◆ SpookStack

Federal Surean of juurstigation United states Departuient of Justice New York, New York HI? :EPR/CC April 10, 192 i 100- ° - Director 4 is Federal Buree:: of Investigatior. \ . , Washington, D. C. 4 ‘ - RE: LEO (or ‘PHILIP)*¢ COTHAREANU ; TINTERNAL SECUPITY. Bureau file 100-82466, 102 38 made to a letter from the Bureau to Congresszr.A dated, March 17, 1942, acknowledzing receipt cf a Letter repihen, “Trvingon-on-fudson, New Yori, in which Yr. Leo he is in possession of informatden, which may possibly be related to subversive activities. Ys. LEON acvised on March 30, 1942, that he had learned vnrough very reliable persons, whose names he ae not wish to disclose, that the captioned subject, wiose first name is either LION or PHILI?, had brousht to the Uited States over a half million dollars in United States currency. he stated this man is a Rumanian and connected with the Coty firm in Paris. He adviced + 2 ’ was exchanged for United States bonds by the Yan~ afact: » New Tork ity, and that en arntedated receip. for these Mr. LEOK stated these funds wer? bro se Taite states “without be_r_ declared to the customs author- ities, and tase he ha heard the customs authorities are very lax in tnese matters, and frequently, if they do find undeclared material, a #50 bil) - . will adequately cover the situationyy | 9 6S W499 = AL $e t° “-r. LECT went on to say be sehAnat quite a bit “of: curreacy ~ is being brought into this country witfdet being declared. He says h- fears ruch of this could be used for improper purposes, and a method of combating it wowld be to require banks to give the proper govcramental agencies nowase when they exc..ance lazte bills, especially for non-citizens. Mr. LEON mentioned thit enemy aliens can use the postal sa try which are nov subject to the Presidential free: « that steps be taxen tc freeze these funds. x qn relation to the matter of the one half million dollars, Mr. LEON informe that the legsl representati ve for Coty in the thited States, is Mr. PAUL FULLE®, Jr., who is also the attorney fer the Vichy Government, and for numefous other French firms, Nasmuch a3 Mr. LEON's information concems chiefly custome offi- eials, and ratters apvarently within the jurisdiction of the Treasurr Depart- : rent, no Turv‘er actior. is being taken, unless advised to the sontre-y by : 4. the Bureau.: “Very truly yours,- : “a EE Kegettine _ Aseastant Director eo . Tearhep