104 10216 10075

104-10216-10075

2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

TO: Chief of Station, Manila FROM: Chief, Far East Division SUBJECT: I. IRVING DAVIDSON ACTION REQUIRED: None REFERENCES: FPA-6470, 13 May 1958, Transmittal of MTRAVELIN Tap Transcripts

The information obtained in the name check of DAVIDSON reveals that Subject is an aggressive international businessman who would possibly participate in any business proposition for a commission; however, when negotiating with representatives of other countries, Subject usually protects himself by reporting the business proposition to a U.S. Government agency or official. The name check reveals that the relationship between Drew Pearson and MIRAVELIN may have resulted from Subject's personal contact with both men. The information re MIRA ELIN may have reached Pearson through Subject's office associates.
The following are the details of the check on Subjects:

a. Subject, a U.S. citizen, born 19 January 1921, is married and maintains his residence and office in Washington, D.C. As reported by KUJUAP, 8 November 1955, Subject shared his office suite in the Hyatt Building with James Farriss, a former ODACID employee, and Jack Northan Anderson and Frederick G. Blumenthal, Washington representatives of PARADE magazine. Frederick G. Blumenthal is a former Drew Pearson leg-man while Anderson continues to work for Pearson.

b. An ODENVY report dated 6 November 1957, stated that Subject filed a registration statement, No. 836, 18 April 1955, with the Foreign Agents Registration Section, Department of Justice. Subject listed as his foreign principal President A. Somosa, Republic of Nicaragua. The nature and purpose of his representing the foreign principal was given as purchasing agent for various bureaus of the Republic of Nicaragua, including the military forces. He also stated that he dealt in general public relations and was self-employed. Another ODENVY report of 18 June 1957 stated that Subject listed his occupation as a Public Relations Counsel and Business Consultant in a report to a local credit bureau. The report indicated that Subject previously spent some time in Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic and is well acquainted with various business and government officials in the above-mentioned locations.

c. On several occasions in the past Subject volunteered information to various government agencies and offered his assistance to the U.S. Government. In an ODENVY report dated 15 September 1950, Subject advised that through a friend, Max Henriquez, who Subject claimed to be a representative for the Dominican Republic to the United Nations, Subject had become acquainted with Vincente Toledano, and was sufficiently close to him to obtain important information concerning activities of the Communist Party in Mexico. Subject offered his assistance to the U.S. Government in this matter. According to a KUJUEP report, submitted by the Office of International Trade, dated 1953, Subject furnished information regarding travel in 1950 between Mexico and the USSR and information on trans-shipments through Mexico.

A Memorandum of 8 November 1955, reported that Subject had approached a KUARK representative on 30 September 1955, at which time he requested guidance and possible financial assistance for a proposed business arrangement with Peter UTHALUNEC, former Yugoslav Assistant Military Attache in Washington, and now Chief of the Foreign Division of PUTNIK, a travel and tourist agency. The proposed business partnership was for the purpose of opening a PUTNIK travel agency in New York City. Subject had not been 1.meested in participating in the travel ani tourist agency in New York City but had suggested to the Yugoslavs that he would act as their public relations expert and publicize Yugoslavia's tourist attractions throughout the U.S. Subject stated he had initially contacted KUBARK for the purpose of obtaining financial backing in exchange for any information that he might be able to obtain through his contacts with the Yugoslavs. Subject was informed by KUPARK representative that KUBARK would neither give him financial assistance nor influence in any way his personal decision in the matter.

d. Also the files reflect that Subject has had contacts with other purchasing agents for foreign countries: In MANA 2217, 19 March 1957, Subject and Isaac Cohen, Israeli purchasing agent in New York, visited icaragua ostensibly to discuss the purchase of Israeli corvettes by the Nicaraguan Government. An ODENVY report dated 31 March 1958, from. a confidential source, stated one Fan Cummings, an international arms dealer, presently has a quantity of guns in bond in the "free trade zone", New York City, and Subject and James Farriss had been attempting to locate buyers for these guns. An ODENVY report dated 31 March 1958,. stated that Abdul Rachman SURIOKUSUD, jakarta, Indonesia, connected with the Indonesian Police Force, had been in the U.S. in the early part of 1956 seeking arms for Indonesia. Due to U.S. regulations, he was unable to obtain arus. At this time Subject interested SURLOKUSURED in purchasing arms from the Dominican Republic. According to source, Subject and SURIOKUSUMO made a trip to the Dominican Republic in June 1956 accompanied by a U.S. arms expert and Enrique Garcia, Jr. who had claimed to be a personal friend of Gen. Rafael L. Trujillo of the Dominican Republic and who is registered with the Foreign Agents Registration Section, listing his foreign principal as the Dominican Republic. It was reported in HMA 0923, 6 August 1956, that Subject had written a letter to the U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua in which he stated the purpose of his recent trip and informed the Ambassador that "other reds were attempting to undercut the arms price as quoted by the Dominican Republic. As reported in ODACID on 6 May 1958, Subject, as representative of the Government of Nicaragua, last year purchased 73 Staghound armored cars from Israel for the GON and also negotiated the subsequent sale of 30 of these vehicles to Cuba. Recently Subject approached U.S. officials in Nicaragua re disposal of 20 of these vehicles to the Quatamalan Government.

e. The only reference to MIRAVELIN reflected in this name check was a KUJUMP report dated 22 April 1957 which stated that a letter, found by a law enforcement officer in February 1957 among MIRAVELIN'S personal effects, seemed to imply that a joint effort was being made by MIRA ELIN and the late Nicaraguan president SOMOZA to open a casino in Nicaragua. This letter dated 27 August 1956 was written on the letterhead of the Nicaraguan Government Agency, Suite 1224, Wyatt Building, Washington, D.C., I. Irving Davidson, 0.5. representative, and stated: "Enclosed are Ex-In bank particulars you asked for. Sam Waugh will cooperate with us 100%. Be sure that Pres. Somoza and only Pres. Somosa designates you 50% partner in the casino. You don't need any partner for the hotel end of the deal at all. You don't want one either. I am sure Pres. Somoza won't care about this. Don't hesitate to ask Somosa anything about anything. I already talked with him and told him that I hope that you would take over this project

with your group and experience. I will then know that Nicaragua will have the nicest, best operated facility in the hemisphere. Give my best regards to Pres. Somoza when you see him. If you don't see him for any reason, you don't have a deal regardless what papers you see or whoever else you may meet. Somoza is a regular guy and our kind of people. He has also been helpful to our people on the other side. Your boy, Irv Davidson."

This information has not been cleared for passage to our liaison services.

CHESTER D. DALI

6 October 1958

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