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

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000400340007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 17, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: October 27, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

0
STATINTL
Tof eSues Four in CIA
For $25,000 Over Letter
By WILLIAM BASHAM
Star Stalf Writer
Hans V. Tofte, fired from the
Central Intelligence Agency In
September, has filed a $25,000
damage suit against CIA head
Richard Helms and three others,
claiming they took a letter
worth that amount from his
Georgetown home last July.
The CIA terminated Tofte's
employment after fellow agents
entered his home on July 24 and
seized classified CIA documents.
One of the agents, Kenneth R.
Slocum, according to the CIA,
? visited the Tofte home at 1667
'35th St. N.W. in answer to an
advertisement putting the home
;up for sale or rent. The agency
said Slocum spotted the secret
papers when he was shown
;through the home.
On July 24, the CIA said,
Sloetlm, his wife Judy and an-
lothdr'aaencv emnlove. Charles
D. Speake, returned to the Tofte
home and picked up the papers
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 pointed out that the suit
is filed against the' four defend.
ants as private individuals
not' 1 t their 0tficla1 eanaeitles.
i ue umtea states is not named
as . a defendant.
Scott claimed the letter was
written by Helms and sent to
Tofte In the mid-1950s. Helms,
then involved In the agency's
covert operations, asked Tofte
in the letter to return to the
CIA from a private printing
business in Mason City, Iowa,
according to Scott. He said the
Helms letter indicated the
agency needed Tofte and that 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. Totte reported that
documents home to develop a
plan that would Improve the of
fieiency of the CIA. He claimed.'
earlier that the agency had
acted "in a manner that is be.'
yond the law of the land."
Tofte, who now lives at 2362
Massachusetts Ave. NW, has
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 said ~nDOie-.letters ap?'
11~ut1Y..~licked .,up during the
st J v bte,4,teturied to
?.t?a+>X. eL:' .,:~,it-rlb.i+:w,.~~varr+ll~
found. When notified of his fir
Ing in September, the 55=year-old
Tofte was earning $25,000 a:
year.
A board of inquiry reportedly;,
found that publicity, given to the
Incident
cutureyalue to tbe,agency. Tofte
Approved For Release 2003/12/02 : CIA-RDP75-00001 R00040034000710 .
-Ap'prbvtl; Fwr Release .2003/12/