FBI Gingrich Investigation

FD-759 (attachment) The purpose of this communication is to request renewal authority for CCTV, telephonic, and non-telephonic consensual monitoring authority for a period of 90 days to utilize an electronic device to monitor and ecord private conversations between a cooperating witness Morty Bennett, Howard Ash, and others yet unknown, in order to' gather evidence of a possible violation of Title 18. U.S-C., Section 1951 (Hobbs Act), and 371 (Conspiracy) in connection with captioned investigation. This request requires Department of Justice (DOJ) notification, in that this matter may relate to a member of Congress and is, therefore, a sensitive investigation. Martin King, Miami Chief Division Counsel's Office, concurs with these consensual monitoring techniques. Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Richard Gregorie, Southern District of Florida (SDF) has been fully advised of this matter. AUSA Gregorie concurs with the use of the consensual monitoring techniques and sees no entrapment issues in this fact situation. Predication in this matter was developed through a cooperating witness (CW) who provided the following information; - Sometime?around`the middle of 1995, CW was contacted by -Morty Bennett, doing_business as (DBA) The Dorchester Group, 407 A-Lincoln Road, Suite 5C,=Miami Beach, Florida. Bennett advised the source?that he had been referred to the source by a General. first name unknown (FNU) Janeb (PHONETIC), who is an ex high ranking Iraqi military official. Bennett apparently had made 'inquiries?searchihg for a potential weapons dealer who could supply military weapons to Ecuador. General Janeb (PHONETIC) informed Bennett that Iraq had purchased weapons from the source in the past, and the source might still be an international arms - dealer. Bennett informed the source that he was working with a group in London, ASF Limited, 12 Seymour Street, London, England, telephone number Bennett stated that they were looking for someone who could supply military weapons to Ecuador. The source advised Bennett that because of the embargo at that time against Ecuador, the source could not sell them any weapons. Bennett then suggested a sale through Peru. The source informed Bennett that the deal could be done, but it would probably be better to work the deal through an Eastern Bloc country. Bennett advised the source that he wanted to work the deal directly with`the source because he also had a side deal he wanted to do that he did not want people in London to know about. Bennett then asked the source whether the source knew Newt Gingrich. The source advised that he/she did not personally know r3r?< Ti 1* -.-- Fjii "Jiz`fF--.-..M. ,9 I 1*53. v" . . 3 :5 L.- QLLQ [aqj_q_l . J., o_nL . `5 . -- Wasn . rj..3: Hwy 4- gv/*7? bx i I Il {1 Fkf,_q4 577 '*71"7 nkiJ`, ,7vgt$44 Lin-'J .-- -- mi igim iilYF?r-aux*7.-, A.-, . Y. mh wil vn, gry--r -- (. r} Ar'; V- - J-.- - - LFL-xtfrrwr??-qw -. v_ 41 .?Taj .5, yin1.`i ey; u'_k.`Tm --., 1..{wt,-.-3""zgq . . '1 'y . -4-.-.7: inc;. Lfcijwht; WTVENQ if? `fwLTLJ ?v-jk? 1* - awwQ-.--1-.. ..- . xw -..-. .V.. 1 ., -- f'7" F7 . LW I Hbull; 4..: (xvx?:4 process. The source advised that during one conversation, the source inquired whether Gingrich, with the assistance of her husband, could get the embargo against Iraq lifted. The source explained that Iraq owed the source in excess of 80 million dollars for military weapons the source had sold to Iraq in the past. The source advised that if the embargo was lifted, Iraq would be able to pay the source. The source also advised that during another conversation, the source discussed the planned bullet train to be constructed in Florida. The source also asked Gingrich if she, with the assistance of her husband, could get the United States Congress to support the proposed construction of the bullet train. Gingrich replied that she would be able to accomplish this and stated that her relationship with her husband was purely a relationship of convenience. She told the source that she needed her husband for economic reasons, and that he needed to keep her close because she knew of all his "skeletons." Source stated that after requesting Gingrich's assistance in the above matter, she told him that her organization needed money. She also told source "It's time for me to make money using my husband, and after we get started doing this, it will be easy." Gingrich advised source that if he wanted to discuss the matter further, at a later date, he could always contact her through Howard Ash. She then stated that she would be able to do anything the source requested of_her "as long as they had an understanding." Gingrich told the source that she was in a position to get things done in the Congress. On January 23, 1996, Bennett contacted the source and advised that he had recently spoken to Marian Gingrich. Gingrich instructed Bennett_to?inform the source that the lifting of the embargo could be.accomplished. Bennett stated that it would cost the source ten million dollars to get the job done. Bennett and the source agreed to meet later to discuss details of the arrangement. On January 24. 1996, during a consensually recorded conversation, Bennett advised the source that he personally spoke to Marian Gingrich. Gingrich informed Bennett that after she returned from Paris, she made some inquiries regarding the source. Gingrich stated that the source checked out and she was willing to work with the source. Bennett stated that Gingrich wanted ten million dollars to get the job done, five million of which would go directly to Marian Gingrich. Bennett stated that he would receive ten percent of the deal. Bennett did not reveal where the remaining four million dollars would go. Bennett stated that Gingrich gave him explicit instructions on how the deal would be handled. To begin the deal. the source had to deposit $250,000.00 into Bennett's bank account to be transferred into an account of a political institute associated with Gingrich. The source also had to pay Bennett $300,000.00 which preferably should be made in cash. Bennett stated that the $250,000.00 could not come from an Iraqi bank or Iraqi bank account. . Bennett stated that five days after the money was deposited into his account, Gingrich would allow dialogue between herself and the source. However, the source would not be able to talk to Gingrich about money or anything related to a payment. Bennett stated that Gingrich wanted everything done right and was very concerned about being recorded. The source informed Bennett that he was handling the deal on behalf of the Iraqi government, and could not afford to have anything go wrong. Bennett stated that the way they had the deal structured nobody would ever be able to prove it was anything illegal. Bennett stated that it would be handled like a campaign payment and ensured the source that Gingrich knew what she was doing. Bennett stated that the money was for Gingrich and her husband and that they needed buffers to protect them. The source informed Bennett that he/she would contact the Iraqi United Nations representative to see if Iraq would agree to Gingrich's terms. Bennett subsequently informed the source that the political institute that Gingrich was associated with was called the Institute for Political Study. The institute is located in washington, D.C., and Gingrich, along with Robert Lowenberg runs the institute. On February 1, 1996, during a consensually recorded conversation, Bennett informed the source that three weeks after they'received the money, everything would be put into action. Bennett confirmed the meetings that the source had with Gingrich in Paris, France. Bennett stated that within two to . three weeks after they received the money, the source would be . able to meet directly with Gingrich. i On.February 5, 1996, in a consensually recorded .conversation, Bennett informed the source that he had a two hour luncheon meeting with Marian Gingrich on Saturday. February 3, 1996, in washington, D.C. Bennett advised that Gingrich stated that the deal had to be done before the Presidential campaign went into full swing. Bennett stated that the closer they got to the Primary Elections, the harder it would be to get support to lift the embargo with Iraq. Bennett stated that Gingrich wanted for herself up front, in addition to the $550,000.00 that Bennett mentioned earlier, bringing the total up front payment to 1 million 50 thousand dollars. Bennett stated that all the money should be wired to the source and the source would wire it into Bennett's account. Again, Bennett cautioned the source that everything had to be done according to Gingrich's instructions. On February 12, 1996, during a consensually recorded conversation. the source stressed to Bennett the need to speak directly with Gingrich in order to satisfy the Iraqi's questions regarding the authenticity of Bennett's claim to represent Gingrich in the deal. The source advised Bennett that the source would not discuss money or the deal. The source would only inquire about how she enjoyed her trip to Paris and expressed admiration for her husband. The source requested that Bennett qi .. . ix -. 4 `rkmsiy -*44-**41vyr--gi--Jwat Jtil . -- 4-qE . 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