Indalecio Pertierra
A Cuban congressman whom FBI reports of 1947 describe as reportedly controlling the gambling at the Jockey Club at Oriental Park and the Gran Casino Nacional, and as the man behind Luciano's Cuban visa, which he denied. Every statement about him in these records is 'reportedly' or an informant's.
- Role
- "a Cuban Congressman," as the FBI reports of 1947 describe him; "former Cuban Congressman" in 1952 (FBI reports)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 1944 — An FBI headquarters memorandum of 14 February 1947 says a Legal Attache letter of 3 July 1944 reported that Pertierra, a member of the Liberals, was elected to the Senate.
- 10 February 1947 — An FBI headquarters memorandum states that Luciano "reportedly secured a Cuban visa through Dr. Indalecio Pertierra, Cuban Congressman," who "also has a financial interest in the local race track and National Casino."
- 12 February 1947 — The report of Special Agent Leo J. Fox calls him "a Cuban Congressman, who reportedly controls the gambling at the Jockey Club at Oriental Park and at the Gran Casino Nacional, Habana," and records a source's view that he was "the moving force behind the plan to bring Subject to Cuba." It lists companies his family "operate or operated," including the operators of the Cabaret Mont-Martre, the Oriental Park track and Jockey Club, and the National Casino.
- March 1947 — The FBI report of 22 March 1947 records that he told the press he had never known Luciano before a mutual friend introduced them at the racetrack and "that he had nothing to do with" his entrance into Cuba; its synopsis says he "denied any connection with LUCIANO."
- 20 November 1952 — The Legal Attache in Havana reported that Pertierra "has been the principal owner of the Montmartre Night Club in Havana, where open gambling is in operation, and up till several months ago held the concession at the Oriental Park race track," and that a source said Meyer Lansky bought a share of the Montmartre from him.
Pertierra was a Cuban public official. Everything said about him on this page comes from FBI reports, which attribute the statements about gambling to sources and informants or qualify them with “reportedly,” and from his own denial as the FBI recorded it from the press. A Cuban weekly’s accusations against him, summarized in the February 1947 report, are press, not FBI findings. No record filed here gives his dates of birth or death.
Records
itemFBI memorandum, A. Rosen to E. A. Tamm, 10 February 1947: Luciano found in Havana, 'allegedly backing gambling at the local race track and National Casino'A headquarters memorandum reports that Luciano has been identified in Havana, where 'he is allegedly backing gambling at the local race track and National Casino,' that he 'reportedly secured a Cuban visa through Dr. Indalecio Pertierra, Cuban Congressman,' and that the Cuban Secret Police were questioning him that day.
itemFBI report of Special Agent Leo J. Fox, Havana, 12 February 1947: Luciano's entry into Cuba, the Pertierra visa, and the gambling at the Gran Casino Nacional and Oriental ParkThe Havana office's first full report states that Luciano arrived at Camaguey by airplane on 29 October 1946 as Salvatore Lucania, that his visa was backed by a Cuban senator's letter, that Congressman Indalecio Pertierra 'reportedly controls the gambling at the Jockey Club at Oriental Park and at the Gran Casino Nacional,' and that Luciano frequented both.
itemFBI memorandum, A. Rosen to E. A. Tamm, 14 February 1947: who helped Luciano enter Cuba, and his reported gambling associates in HavanaSummarizing the Legal Attache's radiograms, headquarters records that Luciano had help from Congressman Pertierra and Senator Manuel Capestany, that he 'is managing gambling concessions at the Jockey Club and National Casino for Pertierra,' and that he was associated with Charles Simms, Conrad Immerman, Victor Vesta and Meyer Lansky.
itemFBI report of Special Agent Leo J. Fox, Havana, 22 March 1947: Luciano's arrest and deportation, and the visits by Lansky, Siegel and CostelloThe closing report on Luciano in Cuba: arrested in Havana on 22 February 1947 and deported to Italy on 20 March 1947; 'No evidence developed indicating LUCIANO engaged in narcotic trafficking or other illegal activities in Cuba'; and 'LUCIANO admitted that MEYER LANSKY, BENJAMIN SIEGEL and FRANK COSTELLO had visited him in Cuba,' with Lansky's three Hotel Nacional registrations.
itemLegal Attache, Havana, to the Director, 20 November 1952: no trace of Luciano in Havana; Lansky's reported share of the Montmartre and bid for Oriental ParkAnswering a report that Luciano had flown from Havana to Philadelphia, the Havana office found nothing in airline lists. It relayed informants' reports that Meyer Lansky had bought a share of the Montmartre night club from Pertierra and was trying to secure the Oriental Park concession, with 'his brother JAKE LANSKY' in Havana 'looking after his interests.'