NO CIA TIES, DEFENSE WITNESS SAYS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00494R001100710169-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 169
• Publication Date: October 7, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2010/07/26: CIA-RDP90-00494R001100710169-2
The Honolulu Advertiser
Monday. October 7. 1985 A-3
No CIA ties, defense
witness says
But signed secrecy agreement at
Rewald's request
Al- o a.
Today is Monday,
Oct. 7, 1985
Hawaii
A Milwaukee associate of Ron-
+ ald Rewald claims to be CIA
but as in "Catholic. Irish
and Alcoholic," not as in Cen-
tral Intelligence Agency.
Page A-'3
By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer
Milwaukee attorney David J. Baldwin, owner
of Milwaukee's Safe House restaurant, admits
that he is CIA. "Catholic. Irish. and Alcoholic,"
that is.
But Baldwin said Friday he has nothing to do
with the real Central Intelligence Agency, even
though he once signed a CIA secrecy agreement
at the request of Ronald Rewald, who is on trial
on federal charges of fraud, tax evasion and
perjury.
Baldwin was the 11th witness called to testify
for the defense, which is trying to prove Re-
wald's claim that he took money from investors
under false pretenses only to protect his CIA
cover as head of the Bishop Baldwin Rewald
Dillingham & Wong investment firm.
Baldwin testified he thought it was necessary
to sign the secrecy agreement in order to contin-
ue to deal with Rewald regarding proposed trade
deals, including military equipment, with India.
He said he didn't check Rewald out with the
CIA at the time, "but I wish to hell I had."
The CIA admits using Rewald and some of his
companies to provide cover for some CIA per-
sonnel, but denies authorizing Rewald to take
investors' money.
Baldwin said he first met Rewald, a former
Milwaukee businessman who came to Hawaii in
1977. through Dr. Wes Vogt, a Milwaukee psy-
chiatrist and longtithe Rewald friend who had
already invested money with Rewald.
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Baldwin said Vogt told him Rewald was an c\-
CIA agent now running a successful internation-
al investment firm in Honolulu. and might be
interested in a Waikiki version of Baldwin's fa-
mous Safe House restaurant in Milwaukee.
The restaurant, which has been written up in
Time magazine. features a James Bond motif
with secret entrances and drinks with names
like "Double Agent."
Baldwin said he came to Hawaii in 1982 to
discuss a Honolulu restaurant with Rewald, and
began getting $500 a month from Rewald's firm.
He said he eventually was getting paid $4,000 a
month by Bishop Baldwin when the company
collapsed in July 1983.
Early in 1983, Baldwin said. he travelled to
India with the company's president, Sunny
Wong. to see about opening a Bishop Baldwin
office there.
Baldwin said an old friend of his with exten-
sive contacts in India, Chan Pasrich, had sought
to represent Bishop Baldwin as a trading compa-
ny in India for products ranging from potash to
C-130 military aircraft.
Rewald has claimed the CIA was involved in
his firm's supposed efforts to sell military equip-
ment to several countries, including India and
Taiwan.
Baldwin said it seemed a little odd when Re-
wald asked him to sign a CIA secrecy agreement
dated Nov. 22. 1982. but that Rewald had ex-
plained. "I can't talk to you" about certain things
unless the agreement was signed.
Baldwin said he assumed he had to have some
kind of clearance if he was to be involved in
deals to sell C-130 aircraft to India.
He said Rewald also asked him to sign a CIA
employment application. "which I didn't under-
stand. I sure as hell didn't need a job, but I got
the feeling if I didn't do it, this deal (having
Pasrich represent Bishop Baldwin) wouldn't go
through."
None of the deals or the restaurant ever
materialized, though, he said.
Baldwin said he invested $10,000 of his own
money in the company, and got about $24,000 in
payments from Rewald, so didn't suffer a net
loss.
Rewald's trial will continue tomorrow with
testimony from the real CIA personnel who dealt
with him.
Approved For Release 2010/07/26: CIA-RDP90-00494RO01100710169-2