[1]157-10011-10048 | 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 |
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[35]JFK Assassination System Date: 7/30/201
[36]Identification Form
[38]Agency Information
[40]SSCIA
[41]157-1001 1-10048
[43]TRANSCRIPT
[45]Decument Information
[47]SSCIA
[49]TESTIMONY OF ROBERT MAHEU
[51]07/30/1975
[52]95
[54]ACCOMPANIED BY COUNSEL: GALANE, MORTON R.
[55]GIANCANA, SAM
[57]WIRETAPS
[59]MAHEU, ROBERT
[61]ROSELLI, JOHNNY
[63]MAFIA CONNECTION
[65]PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
[66]Unclassified
[68]Consulted; 1A; 1B; 1C; 3; Donor Restricted
[69]Redact
[71]07/19/1994
[73]SSCI Box 252, Folder 5
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[85]=) i 1 am not too far off in what I am about to tell you. The contract
[86]3
[87]tape ab 2 was structured in such,a way ithat as the bottoms of other
[88]E 3 companies became obsolete, they could only be replaced with
[90]4 Onassis’ tankers. Even ARAMCO had to, by attrition, within a
[92]5 period of four-and-a-half to five-and-a-half years, would have,
[93]6 if thsir tankers became obsolete, thsy could only be replaced
[95]7 by Onassis tankers.
[97]8 Our statistics, after having studied the contract and
[99]9 making what we considered to be proper projections, indicated
[100]10 that at the completion of approximately five-and-a-half years,
[101]11 || Mr. Onassis would control -more dead weight tonnage than the
[103]12 || United States controlled in its entirety, that he would control
[105]13 || on the high seas annually more oil by tens of thousands of
[107]WARD & PAUL
[109]14 || gallons more than were used by all of the Allied nations during
[110]15 the most severe year of the Korean War, that in the first year
[111]16 | his profit would be approximately $17 million dollars, that
[113]1? after five-and-a-half years his annual profit would be in the
[114]1g | area of $200 million.
[116]19 While this analysis is going on, we also found that a
[117]go:|}-million dollar pay-off had been made to one of the top ministers
[119]21 || in Saudi Arabia and we had the evidence me Of She Suis 3
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[170]National Security Council --
[172]Senator Huddleston. Of the United States?
[174]Mr. Maheu. -~- of the United States, and within a Matter,
[175]I believe, of forty-eight hours, our State Department
[176]denounced the agreement. It was the first time that anyone ©
[177]had actually seen what this Meant, and frankly, there was an
[178]innate fear that with the initial $17 million, then there would
[179]be no way of stopping, I mean, he might go to Venezuela and
[180]do the same thing, and there were also othar inputs about the
[181]background of Mr. Onassis that I would just as soon not make
[182]a matter of record, but they were not too favorable, that wa
[183]presented to the National Security Council verbally but not
[184]in writing.
[186]Mr. Madigan. Who made the presentation?
[188]Senator Schweiker. What subsequently happened then with
[189]the Security “council denunciation, et cetera?
[191]Mr. Madigan. The State Department denounced the agreement
[193]and that same evening we were told that two.f
[195]officials were on their way to Saudi Arabia.
[197]Then I proceeded to dig up the gentleman by the name of
[198]Carl Twitchell by virtue of reading about the country, because
[199]I'm not about ready to go there and not know about the customs
[200]and the formation of the country. I dug up a man by the name
[202]of Carl Twitchell who was living in Connecticut who turned out
[204]to be the .first American who had ever really been acceoted by
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[250]National Security Council --
[251]Senator Huddleston. Of the United States?
[252]Mr. Maheu. -- of the United States, and within a matter,
[254]I believe, of forty-eight hours, our State Department
[255]denounced the agreement. It was the first time that anyone
[256]had actually seen what this meant, and frankly, there was an
[257]innate fear that with the initial $17 million, then there would
[258]be no way of stopping, I mean, he might go to Venezuela and
[259]do the same thing, and there were also othar inputs about the
[260]background of Mr. Onassis that I would just as soon not make
[261]a matter of record, but they were not too favorable, that wa
[262]presented to the National Security Council verbally but not
[263]in writing.
[265]Mr. Madigan. Who made the presentation?
[267]Senator Schweiker. What subsequently happened then with
[268]the Security Council denunciation, et cetera?
[270]Mr. Madigan. The State Department denounced the agreement
[272]and that same evening we were told that two ees,
[274]officials were on their way to Saudi Arabia.
[276]| Then I proceeded to dig up the gentleman by the name of
[277]Cand<Twitchelisby virtue. of reading about the country, because
[278]I'm not about ready to go there and not know about the customs
[279]and the formation of the country. I dug up a man by the name
[280]of Gani-Twitcherlwho was living in Connecticut who turned out
[282]to be the .first American who had ever really been accepted by
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[326]old King Saud. Miva twat cheLd had spent time in the country
[327]aS a mining engineer to help them in the exploitation of
[328]mines. It was in fact to cAprsmaWeREry> that the old king gave
[329]the power of attorney to come to the United States government
[330]or come back to the United States and try to form a consortium
[332]for the exploitation of oil from which emanated ARAMCO.
[334]Pas the type of man who was only reimbursed for his
[336]. expenses. I think his total expenses were slightly in excess
[338]of $8,000. He didn't even keep the banking and percentage
[340]for himself, or a piece of the action, so to speak, and he was
[341]highly, highly loved by the Saudis and although the old king
[342]was then gone and King Saud, the son,. was in power, Mr
[344]had the same respect and reverence from the present
[346]leaders as he did from the father and I convinced MAP ARES re, 1
[347]that -- he already had a clearance, a satisfactory clearance,
[348]and I convinced him to precede me to Saudi Arabia to try to
[349]lay the groundwork. :
[350]Senator Schweiker. What year was this, roughly?
[351]Mr. Maheu. this, I believe, was in '54 or '55, yas.
[352]Anyway, I finally ended up going to Saudi Arabia, having
[353]a meeting with the King's confidential assistant, presenting al
[354]of this evidence, frankly at thea time not knowing if the King .
[355]himself had a piece of the action --
[357]Senator Huddleston. Had some of this evidence come from
[359]the wiretap?
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[399]Mr. Maheu. That tap was entirely unproductive, entirely
[400]unproductive.
[402]Senator Schweiker. What happened then at your meeting?
[404]Mr. Maheu. Well, it's very interesting, if we could take
[405]a little time, I mean, I was scheduled to have the meeting
[406]"with the King," but he doesn't show, he stays somewhere else.
[408]and the confidential assistant shows up and one trusted
[410]minister that he had with CHR cecher) present.
[412]And my meeting was scheduled for 8:00 p.m. one night, and
[413]this happaned to be the last day that the King was supposed to
[414]be in Jidda, he was then leaving for the capital further
[415]inland, Jidda being the only major port in Saudi where he
[416]spends his summers, and they ware having a big parade for him,
[418]and from the balcony of the hotel, I'm watching the parade go
[420]‘by, and finally the King's car comes and he is arm and arm with
[422]the: tan on whom I'm going to give the evidence that night, and
[423]I frankly was not too comfortable, particularly in view of the
[424]fact that in those days -- and r don't know whether it has
[426]changed, but in Saudi, the same document did not give you
[428]permission to enter and leave; you had to make application for
[429]an exit visa after you arrived, and I was in constant contact
[430]with the then-United States Ambassador. He made it very clear
[431]that the government approved of everything I was doing, but if
[432]something went wrong they could not come to my rescue, I would
[434]have to be the fall guy, and I was prepared to do it. That was
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[475]Saudi Arabian government would have its flag flying the high
[476]seas, and at the time that all of this is going on they are
[477]building what then, upon completion of production, had been
[479]the biggest tanker in the world at that time, a ship named
[480]after the old King, a tanker which was scheduled to go and take
[481]a maiden flight and take off, and it turned out the biggest
[482]problem that we had was to find a save-face gimmick. But
[483]finally the whole thing was accomplished, and it took two and
[484]a‘half years to do it.
[486]Senator Schweiker. I didn't mean to get you off the
[487]track.
[489]Mr. Maheu. Well, I'm sorry I am so verbose.
[491]Senator Huddleston. You said you bought a paper in.
[492]Athens? You mean by that you actually bought the paper or just
[493]paid them to run the story?
[495]Mr. Maheu. We bought a newspaper.
[497]You'll have to understand, Senator, that in Rome, in those
[499]days, there were fifty newspapers. I mean, the big circulation
[501]-in those days, “big circulation in Rome was 20,000. It's hard
[503]for us to visualize that.
[505]Senator Huddleston.
[507]Mr. Maheu. Yes.
[508]Can we go off the record?
[510]Senator Schweiker. Yas.
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[519]Mr. Liebengood. Was this listening post that you referred”
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[524]2 to, was that a project that was related to work for the Central
[525]5 Intelligence Agency?
[526]4 Mr. Maheu. I don't believe it was. *
[527]5 Mr. Madigan. Did you have any New York assignments other
[528]6 than Onassis that you gave to Frank?
[529]9 Mr. Maheu. I don't remember any.
[530]8 Mr. Madigan. How about Gow I may have asked
[531]. ; oe
[532]9 you that yesterday. Do you recall whether he had any relation-
[533]10 ship with your company during the 1950's?
[534]1 Mr. Maheu. I don't remember a (tenaswryen
[535]3 EE
[538]t 13 Mr. Madigan. A CIA employee.
[539]4
[540]14 Mr. Maheu. I don't recall his name.
[541]15 Mr. Madigan. I got sidetracked off of my question: of
[542]16 whether you recall a prosecution or an investigation of the
[543]1? Onassis wiretap. You may have already have answered that.
[544]18 Mr. Maheu. . I think I did, yes.
[545]2 !
[546]8 19 Mr. Madigan. What did you say?
[547]my .
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[549]a 20: Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that I appeared before a
[550]g :
[551]2 21 Grand Jury that was investigating Mr. Frank on another
[552]3
[553]u 29 matter.
[554]H 23 Mr. Madigan. On another mattar, but you had no recollection
[555]@: 24 of any investigation of that particular tap?
[556]3
[557]25 Mr. Maheu. No, I don't.
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[591]Mr. Madigan. Either an investigation of you or Frank or
[592]“Leone or anyone? ;
[594]Mr. Maheu. No, I don't.
[596]Mr. Madigan. No interviews by the FBI?
[598]Mr. Maheu. It's conceivable, but I don't remember it.
[600]Mr. Madigan. You don't remember it?
[602]Mr. Maheu. No.
[604]Mr. Madigan. Let's go off the record.
[606](Discussion off the record.)
[608]Mr. Maheu. Yes, sir.
[609]Mr. Madigan. And what were you asked to do with regard
[610]to that?
[612]Mr. Maheu.
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[620]a 4 1 Mr. Maheu. Yes, I did.
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[634]eee < 12 Mr. Maheu. I do not have any recollection.
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[636]E 13 Mr. Madigan.
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[639]15 Mr. Maheu. I don't hava any recollection.
[640]16 Mr. Madigan.
[641]17 Mr. Maheu.
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[649]Z 21 Mr. Maheu. That is corract. *
[650]ui 22 Mr. Madigan. Now can you date that assignment as sometime
[652]E 23 in 1956 or ‘57, does that sound about right, or do you have
[653]i 24 any recollection of what year it was?
[656]25 Mr. Maheu. I don't have any recollection. It was before
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[702]1960.
[704]Mr. Madigan. It was sometime after you had begun in '54
[705]with your Agency operation?
[707]Mr. Maheu. That is correct.
[709]Mr. Madigan. Or your sponsorship?
[711]Mr. Maheu. That is correct.
[713]Mr. Madigan. Subsequently, did this Leader "A" come to
[714]the United States to your knowledge’ after this?
[716]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall whether he came subsequently or
[717]prior to.
[719]Mr. Madigan. when the same leader did come to the United
[720]States, were you involved in any assignment for the CIA with
[721]regard to his presence in the country?
[723]Mr. Maheu. Yes, I was.
[725]Mr. Madigan. And what was that assiqnment?
[727]Mr. Maheu. —
[729]Mr. Madigan. Who was the Agency representative that gave
[731]you this assignment? Did: you go through Mr. O'Connell, or was
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[779]it someone different?
[781]Mr. Maheu. This request emanated from, directly from the
[782]State Department.
[784]Mr, Madigan. Who in the State Department?
[786]Mr. Maheu. Mr. Scott McCloud, who was then Director of
[787]the Office of Security and Consular Affairs.
[789]Mr. Madigan. Was it coordinated with the CIA, or was this
[790]strictly between yourself and the State Department?
[792]Mr. Maheu. My recollection’ is.that the CIA was kept
[793]apprised, however that the coordination was with the State
[795]Department, in connection-with the security that was being
[797]provided for this leader during his visit to the United States.
[799]Mr. Madigan. Did you meet with the State Department or
[800]CIA people or both in New York City when the leader arrived
[801]there?
[803]Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that I met with Security
[804]Personnel of the State Department.
[806]Mr. Madigan. What did you do in New York for this
[807]assignment?
[809](Pause)
[811]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall.
[813]Mr. Madigan. And did you meet with the New York police
[814]with regard to the assignment?
[816]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall.
[818]Mr. Madigan.
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[829]$ 2 Mr. Mahen. I don't recall.
[830]f os
[831]3 5 Mr. Madigan. Do you recall telling me yesterday that: you
[832]4
[833]5 Mr. Maheu. No, I don't.
[834]6 Mr. Madigan. Did you travel from New York to any other
[835]) city with this leader?
[836]8 Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that I did.
[837]9 Mr. Madigan. What occurred when you arrived at the othar
[839]10 cities?
[840]ll Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that I contacted the
[841]12 security representatives of the State Department.
[843]13 Mr. Madigan. And after you contacted the security
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[847]14 representatives, what were you supposed to do in these other
[848]15 . cities?
[849]16 Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that I, through local
[851]7 Police Department officials or law enforcement officials?
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[864]c 24 Mr. Maheu. I don't know what you aeeer by relationship
[865]? .
[867]25 Mr. Madigan. |
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[912]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall.
[914]Mr. Madigan. Do you recall telling me yesterday that you
[915]did?
[917]Mr. Maheu. No, I do not.
[919]Mr. Madigan. Do you recall telling me yesterday when I
[920]asked you whether someone had travelled from city to city, you
[921]indicated that you thought maybe one did, but you weren't sure
[922]about how many others.
[924]Mr. Mahau. That is correct.
[926]Mr. Madigan. How many cities did you visit during the
[928]trip that this Leader "A" made?
[930]Mr. Maheu. Several cities.
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[938]& 5 1 Mr. Maheu. I don't recall.
[939]Oo .
[940]3 e Mr. Madigan. Do you recall telling me yesterday that they
[941]F 5 were?
[942]4 Mr. Maheu. Do you recall yesterday identifying the *s
[943]5 leader?
[944]6 Mr. Madigan. I do..
[945]7 Let's go off the record.
[946]8 (Discussion off the record.)
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[958]15 Mr. Maheu. That they may have been, yes.
[959]16 Mr. Madigan. Jetiugoumcaam same
[960]_ _ _
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[963]20° Mr. Maheu. That is correct.
[964]21 | Mr. Madigan. And that occurred in New York and the other
[966]22 | cities that he stayed at while he was in the United States?
[968]23 Mr.Maheu. That is correct.
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[1013]Mr. Maheu. No.
[1014]Mr. Madigan. But. you did not bring a crowd of six or
[1015]séven.
[1017]Mr. Maheu. I have no recollection that
[1019]with me, may have travelled independently, but I have no
[1021]recollection of ba@ing on the same plane with any of these
[1022]people:
[1023]Mr. Madigan. You think may have traveled from city to
[1024]city, or four or five?
[1025]Mr. Maheu. One may have gone to one further city. “that
[1026]is the best of my recollection.
[1028]Mr. Madigan. Ay
[1030]Mr. Maheu. That's my recollection.
[1032]Mr. Madigan. Is that the theory of the project?
[1034]Mr. Maheu. That's my recollection.
[1036]Mr, Maheu. Yes, I did.
[1038]Mr. Madigan. Do -you remember when that assignment was
[1039]in terms of whether it was before or after this visit to the
[1040]United States?
[1042]Mr. Maheu. Subsequent to his visit to the United States
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[1083]Mr. Madigan. As a result of that, what assignment did you
[1085]receive,.if any, from the CIA?
[1087]eT
[1089]Mr. Madigan.
[1091]Mr. Maheu. Yes, I did.
[1093]Mr. Madigan. Who was that?
[1095]Saeco
[1097]Mr.Maheu.
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[1141]Mr. Maheu. I have no recollection. I can't believe that
[1143]where you would find 4 I don't believe so
[1145]NO.
[1147]Mr. Madigan. 3
[1149]Mr. Madigan. Was that Bautzer?
[1151]Mr. Maheu. No, sir.
[1153]Mr. Madigan. Who- was. that?
[1155]Mr. Maheu. ‘First I discussed tha matter with Howard
[1156]Hughes and he recommended that I contact Mr. Larry Crosby, whic
[1157]I did.
[1159]Mr. Madigan. Did Hughes have to approve your being
[1160]involved in this?
[1162]Mr. Maheu. JI am not sure he had to approve. I was just
[1163]seeking his advice.
[1165]Mr. Madigan. You were more or less just telling him about
[1167]it?
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[1174]. 41
[1176]3
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[1181](is 8 1 Mr. Maheu. I beg your pardon? -
[1183]i
[1184]o
[1185]NN
[1186]3 2 _Mr. Madigan. You were just telling him about it?
[1187]cg .
[1188]5 3 Mr. Maheu. No, Mr. Hughes had been in the industry, he
[1190]4 had been in movie studios, I thought he could ba helpful to
[1192]5 this contract.
[1194]6 Mr, Madigan. Did you deal with O'Connell with regard to
[1195]” this contract or with somebody else?_
[1197]B Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that I dealt with Mr.
[1199]9 O'Connell and Colonel Edwards.
[1201]10 Mr. Madigan. Colonel Edwards?
[1205]12
[1207]13
[1209]WARD & PAUL
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[1213]15
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[1216]7 Mr. Maheu. By today's technology, I would say definitel
[1217]18
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[1222]21
[1224]22 Mr.. Maheu....Not- at alli...
[1226]23 Mr.. Madigan. -Not.at. ali? >
[1228]24 Mr. Maheu. Not at all.
[1230]410 First Street, 5S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003
[1232]25 Mr. Madigan. o&
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[1244]Py
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[1275]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall, but my racollection is Sig
[1277]was highly respected by the law enforcement authorities.
[1279]Whether@aegwas an informant for them or what the relationship
[1281]was, I don't know.
[1283]Mr. Maheu. Very short.
[1285]Madigan. —
[1287]12 |Meece
[1289]Mr. Maheu. That is correct.
[1291]Madigan. And thereafter do you know what happened
[1293]Mr. Maheu. No, I do not.
[1295]Mr. Madigan. Were you told what was qoing to be done
[1297]EP a
[1299]S Go cubaeacs Wiliat
[1301]Mr. Madigan. Were you ever familiar with the project name
[1303]that were attached to these assignments by the CIA?
[1305]Mr. Maheu. Not that I recollect, no.
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[1311]3
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[1314]€& 6 1 i Mr. Madigan. Did you ever hear of project Happy Days?
[1315], cs)
[1316]o .
[1317]3 2 Mr. Maheu. No. |
[1318]q
[1319]F 3 Mr. Madigan. Or Project Harp Star?
[1320]4 Mr. Maheu. No.
[1321]5 Mr. Madigan. Or Project Norfok?
[1322]6 Mr. Maheu. No.
[1323]q
[1324]8
[1325]9
[1326]10 Mr. Maheu. Yes, sir.
[1327]il Mr. Madigan. What was your assignment in that regard?
[1328]3
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[1337]W Mr. Madigan. And who did you contact with regard to that?
[1338]18 Mr. Mahau. I contacted Mr. Gregson Bautzer.
[1339]8 19 Mr. Madigan. Is that B-a-u-t-2z-e-r?
[1340]6
[1341]Qo 20° Mr. Maheu. B-a-u-t-z-e-r, a Hollywood attornay.
[1342]9S ~
[1343]: 21 Mr. Madigan. And did he hold thag
[1344]3
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[1350]25 Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that the intent was to
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[1395]& 4 1 Mr. Maheu. I have no recollection that I was askad.
[1396]3
[1398]3 2 Mr. Madigan. Do you know who that person was?
[1399]4 .
[1400]; F 3 Mr. Maheu. I do not recall the name.
[1401]4 ; Mr. Madigan. You indicataéd that your recollection was
[1403]12 Mr. Madigan. Was your assignment in that regard solely
[1405]13
[1407]WARD & PAUL
[1409]14
[1411]15 Mr. Madigan. Did you have any other assignments with
[1413]16 regard to that Leader "B"?_
[1417]19 Mr. Maheu. I have no recollection.
[1418]18° Mr. Madigan. Did you have any other assignments with
[1419]w us ae a
[1420]19 regard to Leader "A"? é
[1421]20: Mr. Maheu. I have no recollection that I did.
[1422]21 Mr. Madigan. Did you undertake any other Agency assignmen
[1424]20 with regard to any other leader of any other country? ,
[1426]23 Mr. Maheu. I have no recollection that I did.
[1428]410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003
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[1433]i)
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[1466]Mr. Maheu. That name is familiar, yeas, now that you
[1467]mention it. .
[1468]Mr. Madigan. Do you think SESgRignt have been the person?
[1470]Mr. Maheu. I think '&
[1472]ight have been, yes.
[1474]Mr. Madigan. Did you contact Howard Hughes with regard
[1475]to that assignment?
[1477]Mr. Maheu. No, I did not. . Howevar, Mr. Bautzer was, in
[1478]those days, Mr. Hughes’ personal. attorney.
[1480]Mr. Madigan. Would you date that gies assignment as
[1482]being around 1959?
[1484]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall. It was before 1960, but that
[1485]would sound approximately right.
[1487]Mr. Madigan. bia you ever have your office in Washington
[1488]used for cover purposes by the CIA?
[1490]Mr. Maheu. Yes, I have.
[1492]Mr. Madigan. Do you know on how ‘many occasions?
[1494]Mr. Maheu. On several occasions.
[1496]Mr. Madigan. Do you know what the purpose of the agent
[1497]that. would be using it for cover was?
[1499]Mr. Maheu. My racollection is that my rola was limited
[1501]simply to fund their income. In othar words, they would be on
[1503]the payroll of Robert A. Maheu Associates and that I would ba
[1505]reimbursed the exact amount of their pavroll.
[1506]As to the specific assignments, TI have no recollection.
[1508]Mr. Madigan. What types of duties would they have for
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[1514]51
[1516]e
[1518]3
[1519]3
[1520]2 5 . a
[1521]® 6 1 an employee who was working in i? yeeat some point in their
[1522]3 . ~
[1523]8 2 carser? .
[1524]¢ . . .
[1525]: 3 Mr. Maheu. Yes, we did.
[1526]4 Mr. Madigan. Would you recall that to be around 1968,
[1527]5 or do you have a specific recollection?
[1528]6 Mr. Maheu.- It would be about that time.
[1529]vi Mr. Madigan. About that time.
[1530]8 Mr. Maheu. Yes.
[1531]9 Mr. Madigan. And did you evar hear of the name Zoers eter
[1532]10 | with regard to that cover arrangement? {5%
[1533]11 Mr. Maheu. I don't recall. My recollection is that the
[1534]ad
[1535]F 12 |) guy's name wasg ms but I don't racall
[1536]: )
[1537]zt 13 the namé& ye Perhaps he was placed ‘on the payroll as
[1540]Mbut I don't recall.
[1542]1 «<a
[1544]“15 Mr. Madigan. You did not address him asfpe
[1546]16 Mr. Maheu. No, not to my recollection. ;
[1548]1? | Mr. Madigan. What was he supposed to ba doing ing
[1550]18 do you know?
[1552]19: “ -. Mr. Maheu. Covartly or ovartly?
[1554]20: Mr. Madigan. Both.
[1556]21 Let's start with covartly.
[1558]92 Mr. Maheu. Covertly he was ~~ he had an assignment from
[1560]9% || the Agency which I don't know. Overtly he was an employee of
[1562]416 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003
[1564]24 Robert A. Maheu Associates trying to exploit the possibility -
[1566]25 || of business ventures in the country
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[1609]52
[1611]Mr. Madigan. You have no inclination or no fealing at
[1612]all for what his assignment was?
[1614]Mr. Maheu. No, I do not.
[1616]Mr. Madigan. In covert terms whether it was an espionage
[1617]assignmant or whether it was a PR kind of assignment? No idea?
[1619]Mr. Maheu. I don't know.
[1621]Mr. Madigan. Was there ever an island involved with that
[1622]assignment to your knowledge?
[1624]Mr. Maheu. Not to my knowledge or recollection.
[1626]Mr. Madigan. You never heard of an island called
[1627]shave you?
[1629]Mr. Maheu. Not to my recollection.
[1631]Mr. Madigan. During the 1960's did you employ. a fellow
[1632]by the name of Jack Buckley? We may have discussed this
[1633]before.
[1635]Mr. Maheu. I believe that from time to time a Jack
[1636]Buckley did work for Robert A. Maheu Associates. I don't
[1637]believe he was an employee.
[1639]Mr. Madigan. Would he be on a kind of an intermittent
[1640]contract basis like Frank was? You would use him every once in
[1641]awhile?
[1643]Mr. Maheu. My recollection is that he did some work for
[1644]Robert A. Maheu Associates and, as I aay, not an employee.
[1646]Mr. Madigan. Do you know what types of assignments he
[1648]did?
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[1654]HH
[1656]=)
[1657].
[1659]15 you were
[1660]16 Mr.
[1662]7 Mr.
[1664]TOP SECRET |
[1666]Liebengood.. Mr. Mort Jackson?
[1668]Maheu. I don't remember his name.
[1670]2 Mr.
[1671]5 Mr. Madigan. Mort Jackson being an attorney --
[1672]4 Mr. Liabengood. -- in Los Angeles.
[1673]5 Mr, Al Long of the Secret Service?
[1674]6 Mr. Maheu. Don't remember his nama.
[1675]7 Mr. Liebengood.
[1676]8 Intelligence Agency, a resident of Florida.
[1677]9 Mr. Maheu. Don't remember his name.
[1678]10 Mr. Lisbengood. . :
[1679]11 _ Mr. Maheu. Don't remember his name. °
[1680]r) 2 12 Mr. Liebengood. ‘James McCord?
[1681]13 Mr. Maheu. Only what I saw in the newspapers.
[1682]° 14 |) Mr. Liebengood. But you had no dealings with him while
[1684]in Washington?
[1685]Maheu. Not to my recollection.
[1687]Madigan. Just briefly, in that regard, we discussed
[1689]18 yesterday whether you had any racollection of Mr. McCord
[1691]3
[1693]v
[1694]is}
[1695]e 20°
[1696]g
[1697]é 21 using of
[1698]3
[1699]H Mr.
[1700]a 22
[1701]5 23 Mr.
[1703]° 24
[1704]et
[1705]25 Mr.
[1707]19 || being involved -- or at least I think we discussed it -- in any
[1709]either sweeping of your office or slectronic aquipment or
[1711]your office as a listening post or anything like that?
[1712]Maheu. I don't. remember.
[1714]Madigan. And your indication was you didn't have
[1716]any recollection?
[1718]Maheu. No.
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[1724]77
[1726]L payroll, and for the second time I was turned down by Mr.
[1728]2 Hughes. I belisve it was in September of 1969 that I finally
[1730]Phone (Area 202) 544-6000
[1732]3 called Mr. Meier in and requested his resiqnation and then
[1734]4 I informed Mr. Hughes that he had resigned.
[1736]5 After the departure of Mr. Meier, while going through his
[1738]6 files, Mr. Ellson ran into soma documents that indicated some
[1739]” very Serious double escrows on mining proparties and wa
[1741]8 recommended to Mr. Hughes that all the information be made
[1743]9 available to the authorities and let the chips fall where they
[1745]10 || may.
[1747]ll Mr. Liebengood. Do you know why Mr. Hughes was not inclindgd
[1748]12 to follow your recommendations with regards to Meier's termina-
[1750]13 tion at earlier datss?
[1752]WARD & PAUL
[1754]14 . Mr. Maheu. He was afraid that Meier would embarrass him.
[1755]15 || At least, that is what he told me.
[1757]16 Mr. Liebengood. You are aware of no CIA interest in
[1759]7 Meier?
[1761]18 Mr, Mahéeu. The only thing I know is that Meier was cut
[1763]19 || in on the cover 9f8 and was aware of
[1766]20: that operation.
[1767]21 Mr. Liebengood. How did that come about? How was he
[1768]29 | cut in on that?
[1770]23 Mr. Maheu. Because it was he wha initially had worked on
[1772]o4 || & deal for a venture in Mexico on the part of Hughes Aircraft
[1774]410 First Street, S.E., Washington, O.C. 20003
[1776]25 for cable television and subsequent to -- well, when that
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[1784]WARD & PAUL
[1786])
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[1821]78
[1823]collapsed, the person who was to be the partner of Hughes
[1824]Aircraft in that particular venture threatened to sue Howard
[1825]Hughes and all of the Hughes interest for non-fulfillment of
[1826]contract, and I made a racommendation to that person whose
[1827]name slips my mind, but I believe his last name was Jamie,
[1828]J-a-m-i-e or something like that, I don't recall. But to try
[1829]to discourage him from filing such a lawsuit I suggested that
[1830]he and I put up $10,000 in ASGSUTE and check into the
[1831]possibility of developing business there.
[1833]T put up my ten, he never put his up, and Meiar was the
[1834]one who was involved. But when the Agency needed a cover for
[1836]fy Meier was made privy of this by the
[1838]an assignment in ee
[1839]Agency.
[1840]Mr. Liebengood. Just to be cartain I understand, this
[1842]was because of Meier's role in reestablishing the operation
[1844]veh Is that correct?
[1846]Mr. Maheu. Well, of trying to save the lawsuit, yes.
[1847]That's right.
[1849]Mr. Liebengood. And you think the name of this would-be
[1850]partner was Jamie?
[1852]Mr. Maheu. I don't remember whether that was the first
[1853]name or last name.
[1855]Mr. Liebengood. How dia (RIS en | whatever way do you
[1857]spell his last name, do you recall?
[1859]Mr. Maheu. I don't recall.
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[1904]79
[1906]Mr. Liebengood. Do you know who accompanied Meier and
[1907]F. Donald Nixon on this trip'to the Dominican Republic, the
[1908]celebrated trip?
[1910]Mr. Maheu. No, I do not.
[1912]Mr. Liebengood. As far as you know, they had nothing to
[1913]do with any Agency interest in that?
[1915]Mr. Maheu. No, sir, not as far as I know.
[1917]As a matter of fact, it's my recollection I found out
[1918]about this afterwards.
[1920]Mr. Liabengood. Who else was witting of the cover
[1921]arrangements that you had with the Agency through Robert A.
[1922]Maheu Associates? You mentioned Maiar and this particular
[1923]one. Did you have other employees who were witting of the
[1926]Mr. Maheu. I believe “Bill Staton was aware of some of
[1927]it. .
[1929]Mr. Liebengood. And did he keep your books?
[1931]Mr. Maheu. Yes.
[1933]Mr. Liebengood: And‘ outside of the
[1935]not witting of any other cover arrangements, I take it?
[1937]Mr. Maheu. Not to my knowledge.
[1939]Mr. Liebengood. Do--you-fecall-who~the other personnel wer
[1940]through the years that obtained Robert A. Maheu Associates
[1942]cover for the Agency?
[1944]Mr. Maheu. I don't.
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