</s>104-10303-10010 JFK ACTI 09-30-9-9 DO/04 Soc. RELEASE CITES CITY CA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM RELEASE IN FULL 1998. SUBJECT: Johnny Roselli 1. In August 1960, Mr. Richard M. Bissell approved 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 extreme sensitivity. The DCI was briefed and gave his approval. Colonel J. King, Chief, who was briefed, but all details were dedicated to the mission. My personal personnel participated Certain TSA and Communications personnel participated in the initial planning stages, but were not writing 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 developed and requested the desired goal. step toward accomplishing the desired goals. 4. Mr. Mahey advised that he had met one Johnny Rosselli 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 on the Strip, controlled all of the following machines of the Strip and the clan, and if he had made it in the fact a member of this clan, the undoubtedly had connections leading into the Cuban gambling interests. 5. Mahew was asked to approach Rosselli, who knew Maheu as a personal relations executive handling domestic and foreign accounts, and tell him that he has recently been foreign by a firm, which represents general inter- national business as a result of Castro's suffering after- losses in Cuba as a firm which was affected by the were convinced that Castro's removal was the answer to their E2 IMPDET CL BY 00988 Q0012 SECRET

Summary  
The document details a covert CIA operation in 1960 aimed at removing Fidel Castro through intermediaries. Colonel Sheffield Edwards, under Richard M. Bissell’s approval, sought gangster-type assets to execute the mission. Johnny Roselli, a Las Vegas-based mob figure, was approached via Robert A. Maheu, a cleared Office of Security source. Roselli was introduced to Sam Gold, who connected him with Joe, a courier between Havana and Miami. Joe allegedly provided poison pills to Juan Orta, a Cuban official linked to gambling interests, but the operation stalled when Orta withdrew. Dr. Anthony Verona, a disaffected member of the Cuban Junta, was later considered for the mission but did not proceed after the project was canceled following the Bay of Pigs incident. The CIA also faced internal complications when Maheu’s associate, Phyllis McGuire, became entangled in a legal issue involving a technician, leading to a DOJ prosecution that was dropped at Robert F. Kennedy’s request. Roselli later faced convictions for fraud in 1968 and 1970, with the CIA refusing assistance during his deportation proceedings. The text includes fragmented newspaper articles from 1921 unrelated to the main content.  

Key People  
- **Johnny Roselli**: Mob figure linked to Cuban gambling interests, approached by the CIA for potential involvement in Castro’s removal.  
- **Robert A. Maheu**: Cleared Office of Security source who facilitated contact with Roselli.  
- **Sam Gold**: Introduced Roselli to Joe, a courier between Havana and Miami.  
- **Joe**: Alleged courier involved in delivering poison pills to Juan Orta.  
- **Dr. Anthony Verona**: Disaffected Cuban Junta member considered for the mission.  
- **Robert F. Kennedy**: Attorney General who oversaw Maheu’s case and dropped DOJ prosecution.  

Key Locations  
- **Las Vegas**: Site of Roselli’s connections and initial meetings.  
- **New York City**: Location of the 1960 meeting between Maheu, O’Connell, and Roselli.  
- **Havana/Miami**: Routes for Joe’s courier activities.  
- **Federal Penitentiary, Seattle, Washington**: Last known residence of Roselli.  

Key Events  
- **August 1960**: CIA initiated operation to remove Castro via intermediaries.  
- **September 1960**: Meeting between Maheu, O’Connell, and Roselli in New York City.  
- **September 25–October 1960**: Attempts to poison Castro through Orta, with the mission canceled after Bay of Pigs.  
- **February 7, 1962**: Robert F. Kennedy briefed on Maheu’s involvement; DOJ prosecution dropped.  
- **November 1967–December 1968**: Roselli’s deportation proceedings and convictions for fraud.  

Key Organizations  
- **CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)**: Led the covert operation against Castro.  
- **Office of Security**: Coordinated with CIA for the mission.  
- **FBI**: Involved in monitoring Roselli’s activities and legal cases.  
- **Attorney General’s Office**: Oversaw Maheu’s case and DOJ prosecution decisions.

RFK Declassified Files

00367932_subject_johnny_roselli_104-10310-10199.pdf

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