</s>2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 104-10305-10005 204-1005-10006 204-1105-10505-10009 MEMORANDUN FOR THE RECORD 1983 23 August 1978 FROM: Bruce L. Solie Chief, Security Analysis Group SUBJECT: NAGELLI, NAGELI, Richard Case #264 170 1. This memorandum identifies those Office of Security files which were reviewed by House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) staff members in conjunction with the HSCa's investigation into the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2. Under procedures established with the HSCA, certain items of information were not reviewed by HSCa staff members. these items were placed in envelopes, sealed, appropriately Identified, and put back into the security file prior to Identified and put in back into a security file. The security file is to files should maintain the integrity of each envelope below so that interested parties may know what was was not reviewed by HCSA staff members, 3. In some instances, the above files contain material marked in the lower right-hand corner with a green circular dot. This mark should alert office of Security personnel to the fact that the mark should be sent to the HCSa office of security personnel to file at the time of the HScA review and was seen by an HSCAA staffer(s). This material should not be removed from the file. 4. Attached to this memorandum is a review sheet which identifies the name of the hSCA reviewer(s) and the date of his review. 5. Questions regarding the above procedure and/or the HSCAA's review should be directed to the Security Analysis Group. REVIEWED BY FAVIRK TASK FORCE V RELEASE IN PART TOTAL DENNIAL Attachment Bruce L . Solie SECRET

**Comprehensive Summary of Richard C. Nagell's Case and Intelligence Agency Involvement (1954–1968)**  

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### **Key Individuals**  
- **Richard C. Nagell**: Central figure; former U.S. Army captain, accused of bank robbery in El Paso, Texas (1963), alleged ties to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC), and claims of espionage or communist affiliations.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted polygraph exams, background checks, and surveillance on Nagell due to his alleged connections to FPCC, Soviet intelligence, and potential security risks.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Mentioned in contexts of espionage suspicions, though no direct evidence was found.  
- **Lee Harvey Oswald**: Linked to Nagell through claims of meeting in Mexico City and Texas; central figure in the JFK assassination investigation.  
- **Marina Oswald**: Identified as Lee’s wife; involved in photo identification procedures with Nagell.  
- **FBI Agents**: Thomas J. Donding, Edward Joseph Murphy, Lawrence W. Gorman, Fred Morton.  
- **Legal Figures**: U.S. District Judge R.E. Thomason, Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Morton, court-appointed attorney James Hammont.  

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### **Key Locations**  
- **El Paso, Texas**: Site of Nagell’s 1963 bank robbery attempt and arrest; location of FBI offices and legal proceedings.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Nagell’s residence, ABC employment, and divorce proceedings involving his wife Mitsuko Nagell.  
- **Mexico City, Mexico**: Alleged meeting place with Lee Harvey Oswald; site of U.S. Embassy interactions.  
- **Washington, D.C., Dallas, Texas**: Locations referenced in federal investigations and FBI reports.  
- **Walter Reed Army Hospital (DC), Veterans Administration Hospitals (Bay Pines, Florida)**: Sites of Nagell’s medical treatment for head injuries sustained in a 1954 airplane crash.  

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### **Key Events**  
1. **1963 Bank Robbery Attempt**:  
   - Nagell allegedly fired shots at the State National Bank of El Paso on September 20, 1963. He claimed the act was ideological, not criminal, and denied monetary gain. Charged with bank robbery, he entered a not guilty plea.  

2. **Psychiatric Evaluations**:  
   - Multiple court-ordered evaluations (e.g., Springfield Medical Center, William Beaumont Army Hospital) due to alleged mental instability. Diagnosed with chronic brain syndrome, depression, and paranoid traits. Nagell denied coercion during assessments.  

3. **FBI Investigations**:  
   - Polygraph exams in 1963 revealed inconsistencies regarding classified information, communist ties, and homosexual inclinations. FBI agents investigated his claims of espionage, microfilm possession, and alleged connections to FPCC.  
   - In 1964, Nagell reported meeting Oswald in Mexico City but denied knowledge of assassination plans. He also claimed to possess a photograph of Marina Oswald.  

4. **FPCC Allegations**:  
   - Nagell was linked to the FPCC, an anti-Castro group with suspected ties to Soviet intelligence. His possession of microfilm and alleged connections to FPCC members raised security concerns.  

5. **Legal Disputes**:  
   - Suspension and dismissal from California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) in 1962 due to corruption allegations. Legal battles over child custody following his divorce from Mitsuko Nagell.  

6. **Military Service and Discharge**:  
   - Served as a U.S. Army captain during the Korean War, discharged honorably in 1959. Alleged discharge under false charges of accepting bribes.  

7. **CIA and Soviet Intelligence Claims**:  
   - Nagell claimed to have been approached by an individual he suspected of working for Soviet intelligence while in Washington, D.C., 1962. CIA involvement was referenced but not substantiated.  

8. **Detention in East Germany (1968)**:  
   - Nagell was detained in East Germany after attempting to defect to Russia. Released via U.S. diplomatic intervention; his mental health and alleged espionage activities were scrutinized.  

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### **Notable Contexts**  
- **HSCA Review (1978)**: The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) reviewed Nagell’s case as part of broader investigations into JFK and MLK assassinations, though no direct link to RFK was established.  
- **FPCC and Soviet Ties**: The FPCC’s alleged connections to Soviet intelligence were a focal point in FBI and CIA inquiries, with Nagell’s associations raising suspicion.  
- **Mental Health and Legal Challenges**: Nagell’s chronic brain syndrome, psychiatric evaluations, and legal disputes highlighted the intersection of mental health, criminal charges, and political activism during the Cold War era.  

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### **Conclusion**  
Richard C. Nagell’s case intertwined personal legal troubles, alleged espionage, and Cold War-era political tensions. While his direct involvement in RFK’s assassination remains unproven, his connections to Lee Harvey Oswald, FPCC, and intelligence agencies placed him at the center of broader investigations into conspiracy theories and national security threats during the 1960s. The fragmented records underscore the complexity of navigating legal, psychiatric, and political scrutiny in this period.

Summary  
The document contains fragmented records of investigations into Richard Case Nagell, a man arrested in El Paso, Texas, on September 20, 1963, for bank robbery. Nagell was found with documents referencing intelligence activities, including names linked to the "Fair Play for Cuba Committee," foreign embassy addresses, and code names. FBI agents James H. Hoose Jr. and William J. McCauley investigated his alleged ties to Soviet intelligence, military service in Korea and Japan, and psychiatric instability attributed to wartime trauma. Nagell was later sentenced to ten years in prison for bank robbery violations. The text also references U.S. Army records, CIA operations, and internal agency communications from 1962–1964, with some entries containing redacted or unclear information. No direct link to Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination is present in the text.  

Key People  
- **Richard Case Nagell**: Arrested for bank robbery in El Paso, Texas; alleged ties to Soviet intelligence and the "Fair Play for Cuba Committee"; served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War; diagnosed with chronic brain syndrome due to wartime trauma.  
- **Louis Kaufman**: Brother of Nagell, mentioned in family context.  
- **Frederick Howard John**: Friend of Nagell who provided details about his life.  
- **Robert C. Nolan (ASN 01438346)**: U.S. Army officer referenced in documents; possibly linked to Nagell’s military service.  
- **John Sloss**: Name found on Nagell’s person, potentially tied to CIA personnel.  
- **Creighton Churchill**: Mentioned as an individual with potential CIA connections.  
- **John Floyd Parker**: U.S. Agency employee interviewed regarding Nagell; stationed in Japan during the 1950s.  
- **Frances Guthrie**: U.S. Agency employee who interviewed about Nagell; no recollection of meeting him.  

Key Locations  
- **El Paso, Texas**: Site of Nagell’s arrest for bank robbery on September 20, 1963.  
- **Tokyo, Japan**: References to documents and intelligence contacts linked to Nagell’s alleged activities.  
- **Sendai, Japan**: Mentioned in U.S. Army records related to Nagell’s military service.  
- **Mexico City**: Nagell appeared at the U.S. Embassy in 1962, claiming foreign recruitment attempts.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Nagell’s residence and employment with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.  

Key Events  
- **Nagell’s Arrest (El Paso, 1963)**: Charged with attempting to rob a bank; claimed actions were motivated by personal grievances rather than criminal intent.  
- **FBI Investigation**: Focus on Nagell’s alleged ties to Soviet intelligence, CIA operations, and the "Fair Play for Cuba Committee."  
- **U.S. Army Review**: Examination of Nagell’s military service in Korea and Japan, including claims of brain trauma from a wartime airplane crash.  
- **Psychiatric Evaluations**: Multiple assessments due to mental instability linked to wartime trauma and chronic brain syndrome.  
- **Legal Proceedings**: Nagell sentenced to 10 years in prison for bank robbery violations; attempted suicide while incarcerated.  
- **Foreign Recruitment Claims**: Nagell alleged he was approached by a foreign government in Mexico City, though no conclusive evidence was provided.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Nagell’s bank robbery case and claims of foreign recruitment.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Referenced in discussions of Nagell’s alleged ties to Soviet agents and the "Play for Cuba Committee."  
- **U.S. Army**: Nagell served during the Korean War; medical records and discharge details referenced.  
- **Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control**: Employed Frances Guthrie, with no direct link to RFK or assassination.  
- **Combined Command for Reconnaissance Activities Par East (C-CRAFT)**: Mentioned in relation to military personnel like Robert C. Nolan.

RFK Declassified Files

00563474_security_file_nagel_rich_104-10013-10149.pdf

Document Summary

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