Robert Aime Maheu (1916-2008)

[Don Roberdeau]

FYI....

ROBERT AIME MAHEU (1916-2008) has passed on.

There is an outstanding, very detailed interview with him from November 2007 available at....

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine...amp;si=0#artanc

His obituary....

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/cuban_colad...-dies-at-9.html

<QUOTE>

Maheu dies at 91; was liaison in CIA plot

A footnote to history. Robert A. Maheu, who in late 1960 served as go-between with the Mafia in a CIA plot to kill Fidel Castro, died in Las Vegas on Tuesday. He was 91. Maheu, who in 1960 was an aide to industrialist Howard Hughes, was asked by the CIA to find someone who might assassinate Castro. Maheu turned to Las Vegas mobster John Roselli, Chicago godfather Salvatore Giancana and Florida mob boss Santos Trafficante.

According to CIA archives declassified in 2007, Giancana recommended "some kind of deadly pill, something to be put into Castro's food or drink." He "indicated that he had a possible candidate in the person of Juan Orta, a Cuban official who had been receiving bribery payments in the gambling racket and who still had access to Castro." Trafficante delivered "six highly lethal pills" to Orta. "After several weeks of attempts, Orta appears to have chickened out and asked to be taken off the mission," the CIA narrative says. "He suggested another candidate, who made several unsuccessful tries."

In an article written last year, Castro recalled that in 1960, "working with me in the offices of the National Institute for Agrarian Reform was a man named Orta. [...] He was a respectful and serious man, but it could only be him. [...] I cannot lay my hands on information to immediately prove what happened to him."

---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

<END QUOTE>

..... from the AP....

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/former-hughes...805193909990083

<QUOTE>

Former Hughes' confidant dies in Las Vegas

By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY,AP

Posted: 2008-08-05 19:39:38

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Robert A. Maheu, a former Howard Hughes confidant and CIA operative once involved in a failed plot to poison Fidel Castro, has died in a Las Vegas hospital. He was 90.

Maheu died Monday evening of congestive heart failure at Desert Springs Hospital, according to his son, Peter Maheu.

Maheu was the public face of Hughes' massive corporate empire in the 1960s, a period in which the troubled aviator and one-time Hollywood playboy was increasingly reclusive and dogged by phobias. Hughes spent the later part of the decade holed up in his Las Vegas hotel suite, directing Maheu and his casino and development interests via memo.

Maheu said he occasionally protected the billionaire from himself.

"There were some memos where references pertaining to absolute power were sent to me. To protect him from himself, I took no action on those memos," Maheu told The Associated Press in a 1986 interview. "To buy a particular president or to buy someone into the White House - no action was taken in that direction."

Maheu was an expert in discretion.

He worked for the FBI in the early 1950s and later as a private investigator who counted the CIA among his clients.

In 1960, Maheu was enlisted by the CIA to recruit a mobster for a "sensitive mission requiring gangster-type action," according to a recently released CIA dossier known as "the family jewels."

"Fidel Casto is the mission target," the document said.

Maheu approached reputed gangster Johnny Roselli and represented himself as an agent for international corporations wanting the Cuban leader dead, according to the document.

Roselli introduced Maheu to two wanted mobsters, Momo Giancana, Al Capone's successor in Chicago, and Santos Trafficante. The CIA gave them six poison pills, and they tried unsuccessfully for several months to have several people put them in the Castro's food.

The plot was dropped after the failed CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, the document said.

Maheu later described his role in the Cold War plot in stark terms.

"War will make you do certain things," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 1997.

"He said it took him many nights to decide to work for the CIA," Peter Maheu said. "But for the greater good of the country, he agreed to go ahead. It was a very patriotic thing in his mind. Even though it conflicted with his Catholicism."

Peter Maheu described his father as devout, energetic and loyal.

He returned to investigative work after he was abruptly fired by Hughes' company shortly after its chief mysteriously slipped out Las Vegas in 1970. Maheu sued for breach of contract and won a $2 million judgment.

"He always had a respect for Howard Hughes," Peter Maheu said. "But he felt that he was betrayed by the people around him."

"The biggest regret of my life is not grabbing Howard Hughes with my two hands, shaking him by the shoulders and saying, `Enough is enough,"' Robert Maheu told the Review-Journal.

After leaving Las Vegas, Hughes traveled the globe. His legal problems increased and his health deteriorated. He died in 1976.

Maheu remained in Las Vegas, a city he adored.

"He called it a city with a heartbeat," his son said.

Maheu was born in Waterville, Maine. He is survived by his three sons and 10 grandchildren. Funeral services are scheduled Saturday.

<END QUOTE>

Best Regards in Research,

Don

Don Roberdeau

U.S.S. John F. Kennedy, CV-67, "Big John," Plank Walker

Sooner, or later, The Truth emerges Clearly

Discovery: ROSEMARY WILLIS Zapruder Film Documented 2nd Headsnap : Westward, Ultrafast, & Directly Towards the "Grassy Knoll"

Dealey Plaza Professionally-surveyed Map Detailing 11-22-63 Victims locations, Witnesses, Photographers, Suspected trajectories, Evidentiary artifacts, & Important information & considerations

President KENNEDY "Men of Courage: 4 Principles" speech, and a portion of fellow researchers articles and my research & discoveries, 1975 to present

T ogether

E veryone

A chieves

M ore

National Terror Alert for the United States:

"Drehm seemed to think the shots came from in FRONT OF or BESIDE

the President." (my EMPHASIS)

----CHARLES F. BREHM, a combat gunfire experienced, United States

Army Ranger, World War II, D-day veteran, & very close Dealey Plaza

attack witness, quoted only minutes after the attack, and while he

is still standing within Dealey Plaza (11-22-63 "Dallas Times Herald,"

fifth & final daily edition, which mis-spelled his name)

"Another eyewitness, Charles Brehm, said he was 15 feet away from the

President when he was shot.

'He was waving, then the FIRST shot hit him and that awful look

crossed his face.' " (my EMPHASIS)

CHARLES F. BREHM, a combat gunfire experienced, United States Army

Ranger, World War II, D-day veteran, & very close Dealey Plaza attack

witness (quoted to the "Associated Press," 11-22-63)

[John Simkin]

Thank you for this information. You can find the updated biography here:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKmaheu.htm

See also the obits in the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post:

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/c...,0,319825.story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8080503239.html

[Pat Speer]

I was in the process of preparing a list of why I've always considered Maheu a person of interest.

In short, he had a history of dealing with megalomaniacs and dictators, and was involved in the assassination of Galindez, a Dominican dissident.

He also had a history of being hired by private citizens, and then convincing the CIA to foot the bill and give him cover for the actions for which he was hired.

His story that he was contacted by the CIA to hire the mob to kill Castro seems doubtful. The reverse seems just as likely. The mob had a hit out on Castro, and then next thing you know Maheu is offering to pay THEM to do it. Yeah...okay. It's important to note that Maheu was fired by Howard Hughes after Hughes came to believe that Maheu and his supposedly clean cut crew were in bed with the mob and skimming all the profits from his Vegas Hotels. There is some proof for this. Maheu handed out "finder's fees" of 50,000 or more to men like Johnny Rosselli with regularity, when all they did was give him a phone number.

He also lied about the bugging of Sam Giancana's girlfriend, and said it was related to the plots on Castro. He changed his story as to why he bugged her several times, even when under oath. At various times he said that Giancana was too busy working on the CIA plots to check up on his girlfriend himself, which is about as smelly a line as I've ever heard. Basically, the CIA, by involving him in the Castro plots, had given him a Get Out of Jail Free card, and he used it. This was readily apparent to RFK and Hoover when they later discussed this incident. They were as concerned about the CIA's involvement with Maheu, who'd previously been linked to the abduction and murder of Galindez, as they were Giancana. Maheu was a former FBI undercover agent. Hoover knew him well.

Later, when testifying for the Church Committee, and asked if there were any connection between the CIA hits on Castro and the Kennedy assassination, Maheu boasted that the only murder he was aware of were the anti-Castro Cubans murdered by Kennedy when he canceled air cover at the Bay of Pigs.

There is also this: while most everyone believes Johnny Rosselli came forward with his story about the CIA plots on Castro, in order to avoid being deported, the testimony of his lawyer Edward Morgan before the Church Committee makes it clear he first heard the story, and decided to bring it forward, after being told of it by Maheu, who was looking for ways to avoid involvement with a congressional inquiry into the widespread use of wire-tappers. Wire-tapping was Maheu's bread-and-butter. In his autobiography Maheu puts the blame for the leaking of this story on Rosselli's shoulders, and pretends he didn't approve. The man was a serial xxxx, IMO.

Fiction fans should know that Maheu is the basis for James Ellroy's character Pete Bondurant, a central figure in the assassination of JFK in American Tabloid, and RFK in The Cold Six Thousand.

[John Simkin]

The Guardian has just got round to publishing Robert Maheu's obituary. It includes the following interesting information:

In 1954, Maheu was hired to deal with a starlet attempting to blackmail Hughes after their relationship had soured. Hughes had him spy on other women too, including Ava Gardner, and to undertake industrial espionage, before asking him, in 1957, to become his public intermediary. "Whenever I spoke, it was Howard Hughes speaking," Maheu recalled. However he never actually met his employer.

When Maheu was hired to serve a subpoena on an elusive Las Vegas casino owner, the legendary Washington fixer Edward Bennett Williams introduced him to Johnny Roselli, the mob's frontman in Las Vegas. Maheu and Roselli became close friends, and, in 1960, when the CIA decided to use the mafia to try to assassinate Fidel Castro, they turned to Maheu.

[Chris Cox]

Pat--an excellent JE book, btw. As I'm interested in the history of the case; could you pls explain what research backs claim (any specific documentation you can suggest) Maheu was involved with Galindez case? Thx

[James Richards]

Pat--an excellent JE book, btw. As I'm interested in the history of the case; could you pls explain what research backs claim (any specific documentation you can suggest) Maheu was involved with Galindez case? Thx

Hi Christy,

I know your question was directed at Pat and I don't want to step on his toes, but I seem to remember that Gerald Lester Murphy was connected to a man named Horace Schmahl who in turn was an associate of Robert Maheu.

I also seem to remember that future Watergate figure Tony Ulasewicz was the investigator for the NYPD at the time and concluded quickly that the CIA had nothing to do with it.

Interesting associations for sure especially when you throw Trujillo's goons Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino into the mix.

FWIW.

James

[Pat Speer]

Pat--an excellent JE book, btw. As I'm interested in the history of the case; could you pls explain what research backs claim (any specific documentation you can suggest) Maheu was involved with Galindez case? Thx

Hi Christy,

I know your question was directed at Pat and I don't want to step on his toes, but I seem to remember that Gerald Lester Murphy was connected to a man named Horace Schmahl who in turn was an associate of Robert Maheu.

I also seem to remember that future Watergate figure Tony Ulasewicz was the investigator for the NYPD at the time and concluded quickly that the CIA had nothing to do with it.

Interesting associations for sure especially when you throw Trujillo's goons Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino into the mix.

FWIW.

James

I believe Maheu was seen with Trujillo's intelligence chief Espaillat just before the abduction, and the plane in which Galindez was transported to Florida was leased using a Maheu and Associates credit card...or something like that... If I recall, I first read about his involvement in Jim Hougan's book Spooks.

I have some FBI files on Howard Hughes. I'll check to see if there's any mention of Maheu and the Galindez incident in those files.

[James Richards]

Around the time of the Galindez incident, Maheu was brought into a thing called LPHIDDEN.

Does anyone know what that operation was all about?

James

[Chris Cox]

Thanks fellows. What stories if we could only dive deep enough. It seems by what you've got there's Trujillo US and Cuba stuff that we have yet to unravel completely. I think it's time how about you? Offhand, I wonder if Trujillo may have asked for the delivery of Galindez (FBI informant betrayed?) and Wm Morgan's execution in exchg for Castro but never delivered and met his fate soon after his lack of interest was discovered by the US. Poor Murphy and his companion knew the danger well. Interested in anything you can dig up thanx again.

[William Plumlee]

Pat--an excellent JE book, btw. As I'm interested in the history of the case; could you pls explain what research backs claim (any specific documentation you can suggest) Maheu was involved with Galindez case? Thx

Hi Christy,

I know your question was directed at Pat and I don't want to step on his toes, but I seem to remember that Gerald Lester Murphy was connected to a man named Horace Schmahl who in turn was an associate of Robert Maheu.

I also seem to remember that future Watergate figure Tony Ulasewicz was the investigator for the NYPD at the time and concluded quickly that the CIA had nothing to do with it.

Interesting associations for sure especially when you throw Trujillo's goons Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino into the mix.

FWIW.

James

I believe Maheu was seen with Trujillo's intelligence chief Espaillat just before the abduction, and the plane in which Galindez was transported to Florida was leased using a Maheu and Associates credit card...or something like that... If I recall, I first read about his involvement in Jim Hougan's book Spooks.

I have some FBI files on Howard Hughes. I'll check to see if there's any mention of Maheu and the Galindez incident in those files.

I brought this up some years ago about Lester and Galandez and the article in life magazine. I was asking for some help on this matter at the time but got nothjing in return. Lester was a very close friend of mind as well as Mahue and Rosellie. In FACT Lester took my flight that day. I tried to help at one time, but was also attacked on this matter as well as others. If you want details go and SEARCH for Galandez and lester murphy.

AND TOO> I never deleted my postings in spite of what some of you say.

The following is from a past posting. The burned letter posted on this forum some months and years ago is still classified and I POSTED the damn thing on this forum and got into a world of CRAP from members. If you can find it Post it again I don't care.

From past post:

"... There is a document and file which is very hard to find. I was told it was, or on file at the AARB, but I have not been able to find it. I did find a reference at CIA, Langley but it is classified. I was told. However, there were two pages which were in that file which were turned over to the Assassination Review Board in 1997, but I have been unable to find it or any reference to it.. Any help on this would be appreciated.

References and background information: I have also tried to attach the burned document which I obtained from the FBI in a FOIA request:

File locator number: CIA (class unclassified) REULE (UDN-WOO (9347) RA-BC. release date. open.

Subject; EX-CIA Contract Agent Robert D Morrow. From; CIA Contact Div. Langley VA.

(1) Subjects: Warren Bishop; Alex Rourk; Lester Murphy; Robert Marrow. Congressman Thomas Downing. Wm Pearson. aka William R Plumlee.

(2) Copy one letter addressed to: (In file)

Honorable Congressman Thomas Downing

Senate Russell Building Washington DC; dated November 10, 1975

(Note) The above mentioned letter to Congressman Downing was retrieved from a fire in Grant Colorado by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation CBI Arson detail on August 7, 1981. The document was turned over to Federal authorities (FBI) Washington DC, on August 10, 1981. The document has burned marks in the body and around its edges. However, the subject matter seems to be intact.

This burn document (in letter form) was released in an FOIA request dated 1987.

This burned letter should be compared to the to the CIA's file locator numbers mentioned above; Subject Robert Morrow; Subject William R Plumlee.

Background:

Robert Morrow was involved in a classified CIA operation to introduce and ship Cuban counterfeit monies into Cuba to destabilize that countries monetary system. The operations cover was blown in Miami and five of the group were arrested by the federal government ATF, Customs, and FBI joint operation.

Vice President Richard Nixon's Law Firm represented CIA contract operatives Robert Morrow and. two others. Two of these contract operatives would later be involved in the Watergate affair.

William Plumlee aka Buck Pearson was the pilot who flew these operatives into Cuba to drop and place the money and the subject of the burned letter to Congressman Thomas Downing, attention Robert Morrow, Senator Downing's Investigative Staff. (Morrow was on the Senate Staff when the Congressman was forming the first phases of the HSCA) The Associated Press and the News wire of Reuters covered some of the material Robert Morrow had given Congressman Downing's committee, concerning what he knew about the Kennedy assassination and his involvement as a contact person to supply three weapons and six silencers obtained from the west coast and Curtain Studios, Santa Barbara, California in the spring of 1963. These were delivered to the Thunderbird INN at Las Vegas Nevada and eventuality to Miami anti-Castro Cubans. (note I can't seem to attatch the letter to Morrow. I think some out there perhaps has a copy of that burned letter which was taken from the house fiire in Colorado. If so perhaps you could attatch it for me.)

P.S. I Just received an Email that Jim recently found an article concerning Robert Morrow which made reference to weapons. However, he could not remember where he saw it. He thought it was in the NRB? Any help would be appreciated:

"Ex-CIA Agent Claims He Bought Rifles for Kennedy Killing". (Reuter Article), title of article... Thanks Jim.

Attached thumbnail(s)

[William Plumlee]

Around the time of the Galindez incident, Maheu was brought into a thing called LPHIDDEN.

Does anyone know what that operation was all about?

James

James I tried to document most of this about Galindez and Murphy so years ago, but niobody was interested. The burned letter to Robert Morrow and references to your LPHIDDEN was another name and associated with OMC-235 and an FBI declassified page in reference to that OPS was also in the fire in Grant Colorado in 1981....

[William Plumlee]

Around the time of the Galindez incident, Maheu was brought into a thing called LPHIDDEN.

Does anyone know what that operation was all about?

James

James I tried to document most of this about Galindez and Murphy so years ago, but niobody was interested. The burned letter to Robert Morrow and references to your LPHIDDEN was another name and associated with OMC-235 and an FBI declassified page in reference to that OPS was also in the fire in Grant Colorado in 1981....

I Found this old post of which I have copies of replies.... most of the background post have been deleted it is said by me.... Chris and I talked and exchanged information on this a few years ago.

One of the places Lester and I used to hang out was the Dark Hourse Bar... I think in West Palm. For years a picture of Sergio was posted by the FBI as they were trying to find him in 64. Perhaps. there is a picture of him and Lester as they were close friends. I have ask for help on trying to put this together so as to document the chain of events which lead up to the Galindez kidnapping, but oh well some of you know that drill. Also of interest in that OPS was Steve Guthrie (spelling) and his D-18 Twin Beach aircraft. An aircraft of which the flight logs show that Guthrie, Murphy, Pearson/plumlee logged. That was the aircraft that lester flew Glandiz back into the USA from Dom rep. FWIW

Past postings follow:

Does anyone have any information on Galandez and the Domenican Republic around 1957?

(2) Steve Guthrie, Lester Murphy? (Tosh Plumlee)

Tosh,

The Murphy you refer to, is that the freelance pilot who vanished in the Dominican Republic after flying Galindez who was then supposedly kidnapped?

If so, I have a page from Murphy's notebook below which shows the entry Jesus de Galindez. Any of those other numbers ring a bell? I also have a shot of Murphy's house which I believe was under surveillance after his disappearance.

If that is the same Murphy, I will try to get some information for you.

Cheers,

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes James. Thanks. Same Murphy.., same house. Lester and I used to fly together. We both flew Rosellie and others at different times. (mid to late fifties) Steve Guthrie owned the D-18 (? N6800 ?) that we used to fly. It was registered to 'Atlantic Richfield', I think and later to "Inter-Mountain Aviation'. (60's) For awhile it was based at Miami and Lantana, West Palm Beach. (1962-63) Was Murphy ever found? What happened to Galandez (Galindez)? I'll study the numbers and if I can help, I'll get back to you.... This is still real touchie stuff. Still to some degree "Classified". Anything on 'Inter-Mountain or Mid States Aviation?Thanks James This information helps a lot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

P.S to above post..

Interesting note book. To some degree I am familiar with some of the notes. IF my memory serves me right there is information and contacts for the guns and ammo which were being moved around at that time. There are a few CIA cut-outs in those notes... Do you have the note book, because if you do then you will find Rosellies code name under 'R' and "S' ROSS and Soroco ( ?) Coral Gabels Florida S/W 9th Ter. Also I think John Paisely or his look alike worked as a case officer with operatives in Dominican Republic.. This is all memory... I'll geet back to you on this after I prod along... again thanks a lot.. Tosh

"...

[Chris Cox]

Tosh hope all is well. Best to everyone

another few q's. will pass on clippings re: topic, via email if interested.

Murphy was young(hails OR far from Miami scene)-- age 23 (12/56) when he disappeared. No mil experience or comml flying career but he became an agent for Trujillo. How? What's the MO? His Pan Am girlfriend, Sally (she connected Murphy with Basque scholar Galindez I think), and a congressman took up the investigation in '58 and beyond. Did it just fade away? Did all info gathered become Downing, McClellan, Rockefeller, Church, HSCA ARRB (on and on) fodder and just drop in the shuffle without a deal? What was final analysis? HSCA stumbled upon this in its work but let it drop late 70s, leads weren't followed. Also Sergio is one related to Cornelio executed in Cuba?

James

how was Schmal,defense investigator (FBI informant) in Hiss trial connected to Murphy, a 23 year old mercenary pilot flying for DR? TIME '58: "The FBI has since linked Espaillat, Frank and Schmahl to each other and to Murphy." Frank (former FBI agent) alias John Kane (provided $800 for plane charter Mar 56) according to USAF Sgt. Harold French, friend of Murphy who retrofitted Beechcraft for 3/56 flt. " (Chronicle Telegram OH 1962)

Do any of these names ring a bell Tosh? What was connection Maheu to flight of Murphy in your memory?

Pat does Maheu fit in Murphy's story 1956ish or later? Thx again all

[James Richards]

Christy,

John Frank was an ex FBI agent who was charged with a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Basically that he had served as an agent for a foreign government without registering as such.

Murphy's disappearance and subsequent death was blamed (a lame frame job) on a man named Octavio de la Maza who in the early 1950's had shot and killed Luis Bernardino during an argument at the Dominican Embassy in London.

Luis was the brother of Trujillo goon, Felix Bernardino. In 1957, de la Maza was found dead in prison - a supposed suicide that no one bought for one minute. This was a subplot to the whole affair orchestrated by Felix who went on to participate in many a political assassination.

Horace Schmahl's name was in Murphy's notebook. What their exact relationship was, one can only speculate.

Sally Clare was Murphy's fiancee and at the time a stewardess with Pan American Airlines. Allegedly, she knew what had happened to Murphy and Galindez but I don't know if there was any official follow up there.

If Sally Clare is still alive and can be tracked down, she would certainly be worth speaking with regarding the sordid cast of characters connected to this incident.

BTW, it was said to be that Espaillat was the one who brought Murphy in on the plot. How He connects to Murphy exactly, I have no idea.

FWIW.

James

Edited August 26, 2008 by James Richards

[Jim Hougan]

Christy,

John Frank was an ex FBI agent who was charged with a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Basically that he had served as an agent for a foreign government without registering as such.

Murphy's disappearance and subsequent death was blamed (a lame frame job) on a man named Octavio de la Maza who in the early 1950's had shot and killed Luis Bernardino during an argument at the Dominican Embassy in London.

Luis was the brother of Trujillo goon, Felix Bernardino. In 1957, de la Maza was found dead in prison - a supposed suicide that no one bought for one minute. This was a subplot to the whole affair orchestrated by Felix who went on to participate in many a political assassination.

Horace Schmahl's name was in Murphy's notebook. What their exact relationship was, one can only speculate.

Sally Clare was Murphy's fiancee and at the time a stewardess with Pan American Airlines. Allegedly, she knew what had happened to Murphy and Galindez but I don't know if there was any official follow up there.

If Sally Clare is still alive and can be tracked down, she would certainly be worth speaking with regarding the sordid cast of characters connected to this incident.

BTW, it was said to be that Espaillat was the one who brought Murphy in on the plot. How He connects to Murphy exactly, I have no idea.

FWIW.

James