Joseph A. Fortier
The United States Treasury Department representative at the American Embassy in Havana who, in the FBI's 1946-47 reports, looked for Luciano from October 1946, believed his own report led to the Bureau of Narcotics' action, and interviewed Luciano at the Tiscornia immigration center.
- Role
- "United States Treasury Representative" at the American Embassy, Havana, as the FBI reports of 1946-47 state it
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 11 October 1946 — The Legal Attache in Havana reported that "Mr. Joseph A. Fortier, United States Treasury Representative at this Embassy," had word that Luciano had left Italy, and that Fortier's inquiry into his possible presence in Cuba "was negative."
- 12 February 1947 — The FBI report of this date says he "has been endeavoring to locate Subject since October, 1946," because of information that Luciano "might attempt to establish himself in illegal narcotic traffic."
- February 1947 — The FBI report of 22 March 1947 records that Fortier was told narcotic shipments to Cuba would be suspended until Luciano was in custody, that he "believed that his report, which was based on information furnished him by this office, had resulted in" the action, and that "he had no evidence whatsoever" that Luciano was in the narcotic traffic.
- 19 March 1947 — The same report says Fortier interviewed Luciano again at the Tiscornia immigration center, where Luciano said he had planned to buy a share of the gambling concession at the Casino Nacional and Oriental Park but had not.
Fortier appears in these records only as an official doing his job, as the FBI reported it. A radiogram of 25 February 1947 and a memorandum of 18 March 1947 refer to “the Treasury Department representative” at the embassy without naming him; they are linked from the Havana page rather than here. No record filed here gives his dates of birth or death or his later career.
Records
itemLegal Attache, Havana, to the Director, 11 October 1946: Treasury report that Luciano had left Italy, and a negative check in CubaThe FBI's Legal Attache at the embassy in Havana reports that the Treasury representative, Joseph A. Fortier, had word that Luciano 'has reportedly disappeared from Italy and is believed to have secured passage to Mexico on a freighter,' and that Fortier's check for him in Cuba was negative. It is the earliest Cuba document in the file.
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.
itemLegal Attache James P. McMahon, Havana, to the Director, 25 February 1947, with a headquarters memorandum of 3 March: how FBI agents identified Luciano at Oriental ParkWritten 'In view of the widespread publicity,' the Legal Attache's letter says informants reported Luciano at the Oriental Park race track in late January 1947, 'using an assumed name,' and that on 8 February a contact pointed him out to McMahon, who recognized him from Bureau photographs; Agent Leo J. Fox arrived with two Cuban Secret Police officers and confirmed the identification.
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.