Robert Maheu
Encyclopedia
Robert Aime Maheu was an American
businessman and lawyer
, who worked for the FBI, CIA and as the chief executive of Nevada operations for the industrialist Howard Hughes
.
, and held degrees from Holy Cross
and Georgetown University
. During his law studies at Georgetown, he was hired into the FBI (1941), and worked as counter-intelligence officer in Europe during World War II
. He left the FBI in 1947, becoming a self-employed business owner, consultant and investigator. His contract with the Hughes company started in 1955.
Maheu was a very close confidant to brothers President John F. Kennedy
and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
.Although Maheu was for years a close confident of Howard Hughes, he never met the man face-to-face, as they worked via memo and telephone. He was dismissed by Hughes in 1970 after losing a power struggle with Chester Davis and Bill Gay; in a resulting libel law suit, Maheu was paid $2.8 million. As part of the struggle to get rid of Maheu, Hughes wrote a manuscript
letter to Davis and Gay which was published in facsimile by Life
in January 1971; this publication provided Clifford Irving
with a sample of Hughes' handwriting which he later used to attempt to forge Hughes' autobiography.
Maheu was implicated in the plot to assassinate the Cuba
n dictator Fidel Castro
in the early 1960s. At the request of the CIA, Maheu was to enlist the help of Mafiosi John Roselli
and Salvatore Giancana, who both had connections in Cuba. In testimony before the Church Committee
, in 1975, Maheu told of his role, saying that he thought the United States "was involved in a just war."
He died in 2008 at the age of 90 in Las Vegas
. The cause was said to be heart failure.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, who worked for the FBI, CIA and as the chief executive of Nevada operations for the industrialist Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
.
Biography
Maheu was born in Waterville, MaineWaterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
, and held degrees from Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
and Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. During his law studies at Georgetown, he was hired into the FBI (1941), and worked as counter-intelligence officer in Europe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He left the FBI in 1947, becoming a self-employed business owner, consultant and investigator. His contract with the Hughes company started in 1955.
Maheu was a very close confidant to brothers President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
.Although Maheu was for years a close confident of Howard Hughes, he never met the man face-to-face, as they worked via memo and telephone. He was dismissed by Hughes in 1970 after losing a power struggle with Chester Davis and Bill Gay; in a resulting libel law suit, Maheu was paid $2.8 million. As part of the struggle to get rid of Maheu, Hughes wrote a manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
letter to Davis and Gay which was published in facsimile by Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
in January 1971; this publication provided Clifford Irving
Clifford Irving
Clifford Michael Irving is an American author of novels and works of nonfiction, but best known for using forged handwritten letters to convince his publisher into accepting a fake "autobiography" of reclusive businessman Howard Hughes in the early 1970s...
with a sample of Hughes' handwriting which he later used to attempt to forge Hughes' autobiography.
Maheu was implicated in the plot to assassinate the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n dictator Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
in the early 1960s. At the request of the CIA, Maheu was to enlist the help of Mafiosi John Roselli
John Roselli
John "Handsome Johnny" Roselli , sometimes spelled John Rosselli, was an influential mobster for the Chicago Outfit who helped them control Hollywood and the Las Vegas Strip. Roselli was also involved with the Central Intelligence Agency plot to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the early 1960s...
and Salvatore Giancana, who both had connections in Cuba. In testimony before the Church Committee
Church Committee
The Church Committee is the common term referring to the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, a U.S. Senate committee chaired by Senator Frank Church in 1975. A precursor to the U.S...
, in 1975, Maheu told of his role, saying that he thought the United States "was involved in a just war."
He died in 2008 at the age of 90 in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The cause was said to be heart failure.