FRANK STURGIS
Agent of Cuban
Government 1959
[Reference:
NARA RIF # 124-10302-10238]
Legal Attache, Havana (2-15)
April 7, 1959
Director, FBI (2-1499)
FRANK FIORINI, aka
Frank Anthony Sturgis
IS - CUBA
DECLASSIFIED BY: 5668SLD EH
ON 4-10-95
Enclosed for each of the offices receiving this
communication is a copy
of a letter dated 4-7-59 captioned "Cuban Revolutionary
Activities." The subject is the source of the
information
contained in this communication.
For your additional, the subject was interviewed on 3-31-59
at the
Bureau by Bureau representatives. At that time he
exhibited a
letter from the Director of Inspections of the National
Lottery
Institute, Havana, Cuba, which appointed him Chief Inspector
for all
gambling casinos and cabarets in Havana. The subject
described
himself as a Captain in the Rebel Army and exhibited a
document which
he described as a credential of his rank. He furnished
his local
address as the Mayflower Hotel and indicated he planned to
return to
Havana by way of Miami on 4-1-59. He gave his Havana
address as
the Inspector General's Office, Camp "Tte Brihuega," Cuidad
Militar,
Havana. He advised that his father resides at 326 Bank
Street,
Norfolk, Virginia.
Fiorini stated that he had served with Castro's forces for
the past two
years. He stated that he had been engaged in the
raising of funds
and arms in Miami, Mexico, and in other countries of Latin
America and
that he had been engaged in the fighting in the mountain
provinces of
Cuba. Upon the victory of Castro's forces, Fiorini was
appointed
to the position of the Chief Inspector of the gambling
casinos and as
Captain of the Cuban Air Force. His duties with the U.
S. Air
Attache, Havana, and the Cuban Air Force. In
connection with this
position, he had, within the past week, presented his
credentials to
the American Air Attache, colonel Nichols (phonetic).
During the
course of his conversation with
Enclosure
1-Norfolk (97-13) (Enclosure)
2-Miami (2-192) (Enclosure)
1-Foreign Liaison Unit (route through for review)
VHN:1mc (8)
Colonel Nichols, he mentioned that he was concerned
regarding the
present status of his American citizenship. The
subject explained
that while he had been involved with the Cuban Rebels for
the past few
years, he cherished his American citizenship and intended to
protect it
at all costs. He was referred in this connection to
the Legal
Attache, James Haverty. Fiorini indicated he planned
to recontact
Haverty upon his return. The subject was not advised
that the
Legal Attache was an FBI representative.
With reference to his appearance at the Bureau, the subject
stated that
recently there was held in Havana a Ministers Conference,
attended by
the heads of state of the Cuban Government. Fiorinis
military
superior, Commandante Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz, Chief of the
Cuban Air
Force, was in attendance at this meeting. According to
the
subject, Diaz Lanz became concerned during this meeting and
afterward
at the degree of control which communists in the Cuban
Government were
able to exercise upon the policy making functions of the
Government. Diaz Lanz discussed this with his brother,
Marcos
Diaz Lanz, who is the Inspector General of the Cuban Air
Force and, as
such, is the Number Two Man in that organization. The
subject
described the Diaz Lanz brothers as sincere and ardent
anticommunists. He stated that as part of his duties
as liaison
representative with the American Embassy, he had attempted
to arrange
social gatherings between the Embassy staff and the
Ambassador and the
Cuban Air Force officials. His efforts in this regard
had been
thwarted in view of the strong anti-American feelings
rampant in
Havana. Fiorini attributes this anti-American to
communist
infiltration of all phases of the Cuban Government. He
advised
that the Diaz Lanz brothers are acutely aware of the
situation.
He suggested to them that contacts be made and maintained
with the
American Embassy in Havana in order to secure leadership or
advice in
fighting communism in the Cuban Government. Not only
was this
suggestion turned down, but all attempts at social contact
between Air
Force officials and the American Embassy were expressly
forbidden. In fact, a dinner engagement arranged
between the
American Ambassador and the Diaz Lanz brothers was called
off upon
orders from higher authorities. As an example of
communist power
in the Government, Fiorini described a recent incident in
which an
unnamed Cuban Air Force officer had publicly made an
anticommunist
statement. Pressure was brought to bear upon the
Commander of the
Air Force by Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who was able to
immediately have
this Air Force officer removed from the service.
As a result of the above incident and the growing communist
threat in
Cuba, the subject was sent by the Diaz Lanz brothers to the
U. S.
specifically to seek an interview with the Director.
The main
purpose of the visit was to further acquaint the Director
with the
growing power of the communists in their country, and to
state
affirmatively their own anticommunist feelings and
beliefs. At
the same time, they desired to offer to the U. S. their
services in the
fight against communism in Cuba. The subject
emphasized that his
visit to the Bureau was strictly unofficial and only known
to the Diaz
Lanz brothers. The subject noted that this visit was
without the
approval of Fidel Castro and that if the visit became known
to Castro,
Castro would probably take serious action against all of
them. In
addition, the subject transmitted the desire of the Diaz
Lanz brothers
for FBI aid in the fight against communism in Cuba. It
was
tactfully explained to the subject that any requests for
such
assistance would have to be made officially and emanate from
the Cuban
Government and that the Bureau could not offer advice as to
how
communism should be fought in Cuba. For his own part,
the subject
offered to serve as an "agent" for the U. S. Government in
the battle
against communism. The subject noted that his position as an
American
citizen was unique in that he held a high position, had
fought the
Batista Government with Castro, and presently enjoyed the
trust and
confidence of the Castro Government. The subject was
also advised
that while the Bureau has no jurisdiction overseas, his
offer of
cooperation would be made a matter of record and any
information he
desired to volunteer would be accepted.
The subject indicated a desire to furnish further
information to the
Bureau concerning communism in Cuba and the plans of the
other
revolutionists to invade various Caribbean countries, which
he stated
he would either transmit by letter to the Bureau or furnish
the Legal
Attache on his next visit to him.
The subject indicated that the Cuban Government was
extremely anxious
to have an FBI identification check made of the gamblers in
Cuba and he
believed that such a request would be officially made
through the
Embassy. He added that regulations concerning the
gambling
industry in Havana were chaotic at the present time.
He stated
that while he had been appointed Chief Inspector of the
gambling
casinos, he had only a rudimentary knowledge of gambling,
particularly
as it is applied in casinos. Fiorini noted that the
ruse used in
making his trip was an ostensible trip to Miami for the
purpose of
purchasing military clothing for the Cuban Air Force.
At the time
of his visit to the Bureau, Cuban officials in Havana were
of the
belief that he was visiting relatives in Norfolk, Virginia.
The subject stated that he has been one of the officials
personally
contacted by representatives of the various revolutionary
groups in
Havana. He stated that he is presently assisting in
the
organization of a general staff which includes General
Ramirez, a
Dominican, and a Colonel Gomez, a Nicaraguan, the ultimate
purpose of
which is the overthrow of the Nicaraguan Government.
The subject
advised that he took the position on the general staff so
that he would
be in a position to furnish information to the U. S.
Government.
He stated that he had been asked to accept this position by
Dr. Enrique
Henriquez, brother-in-law of former Cuban President Carlos
Prio
Socarras, who was presently in Cuba. The subject
indicated he
would be most willing to continue his work on the general
staff
planning invasions if he could be of use to the U. S.
Government.
He was advised that this was a decision that he himself
would have to
make.
Havana is requested to submit its comments and
recommendations in this
matter as to the development of Fiorini as a possible
source.
There is no objection to Havana accepting any information
the subject
may volunteer. However, caution should be exercised in
dealing
with the subject in view of his position with the Cuban
Government and
his background.
Miami, the office of origin in this matter, will, upon the
completion
of the outstanding leads, place this case in a closed status
and so
advise the Bureau.
End of Page
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