TOFTE SUES FOUR IN CIA FOR $25,000 OVER LETTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000400300007-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 1, 1999
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: October 27, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

CPYRGHT
CPYRGHT
Tofte Sues Four in CIA
Foi$25,OOO Over Letter
Hans V. Tofte, fired from the
ntral Intelligence Agency in
ptember, has filed a $25,000
mage suit against CIA head
ichard Helms and three others,
c aiming they took a letter
orth that amount from his
Georgetown home last July.
The CIA terminated Tofte's
employment after fellow agents
tered his home on July 24 and
!!zed classified CIA documents.
ne of the agents, Kenneth R.
ocum, according to the CIA,
sited the Tofte home at 1667
'3 th St. N.W. in answer to an
Ivertisement putting the home
for sale or rent. The agency
id Slocum spotted the secret
pars when he was shown
rough the home.
On July 24, the CIA said,
odum, his wife Judy and an-
D. Speake, returned to the Tofte
nome
after they were admitted by
Tofte's mother-in-law. Tofte was
not at home.
In the two-page suit filed
yesterday In U.S. District Court
under the heading, "Complaint
of a Purloined 'Letter," Tofte's
attorney, Byron N. Scott claimed
that Helms, the Slocums and
Speake "singly and in concert,
according to a preconceived and
approved plan, did unlawfully
enter . .. and thereupon took
therefrom a letter belonging to
and in the possession of the
plaintiff to the value of $25,000
and carried away the same and
converted and disposed of it to
their own use." .
Scott nnlnted out that the suit
The United States is not named) explained that he had taken the'
as. a defendant.
written by Helms and sent to
luftu III Me MM-1950b. ,
then involved in the agency's
covert operations, asked Tofte
in the letter to return to the
business in Mason City, Iowa,
according to Scott. He said the
Helms letter indicated the
agency needed Tofte and ghat it
had urged him to stay with the
CIA for the rest of his career.
After the unexpected visit
from the Slocums and Speake,
Tofte informed. police of the in-
cident. Mrs. Tofte reported that
found. When notified of his fir-,
ing in September, the 55~year-old
Tofte was earning $25,000 a
year.
documents home to develop a;
plan that would improve the of
ficiency of the CIA. He claimed
acted "in a manner that is be.
yond the law of the land."
Tofte, who now lives at 2362
118838VIlubuttS Ave. IM 1137-.
been involved in intelligence.
work since first operating with
the Danish underground in
World War IT. His duties with
the CIA never have been re-
vealed.
Scott aidnpa.letters ap=
rgpt(y,-,piied...up during the
itbu_tha.Slocurnsitnd Sneake
vg.t eqteturned to
[ate ,.: , .
IN (Red against the'four defend- A board of Inquiry reportedly;,
found that publicity given to thei
ants as private. individuals incident had ' damaged Tofte'aa
ragency employe CharlesItoil' i>r1~their official 0 )ties. , future,vslue to,the agener. Tofta;
Approved For Release 1999/09/17 CIA-RDP75-00001 R000400300007-4