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Eric G. Stacey
Bagman / screenplay by Eric Stacey, introduction by Eric Stacey
(screenplay, copyright 2005 by Landfall Productions, Inc.)
ISBN 978-1-4116-8331-0
www.landfallprods.com
The New York Times - Washington, March 2, 2006
Archivist Urges U.S. To Reopen Classified Files
Anyone who needs further proof that the Tyree and Dee
Carone Ferdinand allegations may be true need look no further than
another lawsuit brought against the CIA, the Dept. of Justice, the
Estate of William Casey, ex-DCI’s Robert Gates, John Deutch, George
Tenet and ex-Attorneys General William French Smith, Edwin Meese,
Richard Thornburgh and Janet Reno in 1999 by Donna J. Warren
and three other plaintiffs who alleged that those U.S. Government
agencies and employees were responsible for the crack cocaine epi-
demic of the 1980’s and the resulting social and economic devasta-
tion of inner city communities. Their law suit was supported by the
statements of CIA Inspector General Fredrick Hitz, who appeared
before the House Intelligence Committee on March 16, 1998 to re-
port on his investigation of the CIA, the Contras and crack cocaine.
In his statements to the Committee, Hitz confirmed that, beginning
in 1982 (in order to sidestep the Boland Amendment), the CIA en-
tered into an undisclosed agreement with the Department of Justice,
allowing CIA officers to refrain from reporting drug trafficking by
its “agents, assets, and non-staff employees.”
According to military intelligence investigators Col.
William Wilson and Bill McCoy, Dee Carone-Ferdinand’s allega-
tions were absolutely true. And given the Hitz report, the Warren
lawsuit and the Kerry Commission’s investigation into Iran-Contra
drug running, the substantial body of investigative work that sup-
ports Ms. Carone Ferdinand’s allegations may be more than enough
for any right thinking person to conclude these things actually took
place. On the other hand, whether a political prisoner like Bill Tyree
will ever be set free or those responsible will ever be held account-
able is another matter entirely.
Keep these things in mind as you read “Bagman,” and the sup-
porting affidavits of Casey, Cutolo and Carone, who risked everything
in their illegal fight against the threat of Communism in Central America.
Were they patriots or criminals? Either way, at least until one fateful day
in Chapatulla, Mexico, all were convinced of their right purpose and
true service to their country. And, like the charming Mr. Reagan and all
those nice folks who keep us entertained on TV, don’t forget to keep
smiling.
Eric Stacey
June, 2006
BAGMAN:
The secret life of Col. Albert V. Carone
STRAUSS
Who knows?
CAMARINA
Nobody.
(weeping)
I swear.
STRAUSS
Why should we believe you?
CAMARINA
I told you.
STRAUSS
Tell me again.
CAMARINA
I work alone. Nobody knows.
STRAUSS
Somebody led you here. Who was it?
CAMARINA
I’m telling you the truth.
(in pain)
Oh, God. I swear to God!
STRAUSS
If you don’t give me something, I’m
going to kill everybody in this fucking vil-
lage.
FADE OUT
2
FADE IN on...
AL
They’re all dead.
AL
This is your last chance.
CAMARINA
The whole village?
AL
Everybody.
CAMARINA
You’re fucking monsters.
AL
He’s telling the truth.
STRAUSS
Motherfucker.
AL
He’s one of us for Chrissakes.
STRAUSS
One of us?
AL
He was doin’ his job.
FADE OUT:
VOICE
The time is now ten-o-five a.m.
Council will now identify himself
for the record.
KOHLMAN
Raymond D. Kohlman, K-O-H-L-M-A-N,
of Attleboro, Massachusetts.
VOICE
Penelope J. Perrigo, Notary Public,
will now swear in the deponent.
PERRIGO
Do you swear the testimony you are about
to give is the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth.
DESIREE
Yes, I do.
KOHLMAN
Good morning.
DESIREE
Good morning.
KOHLMAN
You okay?
DESIREE
I’m fine.
KOHLMAN
Oh, good. I’d like you to look at
this please.
KOHLMAN
And can you tell me what it is.
DESIREE
It’s my father’s death certificate.
5
KOHLMAN
Okay. And when did your father die?
DESIREE
January seventh, nineteen-ninety.
KOHLMAN
And how long had he lived here in New
Mexico?
DESIREE
Since nineteen-eighty.
KOHLMAN
And what was your father doing at the
time of his death?
DESIREE
He was retired.
KOHLMAN
And... um... what was his previous
employment?
DESIREE
He originally was with the military.
Then he went into New York City Police
Department. Did cross-over work with
Central Intelligence Agency and while
he was with the military, until his
death, he was with Military Intelligence,
CIC, Counter-Intelligence Corps.
DEE
They’re going to start putting
something on all the packages, Dad.
I forget what they call it. Bar
something. An electric eye at the
checkout stand reads it and somehow
knows exactly what it is, and how
much it costs. All the cashier has
to do is hold the item so the electric
eye can see this bar thingamajig.
DEE
Dad? Did you hear me?
VINCENT
We won. Twenty-one to six.
ROSIE
Tony made two touchdown passes.
DEE
Your grand-father is home. I think he fell
asleep.
7
Vincent swings through the kitchen and into the fam-
ily room. On the TV, a REPORTER looks into the news
camera.
REPORTER
“Kiki” Camarina was working undercover
in Mexico for the Drug Enforcement
Agency. Authorities report that
he had been brutally tortured by
members of a drug smuggling cartel
he had infiltrated.
VINCENT
Hey, Big Al. Did you hear? We won!
AL
Congratulations.
VINCENT
What are you watchin?
AL
Miami Vice.
VINCENT
Cool.
VINCENT
Gotta change.
ROSIE
Dinner is almost ready, Grandpa.
8
The two kids continue toward the back of the house as
Dee enters. She sits in front of her father, con-
cerned.
DEE
Dad?
AL
Huh?
DEE
How are you?
AL
Why?
DEE
You seem moody. Is everything okay?
AL
I got something to tell everybody at
dinner.
DEE
Are you hungry?
AL
For your meatballs? You gotta be
kidding.
AL
Yeah. I like Mexico.
TOM
You hear about the DEA Agent that
got killed?
9
AL
I heard. It’s all over the news.
TOM
He was born in Mexico. Raised dirt
poor. Came to this country and
worked to make his dream come true,
working for the DEA.
AL
I told you. I heard about it.
DEE
I told you. Something happened.
DEE
You want to wait for the kids to finish?
AL
I’m not revealing any secrets tonight.
DEE
Well then...?
AL
I’m going to retire.
TOM
I don’t believe it.
AL
I put in forty five years. I’m
sick of it.
DEE
(concerned)
You used to say nobody ever retires.
AL
There are people who don’t like the
idea. You want to know the truth?
They’re gonna turn up.
10
AL (Cont.)
It’s just a matter of time.
TOM
Al Carone isn’t the kind of guy who
just decides overnight to retire.
AL
I used to take pride in what I did.
There was a purpose to it. Now,
it’s just about the money.
DEE
(worried)
I never heard you talk like this.
AL
You don’t need to worry. The only
one they’re interested in is me.
ANTHONY
Who, grandpa?
AL
Anthony, big Al’s the one who asks
questions. Tell your Grand Dad about
the touchdown passes you made.
WALLACE
Good evening. Welcome to West 57th.
Our first story tonight contains new
and startling information that
indicates the American government
11
WALLACE (Cont.)
got involved in smuggling drugs to
supply the Nicaragan contras. That’s
right: drug smuggling organized by the
CIA to support the Contras. Congress
is already investigating the covert
network set up by the White House and
the CIA to secretly supply the Contras
with guns and money. But tonight you’ll
hear from three men who say, as incredible
as it sounds, that the government
through the sale of marijuana and cocaine
helpef fund that secret war.
DEE
Dad, I’m going to the drug store
for Tom’s prescription. You want
anything?
AL
Ice cream. Vanilla.
WALLACE
What kind of cargo are you talking about?
TOLLIVER
Drugs. It was my understanding that
they would make sure we wouldn’t get
caught. They were providing not only
the cargo but the landing areas, crews,
everything.
TOLLIVER
Believe it or not, the - the entire
business is compartmentalized. You’ve
got - I’m like a Teamster. You know.
I’m in transportation. You got people
that are in loading: you got people
that are in off-loading; you got people
that are in distribution, people that
are in sales.
13
TOLLIVER (Cont.)
You know, it’s - it’s like an
IBM situation.
SUIT 1
Colonel Carone?
AL
You boys didn’t waste any time getting
here, did you.
AL
Very good. Didn’t make a sound. I
must have trained you.
SUIT 2
You know why we’re here.
AL
You’re doing your job, and you don’t
question your orders.
SUIT 1
That’s right.
SUIT 1
We don’t want to end up like you,
Colonel.
MAN
Dee?
DEE
Yes?
MAN
Al’s daughter?
MAN
We need to talk to you.
DEE
Take your hands off me! Get away
from me, whoever you are! Help!
Somebody!
Dee yanks her arm free and runs for the door, SCREAM-
ING for help.
As she pulls from her parking place, the Man from the
store exits, watching her drive off.
DEE
Dad, where are you?
DEE
Dad?
AL
Everything’s all right. I’m here.
DEE
They followed me to the drug store.
Two men. One of them followed me
inside. He called me by name.
(then...)
He asked me if I was your
daughter. I guess he could tell by
my expression. Then he took my arm
and said, “we have to talk to you.”
AL
What did he look like, this man?
DEE
About forty. A little shorter than
me. Balding on top. And he wore
wire framed dark glasses.
AL
Anything else?
DEE
He sounded middle eastern or maybe he
was an Israeli.
16
AL
Jesus. What the hell do they want
with you?
DEE
Was somebody here?
(alarmed)
Was somebody here while I was gone?
Dad?
ER PHYSICIAN
Mrs. Ferdinand?
DEE
Yes?
ER PHYSICIAN
The lab tests are back...
DEE
And?
ER PHYSICIAN
They’re inconclusive. Your father
appears to be suffering from some
form of septicemia - blood poisoning –
but it’s nothing we’ve ever seen before.
DEE
An hour ago he was a doing pushups.
He does a hundred pushups a day, no
matter what.
17
ER PHYSICIAN
Did anything unusual happen that could
explain this?
DEE
My father is in the military. He just
came back from Mexico.
ER PHYSICAIN
There’s a small puncture above his right
kidney. It happened no more than a
couple of hours ago.
DEE
There was someone at the house.
ER PHYSICIAN
We’re starting to see signs of
kidney failure.
DEE
My father is a fighter. You just
keep him alive.
ER PHYSICIAN
You can’t tell us anything?
DEE
Dad?
AL
It’s classified.
ER PHYSICIAN
We’ll do everything we can.
AL
They killed me, Dee. Just the same
as if they’d put a gun to my head.
18
INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR — DUSK
TOM
How is he?
DEE
They put him on a kidney machine.
He seems a little better
TOM
How are you?
DEE
Afraid.
TOM
You look terrible. You have to
come home. Get some sleep.
DEE
I’ll sleep once Dad comes home.
TOM
I could stay. Give you a chance to
close your eyes.
DEE
You have to promise not to pay
attention to anything he says.
TOM
Why?
DEE
He’s talking crazy.
TOM
What kind of crazy?
DEE
Remember the drug agent who got
killed in Mexico? “Kiki” Camarena?
19
TOM
Yeah.
DEE
Dad says he was there.
AL
It was supposed to be routine.
Security maintenance. But then
this FBI kid “Kiki” turns up.
He had no idea what he was up
against.
AL
You can’t let anybody threaten an
operation. It doesn’t matter who
it is. But this kid came up from
nothing. Like me.
(then...)
We beat him terrible. Killed everybody.
The entire village. Over a hundred
people.
(then...)
Strauss lit the match and dropped it
into the gas. The kid’s screams.
The whole village in a ravine, dead.
It made me sick, and I slugged Strauss
in the mouth. Hitting Strauss. That
was my death warrant.
AL
I’ve never told anyone what I’ve done.
(then...)
I have to tell somebody. I want you to
be my confessors.
DEE
It’s no good for you to argue with
Dad like that, Uncle Pasquale.
PASQUALE
What did my brother tell you? Was he
going on like a crazy man about work?
DEE
I’m sorry, but that’s between Dad
and me.
PASQUALE
And who else? You?
TOM
Look...
PASQUALE
No. You look. That man in there.
Your father. He’s out of his mind.
He is delusional. Do you understand?
No one in his right mind would say
such things. No one!
DEE
You mean about killing an entire
village of innocent people?
PASQUALE
I’m sorry if this is upsetting to
you, Dee. But it would be far
better for everyone if you were
to place your father in my care.
21
DEE
Your care?
PASQUALE
Of course. Who better? I can see
that he is properly cared for. The
people here... what are they doing?
Kidney dialysis? They’re incompetent.
I insist on taking over my brother’s
care.
DEE
Could you hear Pasquale? The dialysis
is the only thing keeping you alive...
and he wants to take you off?
AL
He’s one of them. I gave you my
power of attorney. You keep that
son-of-a-bitch away from me.
DEE
Uncle Pasquale, the doctors here
know what they’re doing. We’re
not going to change a thing.
PASQUALE
Desiree, you have no idea the trouble
you are about to bring down on your
family.
DEE
Well, thanks very much for your concern.
22
EXT. CARONE HOUSE — DAY
PRES. REAGAN
I was not fully informed on the nature
of one of the activities... National
Security Adviser John Poindexter has
resigned and National Security Adviser
Colonel Oliver North has been fired.
DEE
Which guy?
AL
North. What an asshole.
DEE
You worked with Oliver North?
AL
He went by another name. John Chafee.
DEE
Dad, Pasquale says you’re crazy.
AL
Pasquale wasn’t in Chapatulla.
AL
The three of us went to Honduras
together...
23
AL (Cont.)
George Bush, me and that asshole,
North. Bush was head of CIA at the
time. I posed as his personal
physician. They needed to renegotiate
our deal with President Cerruti.
DEE
What deal?
AL
You don’t contract delivery of
thousands of tons of cocaine without
help from the top people.
DEE
Thousands of tons?
AL
Only governments can arrange things
like that.
DEE
And now? Resignations? A huge
scandal?
AL
They’re going to spin and spin.
By the time they’re through, it will
be like nothing ever happened.
DEE
Are you hungry? You want some
lasagne?
Dee and Tom are sitting up with Al, who wears a bath-
robe, ready for bed.
AL
You see how dangerous this all is?
It’s a heartbeat away from taking down
the President.
TOM
Would you like to see it reach the
Oval Office, Al?
AL
You know better than that.
TOM
Even after what they did to you?
AL
The Commies are practically camping
in our back yard. You don’t want to
invite them into the house, do you?
TOM
No, sir.
AL
Well, neither did the President. But
when Congress won’t give you money to
take care of the problem, you find
other ways.
(then...)
That’s all we did. Bill Casey decided
it was worth bending the rules a little.
So what if some dope addicts in Harlem
wind up doing time? Who cares?
25
TOM
You’re talking about the head of the
CIA, Dad.
AL
Bill came to your daughter’s christening.
TOM
Yes, he did.
AL
You remember the hall I rented for
your wedding?
TOM
Of course.
AL
These are my friends. You do not
come in here. You do not take any
pictures of these people...
AL
These are also my friends. You
do not take any pictures of these
people.
AL
This is the groom’s room.
26
AL (Cont.)
Here you take lots of pictures.
The groom’s family and friends.
AL
And here, you take pictures of my
beautiful daughter and her family.
You develop the pictures and bring
them to me. Nobody else. You
understand? Nobody sees a picture
till I say so.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Yes. Of course, Mr. Carone.
AL
Police and military in one hall.
Organized crime family across the
way. Our families separate from
the others. Who has a wedding like that?
(then...)
I worked my way up. NYPD. Counter
Intelligence. CIA. And all the while,
at the right hand of Carlo Gambino
and then your Uncle Paul...
TOM
Castellano.
AL
When I was a kid, I ran paper bags of
cash for Uncle Vito. After the War,
I was inside NYPD. A bagman. And
after JFK, I was paymaster for hundreds
of black operations. All secret.
The money, untraceable.
(considers, then...)
If any of those operations were
threatened, I was the guy they called
to eliminate the threat.
27
TOM
You killed people.
AL
A lot of people.
TOM
For the CIA.
AL
For my country.
Al turns slowly...
AL
I was hoping you might come
downstairs.
TOM
Are you all right?
AL
No. Something’s been bothering
me.
TOM
You want a snack?
AL
Everybody remembers where they were
the day JFK was assassinated, right?
TOM
Everybody I know.
AL
You want to know where I was that
day? Dallas.
AL
They told me exactly where to
position myself. On the roof of
the airport. When Kennedy arrived,
I was the first in line to take
him out.
TOM
I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
AL
I couldn’t get a clear shot. There
were too many people around him.
(then...)
Thank God. With everything I’ve done.
I couldn’t have lived with that.
TOM
The Agency killed Kennedy?
AL
He was going to pull out of VietNam.
TOM
You couldn’t say no?
AL
You think you have a choice? Nobody
has a choice. Not even Presidents.
29
INT. KIDNEY DYALISIS CENTER — DAY
BUSH
On the surface, selling arms to a
country that sponsors terrorism, of
course, clearly, you’d have to argue
it’s wrong, but it’s the exception
sometimes that proves the rule.”
AL
Are you hearing this, Dee? My old
boss is on “Good Morning America.”
(then...)
You think they’re in hot water
trying to explain selling arms
to Iran? Wait till they have to
explain selling crack to school kids.
DEE
You sound pretty good for a dead man.
AL
They should ask him about the
Nugen Hand Bank. About heroin
from Tailand. About the product we
deliver to South Central L.A.
DEE
Dad, do you know how crazy that sounds?
AL
Ask Manuel Noriega how crazy it
sounds. I paid him personally for
his warehouses and his Army.
30
It’s late. The lights in the house are off. Two men
make their way through the shadows toward the garage.
They step to the side door. One has a large pair of
bolt cutters.
The TV is on.
NEWS REPORT - Fawn Hill, Oliver North’s secretary,
has been granted immunity. She admits to helping her
boss shred documents.
The TV is on.
AL
Brain cancer? Don’t you believe it.
I worked for Bill Casey and he
worked for Wall Street...
and the Bankers. Bill Casey was a
Patriot. He made the world a better
place.
31
AL (Cont.)
If he’d made it in front of Congress,
Bill Casey would have told it like
it is. But America doesn’t want to
know the truth. And they will never
give anyone a chance to tell it.
AL
They screwed the black community.
Why? Because no one gave a damn.
Harlem and East Harlem. None of
them cared. North, Shackley,
Armetage.
(then...)
There’s one thing I wish I could have
done. They put one of my men in
prison - to keep him quiet. A Green
Beret. Sandy. He’s going to be
there the rest of his life. I had
tapes. His diary. I could have done
something and gotten him out... If
they hadn’t done this to me, I
would have.
PASQUALE
Your father was a good man. He did
more for the Country than you will
ever know.
DEE
Dad lasted four years, Uncle Pasqualle.
Dialysis three times a week was the only
Thing that kept him alive. During
those four years, he told me plenty.
32
PASQUALE
And now that he’s gone? What are
you going to do?
DEE
About what?
PASQUALE
About what he told you.
DEE
He didn’t want to die with a
guilty conscience.
PASQUALE
I heard someone broke into the
garage. Al’s foot locker disappeared.
DEE
Of course. You would know.
PASQUALE
You’re not angry?
DEE
Dad always said that foot locker
was his insurance policy.
PASQUALE
You’re not planning on repeating
anything he told you?
DEE
I’m not going to do anything. Dad
needed a confessor. I was it.
Pasqualle smiles.
PASQUALE
Good girl. Your father was always
very proud of you.
DEE
Well, I was always very proud of him.
DEE
Staff Sergeant? Staff Sergeant?
How can the Army make that kind
of mistake? Dad came out of World
War II a Staff Sergeant.
TOM
Dee, what if it’s not a mistake?
DEE
What if it’s not a mistake?
Of course it’s a mistake. You
and everybody else knows Dad
was a full Colonel.
TOM
Honey...
DEE
No. Dad gave his life for his
country. I am not going to let
anybody take that away.
DEE
This is where everyone told me
I need to start.
OFFICER
You’re looking for information
about...?
DEE
My father.
OFFICER
Name.
DEE
Carone, Albert, V.
OFFICER
Sometimes it can take a minute
or two.
DEE
It’s not a problem, as long as I
can get Dad’s headstone replaced.
OFFICER
His headstone.
DEE
The Army put a headstone on his
grave giving his rank as Staff
Sergeant. He was actually a
Colonel.
DEE
That’s impossible.
OFFICER
Carone. C-A-R-O-N-E. Is that the
correct spelling?
DEE
Yes.
OFFICER
Sorry. No records for anyone with
the last name Carone.
DEE
Well, your records are wrong. I
have his uniform. Pictures. Pay
stubs. He was a full Colonel.
OFFICER
If you want to pursue this further,
you’ll have to contact the
Department of the Army in Arlington.
BANK OFFICER
Ms. Ferdinand, I’m at a loss to
explain this, but there is no
record of this account ever
existing.
BANK OFFICER
I’m sorry. I don’t know where you
got those statements. We have no
record of that account.
DEE
It’s a joint account.
BANK OFFICER
There is no such account.
DEE
What the hell is this?
BANK OFFICER
I really couldn’t say, but I would
appreciate you lowering your voice.
DEE
Lowering my voice? Lowering my voice?
You gotta be fucking kidding!
BANK OFFICER
Security!
DEE
All right. But you have not heard
the last of this. Not by a long shot.
DEE
This is his social security card.
You want me to read the number again?
BUREAUCRAT
I’m sorry, Ma’am. I can’t pull up
that number. And if I can’t pull it
up, that means it was never issued.
DEE
Never issued.
BUREAUCRAT
That’s right.
DEE
You’re telling me my father never
even existed.
BUREAUCRAT
No. I’m telling you that number was
never issued. We have no record for
an Albert V. Carone.
DEE
The State Department tried to
confiscate Dad’s passport. They
told me there was no record of it
ever being issued.
38
She holds up the Passport, its pages filled with
entry and exit stamps from dozens of foreign coun-
tries.
DEE
Is that why there are so many
official stamps in it? Because
it was never issued?
DEE
The Department of Motor vehicles
confiscated Dad’s driver’s license
when I showed that to them. And
his car - registered in his name –
is now miraculously registered in
my name. The only thing so far
that’s come to me since his death.
STAFFER
And you want the Congressman to look
into the retirement you say is due
your family?
DEE
They’ve taken everything else away.
We’re no different than any other
serviceman’s family. We’re entitled
to something.
STAFFER
Well, I hate to disappoint you,
Ms. Ferdinand, but we’ve tried
to locate your father’s military
records as well, and with no better
result than your other inquiries.
I’m sorry. There simply aren’t
any records.
DEE
I am not going to sit still and let
them wipe my father off the face of
the earth like a bad spill.
TOM
Well, it does prove one thing.
DEE
His foot locker disappearing?
TOM
That all the things he told us...
about the covert operations.
DEE
Yeah. It was all true.
(then...)
That’s never been a question.
TOM
Well, it sure seems to be a
question for a lot of other people.
DEE
They’ve got no right to take him
away from me like this.
(then...)
What about the people he worked with?
TOM
Bill Casey is dead... but there
must be hundreds of guys who worked
in Military Intelligence. We’ve
just got to find them.
SPEAKER
It’s great to see so many of you
here today.
SPEAKER
You know, there are thousands of
us who keep in touch and stay on
top of what’s going on in Military
Intelligence today.
DEE
This is my father, Colonel Al Carone.
Does anyone here recognize him?
SPEAKER
But there are also too many of
our colleagues who drop out of
sight or lose touch with one
another, and I want to tell you
about something just over the
horizon that’s going to make it
a lot easier for the M.I. community
to stay in touch. It’s something
called the Internet.
MAHEU
It was 1960. I got a call from
Colonel Edwards, third man under
Allan Duelles. Dulles had decided
that the best way to get rid of
41
MAHEU (Cont.)
Castro was by ordering a hit
through the Mob. He knew they were
furious with Castro for closing
down their operations in Cuba.
And, if they got caught, the media
would think they were working on
their own.
MAHEU
I knew a guy named Johnny Rosell.
He put me together with two good-
fellas, a guy named Sam Gold and
another guy he just called Joe.
It turns out Sam was none other
than Sam Giancana and Joe was an
even bigger fish, Santos Trafficante,
the guy who used to run things for
the Mob in Havana.
MAHEU
Johnny didn’t just need a little
help from these guys. He needed
their permission. Trafficante
was connected inside Cuba but
Johnny couldn’t approach Trafficante
without going thru Giancana.
DEE
I’m looking for anyone who knows
my father, Colonel Al Carone. He
spent his life in Military
Intelligence. Anybody recognize him?
MAHEU
Let me see that.
MAHEU
This is your father?
DEE
He died recently, and now the Army
is telling me he never existed.
MAHEU
Yeah. I’ll bet.
DEE
You knew him?
MAHEU
Sure. I knew Al. A lot of people
knew Al Carone.
DEE
Of course.
MAHEU
So, what do you want from the Army?
DEE
The Army says he never existed.
Dad served his country, just like
all of you. It’s not right for
them to sweep him under the rug.
MAHEU
There’s only one guy I can think
of who may be able to help you.
His name is Theodore Shackley.
DEE
I know that name.
MAHEU
You should. Al worked for him.
You call Shackley. If anybody can
put things straight, it’s him.
DEE
Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr...
43
MAHEU
Maheu. Robert Maheu.
DEE
Thank you, Mr. Maheu.
MAHEU
Tell Ted I told you to call.
MAHEU
So, we had to make a choice - do
we put a bullet in Castro’s head,
or use poison?
VOICE
Hello?
DEE
Mr. Shackley?
SHACKLEY
Who’s this?
DEE
My name is Dee Ferdinand Carone.
A man named Robert Maheu suggested
that I call you.
44
SHACKLEY
Oh?
DEE
Mr. Maheu reminded me that you worked
with my father, Al Carone?
SHACKLEY
He did, eh?
DEE
Mr. Shackley, my father served his
country without question for forty
years.
SHACKLEY
What is it you want, Ms. Carone?
DEE
The headstone the Army put on Dad’s
grave gives his rank as Staff Sergeant.
But you and I both know he was a
Colonel.
SHACKLEY
Why do you think I know anything about
your father?
DEE
Because Dad told me everything. He
told me how the two of you worked
together in the Golden Triangle.
SHACKLEY
I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re
talking about.
DEE
Oh, please. I know all about your
work in Viet Nam. Robert Maheu
confirmed you’d worked together.
SHACKLEY
Well, while I may have known Colonel
Carone, that doesn’t mean he and I...
DEE
Then you knew he was a Colonel.
45
SHACKLEY
Well, yes. Of course he was. Your
father was very well thought of...
DEE
In the Agency.
SHACKLEY
Yes. In the Agency.
(then...)
What is it you really want, Ms.
Carone?
DEE
I want Dad’s head stone changed.
He was a Colonel when he died.
That’s how the head stone should
read.
SHACKLEY
Ms. Carone, I can’t make any promises,
but I will look into the matter. I’ll
see what I can do.
DEE
Thank you. Thank you very much.
CARRIER
Registered letter for Dee Ferdinand
Carone.
DEE
That’s me.
DEE
The Army says they made a mistake.
They’re going to replace Dad’s
head stone, correcting his rank
to Colonel.
TOM
That’s great news. Maybe now our
lives can get back to normal.
DEE
Normal?
(then...)
Honey, this was just the first round.
They took everything. Dad’s
retirement. His Social Security.
Our bank accounts. I haven’t even
started to fight.
DEE
Rosie! That’s enough for today.
DONNELLY
Hello, Dee.
DEE
Major Donnelly. What brings you
out this way?
DONNELLY
It’s been a while since the funeral.
I just thought I’d come by to say
hello.
DEE
That’s nice. Unexpected but nice.
Come in.
Donnelly enters.
DONNELLY
What a nice photo of Al.
DEE
My mother forced Dad to have that
picture taken.
48
DONNELLY
He looks very proud.
DEE
He’d just been promoted to full Colonel.
DONNELLY
Your Uncle Pasqualle told me about your
father’s foot locker being stolen.
DEE
Oh?
DONNELLY
That’s a shame.
DEE
Yes, it is.
DONNELLY
But Al must have kept other things.
Photos. Journals. Address books.
DEE
Of course he did.
DONNELLY
And you’ve gathered them all together.
DEE
I’m not quite done.
DONNELLY
You’re trying to find everything
you can, aren’t you.
DEE
Wouldn’t you?
DONNELLY
Dee. You know you can never win.
The more you fight, the higher the
walls will go up around you.
DEE
Is that why you stopped by? To warn me
about the walls going up?
49
DONNELLY
You know you and the kids are being
watched.
DEE
You want to know what we’re doing?
Why?
DONNELLY
I don’t want to know. I just want
you to stop. It’s the best thing you
can do...the best thing for everybody.
VOICE 1
It was 1980, right here outside
Marion, Illinois. First, the black
trailer pulled up. Anybody with
eyes could see it wasn’t a regular
truck. Not with all the antennas
on top. It’s a remote communications
command center for somebody important.
Somebody real important.
Now two black Cadillac town cars pull into the park-
ing lot and men in black suits climb out, heading
inside.
VOICE 1
Then, the foot soldiers arrive.
One is named Vince Foster. You
remember that name from Whitewater,
right?
VOICE 2
Very well.
VOICE 1
Another guy is Russel Herman, who
is a CIA bagman.
50
VOICE 1 (Cont.)
And with Herman is another bagman
named Al Carone, who was a very
good friend of William Casey.
(then)
I been watching this group for years.
They’re moving stocks, bonds, money.
Any time this Carone guy turns up,
we’ve followed the trail right back
to Theodore Shackley and CIA.
VOICE 1
Then the big fish arrives. Everyone
I’ve spoken with swears it was G.H.W.,
which explains the presence of the
big black truck.
ROTHSTEIN
More pieces of the puzzle.
(then...)
On July first, Vince Foster bought
a ticket to Switzerland, where he
had a secret, numbered bank account.
Eight days later, Swissair refunded
his ticket. Know why?
MC COY
Tell me.
51
ROTHSTEIN
Because somebody with his secret
authorization code withdrew all $2.8
million he had stashed in the
account and moved it.
MC COY
Moved it where?
ROTHSTEIN
The U.S. Treasury.
MC COY
The U.S. Treasury.
ROTHSTEIN
On the twentieth, Foster’s body was
found at Fort Marcy Park, across
the Potomac from his office at the
White House.
(then...)
Everybody who ever associated with
Al Carone has turned out to be dirty.
No exceptions.
MC COY
Same thing that happened to Foster
happened to Carone, only a couple
of years earlier.
ROTHSTEIN
And you’re going to talk to his
daughter?
MC COY
When she heard what I was doing,
she couldn’t wait to talk.
MC COY
Ms. Ferdinand?
DEE
Yes.
52
MC COY
I’m Bill McCoy.
DEE
Come in, please.
McCoy enters. Dee leads him into the living room.
DEE
Coffee, Mr. McCoy?
MC COY
Thank you. No. I’m fine.
DEE
You said you were with Military
Intelligence?
MC COY
I was with the military. Criminal
Investigations Division during Viet
Nam. I investigated the My Lai
massacre. I’m a civilian now.
Licensed private investigator.
DEE
And you want to talk to me about
my father...
MC COY
Right. About the same time your
father died, I received something
from an old Army buddy, Colonel
Edward Cutolo.
DEE
I know that name.
MC COY
He sent me an affidavit describing
an operation code name Watchtower.
Watchtower was a Latin American
narcotics operation the Colonel
ran at the direction of the CIA
and U.S. Army Special Forces.
53
MCCOY (Cont.)
At least that’s what Colonel Cutolo’s
affidavit alleges. Your father’s
name comes up at all levels and in
all aspects of the operation.
(then...)
Does that surprise you?
DEE
The only thing that surprises me is
that you’re looking into it.
MC COY
I’m one of those people who believe
the military should stay out of
politics. Not very many of us left.
DEE
How do I know you’re not one of them?
MC COY
One of who?
DEE
The people my father worked with.
Nobody wants me talking about this.
MC COY
They’ve contacted you?
DEE
Contacted me. Threatened me.
They’re watching my children.
They’ve erased my father’s name
from every kind of public record
you can think of. Stolen bank
accounts. You name it, they’ve
done it.
MC COY
I don’t doubt it for a minute.
Your father’s Military Intelligence
connections have stopped every
official investigation dead in the
water. You don’t mind if I tape
record your comments, do you?
54
DEE
What will you do with it?
MC COY
I’ve been talking to a lot of
people about this. Most are
afraid to come forward. Afraid
of losing their Military benefits.
Their retirement.
DEE
Or of being killed?
MC COY
I’m sorry about your father, Dee.
(then...)
How much did he tell you about his
work?
DEE
Before he got sick, all I knew about
Dad was that he loved his work.
After Dad got sick, his opinion of
the Military changed totally. So
much that he said, “Don’t bury me
in my uniform.” He asked me to burn
it.
MC COY
He never said anything about what
he did till he got sick?
DEE
We all knew who my father was.
It was pretty hard to miss.
(then...)
But our families all followed one
rule. Anything my father discussed
at home was never mentioned outside.
MC COY
This was...
DEE
While I was growing up in Brooklyn.
People were always coming over to
visit Dad...
55
INT. AL CARONE’S BROOKLYN BROWNSTONE — NIGHT
DEE (VO)
Uncle Frankie, Joe Pickles, Benny
the Egg, Matty the Horse, and Uncle
Paul. They were always dropping in.
MC COY
Uncle Paul?
DEE
Paul Castellano. The head of the
Gambino crime family.
MC COY
Close family friend?
DEE
Dad was raised by the Family.
DEE
My grandparents were major land
owners in Italy. Olive oil exporters.
DEE (VO)
Grandma had a hard time making
ends meet and she did anything
she could to keep a roof over her
head.
DEE (VO)
One of Dad’s Uncles was Vito
Genovese. During the 30’s and
40’s, Uncle Vito was the Godfather
of Cosa Nostra. He took Dad under
his wing. Dad ran errands for Uncle
Vito. He started sleeping behind
the bar at one of his neighborhood
joints. Uncle Vito even got dad a
job on a radio commercial.
57
A RECORDING ENGINEER cues Little Al. Little Al lifts
his head to the microphone in front of him and
SINGS...
LITTLE AL
On top of spaghetti, All covered
with cheese, I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.
(then...)
It rolled off the table, And onto the
floor, And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.
ANNOUNCER
Mamma, you want your kids to sing
about your spaghetti? Next time
you go shopping, pick up a package
or two of Prince Spaghetti. Your
family will love you for it.
DEE (VO)
By the time he reached his late
teens, dad was working full time
for Uncle Vito. Uncle Vito had
recently lost his first wife had
fallen in love with a married woman.
Dad was only too eager to help his
sponsor solve the problem and in
the process became a made man.
58
The man’s wife and Uncle Vito are revealed a few feet
away from the trussed up man, who slowly strangles,
his eyes bulging as he dies, watching Genovese and
his wife make love.
DEE (VO)
In 1937, Uncle Vito fled the country
to avoid a murder charge. He settled
in Naples, where he worked his way
into the narcotics trade. By the end
of the War, he’d made friends with
the OSS and helped finger key people
in the drug trade. When the OSS got rid
of them, Uncle Vito took over their
businesses.
DEE (VO)
Dad had joined the Army and trained
in intelligence and espionage. He
was sent to Naples where Uncle Vito
began teaching him the drug trade.
DEE (VO)
After the War, in 1946, Dad went
to work for the New York Police
Department. His shield number was
3283. We lived in a brownstone in
Brooklyn for ten years and during
that time Dad’s Family ties grew
stronger. Everybody came to the
house. Joe Colombo. The Gallo
Brothers. The Bonano Family.
59
INT. CARONE BROWNSTONE — NIGHT
DEE (VO)
Dad worked the 19th and 21st Divisions.
He took over from another cop named
Jimmy Reardon. Dad was the “bagman.”
The guy in the department who delivered
the payoffs and made sure the Department
would look the other way when the drugs
came through.
DEE (VO)
The drugs came into the country
thru Uncle Vito’s OSS connections.
As the OSS evolved into the CIA the
drugs kept coming in. Dad was the
man in the middle, the link between
organized crime and the NYPD.
MOTHER
You two keep your elephant ears
away from there. You know better
than that.
MC COY
Your father was with NYPD twenty
years. Twenty years and nobody
ever suspected he was dirty?
DEE
I remember him talking about a
Detective named Jimmy Rothstein
who was investigating corruption
in the department. He said Rothstein
was going to get himself killed if
he didn’t stop snooping around.
60
MC COY
I know Rothstein. Did he get close?
DEE
It was when another cop, Pete Perrazo,
got picked up at the airport with a
suitcase full of heroin. Pete was
a Sergeant. Dad paid him ten grand
to pick up the suitcase from an Agency
guy and deliver it to a Family address.
The Agency guy who delivered the
suitcase got away clean, but Pete
was indicted.
MC COY
Perrazo didn’t mention the ten grand
or your father?
DEE
Pete knew who he was working with.
(then...)
Dad’s brother, Pasqualle, was Chief
Psychiatrist for the Department. He
had Pete sent to South Fork, where
he was on staff. He put Pete under
observation for a few days, pronounced
him mentally ill and got the drug
charge dropped. That way Pete could
retire and collect his pension.
MC COY
And your father stayed clean.
DEE
Dad retired in 1966. By that
time we’d been living on Long
Island for ten years. Wontauk.
MC COY
Why all the way at the end of
Long Island?
DEE
Dad liked it out there.
MC COY
A lot of boat traffic in and out
of Wontauk.
61
DEE
Right. And by that time, Dad was
working for NYPD and the Agency.
MC COY
“The” Agency.
DEE
Yeah.
MC COY
And you know that for a fact
because...
DEE
Bill Casey was a family friend.
MC COY
The William Casey... ?
DEE
“Uncle Bill” and Dad were friends
from the old neighborhood. During
the War, they were in the OSS together.
MC COY
So they were good friends?
DEE
The best. “Uncle Bill” came to
my son’s christening.
MC COY
Your family had a very interesting
social life.
DEE
One time Uncle Bill and Uncle Paul
were at the house for dinner. They
sat across the dining table from
each other. The head of the CIA and
the head of the Gambino Crime Family...
Chatting away like old friends.
62
MC COY
About what? Do you remember?
DEE
I’m not sure... I think they both
grew roses.
MC COY
Who else was your father friendly
with?
DEE
You want a list? I’ve still got Dad’s
phone book from back then. It’s full
of people from the military, attorneys
and organized crime.
MC COY
Any names I would recognize?
DEE
Besides William Casey?
MC COY
Yeah. Besides Casey.
DEE
General Richard Stilwell. Theodore
Shackley. Oliver North.
MC COY
Oliver North?
DEE
Dad used to call him “Ollie.”
MC COY
How do you know that?
DEE
That’s what Dad called him.
(remembering...)
And there was a diary... One of the
men’s wives kept a diary. I saw it
once. She wrote down everything her
husband had told her about what he’d
done during the operation you mentioned.
Watchtower.
63
DEE (Cont.)
He was support for the planes they
flew in and out of Peru into Panama.
His name was Sandy. He thought
Oliver North was a big hero.
MC COY
Sandy did?
DEE
Yeah. My father wasn’t a big fan
of North’s.
MC COY
He said so?
DEE
When the hearings were on TV, Dad
said North was... It wasn’t
complimentary.
MC COY
Stilwell. Shackley. North. Those
are some big names.
DEE
The only one who went to jail was
Edwin Wilson.
MC COY
I’ve spoken with Wilson. He was set
up as the scapegoat for everything.
He knew the chance he was taking.
(then...)
But Company people aren’t usually
known for discussing their work.
Why did your father tell you all this?
DEE
The cocaine he brought in ruined
a lot of lives. Dad Felt bad about
that. He told me what he’d done.
Some terrible things. He wanted
to clear his conscience.
MC COY
Would you be willing to talk about
this in Court?
64
Dee considers the question, then...
DEE
Dad was a patriot, Mr. McCoy. At
least in the beginning.
(then...)
The man my father made his last trip
with... a man named James Strauss...
came to the house not long after Dad
died.
STRAUSS
You have nothing to worry about Dee.
I just dropped by to talk.
DEE
I didn’t know we had anything to
talk about.
STRAUSS
Open the door, Dee. I’m a friend.
DEE
Talk.
STRAUSS
I came to see how you’re getting on.
STRAUSS
Dee, I understand your anger. But
you have to realize, when your father
turned his back on me, he turned his
back on the entire organization. He
knew exactly what the consequences
would be.
65
Dee accepts this, reluctantly.
STRAUSS
The question is, can you bite the bullet
and go on with your life?
DEE
I want what my father worked for.
What he left me. Including the
respect that’s due for the work
he did for his country.
STRAUSS
You know that’s not possible.
DEE
Well, don’t expect me to bite any
bullets.
STRAUSS
That puts us in a very difficult
position, Dee.
DEE
Meaning...
STRAUSS
You know perfectly well we’re not
going to allow you to compromise us.
We’re going to have to put you in
checkmate at all times.
STRAUSS
Think of your children, Dee. You’re
vulnerable. You can’t watch them
twenty-four hours a day.
DEE
My father used to travel to the
far east regularly. He would
leave the house, usually with a
briefcase handcuffed to his wrist –
sometimes he was in uniform.
Sometimes in civies. The trips
were usually to Hong Kong. To
the Nugin-Hand Bank. They used
the laundered money to fund black
operations.
MC COY
Who would he see in Hong Kong?
DEE
Frank Nugin or Michael Hand. Michael
Hand was another friend of Dad’s from
the Bronx who later joined Special
Forces.
MC COY
Did he mention any other names
connected with Nugin-Hand?
DEE
A lot of names.
MC COY
Do you remember any?
DEE
Some... Harry Wainwright, Paul Halliwell,
Don Beaseley, Edwin Black, Elliot Abrams.
67
MC COY
Elliot Abrams was the Assistant Secretary
of State under President Reagan.
DEE
That’s what I’ve been telling you,
Dad worked with a lot of important
people.
MC COY
Abrams plead guilty to two misdemeanor
counts of lying to Congress about the
Contra Program.
DEE
They’re all liars.
MC COY
The last year of his Presidency, President
Bush pardoned him.
DEE
Oliver North worked for Abrams.
MC COY
Most people have completely forgotten.
DEE
I haven’t forgotten. I tried to
contact North several times. Dad
said he went under another name back
then. John Cathey.
MC COY
Ever talk with North?
DEE
I phoned him at his radio talk
show. He was talking about how
terrible drugs are. Running for
Senator at the time.
MC COY
Did he talk to you?
DEE
Hell no. Then I called Shackley.
Shackley told me to try again and
tell him he’d told me to call...
68
MC COY
To what end?
DEE
To confirm what Dad told me. But
one of North’s assistants said North
didn’t know anyone named Al Carone
and he didn’t know anyone named
Theodore Shackley.
(then...)
God Damn liars.
(then...)
Shackley gave me North’s attorney’s
number too. Mr. Sullivan. He
wouldn’t return my calls.
(then...)
Mr. McCoy, I know Dad ran drugs with
Ollie North and Manuel Noriega.
They bought them from Pablo Escobar
and the Medelin Cartel.
MC COY
I’ve confirmed a number of black
operations. Amadeus. Sand Man.
Tin Roof. Anyone who threatened the
security of those operations was
eliminated.
DEE
Dad eliminated them. Then they
eliminated him.
MC COY
Dee, thank you for talking to me.
You’ve confirmed everything I’ve
been told.
DEE
What are you going to do?
MC COY
What are you going to do, Mrs.
Ferdinand?
DEE
I don’t know.
MC COY
I think you should find an attorney.
69
INT. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE — DAY
DEE
It’s almost as if you could
read my mind, Mr. Kohlman. I
just started thinking of contacting
an attorney and within a day or
two you call me out of the blue?
How does that happen?
KOHLMAN
I represent someone who knows all
about you. A young man named
William Tyree. He served under
your father in Panama during
operation Watchtower.
DEE
Why didn’t he call me?
KOHLMAN
Because he’s currently living in
a very small jail cell and he can’t
afford to make phone calls.
KOHLMAN
Like you, he threatened to expose
the narcotics element of
Iran-Contra. His wife was murdered.
He got life in prison. A lot of
people think Bill was set up...
DEE
What do you think?
KOHLMAN
I think you and Bill have a good
case.
DEE
A good case? Against who?
KOHLMAN
The Federal Government.
70
DEE
You want me to sue the Federal
Government?
KOHLMAN
Specifically, the CIA, The United
States Army, George Herbert Walker
Bush and the whole cast of characters
who were running things. All of them.
DEE
You’re serious, aren’t you.
KOHLMAN
It’s the best way I can think of
to make people pay attention.
DEE
Sue President Bush? The U.S. Army?
KOHLMAN
And the CIA.
DEE
Can you do that?
KOHLMAN
Of course.
DEE
Can you win?
KOHLMAN
It depends on whether we can
prove your claims in a court
of law. With Mr. Tyree as a
witness, your case is stronger,
but we need witnesses who can
come forward and present evidence.
DEE
Bill McCoy is the only one I know.
KOHLMAN
Where does he live?
DEE
Somewhere in Florida, I think.
71
INT. MCCOY’S BEDROOM — DAWN
VOICES
Federal Officers! Put your hands
up and do not move!
LAWMEN
Do not move!
KOHLMAN
I’m sorry, Dee.
(then...)
The local sheriff says the Feds
had information that McCoy was in
possession of Classified documents
and had an illegal firearm. They
got a “no knock” search warrant.
McCoy was killed in the shootout,
so we have only the word of the
A.T.F. and the local sheriff
versus McCoy’s wife.
DEE
Bill McCoy is dead. That probably
means all the interviews and the rest
of his work has disappeared, doesn’t it.
KOHLMAN
We don’t know. The court has sealed
the case file and nobody will talk
about the nature of the documents.
Whatever they were, the Feds have
sealed everything, claiming they
threaten national security.
DEE
Bill McCoy interviewed dozens of
Special Forces members who’d been
a part of the operations my father
ran. Bill McCoy was the only person
left who could have helped me.
KOHLMAN
There are bound to be others.
We’re just going to have to work
a little harder to find them.
KOHLMAN
Your father grew up in the Bronx.
He was adopted so to speak by
Vito Genovese. While he was still
a young man, he became a “made”
member of the Genovese crime family.
About that time, he enlisted in the
military and wound up in Italy,
working for the OSS, where he not
73
KOHLMAN (Cont.)
only got to know William Colby and
William Casey - who would both later
head the CIA - he also happened to
run into Mr. Genovese who’d been
deported... who tutored your father
in the fine points of the drug
smuggling business. Right so far?
DEE
Close enough.
KOHLMAN
When the war ended, Al returned
home where he joined the New York
Police Department, working his way
up through the ranks while paying
his fellow officers to look the
other way and to otherwise allow
the narcotics trade to flourish in
New York.
DEE
Right.
KOHLMAN
As your father’s skills sharpened,
He branched out. He joined
the Army Reserves, working part
time for both the Army and NYPD.
Performing services only someone
with his connections could perform.
DEE
Yes.
KOHLMAN
And, about the time he was ready
to retire from the NYPD, he was
recruited to continue working
both sides of the fence, this
time for the US Army Counter
Intelligence Corp. and the Central
Intelligence Agency. Correct?
DEE
Correct.
KOHLMAN
And, while working as a Colonel in
the US Army...
74
KOHLMAN (Cont.)
and under direction from the CIA,
he began importing hundreds of
millions of dollars worth of
cocaine into the U.S.A.
DEE
Exactly.
KOHLMAN
Dee, do you realize how wild this
story sounds?
DEE
It’s not a story. It’s the truth.
KOHLMAN
So you say.
DEE
You don’t believe me?
KOHLMAN
I’m not saying that. What I’m
saying is we’ve got to convince a
court of law that it’s the truth.
How are we going to do that?
DEE
Witnesses.
KOHLMAN
It’s kind of like trying to prove
there was more than one shooter in
Dallas.
DEE
I know. My father was one of them.
KOHLMAN
What we need is a witness. Someone
who actually saw something.
DEE
Oliver North.
75
KOHLMAN
A friendly witness. North wants
to be a senator.
DEE
All the defendants...
KOHLMAN
...Are going to lie through their
teeth. We need proof.
DEE
What about Mr. Tyree. You said
he’d worked with my father.
KOHLMAN
That’s right. And I haven’t
ruled out the possibility that
there may be a copy of McCoy’s
affidavit somewhere.
DEE
In spite of National Security.
TYREE
I was real sorry to learn about
your dad. He was a good man.
Taught me alot.
DEE
You served under my dad in Panama.
TYREE
I served under your father on
three different missions.
76
DEE
But I don’t recall him mentioning
Bill or William Tyree.
TYREE
That’s because he used to call me
“Sandy.”
DEE
He called you Sandy? The Sandy
whose wife kept a diary?
TYREE
That diary got her killed and put me
in here...
DEE
I saw it. I saw your picture and
your wife’s picture in the front.
You couldn’t have been twenty years old.
TYREE
Did you read any of it?
DEE
An Army friend of my father’s sent
it to him asking him to keep it safe.
TYREE
Colonel Cotulo. I served under
him on both Watchtower and Orwell.
He could tell you the whole story,
but he was killed. Car crash.
DEE
Dad was furious that I’d seen it.
He said I knew better than to look
at any of his things. This was back
in 1979, while he was still working.
KOHLMAN
That diary is the missing link that
confirms everything you both need to
prove.
TYREE
And you saw it. You saw Eileen’s
diary.
77
DEE
He didn’t keep it long. The next
time he went to Langley he took it
with him. I never saw it again.
KOHLMAN
Still, it’s enough. You’re not
related in any way other than via
that diary, but it links the two
of you...
DEE
And confirms the cocaine smuggling...
TYREE
Yeah. Through three U.S. Presidents.
Reagan. Bush. Clinton.
DEE
Clinton?
TYREE
Clinton was Attorney General of
Arkansas at the time. Mena,
Arkansas is where they flew in
planeload after planeload of
Columbian cocaine. From the
mid-seventies half way into the
eighties.
DEE
My God. That’s right. Dad told
me he saw him at the airport with
Oliver North and Bush.
TYREE
That’s not all. The guy who locked
me in here and threw away the key
went on to become Attorney General
of Massachusetts. Then he got
elected to the U.S. Senate. As a
Senator, he presided over the
Committee on Foreign Relations, the
Committee that investigated
Government involvement in drug
smuggling. What did his committee
do about it? Nothing. What was
this Senator’s name?
78
DEE
I have no idea.
TYREE
Lets just say he’s a Skull and
Bones brother of the Bushes.
KOHLMAN
Bill’s been researching this thing
pretty thoroughly, Dee.
TYREE
What else am I going to do, living
in an eight by ten cell?
KOHLMAN
We’re going to need you to swear
out an affidavit confirming your
knowledge of the type of work
Colonel Carone was involved in.
TYREE
Happily.
TYREE
My name is William M. Tyree.
I am currently incarcerated within
the Massachusetts Department of
Correction, serving my 19th year
of a First Degree Life Sentence.
My last duty assignment was the
441st Military Intelligence
Detachment, 10th Special Forces
Group, Airborne, Fort Devens,
Massachusets. During the period of
time I was on active duty within
the U.S. Army, I did know, and I did
serve with the individual known as
U.S. Army Colonel Albert V. Carone,
who was a Military Intelligence -
Counter Intelligence Officer.
79
TYREE (Cont.)
I worked with Colonel Carone on a
variety of classified military
operations that the U.S. Army and
U.S. Government does currently deny
ever took place.
(then...)
I was told many things by Colonel
Carone prior to his death in January
1990, and the following things are
some of the bits of information that
Colonel Carone communicated to me.
(then...)
Carone said he had taken money to
a female named Ruth Paine in late
1956, on orders of a friend of his,
William Casey. Carone knew William
Casey through his connections to
the Gambino and Genovese Crime
Families, in which Carone was a
“made man,” and worked as a New
York City Detective “Bagman”
delivering payoffs from the Mafia to
various New York City Police Officers
who were on the take.
(then...)
Carone said that Ruth Paine was
approached by the CIA, through
William Casey to find and recruit
an individual with communist ties
and some type of anti-American
background.
(then...)
Carone said that three individuals
were placed in the area near where
Ruth Paine lived and worked. They
had been deposited so that Ruth Paine
would find them.
(then...)
Carone said this was done so that
there was additional distance between
the CIA, the individual and Ruth
Paine.
(then...)
Carone said when Ruth Paine found one
of the three individuals she would in
turn notify her CIA contact who was
identified to me as George
80
TYREE (Cont.)
DeMohrenschildt, who in turn would
contact his CIA supervisor, identi-
fied to me as George Bush.
(then...)
Carone said that George Bush, of
Zapata Business, was the same George
Bush who was CIA Director and later
Vice President, and then President of
the United States.
(then...)
Carone said that the individual lo-
cated by Ruth Paine was Lee Harvey
Oswald.
(then...)
Carone said that at the time that
Lee Harvey Oswald was recruited,
it was not for any planned assassi-
nation. He was merely part of a
controlled experiment conducted by
CIA doctors.
(then...)
Carone said that his brother, Doctor
Pasquale Carone, was involved in the
controlled experiments conducted
by the CIA known as MK-Naiomi and
MK-Ultra.
(then...)
Carone said that by the time the CIA
finished its mind control experiments
with Lee Harvey Oswald, the experi-
ments would have made him capable of
anything.
(then...)
Carone told me that in 1963, he had
been ordered to shoot JFK at the
Dallas Airport, in Texas. Carone
said he had been given a bolt action
rifle, Russian made, with a tele-
scopic lens, but could not get a
clear field of fire at JFK,
and therefore, didn’t want to upset
the apple cart by taking a shot that
might miss, and alert everyone than
an attempt had been made on the life
of JFK.
(then...)
81
TYREE (Cont.)
Carone said he had went to Dallas in
1963 on orders from William Casey.
That he had been joined there by
several other U.S. Military personnel,
all of whom had some part in
the overall operation to kill JFK.
(then...
Carone said he had approached Jack
Ruby prior to the murder of JFK, and
Ruby was aware of what was going
to happen to JFK, and was part of the
overall plan to murder JFK.
(then...)
I will testify to the contents of
this affidavit in a court of law.
DEE
Hello.
KOHLMAN
Your case is getting stronger by
the minute, Dee. I just received
an affidavit from an anonymous
source. Guess whose affidavit it is?
DEE
Tell me.
KOHLMAN
It looks like a sworn affidavit
from William Casey. You’re not
going to believe who witnessed it.
82
DEE
Tell me.
KOHLMAN
Richard Nixon.
DEE
Isn’t it strange that someone
would just drop something like
that in the mail to you?
KOHLMAN
There are a lot of people in
positions of power who privately
take issue with what The Company
doese. Your case is an
opportunity to do something about
it.
(then...)
Listen to this. It’s going to blow
your mind.
CASEY
I, William J. Casey, declare: I
have found that freedom is a price-
less commodity that demands con-
stant vigilance to guarantee its
longevity.
(then..)
I was assigned to the Office of
Strategic Services in London, En-
gland, during World War II. During
that time I befriended a young
German soldier named Gunther. I
used Gunther and several other
young anti-Nazi German prisoners of
war on OSS operations within Nazi
Germany.
(then...)
I knew this violated the Geneva
Convention. I did not care.
83
CASEY (Cont.)
The Geneva Convention was but a set
of rules governing man’s atrocities
committed in the name of political
ideology. To wage war with rules
is to prolong human suffering.
Open warfare is the last resort of
a civilized nation and must be used
sparingly. Wars must be fought
savagely utilizing all tools and
tricks at hand. Gunther was a
tool. Ignoring the Geneva Conven-
tion was the trick.
(then...)
After I became Director of Central
Intelligence on January 28, 1981, I
was approached and briefed by Will-
iam Colby, former DCI. My history
with Bill Colby is known. Colby
notified me off the record of two
operations he was still running in
Latin America. Both operations
were without knowledge and consent
of the United States Congress,
President Ronald Reagan, or even
the United States Intelligence
apparatus. Colby identified the
operations as “Red Mist,” and
project “Sandman.” Sandman entailed
smaller operations.
(then...)
I was told that Red Mist identified
individuals and the build up of the
communist threat in Latin America.
Some intelligence collected in Red
Mist was used in Task Force-157.
(then...)
I was told that Sandman was “the
Phoenix program” of Latin America.
It involved the assassination of
the communist infrastructure
throughout Latin America.
(then...)
I was told that Colby authorized
assets involved in Red Mist and
Sandman to engage in narcotic’s
trafficking to finance both opera-
tions.
84
CASEY (Cont.)
Colby engaged in similar operations
that I know of in Vietnam for the
same reason.
(then...)
Colby candidly informed me that he
had prepositioned more than one
million pounds of cocaine in Panama
between December 1, 1975 and April
1, 1976. This was done with the
aid of our gallant ally, General
Manuel Noriega.
(then...)
The cocaine was transported into El
Salvador, Costa Rica and Honduras
between 1976 and 1981. Colby now
sat in front of me with hat in hand
and requested my help in the deliv-
ery of the cocaine to the American
market.
(then...)
I was told that Colby was using a
mutual friend of ours, Colonel
Albert Vincent Carone, United
States Army, Military Intelligence,
to field Red Mist and Sandman. Al
Carone is a charismatic patriot
that General Joseph W. Stilwell
introduced us to in late 1945.
Beside the usual qualifications, Al
Carone brought to the anti-commu-
nist effort a direct connection to
his long time friend, Vito
Genovese. Genovese was head of the
gambling and narcotics for the
controlling family in New York to
which Al Carone was a made member.
Carone is a friend of international
fugitive, Robert Vesco. Carone has
several anti-communist intelligence
sources that include Maurita
Lorenz, a friend of Fidel Castro.
Al Carone is the younger brother of
Doctor Pasquale Carone. Dr. Carone
worked for Central Intelligence on
other matters.
(then...)
85
CASEY (Cont.)
Colby told me that profits from the
prepositioned cocaine would be
laundered through Al Carone, the
New York Mafia, and Robert Vesco,
then redirected to the anti-commu-
nist effort through Colby.
After discussions with Al Carone, I
made the decision to bring the
prepositioned cocaine into Mena
airport, Mena, Arkansas. Central
Intelligence has used Mena airport
on prior occasions. This time the
cocaine is the tool. The trick was
to ignore the law and avoid public
scrutiny. We were helped in our
effort by William J. Clinton, and
William F. Weld.
(then...)
By 1984 all prepositoned cocaine
had arrived at Mena airport, and
additional cocaine sources were
secured. Cocaine was being trans-
shipped through Hanger Four and
Five at Ilapango Airbase, El Salva-
dor. My point man at Mena was
Alder Berriman Seal. Barry Seal.
(then...)
Bill Clinton has proved invaluable
so far by containing the local law
enforcement investigations into the
intelligence activity at Mena.
Bill Weld, as Assistant United
States Attorney, was placed in
charge of the Criminal Division of
the Department of Justice.
This was done so that Bill Weld
could control investigations into
Mena by federal law enforcement
agencies. This placement of Weld
has proved invaluable to date.
I ordered John Poindexter, Robert
McFarland, and Oliver North to go
outside the normal channels and use
available assets, including the
Mafia, to ensure the arrival of the
cocaine into Mena airport.
86
CASEY (Cont.)
The arrivals occurred in no small
part through the efforts of person-
nel assigned to the National Secu-
rity Agency, and Army Security
Agency. The men and women of the
NSA and ASA, blinded early warning
defense satellites, and radar
grids to enable the aircraft to
land undetected at Mena airport.
The NSA and ASA operations were
“Sea Spray” and “Jade Bridge.”
(then...)
I have learned that the course of
Democratic struggle for Nicaragua,
and latin America is beginning to
swing in our direction. I at-
tribute this success to Projects
Red Mist and Sandman which Bill
Colby had the insight, precision
and spine to carry out. I take
notice of the heroic efforts of Al
Carone, Bill Clinton, Bill Weld,
John Poindexter, Bud McFarland and
Ollie North. Without these men,
Red Mist and Sandman would not have
appeared.
(then...)
Freedom is a priceless commodity.
The amount of freedom you enjoy is
a result of the amount of vigilance
you invest. My actions may be
recorded as criminal, condemning
countless Americans to drug depen-
dency. I don’t care. All wars
produce casualties. Generally the
more violent the war, the shorter
the length. My choice was either to
stare down a protracted cold war
guerrilla insurgency in Latin
America or use the means available
to finance and wage a violent war
of short duration for democracy.
I stand by my decision. The tool
is cocaine. The trick is to under-
stand that the drug user had the
freedom to make a choice. They
chose the drug. I chose to use
their habit to finance the democ-
racy that all Americans enjoy.
87
CASEY (Cont.)
To keep Americans safe from the
communist threat knocking on our
back door in Latin America. For a
change the drug user will contrib-
ute to society.
(then...)
I declare under penalty of perjury
that the above facts are true and
correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief. Executed this 9th day
of December 1986 in McLean, Vir-
ginia.
(signs)
William J. Casey.
DEE
What do you mean, starting?
KOHLMAN
The Government is going to come
at us with all they’ve got. We
need every shred of evidence we
can gather.
(then...)
I want to come out to New Mexico.
Take a video deposition from you
and your husband for the record.
While I’m there, we can go over
anything else you might be able
to find. All right?
DEE
You really think there’s a chance
we can win, don’t you.
88
KOHLMAN
I wouldn’t invest all this time
and effort if I didn’t.
DEE
What are the odds against winning?
KOHLMAN
I don’t want you thinking that way.
DEE
What if we lose, Ray?
KOHLMAN
I’ll be out there next week. We’re
not going to lose.
KOHLMAN (VO)
This is the second affidavit that’s
been sent to us anonymously.
DEE
Sworn by my father? Don’t you want
to know where it came from?
KOHLMAN
Of course, but there’s no way to
trace it. It just arrived in the
mail. First Class. No return address.
DEE
No one else could have written this.
That’s my father’s signature.
After all this time... someone sends
it to you? Why?
89
KOHLMAN
Do you want to exclude it?
DEE
We can’t exclude it. It’s my father
talking from the grave.
AL
I am Albert V. Carone, Colonel,
United States Army. Social Secu-
rity number 067-16-1826, born July
8, 1922. Per request of William E.
Colby, former Director of Central
Intelligence, and William J.
Casey, current DCI, I file this
declaration.
(then...)
I grew up in Brooklyn, New York,
and was befriended by Mr. Vito
Genovese. Mr. Genovese was an
Italian businessman. In time I
learned that Mr. Casey was a friend
of Mr. Genovese. Mr. Genovese
introduced Mr. Casey as a man he
had known since Mr. Casey attended
elementary school in Elmhurst, New
York. I was also introduced to Mr.
Colby. I became good friends with
Mr. Colby, and Mr. Casey.
I did visit Mr. Casey at his
Mayknoll estate, and his 2501
Massachusetts Avenue, Washington,
D.C., residence. I have received
telephone calls at my home from
both Mr. Colby and Mr. Casey. Mr.
Casey was present when my
grandson Vincent was christened.
(then...)
90
CARONE (Cont.)
As an officer in the United States
Army, Military Intelligence, I have
worked for the Central Intelligence
Agency for over twenty years. At
the time of my recruitment, I was a
Detective in the New York City
Police Department. I was recruited
to act as liaison between the CIA
and certain Chinese and Italian
businessmen in New York City. Mr.
Genovese was one of the Italian
businessmen in this liaison. These
businessmen had the abiity to pro-
vide accurate general intelligence
and logistical support for world
wide intelligence activities.
(then...)
During my tenure I had the privi-
lege to work directly with Presi-
dent Richard M. Nixon, General
Joseph Stilwell, General William P.
Yarborough, Colonel Michael Hand,
Colonel Edward Cutolo, Colonel A.J.
Baker, Colonel Oliver North, Colo-
nel Michael Hirari, Carlos Gambino,
Paul Castellano, Sam Giacana, John
Gotti, Richard Armitage, Robert
Vesco, and Barry Seal. I have
worked indirectly with Spiro T.
Agnew, General Richard Secord, and
Ted Shackley.
(then...)
During my tenure I was involved in
some capacity with the following
significant intelligence activities
in Latin America or Africa. Some
of these activities involved the
Intelligence Support Activity. Red
Mist, 1973-1975. Identifica
tion of the communist infrastruc
ture. Sandman, 1975-1979. Elimi-
nation of the communist infra-
structure in Latin America.
(then...)
Second project Sandman, 1980-1984.
Elimination of the communist infra-
structure, including Task Force
91
CARONE (Cont.)
Bravo, Operations Yellow Fruit, Sea
Spray and Omni Unit. Also opera-
tions joined in by the Medellin
Cartel, the Meneses Cartel and the
Cali Cartel.
(then...)
Operation Watchtower involved drug
trafficking to finance anticommu-
nist ativities between 1975 and
1984. Operation A-11 - cocaine
flown from Colombia and
prepositioned in Panama - 1975 to
1976. A-12 - cocaine transshipped
from Panama to prepositioned areas
in Costa Rica, El Salvador and
Honduras - 1976 to 1981. A-13 -
surveillance carried out within the
United States to learn if A-11 and
A-12 were discovered. Cover sto-
ries included surveillance UP AR
340-18-5, surveillance of left wing
radicals and surveillance of tax
protesters.
(then...)
A-14 - 1982 to 1984. Cocaine flown
from Costa Rica, El Salvador and
Honduras into Mena, Arkansas. The
cocaine is received and distributed
by Italian businessmen associated
with Mr. Genovese to fund anticom-
munist activities in Latin America
and Africa.
(then...)
Profits from A-14 were laundered
per order of Mr. Casey. I used
Robert Vesco to launder some of the
profits from Watchtower.
I had originally met Mr. Vesco
during a money laundering operation
that involved Colonel Michael Hand,
of the Nugan-Hand Bank. I returned
a majority of the profits from
Watchtower through the Import-
Export Bank, which Mr. Casey had
managed until 1975. I also used
the banks of BCCI, BNL, BCP, and
the Intermaritime Bank of New York.
92
CARONE (Cont.)
Mr. Alfred Hartman was simulta-
neously on the Board of Directors
of all four banks. Mr. Hartman was
a close friend of Mr. Bruce
Rappaport. Mr. Rappaport was a
confidant of Mr. Casey, and also...
indirectly involved in the
Intermaritime Bank. These various
connections served the intelligence
activities well. Mr. Casey also
directed me to launder profits
through various intelligence assets
at the New York Stock Exchange;
London Stock Exchange, Chicago
Options Exchange; and the Continen-
tal Illinois National Bank and
Trust Company of Chicago.
(then...)
Operations A-1 through A-8 were
originally authorized by President
Nixon. A8A through A8C and A-9
through A-14 were authorized by Mr.
Colby. A7A through A7G were autho-
rized by Mr. Casey. Per order of
President Nixon, all activities
were compartmentalized. In my
estimate, based on observation and
communication, this greatly reduced
the general possibility of compro-
mise. It also increased the like-
lihood of success.
(then...)
In my estimate, based on observa-
tion and communication, Cuba was
one of the most troubling areas by
1970. It served the communist
community throughout the world,
specifically in Latin America and
Africa. President Nixon, Mr. Colby
and Mr. Casey saw the potential
threat of Cuba and began Red Mist.
The subsequent intelligence activi-
ties served to reduce the exporta-
tion of communism by Cuba. Among
the most significant assassinations
that involved assets from Project
Sandman were – President Richard
93
Ratsimandrava, shot in Tananarive,
February 1975. General Murtala
Ramat Mohammed of Nigeria, killed
by revolutionaries trained by mili-
tary personnel assigned to Project
Sandman, February 1976. President
Marine Ngouabi, shot in
Brazzaville, Congo, March 1977.
Alberto Fuentes Mohr, former Minis-
ter of Finance, Guatemala, January
1979. Manuel Colom Argueta, former
Mayor of Colom, Guatemala City,
March 1979, and general David
Cancinos Barrios, Guatemala, June
1979.
(then...)
In my estimate, based on observa-
tion and communication, the Minute
Man, On The Job Training Program
created by Mr. Colby was entirely
successful. I have filed my recom-
mendations on this program with Mr.
Casey. I reiterate the need to use
the Program more often. It is low
key, and allows for easier troop
deployment without attracting at-
tention. These Minute Man troops
can - undergo expedited training as
needed, be returned to their units,
recollected and deployed as circum-
stances dictate. From a security
standpoint, it would be hard to
track their movements.
(then...)
In my estimate, based on observa-
tion and communication, the finan-
cial funding provided by Watchtower
was critical to help offset the
impact of the first Boland Amend-
ment. A portion of Watchtower
funding was even used to finance
Task Force Bravo soldiers who were
attacking communist bastions in
Central America. This assignment
was comprised largely by soldiers
from Special Operations. By late
1984, with the second Boland Amend-
ment in effect the funding from
94
CARONE (Cont.)
Watchtower had become the main
financial source holding the Cen-
tral American effort together.
There were several contributions
from Saudi Arabia and other private
sources, but Watchtower remained a
chief source of funding. Much of
the funding from Watchtower went
through “The Enterprise,” estab-
lished by Lieutenant Colonel Oliver
North. Without his efforts in
purchasing and delivering badly
needed materials into Central
America the anti-communist effort
would have suffered severe set
backs.
(then...)
Per order of Mr. Casey, my last
action on these intelligence ac-
tivities was to supervise the sani-
tation and/or destruction of re-
lated records. This included the
Minute Man Program records. Due to
the meritorious actions recognized
on the part of all forty-nine mili-
tary personnel assigned to the
Minute Man Program, a case by case
determination was made by Mr. Colby
as to which records would be sani-
tized and/or destroyed. Records
selected by Mr. Colby were shredded
and burned to ensure these intelli-
gence activities would not be com-
promised prior to completion.
(then...)
As an officer in the United States
Army, I take responsibility for my
actions listed within which were
undertaken to ensure the national
security of the United States.
KOHLMAN
I’ve checked the names and dates
95
of the assassinations your father
listed. They’re all accurate.
DEE
I’m sure they are. Dad was
scrupulous about keeping accurate
records.
KOHLMAN
Are you and Tom ready for your
depositions?
DEE
Yes.
THOMAS
My name is Thomas E Ferdinand. I
am the son-in-law of Colonel Albert
Carone. I was dating his daughter
Desiree in the late 1960’s. I
would always see Colonel Carone in
military uniform, and on many occa-
sions I would see him being picked
up by military car.
(then...)
After Desiree and I were married in
1971, there were many occasions
that my father-in-law would ask me
to drive him to Fort Hamilton,
where he would assume command of
the Fort for weekend duty.
(then...)
As my relationship with my father-
in-law grew, we would discuss mili-
tary and political issues. He
explained to me that when he was
with NYPD he did work with the CIA,
and also that his job with the
military was Military Intelligence.
(then...)
96
FERDINAND (Cont.)
Many of his missions were to run
drugs and guns, to get money for
black operations because they could
not get funding through proper
channels. He had stated that there
was a mechanism all the way through
Latin America for this purpose.
Planes could fly virtually undetec-
ted and that the hard part was
transporting the money. He men-
tioned Colonel Oliver North, who he
referred to as an asshole. He
mentioned William Colby, and did
travel with General Richard
Stillwell on numerous occasions. I
discussed the right and wrongs of
the drug trafficking with my fa-
ther-in-law and he stated “when you
work for the Agency you do what you
are told to do, and you do not know
what the big picture is.”
(then...)
On a few occasions I personally
took my father-in-law to Kennedy
Airport, where I was instructed to
drive through to the restricted
area. He showed some type of I.D.
was let through and boarded a mili-
tary helicopter.
(then...)
I know my father-in-law had connec-
tions to organized crime at the
highest levels. They attended our
wedding. I have been in the com-
pany of Paul Castellano, Joe
Percillia, Santos Trafficante. I
have also been in the company of
William Casey, as he was at my
father-in-law’s home for the chris-
tening of my son.
(then...)
When my father-in-law and I had a
serious discussion on organized
crime and the CIA my father-in-law
stated, “they work hand in hand
together.”
(then...)
In 1985, my father-in-law went on a
trip to Mexico with a gentleman by
97
FERDINAND (Cont.)
the name of James Straus. Upon his
return, my father-in-law was very
uneasy. I asked him what the prob-
lem was and his comment to me was,
“that he had enough and he was
getting out.”
(then...)
I tried to pursue the matter and he
refused to discuss it. In 1985 my
father-in-law became very ill.
There were many trips to the hospi-
tals. The Doctors seemed to have
problems in finding the cause to
his illness. Doctor James Thesing
stated in his report that there was
chemical toxicity of unknown etiol-
ogy. My father-in-law stated to me
that his illness was terminal and
that he needed to get back to New
York as soon as possible, as there
was business that needed to be
taken care of.
(then…)
He was told that he was too ill to
travel, and that if he told me what
needed to be done that I would do
it. He stated that that was impos-
sible - that he was the only one
that could do this. He stated that
there was a wrong done to a Green
Beret that he called Sandy, and
that he needed to get to his logs,
journals, diaries, and tapes. At
this time - 1987 - he was too ill
to accomplish what needed to be
done.
(then...)
My father-in-law stated that the
suits had gotten to him and that he
was “not long for this world.” I
was told that we were not to trust
anyone, including his brother,
Pasquale, because they were moni-
toring the situation and we would
have to be very careful of what was
said and who it was said to.
98
FERDINAND (Cont.)
My father-in-law passed away in
January, 1990. He was buried at
Santa Fe National Cemetery with
Honors. His headstone read Staff
Sgt. Carone. I knew this was
wrong, but in trying to correct
this matter we found that the mili-
tary was in total denial of this
man. They stated that he was never
in the Armed Forces.
(then...)
At the same time, all bank accounts
in my father-in-law’s name and my
wife’s name vanished. There were
no records on file as to his pass-
ports. Social Security records
showed three different birth dates.
NYPD had no file on him. They
virtually made this man vanish.
(then...)
I am very proud to be the son-in-
law of Colonel Albert V. Carone.
I have seen the medals that this
man has won, and it is very dis-
turbing to me that a man that did
so much for his country, whether it
be right or wrong, can be made to
vanish for the sake of black opera-
tions for this government.
(then...)
I, Thomas E Ferdinand, duly swear
that to the best of my knowledge,
what I have stated is the truth as
I was told.
DEE
Seems to me there should be a
reporter somewhere. Somebody besides
us who’s interested in this case.
KOHLMAN
Patience, Dee. Once we start putting
witnesses on the stand, the press is
going to pack this court to overflowing.
SECURITY OFFICER
Names and ID.
KOHLMAN
Raymond Kohlman. Thomas and Desiree
Ferdinand. Support staff from my firm.
KOHLMAN
Right.
DEE
What was that all about?
KOHLMAN
Apparently the judge has ordered
the proceedings closed to the public.
DEE
Is that legal?
KOHLMAN
He’s a Clinton appointee. He may
have some National Security concerns.
We’ll try to work around them as
we go.
DEE
I don’t like the looks of this.
BAILIFF
All rise. United States Federal Court,
District of Washington D.C. is now in
session, the Honorable Ricardo M.
Urbina presiding.
JUDGE URBINA
Civil Action Number 00-403-RMU.
This case comes before the court on
the defendants’ motion to dismiss.
The plaintiffs, Desiree Carone-
Ferdinand and Thomas Ferdinand...
seek thirty-eight million dollars
from Federal Defendants, the Cen-
tral Intelligence Agency and the
United States Army, Oliver North
and James Robert Strauss for al-
leged theft of insurance policies,
bank accounts and other property.
(then...)
The plaintiffs claim that the de-
fendants knowingly diverted the
personal property of Albert V.
Carone, Desiree Carone-Ferdinand’s
father, for their own or other
persons’ use through, inter alai,
fraud, larceny, and embezzlement.
Specifically, the plaintiffs claim
that the defendants took these
steps to cover up Mr. Carone’s
participation in government sanc-
tioned illegal activity.
JUDGE URBINA
Case dismissed.
KOHLMAN
I’m sorry, Dee.
DEE
We lost?
KOHLMAN
I’m afraid so.
DEE
But we can appeal, can’t we?
KOHLMAN
Not after this.
106
DEE
We get nothing?
KOHLMAN
I’m in touch with several publishers.
There might be a book or a movie deal.
DEE
But you were so confident.
KOHLMAN
I’m sorry.
DEE
I don’t want a hug. I want my money!
Dee and Thom come from inside. Dee wipes tears from
her eyes as Kohlman and his assistants pass, starting
down the broad marble steps.
KOHLMAN
I’ll give you a call in a few days.
Maybe the people who published the
Martin Luther King conspiracy book
will be interested.
DEE
What would that be worth?
KOHLMAN
Could be millions.
(then...)
I’ll call you.
Albert V. Carone
Col. U.S. Army Air Corps.
07/08/1922 - 01/07/1990
Buried at Section 6 Site 5039
Santa Fe National Cemetery
Santa Fe, NM
108
Desire Carone-Ferdinand
(from 1998 deposition video)
ADDENDUM ATTACHMENTS
A-1
Your Honor, Ladies & Gentlemen, today is September 29, 1998.
The following deposition is being videotaped by Gary
Farnsworth of Audio Video Documentation Services,
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 7167 Corrales Road, Corrales, NM
in the matter of :
_______________________________________________
Defendants.
This deposition has been noticed by the plaintiff. The deponent is Desiree A.
Ferdinand. The time is now 10:05 a.m.
Do you swear that the testimony that you are about to give is the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth?
RK: Okay, I would like you to look at this please and can you tell me what it is?
RK: Okay. What was your father doing at the time of his death?
DF: He originally was with the military and then he went into New York City
Police Department and did
crossover work with Central Intelligence Agency and while he was with the
military until his death, he was with
RK: So you stated that before he worked for the New York Police Department
he was in the military?
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
RK: Would you look at this please and then you can show it to the camera if you
wish. What is that?
DF: It is his internment record at Santa Fe Veteran's Cemetery in Santa Fe, New
Mexico.
DF: Yes it does. It has his rank of Staff Sergeant, which is inaccurate.
RK: Okay. Now would you look at this please and show it to the camera?
DF: Okay.
A-3
DF: That is my father's headstone, which reads Albert V. Carone, Colonel, U.S.
Army.
DF: Yes.
DF: My father was a full bird Colonel at the time of his death.
RK: Okay, in spite of the fact that the internment record stated Staff Sargeant?
DF: Yes.
DF: When my father died in 1990 and he was buried, it took about a month for
the headstone to be placed and when it was placed it was placed as Staff
Sargeant. I went to the cemetery and I told them there was a mistake. They had
turned around and told me I would have to notify the U.S. Army Personnel in St.
Louis. I did that. St. Louis came back and told me there was no record of Albert
V. Carone ever being in the military. They sent me a letter, or Patricia Moore
sent me a letter stating there was no record and he never existed. A disagree-
ment occured that he was buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery and he was in
the military. They had told me that that was not the case. In 1992, I
started…well, from 1990, from that point on I started trying to put together the
pieces of my father's military because I was in possession of a great deal of
military records from the army. I wound up going to a retirement luncheon at
Kirtland Airforce Base in Albuquerque for retired intelligence people and I
brought a military picture of my father with me. A man that was there by the
name of Robert Maheu stated that he recognized him from Washington and the
Pentagon and told me that what I needed to do if he had been in Intelligence or
worked with Central Intelligence Agency, which he did from 1966 on, that I
needed to call Theodore Shackley.
DF: Yes.
RK: How?
DF: My father.
RK: Okay. So Mr. Maheu said contact Mr. Shackley. Did you?
A-4
RK: And what did Mr. Shackley say?
DF: He originally stated that he would not confirm or deny ever knowing
Colonel Carone. He asked me what I wanted. I told him that I wanted my
father's headstone changed since at one time he had worked with my father with
the Golden Triangle in Vietnam. He stated that he did not know what I was
talking about and what did I really want from him? I told him that I wanted my
father's headstone changed. I stated that if my father worked for them all those
years and if he was in the military all of those years then he would be buried
with his rank as he was buried with full military honors.
RK: Let me stop you for just a moment here. When you talked with Mr.
Shackley did he refer to your father as Colonel Carone? Not Albert Carone?
DF: No.
DF: Colonel.
DF: We ended the phone conversation and he told me that he would see what he
could do but he could not promise me that he could do anything and he did not
feel that he needed to help me in any way. Ten days to the date of my conversa-
tion with Theodore Shackley I received an interoffice memo stating that my
father's headstone would be changed.
DF: Yes it is a routing and transmittal slip. It is sent to me and it states that "we
are returning your father's military records. Headstone has already been ordered
with Colonel on headstone. Thank you, Joseph Levato."
RK: Now at your father's death, he, let me refer to this. He authorized the
document?
DF: Yes.
A-5
DF: Yes I did.
RK: Okay. Have you to this date received all the property?
DF: No.
RK: Now when I say received all the property, did your father indicate what he
had?
DF: There were bank accounts. There were insurance policies. At my father's
death, there were bank accounts that I was on with my dad. They disappeared.
My father's driver's license,there was no record of. Social Security stated that
there was never a man by the name of Albert Carone that existed. There was no
military records that existed. My father's car he had left to my daughter. When I
went to transfer the title into my daughter's name, which my father bought this
car off of the floor brand new, the title was not in my father's name. It was in my
name as the original buyer. Anything that was in my father's possession had
disappeared.
RK: Okay. Again, to this date, have you received any property that belonged to
your father at his death.
DF: No.
DF: Vincent.
DF: Angelina.
RK: And in New York City?
DF: Yes.
DF: Dad lived in Brooklyn until 1955 and then he moved to Wantaugh, Long
Island until 1979. The latter part of 1979 and then he moved to Rio Rancho,
New Mexico in 1980.
DF: He had a brother. There were three sisters and two other brothers. The only
A-6
one that was alive was his brother Pat, Pasquale.
DF: Yes.
RK: Is he employed?
DF: Semi.
DF: He is a psychiatrist.
RK: Has he been a psychiatrist for as long as you have known him?
DF: Yes.
DF: He was the head psychiatrist for the New York City Police Department and
also for the Diocese in Rockville Center Roman Catholic Church.
DF: Yes. He also wrote two books. One on drugs, LSD, and another one on
alcoholism.
DF: Yes.
A-7
RK: Would you show that to the camera?
DF: Sure.
DF: I do not know. From the wallpaper, it had to be in Wantaugh, Long Island
because this was the house in Wantaugh. It was probably around the time of my
son's first or second birthday around 1973 or 1974.
DF: This man in the middle is my Uncle Gene. This is my grandfather, Vincent,
on my mother's side and this is my Uncle Alex. This gentleman I do not know
and this is a man that was known as Nelly.
DF: Every gentleman in this picture was associated with organized crime. My
grandfather was a loan shark and racketeer.
RK: When you say organized crime, is there another name that it is known by?
RK: Okay. And you said all of the gentlemen there were associated?
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: When my father was around six years old, my grandfather, Vincent, was
involved in the import/export business of olive oil out of Cortone, Italy. My
father's family owned a town or were the major landowners in Cortone. My
grandfather had a great deal of money. He died when my father was about three
years old. My grandmother lost all of what my grandfather had built up. She had
a store. My grandmother wound up destitute and my father pretty much started
living on his own at about six or seven years old because when my grandmother
used to entertain gentlemen, she would lock my father out of the apartment and
he would sleep onwhat was known as a stoop. In Brooklyn, they used to have
A-8
the stairs going up. He started eating out of garbage cans and his father's Aunt
Lizzie and a lot of the aunts would take care of him at times. There was a bar
down the street, I don't remember the name of the bar. It was in the White Hook
section of Brooklyn. There was a gentleman there by the name of Vito
Genovese.
DF: Vito Genovese, the godfather of La Cosa Nostra back in the 30's and 40's.
He was one of the heads of the La Cosa Nostra so what he would do is give my
father sometimes five cents, sometimes ten cents, sometimes twenty-five cents
to run either money or papers to different people. He used him as an errand boy.
There were many times that my father wound up sleeping in the bar at night.
They would let him stay there. He kind of wound up under Vito Genovese's
wing. When my father was between six and eight years old, he even got him a
job singing for Prince Spaghetti on the radio doing commercials. So he wound
up being brought up by Vito Genovese and his loyalty held no bounds to these
people.
DF: It went to Joseph Colombo. My father knew the Gallo brothers, Joseph
Gallo but I cannot remember his brother's name. The Mazzaratti family, the
Colombo family. At the time that my father was in Brooklyn, he dealt a great
deal with the main head which was Gambino himself, and he was very close to
Joe Colombo, the
Bonanno family, Joe Bonanno, and he was very close to Paulie Castelano.
RK: Okay. Did you know Mr. Castelano by any other name?
DF: Okay.
RK: Can you show the camera and identify those people?
DF: Yes, one is my husband, Thomas. The other one is a man by the name of
Angelo Crocci.
DF: He had a bar and the bar was a front for racketeering and for running
numbers and bookmaking.
DF: This is my Uncle Jimmy Madeira. I refer to him as uncle but he was first
cousin to my father. His nickname was the Fish. He worked as a longshoreman.
DF: Sure.
DF: Yes, but he had ties to organized crime from my dad. This is my godfather,
Pete Porazzo. He was in the New York City Police Department and was a
Sargeant with the New York City Police Department. He was involved with a
man by the name of Bob Leuci and my father, as far as drug running, coming in
through CIA into organized crime to put it on the street.. He was indicted, caught
at Kennedy International Hotel. He was indicted. He was sent to South Oaks
Hospital, which my Uncle Pat, Pasquale Carone, was head at the time. He
wound up getting his entire retirement because Uncle Pat stated he was mentally
ill. I cannot tell you the amount of kilos that he had of cocaine. There was
cocaine and heroin involved and the payoff to him was ten
thousand dollars.
RK: Now you stated that your father was a New York Policeman?
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: No.
A-10
RK: Did your father speak any foreign languages?
DF: Yes. He spoke Japanese, he spoke Chinese, he spoke Korean and he spoke
Vietnamese.
RK: Now your father was in the war, the Second World War?
DF: Yes.
RK: And continued his career until what date with the military?
RK: Do you know where he was stationed during the Second World War?
DF: No, I just know he was in the South Pacific. But I also know that at one
point he was in the European theatre. According to his military records, when he
was supposed to be in the South Pacific, a lot of military records that I have of
my dad, he was also in the United States at the same time so I really can't tell
you where he was and what he was doing.
DF: Oh yes.
DF: If is a wedding picture of my mom and dad with my Aunt Mary, who was
my mother's aunt, and with my father's nephew, Louis Madera.
DF: Okay. My father's honorable discharge papers, a separation center from Ft.
Dix on November 12, 1945 when he came back from the war.
DF: His name, his organization, his address, what his MO was.
A-11
RK: And what was his MO?
DF: Intelligence and CI. He went to school, according to these papers, for
intelligence and espionage.
DF: Yes. These are part of my file. This is a copy of an original that I have of my
dad's papers, Commissioned Officer School for Anti-Aircraft Training Center,
Riverside, California.
DF: Yes it does. His unit commander was Major Paul Donnelly. The gentleman
that he answered to was Captain Walter Copacz and then came my dad, and my
father was the platoon leader.
DF: Oh yeah, Major Donnelly. I have never met Captain Copacz but I have
spoken to him on numerous occasions.
DF: Sure.
RK: Now during this period of time, was your father employed other than in the
A-12
service?
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: Albert V. Carone, ninth from the top. These are the police department's
order of retirement midnight December 31, 1966 Albert V. Carone, shield #3283,
81st Precinct, Bedford Stuyvesant, and he was appointed into the police depart-
ment on September 21, 1946.
RK: Could you show that please? What other precincts do you know that he was
assigned to?
DF: I think at one time my father was with the 42nd but my father mainly
worked for the 19th division and I think the 21st division because my father had
taken over the job of what is known as Bag Man, from a man by the name of
Jimmy Reardon, also known as Squire Reardon. Bag Man was the man who got
the payoffs for the police department to look the other way.
RK: And your father took that job over from Reardon?
DF: Yes.
DF: No, I really don't. I just know that there was drugs with the families
involved. The agency, the CIA, was bringing in drugs and dad was the liaison
between organized crime families because my father was a made man with
organized crime; he rode both sides of the fence. They used dad for it so dad
used to take the payoffs from different people and there were certain people in
the police department that were paid off to look the other way.
A-13
RK: How do you know that he played both sides of the fence?
DF: My mom and dad. My sister and I would be there all the time. There would
be other people that would be there. You could not help but overhear what was
going on. And yes we did have elephant ears as children.
DF: Sure.
RK: You don't have to open it up. At approximately what time did your father
own that book?
DF: This book is ancient. This book was always in our house in 81 Leanne
Terrace and 82 Leanne Terrace in Wantaugh.
DF: Sure.
DF: Definitely.
RK: Can you give me an idea of the people who are in it? What kind of people?
DF: Okay. There are military people in here. There is attorneys that worked with
the agency and also with organized crime. There are organized crime figures in
here.
DF: Headquarters Infantry School, Ft. Benning Georgia, Award Certificate for
Master Sargeant Albert V. Carone. Do you want me to hold this up?
A-14
RK: Yes. And that was a completion certificate?
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes. Army Intelligence School, Ft. Hollobird of Maryland. Sargeant Albert
V. Carone has successfully completed the Army Counter Intelligence Corps
investigations course from October 16, 1956 to October 26, 1956.
DF: No.
RK: Your father never mentioned that? Now the date on that was, what was the
last date on that please?
DF: Sargeant.
DF: The people of the state of New York, New York National Guard.
RK: Would you show that to the camera please? So we have him flip-flopping
back and forth?
DF: Right.
A-15
RK: Would you look at that please? What is that?
DF: Yes. Dad received promotions. We had a big party for him when he received
his promotion to Major and it was about three or four months after he went to
Pennsylvania to the War College.
RK: Could you show the camera? What is the rank for that picture?
DF: Major.
RK: Do you know where the full size of this photograph is?
RK: Do you happen to remember now, he was a Major here in this photograph,
do you happen to remember his commanding officer?
DF: No.
A-16
RK: What relationship did he have with your father?
DF: We came down to see Colonel Buskirk about four or five different occa-
sions. He was really close with the Colonel. I know they worked together but I
can't tell you where they worked. I just know we used to come down and visit
him. Colonel Buskirk had come up to New York a couple of times to spend a
week or two weeks with us at a time. He is deceased. Headquarters Counter
Intelligence School, First Army Intelligence School at Ft. Slocum.
DF: Dad had a file and he kept a lot of his papers. I originally had all of his
papers but my father had moved out of his home at 200 Wyoming Autumn and a
lot of his papers from 1958, 1960 had disappeared with his footlocker.
DF: Yes.
DF: He was living in apartments in Corales, New Mexico. He moved out of his
home at 200 Wyoming Autumn.
DF: I would tend to think so since I was the only one with the key and I did not
take the footlocker.
A-17
RK: Did you talk to your father about that incident?
DF: Yes.
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: My sister and I were both made to share equally and if one chose to give up
the responsibility of his estate the other one was to take over. My sister chose to
give up anything to do with it, which put me in charge of the estate.
DF: Yes.
DF: Well, in all honesty when my father got sick, my father decided to have a
Power of Attorney drawn up to act in his behalf in any way to make any
decisions. So it really did not dawn on me what it was for me to do because I
had been doing it for two years. I just knew that I had to do what I had to do to
get his last wishes resolved.
RK: And those last wishes included what, as far as his property was concerned?
DF: I was to regain all of his property and my sister and I were to share in it
equally.
DF: Oh yes.
A-18
RK: In 1990?
DF: Yes.
RK: 1991?
DF: Yes.
RK: 1994?
DF: Oh yes.
DF: First I started contacting the military. They decided to tell me that all papers
were burned. There was no record anywhere. Well there was no record but they
chose to bury him at Santa Fe National Cemetery. So after I had that little
mishap, I went and wrote to the Department of the U.S. Army, the Reserve and
Personnel Center in St. Louis to which they came back and told me that there
was no record whatsoever but if I wanted to send them my records, that would
be okay for them.
RK: Would you look at this please and show the camera?
DF: This is a letter from the Department of the Army signed by Chief of
Inquiries, Patricia Moore..
RK: Now you have referred twice to the Department of the Army just recently.
You also mentioned Patricia Moore so she apparently as of that particular date,
which is what?
RK: So she in effect was a spokesman for the Department of the Army, was that
your impression?
DF: Well, yeah, because she signed it Patricia Moore, Chief Inquiries.
RK: Now you just showed us an answer from the army dated November 1991
and the date of the letter you have in your hand is?
A-19
DF: January 7, 1992.
RK: Would you show the camera please? Did you do anything else in attempting
to regain the property?
DF: I went to see the Senator, okay I will say this wrong, Senator Dominici.
DF: This replies to your inquiry on behalf of Mrs. Desiree Ferdinand concerning
the military service of her late father, Mr. Albert V. Carone. As Mrs. Ferdinand
has previously informed Title 10 United States Code Section 1331-1337
authorized retired pay for reserved component military service. To be eligible for
retired pay under this law, a reserve soldier or former reserve soldier must have
completed a minimum of 20 qualifying years of service after July 1, 1949
qualifying years in which the reserved soldier earned at least 50 retirement
points. Extensive search is conducted at the Center and at the National Archives
and Records Administration failed to locate Mr. Carone's military personnel
records.
RK: When did you say, to the best of your knowledge, your father left military
service?
DF: 1985.
DF: Document furnished by Mrs. Ferdinand dated March 12, 1970 is not an
official promotion letter. Retired benefits are not part of his estate according
there are no provisions, can receive any retirement benefits based on her late
father's military service. In an effort to verify Mr. Carone's military service from
November 13, 1945 through February 4, 1957, a request was floated to the
A-20
Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Indianapolis, Indiana requesting a
search of their payroll. These searches take several months to complete and
sometimes do not produce desired results. Upon receipt of additional documen-
tation, further research will be conducted. The delay in furnishing a final reply is
regretted.
DF: None.
DF: None.
DF: No
RK: What other methods did you use to regain records or regain property?
DF: They started working on things. His liaison by the name of Mary started
trying to work on the file. Congressman Shift passed away.
RK: Have you heard anything from the person who took Shift's place?
DF: No.
RK: Was there anything else that you did to try to collect the property or records,
information?
DF: I went to different banks, the banks that I had accounts with on my father.
They told me there was no record. I contacted Social Security. Finally after
about two months, Social Security came back to me and said, oh we found
Albert Carone. And then they came back with three different birth dates on him.
So Social Security, he is back. Police Department, I wrote to Commissioner
Brackston. I wrote to Mayor Guilliani and they decided to, first they had denied
that he was ever with the police department and then after I became a real nudge
about things, it took them about two years and I wound up with an insurance
card from the police department, to my dad, stating that these were the new
insurance cards so I called them and said he is deceased and you sent me
A-21
insurance cards. You told me this man never existed. They said oh no, he exists.
I said well he is dead and who is paying for his medical insurance and they told
me the city of New York was. I told them well how, he is deceased. They asked
me to return the insurance cards. I did not.
DF: I still wasn't giving them back. A letter from John Higgins, who was my
attorney at the time, to the Bank of America where I had my account with my
dad.
DF: I went to John Higgins to have him probate the estate and to try to help me
find dad's records and files because the previous attorney that I had used
conveniently forgot to probate the estate and informed me that I could not have
my father's files back. Then he informed me he gave them back, which he did
not, so I took him to the Disciplinary Board of the State of New Mexico.
RK: Could you show that to the camera please. And have you either directly or
through Mr. Higgins, received an answer from the Bank of America?
DF: No.
RK: And as far as you know, they have not given you an answer as to what
happened to that account?
DF: Yes.
RK: Printed?
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
RK: So if I had one of those checks, I could normally go to the bank and they
could use the numbers to find whatever records they had?
DF: Exactly.
DF: They were checks that were ordered through the bank.
RK: So the bank took your order for the checks with an application for the
checks?
DF: No, it was a reorder form from the original checks that we had.
RK: Sent it to whatever printing company they used so it would have their
number, their account number.
RK: Now when Albuquerque Federal was purchased by Bank of America, was
the checking account turned over to Bank of America?
DF: I don't remember. I don't remember. I don't know if it might have been a
couple of weeks down the road because we were told that when it was turning
over we could still use the old checks and that they would be
recognized.
A-23
DF: No.
RK: Okay. So the only ones you have basically are Albuquerque Federal and
whatever account those numbers fall?
DF: Yes. This is the letter from John Higgins to the CIA at Langley.
RK: Could you show that to the camera? Thank you. Basically what did Mr.
Higgins ask for?
DF: Request the dates when her father, Albert V. Carone, worked for the CIA.
Mrs. Ferdinand presented copies of the death certificate and letter of testamen-
tary for your file. To date, my client has not had a response from you. I would
appreciate you looking into this matter and advising me as to the status of Mrs.
Ferdinand's request. It is hoped that it will not be necessary to subpoena your
records in this matter. I you have any questions regarding this matter, please do
not hesitate to contact me. John Higgins, Attorney-at-Law.
RK: And what was the date on that letter again please?
DF: Yes.
RK: Now, when we say the CIA, can I presume that it means the Central
Intelligence Agency?
DF: Yes.
RK: Now when you say he was highly recommended for subversive activities,
was that to find subversive activities or was that to cause subversive activities?
A-24
DF: I don't know.
RK: Now would you look at that and show it to the camera please?
RK: And about what age was he when that picture was taken?
DF: No, my mother was hounding my dad to have a picture taken for the family
and he complained because his hair was not military cut and the official picture
would have been taken in about a month or two. But he complied.
RK: To the best of your knowledge, was an official photograph similar to this
photograph ever taken?
DF: Yes.
DF: Colonel.
DF: Colonel.
DF: Yes.
DF: No.
DF: My mom used to have it in the house at 82 Leanne Terrace when they lived
A-25
there in a frame.
DF: No.
RK: So why did your mother want this photograph taken again?
DF: She was proud and she just wanted everybody to have a picture and she
really didn’t like the way the official photographs, he always looked angry to tell
you the truth, so she wanted an official one done. There was another one done of
my dad in uniform with my mom but I don't know where that is.
RK: Now we have talked a little bit about the Carone family.
DF: Yes.
RK: And we have talked a little bit about organized crime families. To the best
of your knowledge, how was your father perceived by the Carone family?
DF: Get in trouble and we can call Uncle Al, his nickname was Chensy, to both
families. If there was a problem, call Uncle Al and he will take care of it.
RK: Now we had talked about various members of organized crime. Did they
associate with your father much?
DF: Oh yes.
RK: Frequently?
DF: Yes.
RK: Monthly?
RK: Daily?
DF: Sometimes.
RK: Do you know how long he kept this reputation with organized crime?
A-26
RK: Now, have you met many of his associates in the military?
DF: Some.
DF: Major Donnelly was frequent because Major Donnelly was a very close
friend also of my dad's and his brother, Pat.
RK: Do you know or are there any indications you have of what Major Donnelly
thought about your father?
DF: I had a discussion with Major Donnelly one day about my father's things.
He asked me where my father's files, his journals, and his tapes were. I told him
I was looking for certain files, tapes, and journals. He told me I needed to stop
what I was doing and he told me the walls will keep on going up. I proceeded to
tell Major Donnelly I will take them down. I have not spoken to him since.
RK: And prior to that did you have any discussion or any other conversations
with Major Donnelly?
RK: Did he mention anything about his feelings towards your father?
DF: No, but they were friends since we lived in Brooklyn so you have to go
back at least 40 years. They were social friends also, not just through military.
DF: Yeah.
RK: Okay. Now we have made reference to the Central Intelligence Agency. Do
you know if your father had any or did you know the associates of your father as
far as the Central Intelligence Agency was concerned?
DF: Some.
A-27
DF: And Oliver North. He just wasn't military intelligence. He worked with the
CIA and Theodore Shackley.
DF: Yeah.
RK: Now William Casey, how did your father know Mr. Casey?
DF: Bill Casey had come to my father's home for my son's christening, which
took place in 1973, March of 73 and they were social friends also. They would
go out often. The Casey's would come to our home.
RK: Did your father ever mention knowing Casey before New York?
DF: Before New York? No, the only thing I can tell you that he mentioned about
Bill Casey is that they were in the military together. William Casey and my
father.
RK: Okay.
DF: Okay. I think he knew Mr. Casey from there because they used to discuss,
sit down and I guess talk war stories about certain things.
RK: So, your impression is that your father and Bill Casey knew each other
from the OSS days and they continued that relationship?
DF: Yes. He also knew General Richard Stilwell from way back when.
RK: One last thing, or several last things and then we will move on. Would you
identify that please?
DF: No.
DF: Yeah.
DF: Yeah.
DF: Stryker.
RK: Do you know or have you heard of anyone by the name of Stryker?
DF: I was told that Stryker was a gentleman that he had worked with as far as, I
will use the expression, "Black Operations, Counter Intelligence". I think his
first name, and I might be wrong, but I think it was Bill Stryker.
DF: Dad.
A-29
RK: Thank you. Now you have written several affidavits, is that correct?
DF: Yes.
RK: And do you still hold that the statements you made in those affidavits are
accurate?
DF: Definitely.
RK: Now in one of the affidavits dated 1998, do you remember that affidavit?
DF: Yes.
RK: And one of them if I may read it, "In 1966, my father started crossover
work with the CIA through MICIC." How do you know that?
RK: In 19….
DF: He started discussing it around 1967 and then the heavy discussion came
about in 1968. I know it was 1968 because that was when I graduated from high
school and that was when dad was never home.
RK: Now, you state that in this affidavit that he had several passports?
DF: Yes. I am only in possession of one. There were three others and I do not
know where they are. At his death, they were still available to me but when his
apartment was cleaned out and the woman he was living with, they no longer
were in my possession.
RK: The woman he was living with, what was her name?
DF: Oh yes.
DF: No. It was more like I had to go there and take what was needed and she
was supposed to hand over the rest of the passports and she did have other
paperwork but she left town.
A-30
RK: What happened with the other passports and the rest of the paperwork?
RK: Would you look at that please and could you identify that?
DF: Sure.
DF: A634432.
DF: Issue date March 13, 1980, expire date March 12, 1985. New application
January 30, 1985.
RK: Now, in your search for information, records and property of your father…
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
A-31
DF: Secretary of State of the United States of America.
RK: So when you contacted the State Department for any records….
DF: No record.
DF: None.
DF: Exactly.
RK: Now your father apparently had some type of passport. Did your father do a
lot of traveling?
DF: Extensive.
DF: As early as I could remember. He even traveled a great deal in the police
department. He would be gone for 2-3 weeks at a time. He would be in England,
he would be in Hong Kong, he would be in Hawaii, Germany, Spain.
DF: Before.
DF: Yes, he would leave in military uniform most of the time and when he left a
military car from Ft. Hamilton would pick him up. Many times when my dad
left, he had an attaché case, which is in my possession and it was always
handcuffed to his left wrist.
DF: Okay.
A-32
RK: If you would be so kind as to tell me if you have heard of that name before.
DF: Okay.
DF: Yes, I have heard of James Strauss. I have met the man.
DF: He stated that he worked with my father with the agency and the last
mission they went on was in 1984/85 to a place called Tapechula, Mexico. It
was around the time that a good friend of my father's by the name of Kiko
Comeraina, who was a DEA agent, was murdered.
RK: Okay. Now you say "he told me". Who told you?
DF: Well first dad had stated about a mission he had gone on. When he came
home he was very depressed. He said he could not do this work any longer and
he said he was not long for this world, that the suits would be coming for him. I
searched all over for Jim Strauss. He finally found me. He came to visit. He
brought up the same mission and stated that dad did not have the stomach after
that mission any longer and that was the last mission they were on together.
RK: Was that the last mission that you know of that your father went on?
DF: It was definitely the last mission. My father never left the state after that.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
RK: Okay. Do you know or have heard of the name Michael Harari?
DF: Yes.
DF: My father had to go to Kirtland Airforce Base one morning and my mom
was still alive. He had to ask me to go pick up prescriptions for her because he
A-33
needed to be at Kirtland. The reason why he needed to be at Kirtland was
because he was meeting with a man by the name of Michael. He told me he
would be home between 11 and 12 o'clock. Please pick up my mother's prescrip-
tions. So I went to the drugstore, known as Walgreen's situated at Cores and
Corrales Road in Corrales to pick up my mother's prescription and there was a
gentleman who had followed me into the pharmacy. I am looking around waiting
for the prescriptions. This gentleman was about 10-15 feet constantly behind me.
In Walgreen's when a prescription is finished, they call out the name for you to
come and pick it up if you tell them you are waiting. I was in there about 20
minutes. As I was walking out of Walgreen's, this gentleman turned, he was
behind me and I was walking out of Walgreen's and he said Dee and I turned
around and said yes. He said to me Al's daughter? I said yes and I was
trying to put this man like where he should be since he knew me and I didn't
know him. He came over to me, took me by the arm and said to me, we need to
speak to you. I asked him who he was. He did not acknowledge my question. I
proceeded to curse very loudly. I had my mother-in-law with me. She got out of
the car immediately and asked him what he was doing. The minute he saw her
and people started to look, he dropped my arm and got into a 1984 tannish gold
Torino. There was another gentleman in the car with him. I immediately took the
prescriptions and went to my father's home. I told my father what happened. My
father hit the roof, turned around and said, "What the hell do they want with
you?" I said to my father, who wants with me, what is going on? My father
refused, refused to answer me. In 1996, I was in communication with William
Tyree and he decided to send me reading material, his reading material, his court
case and there was a picture of the same gentleman that approached me at
Walgreen's and it was Michael Harari.
DF: Both my mother-in-law and myself. There was no name under that picture
and it was like, Oh my God, this is the man who was in the parking lot of
Walgreen's and then about 15-20 pages later there was another picture of him
and his name was underneath the picture, it was like a newspaper clipping and it
was Michael Harari.
DF: Yes.
RK: Now, you stated after the last Mexican trip, okay, your father never left the
state again. Why was that?
DF: About a month and a half, no, the same evening that this happened with this
A-34
gentleman, my father got violently sick. We thought that he had food poisoning
and my husband rushed him to the hospital. They couldn't decide what is was.
They didn't know if it was food poisoning. They ruled that out. Then they said
maybe it was ulcers and gave him a bunch of different tests. They could not
identify and from that point on, my father started getting very ill. He wound up
with his kidneys failing. He wound up with the left side of his brain within a six
month period atrophying so he was not physically capable of going anywhere
because he wound up then having to go on kidney dialysis to keep him alive.
RK: Now, after mentioning the suits were coming after him and your meeting
with Mr. Harari, did your father's attitude change?
RK: What was his attitude prior to 1984 as far as his work was concerned?
DF: My father loved what he did whether it be right or wrong. The man loved
what he did.
DF: Not all the time. Anything that had to do with, let's say organized crime,
was discussed in the house because the rule of the house was nothing that is ever
said in this house leaves the front door. And that is how we were brought up so it
didn’t seem unusual.
RK: And what about his work with the U.S. Government?
DF: No. Just where he was going, when he would be back. Never really ques-
tioned anything because he was always being picked up in military uniform.
There were many times that he was in civilian, and there were two passports that
dad used. One was not red, not maroon.
RK: Burgundy?
DF: Almost and it was under the name of Albert V. Rodgers and when he
traveled as a civilian he used that passport. He also used the passport that I just
showed quite often too.
RK: Now after 1984, how did his attitude towards his work change?
A-35
DF: He told me not to bury him in his military uniform under any conditions.
DF: He said that he knew that the suits had come to get him. He said that he was
not long for this world and that it just wasn't worth it. I had to promise him that I
would not bury him in his military uniform. I asked him what he wanted done
with it and he told me to burn it.
RK: Was there any other indication of his change in attitude towards his work?
DF: He just got very depressed. He told me that what he couldn't finish in his
lifetime, that that was the reason why I had his Power of Attorney to start things
because he wanted me to finish it in his death.
DF: I am fine.
DF: Okay.
DF: Yeah.
DF: Benny the Eggs owned a restaurant by the name of the Tides. It was a
nightclub in New York, excuse me, New Jersey.
A-36
RK: New Jersey?
DF: Yeah.
RK: And other than the nightclub, do you know what else he did or his associa-
tion with your father?
DF: Matty the Horse Iello. Matty the Horse was organized crime and he was a
very large drug dealer.
RK: Now you had mentioned, I think you mentioned a person by the name of
Paul Castalano?
RK: Why don't we take a break now? The time is 11:31 A.M. we are off the
record.
Tape II
RK: We had begun to talk about Paul Costellano. Did you know him by any
other name?
DF: Yes.
DF: He was a businessman but he also took over the family from Mr. Gambino
when Mr. Gambino died. He was brother-in-law to Mr. Gambino.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
A-37
RK: They were good friends?
DF: Yes.
DF: That is Inspector Jack Lustick. He was with New York City Police Depart-
ment. My father answered to him and at the time, it was Captain Vincent
Nardiello, but he was made an inspector also.
DF: The trafficking of drugs within the department into the Mafia on to the
streets.
DF: Mr. Leuci was the main player in shaking down certain businesses and also
delivering certain drugs to certain businesses in the Brooklyn Section, Bedford
Stuyvesant, Manhattan. And my father used to talk about Bob Leuci a great
deal. Pete Parazzo and Bob Leuci were part of the bust as far as Pete Parazzo
went. Bob Leuci for no better word, to save his own rear end and take his
retirement snitched out quite a few of the men in the police department.
DF: No.
RK: Okay. Now you had mentioned your father and Oliver North? May we
presume that this is the Oliver North Marine Colonel?
RK: And how do you know your father knew Oliver North?
DF: When the hearings were going on for Iran Contra, my father had proceeded
to make certain remarks concerning, as he referred to him as Ollie. When my
father got really sick, dad started talking about certain things and one of the
names that he had brought up to me was John Cathey, as I understood it the way
A-38
he said the last name. He said to me, "find him and you will find the story".
Well, I never did find him and one day I was talking to a gentleman by the name
of Mike Rupert and I'm telling Mike the story and he calls me back about an
hour later and he says to me, "do you realize the alias for Colonel Oliver North
is John, (he had referred to him as Cathey, I think)? I proceeded to contact
Colonel North. He refused to speak to me. I contacted him on about four or five
different occasions. He would not, under any circumstances, speak to me.
RK: Now when you say you attempted to contact him, you attempted to contact
him directly?
DF: Yes.
DF: I contacted the radio show that he had on the radio. They had given an 800
number. Because this day he was talking about drugs and how terrible they were
so I decided I was going to call the radio show because if it was a live show, I
had a couple of things to say to the man. I had to go through another party
before I could speak to him directly on the radio and they had told me no. I had
stated that I wanted to speak to him. They gave me two different numbers. One
was to his, he was running for senator at the time, and if I remember correctly,
the two girls I had spoke to Dede and Marsha. He refused to speak to me so
again I made a phone call to Theodore Shackley and Mr. Shackley told me to
call Colonel North and tell him that Mr. Shackley had told me to call, to which I
did. He still would not speak to me but Marsha proceeded to tell me that he did
not know Colonel Carone or Theodore Shackley so I called Theodore Shackley
back and told him that I kind of thought that he thought a little bit too much of
himself because Oliver North said he did not know Theodore Shackley to which
Mr. Shackley said, "then you know what, that is the route you need to take and if
he won't speak to you, then call his attorney". And he proceeded to give me the
name of his attorney and phone number, which was a Mr. Sullivan at the time. I
called Mr. Sullivan but he did not return my phone call.
DF: Oh yes.
RK: Did he say anything about working directly with Oliver North?
DF: Yes. They were involved with drug running for the CIA in the South
America Region.
RK: Okay. So your father in effect put himself next to Colonel North?
A-39
DF: Pretty much so.
Frank Nugan?
DF: Frank Nugan and Michael Hand, my father was good friends with. Nugan
Hand Bank. It was a bank used in the Hong Kong area to launder different
monies. There were General Leroy Manner was involved. General Stilwell was
involved. A man by the name of Paul Hollywell was involved. It was an opera-
tion where drug monies in different accounts from certain people were ab-
sconded with. One through Nugan Hand bank and they were used for operations
that were not sanctioned by the U.S. government, black operations.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: To launder.
DF: And the drug monies that they used for cocaine trafficking.
DF: Well, my father knew Frank Nugan and Michael Hand. I might get this
mixed up but I think it is Michael Hand that he knew from like the Bronx area of
New York. If I am not mistaken, he was in Special Forces or in the military at
one time.
A-40
DF: 1985/86.
RK: Did his attitude towards giving you this information increase?
DF: Yes because the sicker dad got, I guess the more he felt he had to clear his
conscience because he said that there were some awful things done in the name
of patriotism and I think dad had said that he was not long for this world because
the suits had gotten to him and I think his conscience got to him.
DF: Yeah, he didn't have the stomach to do the work that they wanted him to do
any longer and the reason for it was because of this village. They had taken out
an entire village of men, women and children and they executed them and put
them in a mass grave and put Lyme over them.
DF: I think it was called Tapetula or Chapetula, I can't remember the exact
pronunciation.
DF: Mexico.
DF: Jim Strauss. That is how I knew how to contact Jim Strauss.
DF: Part of the Nugan Hand Bank and he was also with the CIA.
DF: I think he did because Mr. Beasley used to call the house on my father's
private line. There were two telephones in our home. One phone we were
forbidden to use because it was strictly for my father and that is the number that
most of these people would call on.
DF: We were allowed to answer it but we were forbidden to tell anyone where
my father was if he wasn't there, only that my father would return the call within
a certain amount of time.
RK: At any time did you answer the phone and the other person identifies
themselves as Beasley?
A-41
DF: Yes, once. Mr. Beasley.
DF: I do not know in what capacity Mr. Farris, I just know that my father knew
him because he used to call the home a lot.
DF: Yes.
RK: Did you ever answer the phone and speak with Mr. Farris?
DF: I answered the phone all the time when dad wasn't there because mom and
dad both worked and my sister was away at college.
DF: All that I know is that I always presumed it was military association and one
time my father went with General Manner to the Canton Region of China or
Hong Kong.
DF: I think that Mr. McDonald had taken a trip also with my dad to Hong Kong.
DF: Yes.
RK: He went to the airport and he had mentioned where he was going?
DF: Hong Kong because every time dad went to Hong Kong he brought a bunch
of things back. He would have silk suits made for himself in Hong Kong or we
would get jewelry, jade.
RK: And at this particular time he mentioned that he was meeting Mr.
McDonald or Mr. McDonald was going with him?
DF: Brian Alexander was military if I am not mistaken. I might be wrong about
that but I think he was military.
DF: Yes. I do not know in what capacity only that the man would call.
RK: And you would be the only one home answering the phone and the person
would say….
DF: Chichi.
DF: Drugs.
DF: Hollywell. Paul Hollywell was very close to Michael Hand and Frank
Nugan.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes and there was some type of connection between Mr. Hollywell, Mr.
Casey and my father.
DF: No.
DF: I do not know in what capacity my father knew Murray but I know that he
knew Murray. There were a few occasions, I think there was one occasion that
Mr. Riley had come to the house but when he came to the house, my father and
Mr. Riley had gone outside to discuss things. They did not stay in the house.
They went outside.
DF: Front yard. They were leaning up against the car in the driveway. They were
out there for a while.
RK: Do you remember if there were several occasions or was there one occa-
sion?
DF: CIA.
DF: Only that my father worked either with him or for him.
DF: I had never spoken to Mr. Abrams. I had never seen Mr. Abrams. When my
A-44
father got sick, my father told me to remember certain names and one of them
was Elliot Abrams.
RK: And did your father at this time indicate a close association with Mr.
Abrams?
DF: No, but my father used to refer to the agency as the company.
DF: General Richard Stilwell. My father worked with him in Asia. My father
also did a lot of training of certain troops with General Richard Stilwell, gorilla
training.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yeah.
DF: No.
DF: No.
A-45
DF: Gene Howard was a connection to my father in Brooklyn and it was through
a restaurant known as Forlini's that they would meet.
RK: Did your father indicate any other association with Mr. Howard?
DF: No. The only thing that I knew about Gene Howard was that he was in the
same type of intelligence business that my father was and that there were many
connections to organized crime with Gene Howard.
RK: And how did you know this? How did you find out about this?
RK: Did your father ever indicate any association with Spiro Agnew?
DF: Yeah. He met with Spiro Agnew at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington at
one time.
DF: No.
DF: My father had told me and then a gentleman by the name of Jimmy
Rothstein had it corroborated through a witness who had seen my father with
Spiro Agnew.
DF: Jimmy Rothstein was a member of the NYPD and I guess we can say at one
time he was investigating organized crime at NYPD and dad was right smack in
the middle of it.
RK: Was there any other association between Rothstein and your father?
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
DF: Constantly.
A-46
DF: He did what he had to do but above everything he was an honorable man
and his attitude about my dad he has told me stories about when he would be in
Forlini's Restaurant and my father would come, that they would treat my father
as he was a very very important man and very well respected amongst the
organized crime family.
RK: Some people may not be familiar with the dual meaning.
DF: You kind of have to excuse me because that is what I was brought up in and
I never thought it was odd or different until later years.
DF: Okay.
DF: CIA
RK: Now we had talked before about Bill Casey and you mentioned that he
visited your house?
DF: Yes.
RK: Frequently?
RK: Okay. Excuse me just a minute now. So at the house, at your father's house
in New York?
DF: Yes.
A-47
DF: Yes.
RK: Do you remember how long Mr. Castalano, Mr. Casey and your father were
at the house?
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK: Okay. The time is now 12:10 p.m. This is the end of tape I. We are going off
the record to change tapes.
RK: Frequent?
DF: Very.
DF: Because my father would go away with Mr. Vesco on numerous occasions.
DF: Because Mr. Vesco would either come to the house or my father would meet
him at Kennedy International Airport. Sometimes Laguardia.
RK: Or a person you assumed was Mr. Vesco? And where did you see him?
DF: Yes.
RK: And your father left the house? With Mr. Vesco and they went somewhere
and subsequently your
DF: On a couple of occasions. I think he went to England one time with Mr.
Vesco.
DF: Okay, I was still at home. I left home in 1971. It would have to be probably
towards the late 60's to
RK: Okay. So there were two assassinations in 68. Were these occasions after
the assassinations?
RK: Well, Robert Kennedy was assassinated and Martin Luther King was
assassinated in 68.
RK: And you left the house in 71. So somewhere between 68 and 70?
DF: No. It would have to be summer or spring because I know it wasn't winter. I
know definitely it wasn't winter.
A-49
RK: Did you work after graduation?
DF: Yes.
RK: So it would have been before 9:00 in the morning, some morning?
RK: Now you had made mention that your father, after he became ill, wanted to
clear up some business. There was several things he wasn't happy with, he
wasn't proud of and he told you this.
DF: One was MIAs in Vietnam. He was dealing with certain people that were
looking for MIAs in Vietnam. He knew that there were MIAs in Vietnam. He
went on a tangent one time about how we had sent these boys over there and that
we had just left them there. Something to do with a deal that was made that our
government did not keep the deal. He knew that there were boys still over there.
He had mentioned Colonel Bo Gritz at this time and there was some type of
association or group of people, I cannot remember the name, but my father had
said something about going public at the time, or talking up about it also. He
never did. He got too sick.
DF: Yes.
RK: Was that the only association he had with Bo Gritz that he mentioned to
you?
RK: Did he indicate anything else that he was trying to clean up?
DF: He was tired of the drug trafficking. He had made the remark that it had
gone on for very long, that they stuck it in the black community because nobody
would really give a damn about the Harlem and East Harlem area and that they
realized that a lot of money could be made and who would listen to those people
anyway.
RK: Now when you state the drug trade, did he mention anybody in particular?
RK: Right.
DF: All I can tell you is that he had mentioned Ollie North. As far as the drug
A-50
trade, Mr. Shackley was mentioned. Mr. Richard Armitage was mentioned also. I
have never spoken to or met Mr. Armitage. Colonel North would not speak to
me. I have spoken to Mr. Shackley.
RK: Now in your father's travel, we had mentioned Asia, Europe, the Bahamas.
Did he ever go into South America?
DF: Yes. That is where he knew Colonel North from in dealings with Mr.
Noriega and dealings with Mike, who I will presume is Mr. Harari for the simple
reason that dad used to refer to Mike and used to refer to the Mossad at the same
time and later on I found out that Mr. Harari, I will say had dealings with the
Mossad.
RK: Any association that your father spoke of between him and Pablo Escabar?
DF: My father knew who Pablo Escabar was. He would discuss the, I will
probably say this wrong, the Medellin Cartel and most of their drugs would
come from them.
RK: Other than knowing of Mr. Escabar, did your father indicate any other
relationship?
DF: No.
RK: Was there anything else in South America that your father was upset about?
DF: Not that I really know of. He was just really upset when I guess the drug
trafficking was getting out of hand. They were using the drugs to buy guns,
black operations were getting worse, “running amuck” was the expression.
RK: Now did your father mention any words or names or indicators for some of
these operations he was involved in?
DF: No. The only time he had mentioned an operation by the name of Sand
Man. Okay. He had also mentioned an operation that was known as Amadeus
and yet phone calls would come to the house when he was here in New Mexico
and someone would say Amadeus and a lot of times he would call and say
Amadeus and he would be out of the house within an hour of like a phone call
coming in or him making a phone call. Sand Man he had mentioned. There was
another one…tin roof or tin shed, something like that. He had discussed South
America. He had discussed something about how they were putting for planes to
land.
RK: Flights?
DF: Beacons. Something that radar would not detect and they were
making….why can't I think of this thing? For the runways. They were building
runways but he never stated what it was called at any time and I know he had
A-51
gone to South or Latin America for that.
DF: Yes. And something to do with beacons. Something about the planes so that
they could not be detected coming in.
DF: Just that there was an operation Sand Man. It was an assassination team for
certain people that needed to be eliminated through the agency. He used to talk
about a fellow by the name of Sandy, who was a Green Beret at the time, that he
had been with him and worked with him.
DF: I think on numerous occasions he kind of liked him. He used to say that he
was very good military material.
DF: No. The only thing dad used to say was first of all he knew him. His father
was in the military. Dad had worked with his father in something to do with
forklifts and mustard gas. Okay. He knew him through that and I think it was
around the late 70's dad would discuss this kid, Sandy, and that he had gotten
himself in trouble and they were trumped up charges because of what this kid
knew.
RK: Did your father mention where these charges were made?
DF: It was the Green Beret out of Massachusetts. The Fort Devens area. A
colonel my father knew, olonel Cutolo. It had something to do with Colonel
Cutolo.
RK: So now your father mentioned Colonel Cutolo in relationship to Sandy the
Green Beret supposedly out of Fort Devens, Massachusetts.
DF: Yes.
DF: He knew him from the military. They had worked together and he had
originally had known Ed Cutolo I think from the Bronx area when they were
kids. I think from the Bronx or somewhere in the New York area when they
were kids.
RK: Above and beyond what your father said about Cutolo, are there any other
indications that he knew Cutolo?
DF: Well, I had wound up finding Cutolo's daughter, JJ. She was living here in
Albuquerque and I had found her because at this point, things were getting a
case of the crazies of looking for people that dad knew, trying to confirm, deny
and JJ had come to the house and she had seen a picture of my dad and she
identified my father. She had met my father on occasion. She knew who my dad
was.
DF: Fort Devens and she had met him one time in Florida someplace.
RK: So in effect you got the sense that Colonel Cutolo's daughter…..
RK: Okay. Do you know if this Sandy, Green Beret from Massachusetts, is still
alive?
RK: He is alive?
DF: Massachusetts.
RK: How did you find out that Sandy was alive in Walpole, Massachusetts?
DF: I had been talking for a while to a gentleman by the name of Bill McCoy.
A-53
Bill McCoy and I were having quite a few conversations and I kept on telling
him that I had to find this guy, Sandy, who was framed for a murder because of
what he knew as far as operations, Black operations.
RK: Excuse me. Let me interrupt you. How do you know he was framed
because of his knowledge of …well first of all let's define what do you under-
stand Black operations to mean?
RK: And where did you get this definition you are using?
DF: My dad.
RK: So your father would, one way or another, say that if it is a Black operation
Congress doesn't know about it?
DF: Exactly.
RK: Okay. So how did you get the impression that Sandy was framed because of
his knowledge of Black operations?
DF: I didn't get the impression, my father told me. When my father got really
sick, he felt that he had to clear this kid's name.
RK: Okay. So your father got sick in ‘85 and your father passed away in ‘90.
During that five year stretch, can you narrow down when he told you this?
DF: He stated in ‘85 that he had business that needed to be taken care of, that
only he could take care of because it seems that there was some type of diaries
that were in my father's possession at one time that my father had brought to
CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
RK: Did he say when he had these diaries? When they were in his possession?
DF: No. It was the end of the ‘70's. Like ‘79, maybe going into ‘80. Maybe
towards the end of ‘78, somewhere around there. It was the end of the ‘70's.
RK: Okay. So Mr. McCoy…let's get back to Mr. McCoy. You were having a
conversation with Mr. McCoy?
RK: Okay. And how did Mr. McCoy lead you to Sandy?
A-54
DF: Okay. I was led….let's say Sandy was led to me. Sandy had called Bill
McCoy to tell him that he needed to find JJ Cutolo and that she was in the
Albuquerque area.
DF: Bill McCoy told me. He called me and said to me, "you're in Albuquerque,
can you find JJ Cutolo?" and I said I will try. He had told me that she had
worked for a radio station so I said okay, I will try to find JJ for you. It was
ironic because I had been looking for any family members to do with Colonel
Cutolo. I had asked Bill McCoy about speaking to Colonel Rowe's wife, Nick
Rowe, and he told me that I couldn't because she was very afraid of what was
going on since her husband's death and she refused to speak to anyone. To make
a long story short, I picked up the phone and called information and found JJ
Cutolo in Albuquerque and I told her that Bill McCoy needed to speak to her
because a man by the name of Bill Tyree needed to speak to her. I asked Bill
McCoy who is William Tyree and he said to me, he is a Green Beret who is
charged with the murder of his wife, Elaine.
RK: Okay.
DF: Bill McCoy did not want to put me and Bill Tyree together.
DF: No and Bill McCoy knew my father's whole story and it is odd because he
would talk to Billy about Dee in Albuquerque but never mentioned Dee was
Colonel Carone's daughter so Billy was discussing things with Bill McCoy on
Colonel Carone but Bill McCoy never told him that he was talking to me.
DF: Yeah.
RK: So basically through Mr. McCoy, you have identified who Sandy is?
DF: I had told Bill I would not give him the information on JJ Cutolo unless I
was able to speak with Bill Tyree so that was the deal and Bill Tyree wrote and
asked me. In the meantime, Bill Tyree had gotten a newspaper called the Free
American and there was the story of my dad in the Free American and my name
was in there. Billy called Bill McCoy and they had been discussing Colonel
Carone but McCoy never told him that Dee and Desiree Ferdinand in Albuquer-
que were the same so Billy wrote me a letter. Billy identified himself and then
A-55
he asked me in this letter if I would possibly know him by his, I guess you
would say code name or call name, or whatever and the name was Sandy, which
I did not believe at the time because my father used to say the kid's name was
Sandy because of his light colored hair and when I saw a picture of Bill Tyree it
was a newspaper clipping and what I saw was black hair in this newspaper
clipping until I spoke to his mother and asked her.
DF: Yes.
RK: Frequent?
DF: Yes.
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
DF: Because he did drug running activities and he was a CIA agent and he
worked with my dad at times and Felix Rodriguez also worked with Robert
Vesco.
DF: When he was dying, Felix Rodriguez and Robert Vesco, I think they went to
Nassau. I think it was Nassau that they had met.
DF: No.
A-56
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK: Okay.
DF: My father had dealings with Colonel Nick Rowe in reference to missing in
action and POWs and if I am not mistaken, I think my father had told me, I don't
remember if it was when he got sick or before, that Colonel Rowe was a POW I
think at one time.
DF: Colonel Malvesti…I know that name because my father got upset because
there was some type of accident with Colonel Malvesti that my father did not
believe was an accident.
DF: Yes. As he had worked with Colonel Cutolo and Colonel Rowe.
DF: When you state A.J. Baker, are you referring to Colonel Baker because my
father worked with a Colonel Baker also.
RK: But you have no idea of any other name other than Colonel?
DF: No.
A-57
RK: Ray Dote?
DF: No.
RK: Longhoffer?
DF: No.
RK: Duncan?
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: Colonel?
RK: Yes.
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
A-58
RK: Did he say where?
DF: No. I know Colonel Beckwith had called the house on a couple of occa-
sions, that is how I know it was Colonel.
DF: Agency.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: Lloyd Vessey or Vesse? I know that name but I don't know why I know it.
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK: Gayre?
DF: No.
DF: No.
A-59
RK: Gearhardt Hyatt?
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: My father.
RK: Do you have any idea what timeframe he mentioned this, before or after his
illness?
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK: Did your father mention any association with Manuel Noriega?
DF: Only that they were running drugs with Noriega and Noriega was being
paid exorbitant amounts of money on a monthly basis.
A-60
RK: Did your father mention working directly with Noriega?
RK: Did he indicate to you that he knew Noriega well or just in passing?
DF: He knew Manuel Noriega and monies that went to Manuel Noriega my
father paid to him for the agency.
DF: No, he was paymaster or a bag man, whatever you want to refer to it as far
as NYPD but that is also what he did for Central Intelligence. You do a job and I
will come and pay you.
DF: My father had dealings with a woman by the name of Ruth Paine.
DF: No, around the time of his dealings. Not around the time that he told me.
I’ve aged. Ruth Paine. The ‘60's.
DF: No.
DF: Because I contacted Mr. Tatum when I read the Pegasus file to see if he
knew my father.
RK: Did Mr. Tatum indicate to you that he knew your father?
A-61
DF: Yes he did. He said that he was the pilot that brought my father from, I think
it is Camp Drum in New York, to South America on a couple of different
occasions and he also stated to me that he knew at one time he was witness to
the fact of George Bush being with my father in South America.
RK: Did he indicate what time he saw George Bush and your father together?
DF: No he did not. I think he told me they were in the Honduras region. My
father was passing himself off as George Bush's private doctor.
RK: Did you have any indication of anything else about Mr. Bush?
DF: Yes.
DF: Because my father said at one time he was, number one the president of the
United States is involved, and if all of this information came down it would
bring down the Oval Office. Number two, he was involved with drug running
because my father worked with him when he was with the CIA.
RK: Did your father indicate any other association with Mr. Bush?
DF: No.
RK: Mr. Tatum indicated to you that he saw Mr. Bush and your father in South
America?
DF: Yes he did. He stated there were photos to prove what he was stating but I
have not spoken to Mr. Tatum and I am not in receipt of the photos. The last
time I spoke to Mr. Tatum was about I guess six months ago. He stated he had to
get them because they were in a very safe place and I have not heard from him
since. If they were sent, I never received them.
RK: Okay. Did he indicate in what, if there was an official capacity to Mr. Bush
or Mr. Bush's official capacity at the time he saw your father and Mr. Bush
A-62
together?
DF: I do not know if it was the Fort Drum area. I would tend to think at that time
my father was in New York that he would have been with the CIA.
RK: Ed Wilson?
DF: My father worked with Edwin Wilson, if it is the same person that you are
asking me.
DF: Agency.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK Morris Houghton?
DF: No.
DF: If it is Barry Seal that you are asking me about, my father worked very
closely with Barry Seal.
RK: Where?
DF: No.
DF: Yes. My father worked with William Colby. He stated that Bill Colby used
to do the work out of his desk drawer. He was not too organized.
DF: No.
DF: You are telling me Ray Klein and Howard Hunt. I do not know if my father
knew them but I know those names but you know, in media, etc.
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
DF: My father had stated about Eugene Hassenfus and supposedly Mr.
Hassenfus was supposed to be taken out on a mission, a drug running mission.
Well, we finally looked up Eugene Hassenfus. I have never spoken to Eugene, I
have only spoken to Sally and Eugene, there was no way he was discussing
anything. He refused.
A-64
DF: His wife.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: Well I have heard the name but my father never mentioned him.
DF: Derogatory and that he was the backing of most of the money for half of
this stuff.
DF: A lot of drugs that were coming into Mena and that is where he knew Barry
Seal from also, Mena, Arkansas.
DF: No.
DF: No.
A-65
RK: Now these diaries he had mentioned that he had, did he mention who they
belong to?
DF: Only that they can do harm to a lot of people within the military.
RK: Color?
DF: Blue.
RK: Right. Did you see them or did he tell you they were blue?
DF: Yes.
A-66
RK: Okay. How many were there?
DF: I do not remember. I cannot tell you. There were a couple of them, I know
that. And they were not the type of diary that kids have, you know that they have
the lock on them or anything. They almost looked like a thin telephone book,
memo type.
RK: Did you at any time that your father had them get an opportunity to look at
them?
DF: No.
RK: So all you knew was that there were some diaries, they were blue, and they
were identified as Sandy's wife's and that they were dangerous to military
people. Did he mention any particular military people?
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK: The present president, yes. Did your father have any association with him?
DF: I don't know if he had association with him. All that I know is that there
were dealings in Mena, Arkansas for drug running while he was governor.
RK: Did your father indicate that Governor Clinton knew about the drug
running?
RK: Okay, that is fine. Did he say how he knew the governor knew, did he
indicate how the governor would know about the drug running?
DF: Because there was a meeting at one time off record between Ollie North and
George Bush and they had met Bill Clinton in Mena, Arkansas.
RK: So Oliver North and George Bush went to Mena, Arkansas and met with
Governor Clinton.
DF: Exactly.
A-67
RK: How does your father know this?
RK: But he saw the three gentlemen together and doesn't know what they talked
about?
DF: My cousin.
DF: Self-employed.
DF: Fish at one time. I don't know what he does now okay. He was in the fish
business, Fulton Fish Market.
DF: Blood.
DF: Oh yes.
A-68
DF: Okay, I have heard of Gunther Rusbacher through a gentleman by the name
of Rodney Stitch who stated that he knew my father, Gunther stated he knew my
father and about my dad but Gunther has refused to speak to me at any time
supposedly because he is very ill.
DF: No.
DF: Richard Brennecke. I have heard of him but I do not remember if it was
through my father.
DF: No.
DF: Yeah, Task Force Bravo. Yes and I do not remember why, where or when
but yes.
DF: No.
RK: Enterprise?
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No, my father never mentioned anything to do with Task Force and num-
bers but I know Task Force Bravo.
A-69
RK: Enrique Bermudas?
DF: No.
RK: Archer?
DF: No.
DF: No.
RK: Now you mentioned that you had talked to or met with Richard Armitage?
DF: No, I have never spoken to Richard Armitage or met with him.
DF: No.
DF: Of him.
DF: My father working with him as far as the Golden Triangle in Vietnam
between 66 and I think 67, the same time with Theodore Shackley.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: It is not through my father, it is through what happen with Colonel Sabo.
Okay.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
RK: This was the same uncle who was the physician?
DF: Psychiatrist.
RK: Who is the psychiatrist. And do you speak with your uncle?
DF: No I don't.
RK: Now when your father became ill, being a psychiatrist, your uncle would
have certain medical skills. Was he involved in any treatment with your father?
RK: Quite a few. Does he know anything about the property you are seeking?
DF: Yes.
RK: Right.
DF: My uncle will not help me in any way. My uncle told me I am opening up a
Pandora's box. My uncle told me if I continued, I would be disowned by him.
My uncle thinks I am totally crazy and that I need to be put on Thorazine. He
has stated that he would get medical care for me because I need to drop all of
this nonsense and it will only cause a problem within the family.
DF: I have an impression that my Uncle Pat knows everything. My Uncle Pat,
when he first came down he flew in from New York for three hours to see my
father. The doctor at that time was the doctor, James Thesing, they had gotten in
A-72
an argument. My Uncle Pat wanted the medical records. Dr. Thesing would not
release them. My Uncle Pat told me not to listen to anything my father was
discussing with me. He was disillusional and I needed to leave him to the state.
My father proceeded to tell me not to trust his brother in any way and under no
conditions let him succeed in what he was doing. My Uncle Pat came back on
another visit, stayed for four hours on the second time and proceeded to discuss
matters again. Dr. Ericson, which was another doctor, felt that he should be put
on kidney dialysis. Dr. Thesing felt that it would not help under any conditions
because there was chemical toxicity of unknown etiology involved with my
father and he stated that kidney dialysis would not help my father because due to
the chemical toxicity of unknown etiology my father's organs were starting to
deteriorate. My Uncle Pat's attitude was let them do what they have to do with
him, leave him to the state. He got back on his plane and he left.
DF: Yes I have. I have had three different arguments with the man.
DF: No.
RK: There is another name….we have come up with some names that are
pretty…..
DF: No.
RK: McMichael?
DF: Yes.
DF: Because when all of this happened with my father and things started
disappearing, my father at one time had mentioned a gentleman by the name of
Victor Marketti who is with the CIA. I called Mr. Marketti and he told me he
couldn’t help me but he gave me the phone number to David McMichael. I
spoke to David McMichael and he told me that it was a really touchy situation
A-73
and that he could not help me. So it went down the line to everybody that I am
now in contact with.
RK: Now, you stated your father was a bag man for the organized crime and
then in fact was a bag man for Central Intelligence?
DF: Yes.
RK: Well, we know what he did for organized crime, let's say for the CIA.
DF: Okay, my father never referred to himself as a bagman for the CIA. He
referred to himself as a paymaster and it seems that according to what my father
told me while he was ill, that he went to pay operations, Black operations were
paid through my father. If people needed to be hired, they were hired through
my father. If people needed to be eliminated, he was then one who was the final,
I guess, down the line, to give the order.
DF: No.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: There are a couple of banks that he had mentioned and written down with
the bank accounts on them, okay, but unless it is sitting in front of me, you
know, Cayman Islands was a good one too.
DF: Yes.
DF: Yes.
RK: Okay. Have you heard your father refer to a Mr. Pingeron?
DF: Pincheron. Now this is funny you should say that because Gunther
Rossbacher came back and stated that one of my father's names that he went by
was Pincheron.
RK: So your father used aliases? Was that what Mr. Rossbacher was referring
to?
DF: Yes.
RK: Now you know that because of the conversation with Mr. Rossbacher?
DF: I never spoke to him. He spoke through Rodney Stitch and Rodney Stitch
would call me.
RK: Okay, so Rodney would tell you. So you really don't know if your father
used aliases or not?
DF: No, the only thing I can tell you is that Gunther went back to Rodney and
told him that my father went by the name of Pincheron supposedly in the
Chicago area.
RK: Just a couple of more things. So your father basically was involved with
organized crime and assisted them in various and sundry crimes?
DF: Yes.
DF: He paid certain people off in NYPD for the drugs that they were bringing in
from South America through the Central Intelligence Agency to look the other
way. He paid people off to do things in this country that they used the Mafia for
at times that were working for the CIA to do criminal activities in this country.
DF: Certainly.
DF: Certainly.
DF: Certainly.
DF: Exactly.
DF: Yes.
RK: Okay. If he told me something, he said to me, "Mr. Kohlman, A is B." Why
would I believe him?
DF: Because my father would not lie when he was telling someone something,
maybe for operations but at the point in my father's life when he knew he was
terminal and when he was dying, he needed to get it out because he said that
things were running amuck and what they originally started out to do was not
what it wound up to be, so if my father would look at you and say, "Mr.
Kohlman, A is B, you can go to the bank on it."
RK: After 85. Now, in your search for records and property and so on and so
forth, have you or do you know of any problems that you have had or that
family members have had because of your search?
A-76
DF: Well, let me see. Mr. James Strauss himself came to see us. I told Mr.
Strauss that I knew that the agency had eliminated my father. The man looked at
me and he said, "well, can you bite the bullet and go on?" The man also told me
I could never play chess unless I knew how to play without the chessboard
because I would be in checkmate at all times. He told me that my children could
not be watched at all times. He told me if I win, I will lose. His exact words to
me were, "when you win, you lose and when you lose, you lose."
DF: Two.
DF: I have a son who is 25 and a daughter who is 23. My son is with the
Bernoleo County Sheriff's Department. He is in extradition. I guess it must have
been in September of 1997 when he was at Albuquerque International Airport
here in New Mexico. He pulled in with his police car to a restricted area. His
partner noticed that someone was taking pictures of him in a restricted area with
a zoom lens. They were oriental. There were three. Albuquerque Airport police
told them that they could not do anything because it was not illegal to take a
picture of anyone whether they were in restricted area or not. I have been
followed.
RK: Just a minute. So how do you know this incident occurred and…..let's take
a break now.
RK: The time is now 1:19 p.m. We are now off the record.
DF: Because my son called me. His partner at the time was a gentleman whose
first name was Ruben, that was there. How do I know that occurred? I was told
by my son and his partner.
DF: Vincent.
DF: My father.
RK: Picked it out after his grandfather. So if we were to talk to Vincent, the
stories would be pretty much the same?
DF: Oh yes.
A-77
RK: And if we were to talk to his partner, what was his partner's name again
please?
DF: I think he was with a gentleman by the name of Ruben at the time.
RK: And Ruben would pretty much substantiate Vincent's impression of what
happened?
DF: Yes.
RK: Now you were stating that you were threatened? Was that your word?
DF: I have been followed. I took what Jim Strauss said to me as a threat that I
cannot watch my children 24 hours a day. I have been followed. I have had my
horses turned loose. Got my wire fencing totally cut.
RK: Okay, excuse me a minute. Not knowing much about horses, I do know that
they appear to be a lot smarter than people think. How do you know the wires
were cut?
DF: Because you can see on the wire that they were clipped. On the wire
fencing.
RK: Okay. Are your horses shoed? Do they have steel horseshoes or….
DF: No.
DF: They have been let out twice. Boy, I just lost my train of thought. Police
reports have been made. They are documented with Corales Police Department.
A threatening phone call came, Rose telegram, to call a certain number and it
was addressed to my husband, Tom. When the number was called, if I am not
mistaken, I think it was something to do with, I can't remember the wording on
it but the police report would have it.
A-78
RK: And this is the police report you just were referring to?
DF: Yes.
RK: Okay, would you show that to the camera please? Now on the upper right
hand, left hand…on the upper corner there is a date?
DF: 5/12/97.
DF: 5/12/97.
RK: Was there a time given for the incident, not the reporting of the incident but
the incident? Was there a time?
DF: The Mailgram came on the 12th. I called on the 14th, I called even though it
said for Tom to call.
RK: Okay.
DF: And I called in the morning. I think it was early in the morning.
DF: Oh yes.
DF: Yes.
DF: Oh yes.
DF: Mostly with the horses. My horses are constantly, all my gates being
opened.
RK: If you would, keeping in mind my premise that horses are a lot smarter than
people would like to think they are. Couldn't the horses have opened the gates
themselves?
A-79
DF: I tell you what, if they could I would be a very rich woman because they
would be very well trained, no. Sorry but no.
This concludes the testimony of Desiree A. Ferdinand. The time is now 1:25
p.m. This is tape #2.
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AFFIDAVIT OF EDWARD P. CUTOLO
11. The March, 1976 mission incident occurred as the SAT that
was on station at Turbo, Colombia, encountered 40 to 50 armed
men. Action Intelligence reports identified the armed men as local
bandits. In regards to this incident the helicopters waiting in
Panama, to extract the SAT, entered Colombian air space without
authorization and successfully extracted the SAT, after an esti-
mated six or seven minute fire fight.
C-2
15. The two soldiers I recognized were assigned to 10th Special
forces Group (airborne). One was assigned to a special Forces
Operational Detachment Alpha in the 3rd Battalion, Sgt. John
Newby. The other had just been reassigned off an Operational
Detachment Alpha following a criminal investigation Division
matter being filed against him, PFC William Tyree. Tyree was
reassigned to a Forward Support Team but had been carried for the
preceding month on 2nd Battalion’s roster.
17. Mr. Edwin Wilson explained that it was considered that Opera-
tion Watch Tower might be compromised and become known if
politicians, judicial figures, police and religious entities were
approached or received word that U.S. Troops had aided in deliver-
ing narcotics from Columbia into Panama. Based on that possibil-
ity, intense surveillance was undertaken by my office to ensure if
Watch Tower became known of, the U.S. Government and the
Army would have advance warning and could prepare a defense.
18. I was under orders not to inform Col. Forrest Rittgers, Com-
manding Officer at Ft. Devens. The reason for this order I was
told, is that in the event Ft. Devens personnel are caught in the act
of implementing the surveillance, Col. Rittgers will have a margin
of plausible deniability on which he may be able to downplay and
defend against injuries.
23. Among the SAT personnel was (then) SP4 William Tyree.
Tyree had learned of the Operation and requested in person to be
part of it. Tyree was used in less than a dozen surveillances.
27. I was told and understood that the main reason for seeking the
Article -15 against him was to make an example of him. To show
others that cooperation with the Command law enforcement
agencies was mandatory.
32. Following a scream, local police were notified. (This was not
known to the SAT involved in the surveillance however.) The first
police car responded quickly and a single officer entered the
building where the Tyree family resided. After the officer entered
one of the two men exited from a window on the ground floor of
the building. This window was identified as the Tyree bedroom
window. The man seen leaving this window was identified as SP4
Earl M. Peters. Peters exited the window wearing blue denim,
with a red hood sticking out of the rear neck area of the blue denim
jacket. He was carrying a box, green and white in color and
described by the SAT as long and flat in appearance. Peters then
walked from the building to the driveway entrance of the apt.
complex and walked in the general direction of the main street in
Ayer, Massachusetts. Within 5 or 6 minutes after the first police
officer arrived a second officer identified as the (Ayer) Police
Chief arrived.
34. After the Police Chief arrived a third vehicle arrived. This was
10 to 15 minutes later. That vehicle carried an unknown man in his
late 30’s. He was later identified as the landlord of the Tyree apt.
35. Upon knowledge that Mrs. Tyree was dead the SAT did notify
me of this fact and I did place Pvt. Tyree under intense surveil-
lance. In addition I placed SP4 Peters under surveillance and at
approx. 1405 hours on the afternoon of the murder SP4 Peters
signed a weapon (12 gauge shotgun, Remington 1100) into the
Service Company. The weapon was in a long, flat green and white
box bearing the name “Remington” across the front and back sides.
C-7
41. Despite repeated warnings to stay out of the investigation and
to remain silent, Tyree was arrested on 1 Feb. 1979, after attempt-
ing to bring about the arrest of Pvt. Aarhus. The surveillance SAT
reported that an armed confrontation between Pvt. Tyree and SP4
Peters occurred prior to the arrest of Tyree.
42. During Feb. 1979, Pvt Tyree was arraigned on the pending
civilian criminal charges. It was too risky to allow a military court
to review the charges against Pvt. Tyree with Operation Orwell still
ongoing and Senator Garn’s office requesting a full investigation.
Pvt. Tyree therefore had to stand before a civilian court of law on
the criminal charges.
43. Prior to the arrest of Pvt. Tyree, Lt. Dwyer approached me and
insisted on knowing whether or not Tyree had ever served in
Vietnam. I suspect Lt. Dwyer was attempting to learn if Tyree’s
involvement in the military operations elsewhere were being
covered up the way Operation Watch Tower was. I replied in the
negative, that Tyree had neve been in the Republic of South Viet-
nam. I then contemplated for the first time that Tyree might go
public on Operation Watch Tower and Orwell because I had not
come forward. Based on that conclusion, I gave orders to erase
certain parts of his military record.
46. After the hearing concluded, the presiding judge in the Tyree
matter found no reason to bind Tyree over for the trial on the
murder of his wife. I found myself faced with the possibility that
Pvt. Tyree, upon release, would become angered at my decision to
disfranchise him. So I approached Lt. Dwyer who informed me
that an indictment had already been secured for Tyree and that he
would stand trial for the charge of murder. Lt. Dwyer expressed
concern that there would not be enough evidence to warrant a
guilty finding against Tyree. Lt. Dwyer indicated that the only
person with enough credibility was SP4 Peters. I could not inform
Lt. Dwyer that Peters had been the person responsible for Elaine
Tyree’s murder.
48. On 29 Feb. 1980, Pvt. Tyree was convicted of murder and will
spend the duration of his life incarcerated. I could not disseminate
intelligence gathered under Operation Orwell to notify civilian
authorities who actually killed Elaine Tyree.
51. I mailed the diaries of Elaine Tyree to a post office box num-
ber in Langley, Virginia, per instructions of Edwin Wilson who
contacted me by telephone concerning the diaries. Wilson also
notified me of the intelligence on Archbishop Romero.
54. Jan. 1978 entry: “rosemary got a job with the FBI and has to
be in Washington D.C. by Jan. 31, 1978. Cindy and Edie got out
of the hospital today (Thursday).”
55. From reading the entry on Cindy and Edie I suspect the actual
date of their release from the hospital was 12 Jan. 1978. But no
specific date was given, nor was the hospital named that they were
admitted to.
C-10
56. Jan. 1978 entry: “Rosemary will be leaving for Wash. D.C.,
on Sunday. I may ride back with her.”
58. Nov. 1978 entry: “SP5 Scott had a little baby girl. She was
due in July. I remember her back before she came to Ft. Devens.”
59. From reading the entries on SP5 Scott which begin to appear
in the diaries around April 1978, I suspect this female was a mem-
ber of a Unit Elaine Tyree was assigned to either at ft. Lee, Vir-
ginia, or at Ft. McClellan, Alabama. In either case, this is an
intimate fact obviously known only to elaine Tyree, as no one else
would need or have knowledge about when another female friend
gave birth, and the gender of the baby born to that female friend.
60. Jan. - Feb. 198 entries: “I’ve been running around with Heidi
Urban. We go all over together when I don’t have duty. Oh, yeah,
diary, Pat Imbu left in mid-January.”
61. From reading the entries on Heidi Urban the main fact appears
obvious is that Elaine Tyree is then at Ft. Lee, Virginia. That Pvt.
William Tyree is not present as he is at Ft. Devens, Mass. Other
than Elaine and Heidi, no one, specifically not Pvt. Tyree or myself
could know that Elaine and Heidi are “running around together” at
that time, unless these facts are represented in the diaries main-
tained by Elaine Tyree in her own handwriting. Elaine Tyree was
assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, Quartermaster School.
62. Nov. 1978 entry: “Dear Diary, my brother Steven who has
been stationed in England for over a year is coming home on the
20th for good.”
65. Nov. 1978 entry: “Peters came by the apartment today. Bill
spoke with him in the front room while I was washing dishes.
Peters is thinking about buying a new truck. Bill asked Peters if he
was going to have Denni Testagrossa steal this new truck and burn
it so Peters could collect the insurance the way Peters had the last
time? Peters laughed and said the payments are better on this truck
than the one he had Testagrossa steal from the parking lot of
Carlini’s Bar. This was the first I knew that Peters was involved in
the stealing of his own truck. Peters told me Bill was not involved
because at the time Bill was under too much attention.”
66. To date, I have not actually seen proof that Pvt. Tyree was
involved in illegal activities. I have seen ample proof that he is
foolish and eager to do things his way, since Pvt. Tyree’s involve-
ment in the March 1976 Watch tower incident with the 40-50
armed Colombians.
68. Sgt. John Newby reported that he had received threats just
prior to the parachuting accident that claimed his life in Oct. 1978.
It was at that time that (then) SP4 Tyree began to report threatening
phone calls. I saw a pattern and still believe that a pattern exists.
69. I gave Col. Baker the original copy of this affidavit. I have
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true copies to Hugh B. Pearce, and to Paul (-)leri of the National
Security Agency and instructed each person to deliver this affidavit
to the authorities in the event something occurs to me.
70. I believe the friends I have entrusted with the original and
copies of this affidavit will place the National Security of the
United States and American interests in Latin America first, and if
circumstances allow, will bring this affidavit to the attention of the
authorities in the event something occurs to me.
73. Edwin Wilson explained that the profit from the sale of narcot-
C-13
ics was laundered through a series of banks. Wilson stated that
over 70% of the profits were laundered through the banks in
Panama. The remaining percentage was funneled through Swiss
banks with a small remainder being handled by banks within the
U.S.. Wilson indicated that a large portion of the profits are
brought into the banks of Panama without being checked. I under-
stood that some of the profits in Panamanian banks arrived through
Israeli couriers. I became aware of that fact from normal conversa-
tions with some of the Embassy personnel assigned to the Embassy
in Panama. Wilson also stated that an associate whom I don’t
know also aided in overseeing the laundering of funds, which was
then used to purchase weapons to arm the various factions that the
CIA saw as friendly towards the U.S.. The associates name is Tom
Clines. Wilson indicated that most of Operation Watch Tower was
implemented on the authority of Clines.
78. Per orders from Edwin Wilson, I did not discuss the imple-
mentation of Operation Orwell with my staff or others outside of
the personnel assigned to surveillance. The only matter discussed
with Operation Orwell personnel was what the SATs needed to
know in order to carry out their mission. Certain information was
collected on suspected members of the Trilateral Commission and
the Bilderberg Group. Among those that information was collected
on were Gerald Ford and President Jimmy Carter. Edwin Wilson
indicated that additional surveillance was implemented against
former CIA director George Bush, who Wilson named as a member
of the Trilateral Commission. I do not have personal knowledge
that Ford, Carter or Bush were under surveillance.
C-15
80. On 7 march, 1980 Col. Rowe contacted me. During the course
of our conversation Col. Rowe informed me that his initial inquir-
ies with CIA contacts confirmed that Edwin Wilson was working
for Thomas Clines at the times in question. Col. Rowe indicated
that Edwin Wilson was under scrutiny by the CIA at that time but
had not been given the details of the circumstances surrounding the
events of that matter. Col. Rowe also indicated that there was an
Israeli aspect to the matter involving Edwin Wilson and Col. Rowe
provided the name of David Kimche as being the Israeli most
likely to be involved with Edwin Wilson. In regards to my con-
cerns that Edwin Wilson posed a possible threat to national secu-
rity or to the inner working of the CIA, Col. Rowe indicated that
off the record, that was a concern of several people to whom he
had spoken. Col. Rowe also indicated that he would be in receipt
of documentation by the first week of June which listed Edwin
Wilson’s involvement in several operations. I specifically asked
Col. Rowe if he had the names of any of those operations at this
time and his reply was in the negative. Col. Rowe did indicate that
it was his understanding that each operation had basically the same
characters involved and Col. Rowe named two other individuals
involved with Edwin Wilson. Col. Rowe named Robert Gates and
William J. Casey as officials who had been named in the documen-
tation he would acquire prior to our scheduled meeting on June
1980.
84. I was told from Pentagon contacts, off the record, that CIA
Director Stansfield Turner and former CIA Director George Bush
are among the VIPs that shield Harari from public scrutiny. Those
Pentagon contacts further indicated to me their knowledge that
Operation Watch Tower was implemented and of my and of my
involvement in that operation. This was the first time that U.S.
Military authorities confirmed to me that the Operation occurred
and gave their approval. I also learned that Harari was a known
middleman for matters involving the U.S. in Latin America.
Harari acted with the support of a network of Mossad personnel
C-17
throughout Latin America and worked mainly in the import and
export of arms and drug trafficking.
C-18
NOTE: At the request of Mr. Paul Neri of the National Security
Agency, and after his death on April 29, 1990, the above affidavit
of Col. Edward P. Cutolo was anonymously mailed to The New
York Times, The Washington Post, and the Boston Globe. It was
also received by British investigative journalist David Guyatt, who
published the affidavit as part of an article, “Deep Black.” Guyatt
claims to be in possession of an original copy of the affidavit
which was both signed and notarized.
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D-22
CLINTON ON MENA:
“They didn’t tell me about it.”
Q: Sir, the Republicans are trying to blame you for the existence
of a small airbase at Mena, Arkansas. This base was set up by
George Bush and Oliver North and the CIA to help the Iran-
Contras, and they brought in planeload after planeload of cocaine
there for sale in the United States, and then they took the money
and bought weapons and took them back to the Contras, all of
which was illegal, as you know, under the Boland Act. But tell me,
did they tell you that this had to be in existence because of national
security?
E-1
JOINT INVESTIGATION BY THE
OF
WILLIAM C. DUNCAN
**********************************************************************
APPEARANCES:
************
WILLIAM C. DUNCAN
the witness hereinbefore named, having been previously cautioned
and sworn, or affirmed, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth testified as follows:
EXAMINATION
BY MR. ALEXANDER:
E-3
A. I graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville,
December 1983, BS/BA marketing.
Q. And what was your first job that you received after having
graduated from college?
A. Yes, I did.
A. Yes, I did.
A. Yes, I did.
A. Yes.
A. It did.
A. Yes.
A. Asa Hutchinson.
A. I was in the witness room, but I was not in the grand jury.
E-7
Q. Kathy Corrigan Gann. Do you know her address?
Q. And what did she say about the evidence that she was
allowed to give the grand jury as it might have been different
from the evidence that you wanted her to give to the grand jury?
A. She basically said that "she was allowed to give her name,
address, position, and not much else.
Q. Mr. Duncan, are you saying that the prospective witness was
not permitted in your judgment to give evidence of the money
laundering to the grand jury?
A.I talked to another one, his name was Jim Nugent, who was a
Vice-president at Union Bank of Mena, who had conducted a
search of their records and provided a significant amount of evi-
dence relating to the money laundering transactions. He was also
furious that he was not allowed to provide the evidence that he
wanted to provide to the grand jury.
E-8
Q. And was there a third witness?
A. No.
Q. What was the result of the grand jury inquiry into the
money laundering investigation which you had conducted?
A. No.
A. P. J. Pitts.
E-9
A. Well, she was perpetually involved in the grand jury as it
heard evidence concerning the Barry Seal matter, and she related
to me the frustrations of herself and the entire grand jury
because they were not allowed to hear of money laundering
evidence.
Q. Mr. Duncan, are you saying that the grand jury that was
impaneled to hear your investigation, hear evidence of the
investigation that you had conducted for the U.S. Treasury as a
special investigator, was compromised?
E-10
A. Never any indictments.
A. None.
A. Not to my knowledge.
A. Yes.
A. Absolutely.
Q. Are you stating now under oath that you believe that the
investigation in and around the Mena Airport of money laundering
was covered up by the U. S. Attorney in Arkansas?
Q. Would you state that succinctly for the record in your own
words, so that we might -- to have the benefit of how you would
state your opinion and conclusions as a result of your
activities as a special investigator -- as to this investigation?
E-12
A. They interfered with my testimony before the House
Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime.
Q. What is this about Meese? Where did you get that information?
A. Yes, it did.
A. Yes, I do.
A. No, I do not.
E-15
One of the most revealing things, I suppose, was that we
had discussed specifically with Asa Hutchinson the rumors about
National Security involvement in the Mena operations. And Mr.
Hutchinson told me personally that he had checked with a variety
of law enforcement agencies and people In Miami, and that Barry
Seal would be prosecuted for any crimes in Arkansas. So we were
comfortable that there was not going to be National Security
interference.
A. Peter Filpi.
Q. Peter Filpi?
A. She was the briefing attorney. She was the one that I was
-- was supposed to be involved in preventing disclosure of tax .
return information and grand jury information.
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Mr. Duncan, do you get the impression that she was ordering
you to cover up the investigation?
A. Absolutely.
Q. Now, when you say "she" and "her" you're talking about
Mary Ann Curtin?
A. Yes.
FURTHER EXAMINATION
BY MR. BRYANT:
E-18
Q. And when did you first go to Mena?
A. In May of 1983.
Q. Do you have any doubt in your mind that Mena was used as a
base for drug operation. headed by Barry Seal?
E-21
A. I very much believe that was the case.
A. That's correct.
A. After.
Q. After. Was there any particular reason why Barry Seal was
not called to testify at the grand jury?
A. That's correct.
Q. But in. 1985, when the first grand jury was convened, no law
E-22
enforcement official testified; is that correct?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. And isn't it highly unusual that Barry Seal was not called
to testify in view that he was - - in view of the fact that he
was the principal involved in the investigation?
Q. Okay.
RE-EXAMINATION
BY MR. ALEXANDER:
Q. Well, Barry Seal got drugs that he sold for money. Are
those the drugs that came to Mena from Central America?
FURTHER RE-EXAMINATION
BY MR. BRYANT:
A. Yes, I have.
Q. And would there be any other reason for the Nella Airport
other than clandestine activities, paramilitary training, use by
planes to bring in drugs, illegal contraband and so forth?
FURTHER RE-EXAMINATION
BY MR. ALEXANDER:
A. Yes, I will.
A. Yes, I will.
BY WINSTON BRYANT:
A. Yes, I do.
A. Okay.
E-30
AFTERWORD
End Note - 1
Richard Helms - DCI 1966 to 1973. Convicted of lying
to Congress over covert CIA activities. During WWII, member
OSS. From 1947 to 1961, Office of Special Operations (OSO), in
charge of intelligence and counter intelligence operations in Aus-
tria, Germany and Switzerland. After a falling out with the
Kennedys, Helms was sent to Viet Nam where he oversaw the
coup to overthrow Pres. Ngo Dinh Diem. Following JFK’s assassi-
nation, Helms was made Deputy Director and a year later, DCI.
End Note - 2
a member of the OSS. Died of “brain cancer” in 1987 at the age of
74, only a day before he was due to testify before the U.S. Con-
gress which was investigating CIA covert activities re. Iran-Contra.
End Note - 4
It is generally accepted that with the appointment of John
D. Negroponte as the Director of National Intelligence, the
traditional preiminence of the CIA is no more. Another Yale
graduate (1960), Mr. Negroponte served in the United Statess
Foreign Service from 1960 to 1997. In 1981, he became the U.S.
Ambassador to Honduras. From 1981 to 1985, Negroponte over-
saw the growth of military aid to Honduras from $4 million to
$77.4 million per year. Critics say that during his ambassadorship,
human rights violations in Honduras became systematic. The
Honduras Commission on Human Rights accused Negroponte of
human rights violations, but have failed in making those charges
stick. Negroponte supervised the construction of the El Aguacate
Air Base where Nicaraguan Contras were trained by the U.S. , and
which critics say was used as a secret detention and torture center
during the 1980’s. In August 2001, excavations at the base discov-
ered 185 corpses, including two Americans, who are thought to
have been killed and buried at the site. Negroponte is suspected by
some commentators to have known of human rights abuses carried
out by CIA-trained operatives in Honduras in the 1980s. Records
also show that a special intelligence unit (commonly referred to as
a “death squad”) of Honduran armed forces, Battalion 3-16, trained
by the CIA and the Argentine 601st Intelligence Battalion and Arm
Intelligence Service, kidnapped, tortured and killed hundreds of
people, including U.S. missionaries. Critics charge that
Negroponte knew about these human rights violations and yet
continued to collaborate with the Honduran military while lying to
Congress. Twenty years later, on April 19, 2004, Negroponte was
nominated by U.S. President George W. Bush to be the U.S.
Ambassador to Iraq after the 30 June handover of sovereignty. In
the months Negroponte spent as U.S. Ambassador to Iraq he
received plaudits, even from Bush administration critics, for his
work tackling corruption in the U.S. administration in Iraq.*
End Note - 5
End Note - 6
“BAGMAN” - Index