[1]104-10122-10344) [2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 | a
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[6]7 June 1966
[7]SUBJECT: MAHEU, Robert A.
[9]1. Robert A. Maheu, a personnel relations executive and
[10]former F.B.1. Agent, has been utilized by the Office of Security
[11]on many sensitive assignments since the early fifties. He has
[12]also on several occasions been cleared for use by the DD/P in
[13]various capacities. He does business.as Robert A.. Maheu, Asso-
[14]ciates, and maintains offices in Washington, D.C.,; and Los
[15]Angeles, California, where he is now residing.
[17]2. It has come to our attention that the Senate Subcommittee
[18]investigating wiretapping activities (Long Committee) has expressed
[19]considerable interest in Maheu. He has never been asked to per-
[20]form any technical surveillance on our behalf.
[22]3. The first inkling we had that the Long Committee was
[23]interested in Maheu came to our attention through the OGC.
[24]Mr. Lawrence Housten advised that Walter Yeagiey, Assistant
[25]Attorney General, Internal Security Division, had casually mentioned
[26]to him that he had been advised by Raymond A. Taggart, an AID
[27]e employee, that he may be called upon to testify before the Long
[28]Committee regarding his activities while employed by Maheu (1954-55).
[30]4, The only significant association the Agency had with Maheu .
[31]during that period involved the struggle between two Greek industrial
[32]giants, Stavros Niarchus and Aristottle Onassis. Maheu had been.
[33]retained as a trouble shooter for Niarchus. Onassis had just con-
[34]cluded a pact with King Saud which would allow him to control approxi-
[35]mately 90 percent of the ofl shipments out of Saudi Arabia. In con-
[36]sumating the deal, he allegedly employed every trick in the book.
[38]His achievement caused much consternation among the British,
[39]German, and American interests. Niarchus also realized as a
[40]result of this the balance of power and influence weighed heavily in
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[60]favor of Onassis in their own private battle. It was this mutual
[61]concern of the United States and Niarchus that set the stage for
[63]a joint venture. Niarchus supplied the money, personnel, and
[64]documents; the Agency furnished the communications, courier
[65]facilities, and direction in the form of our Commo channel, pouch
[67]system, and the NEA Division's expertise and guidance.
[69]5. Spyridon Catapodis, a Greek Broker, who had an ax to
[70]grind against Onassis asa result of being manipulated out of a
[71]handsome commission he believed due him for his intercession
[73]with certain Saudi offictals to secure ofl rights for Onassis, spear-
[75]headed a campaign to publicize Onaggis' high~handed methods of
[76]operation. This triggered off all sorts of international litigations
[77]which erupted into suits and countersuits. by all. parties concerned,
[79]_Of particular note was the case of Catapodis va. Onassis, which
[81]suit was filed in New York State. While Niarchus was being exam-
[82]ined before trial by Onassia' attorney, he claimed Government
[83]privilege in answering certain questions. This tact was challenged
[84]by the attorney and pursued to the point that eventually it was re-
[85]corded in the briefs filed by both the plaintiff and the defendent that
[86]CIA was, in fact, the Government agency of interest. Close coor-
[87]dination was maintained during this period with Justice and State.
[88]At our request a representative of the U. 5. Attorney's Office in
[89]New York monitored all of the Hearings. Mr. Houston is intimately
[90]familiar with the actions in this case, and copies of his memoranda
[91]pertinent toe it are contained in hig files.
[93]_ 6. The Security file on Subject contains a Covert Security
[94]Clearance issued 16 August 1954 at the request of NE/2, Att:
[95]William Miller, for Maheu's use on Project TWIXT. Other inter-
[96]ested DD/P personnel were identified as William F. Rowland, <
[98]ting Chief, NEA Division; George Prussing; Walter Snowden} and
[99]Charles We tamson. ,
[100]. 6 :
[102]7. Mr. Maheu was contacted to determine whether the Com-
[104]mittee had been in touch with him. He stated he was not aware of |
[106]their interest in him. When the Taggart conversation was men-
[107]tioned, he promptly replied that it must be the Onassis operation
[108]they are looking into. He recalled that he had Onassis' New York
[109]office ''covered" sometime during the period. John Frank, a
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[119]former staff employee, and then a private investigator, was en-
[120]gaged to arrange for the coverage. Maheu could only identify the
[122]technician by the name. of Leon. Presumably, this coverage was :
[123]done as a routine technique to keep the Niarchus interests informed.
[125]on Onassis' movements. This was not initiated at the request of
[126]any Agency component so far as our records indicate.
[128]8. Subsequently, Maheu advised be had received a message
[129]from one of the Committee's attorneys named Homme who wanted
[130]to fly out to talk with him. Maheu fended him off by saying he wae
[131]tied up for the next several days. He then contacted his attorney,
[132]Edward P. Morgan, of Washington, D. C., and it was decided that
[133]Morgan would meet. him in St, Louis on 24 May for a conference.
[135]9. On Thursday morning, 26 May, Maheu called to advise
[136]that he was at the Madison Hotel, Washington, D. C., and was
[137]anxious to talk with us. At his request it was arranged to have
[138]Colonel Edwards accompany a member of this office to meet with
[139]him,
[141]_10. Maheu opened the conversation by announcing that he had
[142]been selected to be the star performer on a planned TV hearing —
[143]which is scheduled to open within the next few weeks. He went on
[144]to give the basis for this statement fn the following detail.
[146]When he first talked to Ed Morgan of the possibility
[147]of his being subpoenaed, Morgan assured him that he
[148]had nothing te be concerned about inasmuch as he was
[149]a very close friend of Senator Long's personal attorney
[150]who had considerable infivence upon the Senator, The
[151]lawyer resides in St, Louis, and he suggested that they
[152]both go out and solicit his assistance. After the preaen-
[153]tation of the facts, all three flew to Washington where
[154]the lawyer secured an appointment with the Senator.
[155]Mr. Bernard Fensterwald was in attendance at the
[156]meeting. He identified himself as the Chief Attorney
[157]for the Committee. According to Maheu, Fensterwald
[158]made it clear that Maheu was their ace in the hole and
[159]without him the Hearings would have no appeal. He
[160]implied that Maheu's clients and their opposition added
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[174]up to a very attractive package. Such headliners
[175]aa Niarchus, Onassis, Dave McDonald, and Howard
[176]Hughes are hard to come by. Fensterwald further
[177]referred to Maheu as the type who employed the
[178]technique of cutting the Government in just enough
[179]on his touchy operations to permit him to hide behind
[180]their akirts tf he were caught. It is the opinion of
[181]the lawyer that, unless the Senator can be convinced
[182]to the contrary, he will proceed with plans on schedule.
[184]11, Maheu's most active account and, at this time, almost
[185]exclusive client is Howard Hughes. In the past he did considerable
[186]work for Dave McDonald, former president of the United Steel
[187]Workers, So far as this offica knows, the. Agency never had any
[188]interest in either of these clients. However, it should be noted that
[189]the IO Division was granted a Covert Security Approval on 4 June
[190]1959 to approach Mahew and advise him of the Agency's interest in
[191]international laber. Maheu claims he never became involved in any
[192]"bugging" operation for either of thease accounts,
[194]12. It is not believed that Maheu wants or expects us to front.
[195]for him in the Onassis tap matter. As mentioned previously, to our
[196]knowledge this was not Agency sponsored. However, if exploited,
[197]it would probably eventually lead to exposing our part in the Onassia/
[198]Niarchus feud. As it is a matter of court record, it could not be
[199]denied nor buried. Even though the details might be protected by
[200]a declaration that it involved classified operational information, it
[201]would set up a field day for the press and critice of the Agency.
[203]13, Mr. Maheu is presently furnishing cover for a DODS ataff .
[204]agent in his Washington, D. C., office. In this connection, two of
[205]Maheu's employees have been cleared and witting. Other clearance
[206]actions noted were: CSA granted FI/Plans, Cover Division on |
[207]30 August 1954 for use under LPHIDDEN; CSA issued to NE Division
[208]on 7 October 1959 for Maheu's use in the United States and(Jordan ) ag
[209]inasmuch as he may be employed by(the King of Jordar\to handle
[211]G ordanian public relations in the United States. 27
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[223]14. In 1958-59, Maheu was used by the FE Division in two
[224]sensitive operations targeted against Sukarno. Mr. Allen Dulles
[225]was aware and approved of these operations, Mr. Joseph Smith
[226]who was then Chief/PMI, is knowledgeable of the actions. -
[228]15, While none of our interests in Maheu relate to wire-
[229]tapping, it is evident that the extensive and diversified use of him
[230]makes us vulnerable to exploitation should he be interrogated in
[231]depth regarding hie activities.
[233]16, Mr. Maheu is maintaining a cooperative attitude and
[234]has promised to do all in his power to protect the Agency from
[235]embarrassment or compromise.