
i pated in any plot on Castro's , viously had agitated for Casd victim' with racketeer Willie it 1.ivered ' � c.sp