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Pseudonym: Casasin, Thomas B

Definition:

Jacques G. Richardson served the CIA in Japan during the period that Lee Harvey Oswald was a radar operator and transferred to Soviet Russia Division prior to when Oswald defected.

Category:

pseudonym

Status:

Documented

Discussion:

Paul Hartman, a CIA documents specialist, speculated that Casasin might be MHCHAOS chief Richard Ober. See notes in 180-10144-10229, page 13 of 41. Richardson considered whether to use Oswald as a source of intelligence despite several official denials to the contrary and he was also managing other similar defector sources of intelligence that enhance the possibilities someone possibly decided to utilize Oswald for a related operation before the assassination of President Kennedy. Several Agency officials and Richardson himself would deny any inclination to use Oswald despite his own recorded considerations to the contrary. The House Select Committee on Assassinations was told by the Agency that his name was to be concealed even following the Select Committee investigation due to his continued work.

Sources:

104-10059-10181:RECOLLECTIONS OF THOMAS B. CASASIN ABOUT OSWALD UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR IN USSR

The memo is communication between Agency officers using the pseudonyms Thomas B. Casasin and Walter P. Haltigan, they discuss the defector Lee Harvey Oswald and his strange behavior in the Soviet Union. Casasin admits considering Oswald for use as a source of intelligence because he accessed locations of interest to Agency officials but further notes that he decided against it because of Oswald's strange behavior.

180-10143-10227

This document offers an interview of Casasin by House Select Committee staffer Surrell Brady that was conducted in France to learn of his interest regarding Oswald during the alleged assassin's defection period. During the interview, Casasin is established to have been an American citizen who left the United States for European assignments and he denies official interest in using Oswald despite his prior admissions.

104-10067-10212: Mr. Lee Harvey Oswald

This later release of the Casasin memo has writing upon it from officials that reveals the identity of Thomas B. Casasin as Jacques G. Richardson. Richardson was a CIA officer who used non-official media and diplomatic cover in his official duties and later retired with his family to France.

180-10144-10229

Paul Hartman, a CIA documents specialist, speculated that Casasin might be MHCHAOS chief Richard Ober.

Contributors:

Joan Mellen • Carmine Savastano