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---
title: Cabazon Indian Casino
aliases:
- Cabazon Indian Casino
- Cabazon Indian Casino (Indio)
- Desert Oasis Indian Casino
- Cabazon cardroom
- Cabazon Indian poker club
created: 2026-10-09
updated: 2026-10-09
category: "Private Organization"
tags:
- Organization
- Gambling
- Bankruptcy
- CabazonBand
- Cardroom
- Indio
- California
- SupremeCourt
- IndianGamingRegulatoryAct
- Wackenhut
- PROMIS
summary: "The Cabazon Band's card parlor near Indio, California, opened in October 1980, filed for Chapter 11 in December 1981, and was the subject of the 1987 Supreme Court decision in California v. Cabazon Band."
location: "Indio, California"
start: 1980-10-01
relations:
- type: owned
with: "[[Cabazon Indian Reservation|Cabazon Band of Mission Indians]]"
reverse: true
start: 1980-10-01
role: "unincorporated tribal enterprise on trust land"
fn: 1
- type: employed_by
with: "[[Rocco Zangari]]"
reverse: true
start: 1980-09-25
end: 1981-11-05
role: "cardroom manager under the September 25, 1980 agreement with PN Associates, Inc."
fn: 2
- type: employed_by
with: "[[John Paul Nichols]]"
reverse: true
start: 1981-12-10
role: "Project Manager, signed the Chapter 11 petition"
fn: 2
- type: contractor_to
with: "[[Wayne Reeder]]"
reverse: true
role: "builder of the casino, paid a percentage under an agreement made when he built it"
fn: 5
- type: contractor_to
with: "[[Southwest Gaming Inc.]]"
reverse: true
start: 1986-07-01
role: "five-year management contract, cardroom renamed Desert Oasis Indian Casino"
fn: 6
- type: subject_of
with: "[[Cabazon Band of Mission Indians v. City of Indio]]"
end: 1982-12-14
role: "October 18, 1980 police entry and citations at the card club"
fn: 4
- type: subject_of
with: "[[California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians]]"
end: 1987-02-25
role: "card club at issue in the Supreme Court decision"
fn: 3
---
The Cabazon Indian Casino was an unincorporated card parlor, restaurant and bar on the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]] near [[Indio, California]]. The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians established it in October 1980.[^1] It filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on December 10, 1981.[^2] Its operation was the subject of [[California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians]], decided by the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] in 1987.[^3]
### Agreement with PN Associates and Opening
On or about September 25, 1980, [[Rocco Zangari]] entered into an agreement to manage the cardroom. The [[Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit]] stated in 1983 that the agreement "appears to have been only between Zangari and PN Associates, Inc., a Delaware corporation," and that [[Arthur Welmas]], Chairman of the Cabazon Band, also signed it. The panel noted that the trial court had assumed, without making a finding, that the agreement was also between Zangari and the casino.[^2] The Band's Tribal Ordinance No. 5.7, enacted May 24, 1980, authorized and regulated the card games of draw poker, lowball draw poker and panguingue and provided for one or more card clubs on the reservation.[^4]
A 1986 opinion of the same panel describes the Band establishing the casino "in October of 1980" as an unincorporated company on tribal trust land, with approximately 75 employees paid from casino revenues.[^1] A dissenting member of the panel described it as "established and solely owned by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians."[^1] [[Wayne Reeder]], a real estate developer, told [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] agents on October 5, 1992 that he had built the casino for the Cabazon Indians and had received a percentage under an agreement made when he built it.[^5] The [[Press-Enterprise]] reported in March 1988 that the existing 7,000-square-foot cardroom had been built originally as the Cabazons' discount cigarette business in the late 1970s.[^6] The Bua report describes the casino building as the only building on the reservation in the early 1980s, with a mobile trailer behind it used as a small office for the Cabazons and the casino operation.[^7]
### Raids, the City of Indio and the County
Indio Chief of Police [[Sam Cross|C. Samuel Cross]] and several members of the [[Indio Police Department]] entered the card club on October 18, 1980 and issued citations to more than 100 members, employees and non-members of the Band for violating the Indio City Code. The Band sued the same month for declaratory and injunctive relief. The district court denied a temporary restraining order and granted a preliminary injunction, then granted summary judgment to the [[City of Indio]] and dissolved the injunction, and later restored the injunction pending appeal. On December 14, 1982 the [[Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals]] reversed in [[Cabazon Band of Mission Indians v. City of Indio]], 694 F.2d 634, holding that the city's 1970 annexation proceedings, conducted without the consent of the United States or the Band, were void ab initio.[^4]
[[Dr. John Philip Nichols]] told [[Los Angeles Magazine]] in September 1983 that on the night the casino opened "the city police came out in force," that "They had riot guns, helmets," and that they arrested 118 people. The same article states that the casino "has been raided and closed four times by police, but on each occasion a federal restraining order has put it back in business."[^8] A 1984 trade article in [[Gaming & Wagering Business]] describes the casino as the "subject of three raids" and reports that the Cabazons claimed the city had encroached upon reservation territory and illegally annexed part of it in 1970. According to that article, two separate hearings before [[Laughlin Waters]] of the federal district court in [[Los Angeles]] determined that the 1970 annexation was not legal and that city laws did not apply on Indian territory.[^9]
An editorial in the [[Indio Daily News]], dated January 29, 1985 in the FBI's transmittal, stated that the casino was raided by Indio police within days of its opening, was reopened by court injunction shortly afterward, and that the city "eventually lost its bid to shut down the casino for good when a federal judge ruled that the reservation was not within the city limits."[^10] An FBI Los Angeles memorandum of November 5, 1986 states that the card parlor "was raided and closed by the Indio Police Department but reopened by virtue of a restraining order against the City of Indio by a Federal District Judge in Los Angeles, California," an order "later reaffirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals," and describes the parlor as on reservation land "which lies within the City limits of Indio, California." The memorandum dates the expansion to include bingo to 1982.[^11] The editorial dates a bingo parlor to 1983.[^10]
In a letter of May 6, 1985 to the Daily News, [[John W. Fritz]], Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the [[Department of the Interior]], wrote that California is a [[Public Law 280]] state and that the [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] was "without authority to act on the matters described in your editorial which are of a criminal nature," and referred the correspondence to the FBI.[^12]
The trade article reports that [[Riverside County, California]] then claimed, as an arm of the state, the right to regulate the cardrooms, and that two days before the Bingo Palace was to open the county staged its own raid. The Band obtained a temporary restraining order and then a preliminary injunction against the county. The state of [[California]] joined the county's suit, and the Band countersued Riverside County for $12.5 million in civil rights damages.[^9] A 1989 [[United States Senate|Senate]] record reports that the [[Riverside County Sheriff's Department]] had attempted to shut down the Cabazon and [[Morongo Band of Mission Indians|Morongo]] gaming operations after declaring them illegal, and that the operations were reopened after a court ruling.[^13]
### Zangari and the First Management Contract
Dr. John Philip Nichols told Los Angeles Magazine in September 1983 that the tribe had hired the baseball manager [[Leo Durocher]] as a consultant to set up the cardroom and that Durocher "brought in a guy named Rocco Zangari."[^8] The Press-Enterprise reported on March 20, 1988: "Nichols said incompetent management caused the downfall of the poker business and he has admitted a mistake in his hiring of Rocco Zangari as the first manager." The article had earlier quoted [[John Paul Nichols]] as the Cabazon tribal administrator. It reports that Zangari "was fired Nov. 15, 1981" and sued for breach of contract, claiming he was owed $260,000, and that in court papers Zangari and Nichols accused each other of mishandling casino funds for personal profit at the tribe's expense.[^6] The Bankruptcy Appellate Panel gives the discharge date as November 5, 1981, after "legal difficulties between the Casino and the City of Indio."[^2]
Zangari filed a complaint on January 28, 1982 objecting to the general discharge of the casino and to the discharge of any amounts owed him under the September 25, 1980 agreement. The casino counterclaimed for damages. On September 22, 1982 the casino moved for summary judgment on two grounds: that the agreement was only with PN Associates, and that it was void under 25 U.S.C. § 81. The trial court granted summary judgment for the defendants. On appeal, the panel reversed on December 29, 1983 and found that "a material question of fact exists in this case concerning the nature of the debtor and its relationship with the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians."[^2]
The panel also wrote that "the rights and defenses available to individual partners are not automatically transferred to the partnership or to its other members," in a passage addressed to whether the casino was a partnership with members outside the protection of 25 U.S.C. § 81. The petition itself describes the casino as "a co-partnership consisting of" tribal members and Nichols, a non-Indian.[^2]
A July 19, 1983 airtel from the FBI Los Angeles office to the Director describes a bookmaker placed as manager of the card parlor, who was fired and afterwards won an $80,000 civil suit for breach of contract.[^14] The FBI memorandum of November 5, 1986 describes a manager who was fired by Nichols and filed a breach of contract suit "which he won," and states that Nichols maintained the loan had been repaid in full.[^11] Neither document names the manager. The Press-Enterprise article of March 20, 1988 states: "Ultimately, Zangari's claim was dismissed and he received no money, according to Bankruptcy Court records."[^6]
[[Cheri Seymour]] wrote that Zangari was a former bookie.[^15] In 1988 Zangari pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges in Los Angeles. The Press-Enterprise of February 9, 1989 reports a sentence of five years' probation and a $2,000 fine, and an indictment that identified him as an associate of [[Peter Milano]].[^16] The California Attorney General's office paper submitted to the Senate in February 1989 describes the 1988 charge as "extortion," and states that Zangari was "fired by the Tribe for alleged wrong doings in financial dealings."[^13]
The [[Special Committee on Investigations of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs]] heard a witness listed under the name "Marty" on February 8, 1989. According to the Press-Enterprise, the witness described a bingo casino in the western United States skimming for a crime family and gave no specifics on Cabazon.[^16] Welmas replied in writing that the testimony was unsubstantiated hearsay.[^17]
A [[Las Vegas Sun]] article of February 3, 1998 names a Rocco Zangari, 65, among four defendants in a Los Angeles indictment that included [[Carmen Milano]], described in the article as a La Cosa Nostra underboss.[^18] A Las Vegas Sun article of March 13, 2000 reports that Zangari pleaded guilty on March 10, 2000 to supervising other members while they sold $75,000 in counterfeit checks.[^19] The records found do not establish whether this is the same Rocco Zangari who managed the Cabazon cardroom.
### Nichols Management
The Bankruptcy Appellate Panel describes John Paul Nichols as signing the petition as "Project Manager," and as a non-Indian who was ostensibly not a member of the Band.[^2] The 1993 report of Judge [[Nicholas J. Bua]] describes Dr. John Philip Nichols as "a non-Indian man" who "was the Tribal Administrator and managed the business affairs of the tribe."[^7] The FBI memorandum of November 5, 1986 states that Nichols, his wife and three sons were hired as the management personnel by the Band.[^11] Los Angeles Magazine of September 1983 reports that [[Mark Nichols]] was present while his father, Dr. Nichols, related the story of hiring Zangari.[^8] *Gaming & Wagering Business* of October 1984 names Mark Nichols as the bingo parlor manager.[^9]
The editorial of January 1985 states that a group of dissident tribal members filed a complaint in the bankruptcy case alleging that non-Indians running the cardroom were reaping most of the profits. It also states that "Despite the two bankruptcies," Nichols and the tribe built a skeet-shooting range in 1982 and a bingo parlor in 1983.[^10]
The Senate paper of February 1989 states that Dr. Nichols pleaded no contest in May 1985 to two counts of solicitation for murder.[^13] In July 1989 Mark Nichols was chief executive officer for the Cabazons.[^20]
### Bankruptcy
The tribe filed the bankruptcy case on December 10, 1981, citing casino debts of $567,577 owed to 45 creditors and assets of $123,859, according to the Press-Enterprise of March 20, 1988.[^6] In 1986 the casino appeared before the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel as a Chapter 11 debtor-in-possession.[^1]
The tax dispute reached the panel in the same year. The casino claimed exemption from federal unemployment tax and the employer's share of Social Security tax as an Indian tribe. The trial court held that it was not exempt. The panel affirmed on February 5, 1986, over a dissent, and stated: "we adopt the reasoning of these two courts to hold that the income generated by the Casino is not directly derived from the land." The [[Internal Revenue Service]] claim, filed February 4, 1983, was for 1981 employment taxes of $181,530.24 (FICA) and $5,614.11 (FUTA).[^1]
The Press-Enterprise of March 20, 1988 reports that settlement of the case depended on a $200,000 loan from [[Southwest Gaming Inc.]] to the tribe. It reports Nichols's statement that the Internal Revenue Service had been paid the $62,500 claimed in back taxes, that the original IRS debt was $160,000 and had been trimmed by payments over four years, that the state [[Employment Development Department]] had claimed $37,000, and that trade creditors would receive 70 percent of what they were owed under the proposed settlement. The article states that the proposed settlement was to be considered by the bankruptcy court in San Bernardino that Friday.[^6] Southwest Gaming lifted the tribe out of bankruptcy court in March 1988 by providing a loan to pay off creditors.[^20]
### Desert Oasis and Southwest Gaming
[[Don Speer]], who had a background in casino management and marketing in Las Vegas, entered into a contract with the Cabazons in July 1986 and renamed the poker club the Desert Oasis Indian Casino to avoid confusing its location with the town of Cabazon. The Press-Enterprise reports that, according to court papers, the contract was approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Speer's background was cleared by the FBI before he joined the venture. It describes a five-year management contract under which the tribe was initially guaranteed $225,000 a year, and states that the terms of the renegotiated contract in the reorganization plan filed with the bankruptcy court guaranteed the Cabazons $765,000 on the first $3,656,000 or less of gross revenues in the first year, with a $65,000 annual fee for cashier services.[^6] Speer, president of Southwest Gaming of [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]], planned to spend at least $3 million to convert the cardroom into a nightclub with live entertainment and gourmet dining.[^6]
At his arraignment on July 20, 1989, Speer pleaded innocent in Los Angeles County to charges of conspiracy to commit grand theft, grand theft and attempted grand theft in connection with operations at the [[California Bell Club]] in southeast Los Angeles County, which Southwest Gaming also managed.[^20] Mark Nichols said: "We are of a mind to see his innocence, however."[^20] The Press-Enterprise of September 20, 1989 reports that charges against Speer and Southwest Gaming vice president [[Michael Riordan]] were to be dismissed on September 28 when they repaid around $70,000 they had been accused of embezzling from the club, under a civil compromise that included no admission of wrongdoing. Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney [[Pamela Ferrero]] said the evidence was weak that Speer and Riordan had criminal intent, and Mark Nichols said: "We're glad (Speer) is not going to jail or be sentenced."[^21]
### Cabazon Band v. County of Riverside, Ninth Circuit
The Band, the state and the county litigated whether state and county gambling laws applied on the reservations. On November 5, 1984, Judge Laughlin Waters ruled in Los Angeles for the Cabazon and Morongo bands, and the state's deputy attorneys general said they would appeal; the Press-Enterprise quoted Waters as saying that he did not agree with arguments that Indians' historic rights of sovereignty over reservation lands applied to gambling, and as saying "Indians are no different from anybody else" and "They've shown that, if they have the opportunity to make a buck, they'll act on it."[^22] The district court granted the Band's motion for summary judgment and issued a permanent injunction restraining the state and the county from applying their gambling laws on the reservations. The Ninth Circuit affirmed in [[Cabazon Band of Mission Indians v. County of Riverside]], 783 F.2d 900 (9th Cir. 1986).[^23]
The panel held that "the gambling activities of the Tribes on the Indian reservation do not violate California public policy," and that California's bingo statute "is civil/regulatory in nature and does not apply, under Public Law 280, on the Indian reservations." On tribal interests, the court wrote that "the games are the major source of employment for the reservation Indians and the sole source of revenue for operating their tribal governments." The court extended its reasoning to the card parlor: "We find no basis upon which to distinguish the Tribe's bingo activities from the Tribes' card parlor games."[^23]
### California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, 1987
The Court heard the state's appeal from judgments in favor of both the Cabazon Band and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. The opinion of the Court, by Justice [[Byron White]] and joined by Chief Justice [[William Rehnquist]], [[Harry Blackmun]], [[Lewis Powell]], [[Thurgood Marshall]] and [[William Brennan]], states that the Cabazon Band "has also opened a card club at which draw poker and other card games are played." The Court held that Congress had not consented to the application of state gambling law through Public Law 280 or the [[Organized Crime Control Act of 1970]].[^3]
The Court found that California "regulates rather than prohibits gambling in general and bingo in particular," and characterized the bingo statute as civil/regulatory rather than criminal/prohibitory. The majority wrote: "California does not allege any present criminal involvement in the Cabazon and Morongo enterprises, and the Ninth Circuit discerned none." It found that "the tribal games provide the sole source of revenues for the operation of the tribal governments and are the major sources of employment for tribal members."[^3]
The majority rejected the state's stated interest in keeping organized crime out of tribal games: "We conclude that the State's interest in preventing the infiltration of the tribal bingo enterprises by organized crime does not justify state regulation of the tribal bingo enterprises in light of the compelling federal and tribal interests supporting them." It added that "State regulation would impermissibly infringe on tribal government, and this conclusion applies equally to the county's attempted regulation of the Cabazon card club."[^3]
Justice [[John Paul Stevens]], joined by Justices [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] and [[Antonin Scalia]], dissented. Stevens wrote: "Unless and until Congress exempts Indian-managed gambling from state law and subjects it to federal supervision, I believe that a State may enforce its laws prohibiting high-stakes gambling on Indian reservations within its borders." The dissent also describes the Cabazon Tribe as having "only 25 enrolled members."[^3] The Bua report gives approximately 30 voting members of the tribe as of 1981.[^7]
The Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings on February 25, 1987.[^3]
### Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 1988
The [[Indian Gaming Regulatory Act]] was enacted on October 17, 1988, as Public Law 100-497, nearly twenty months after the Supreme Court decision. Its first finding states that "numerous Indian tribes have become engaged in or have licensed gaming activities on Indian lands as a means of generating tribal governmental revenue." Its fifth finding states that "Indian tribes have the exclusive right to regulate gaming activity on Indian lands if the gaming activity is not specifically prohibited by Federal law and is conducted within a State which does not, as a matter of criminal law and public policy, prohibit such gaming activity."[^24]
### Joint Venture with Wackenhut Corporation
Bua's report describes the Cabazons forming [[Cabazon Security Corporation]] in early 1981. [[Robert Frye|A. Robert Frye]], then president of [[Wackenhut Services, Inc.]], a subsidiary of [[Wackenhut Corporation]], responded to the request for capabilities statements. The report states that Wackenhut was interested because the corporation, as a qualified minority contractor, would be eligible for government contract work under set-aside programs. In April 1981 Wackenhut and Cabazon Security Corporation signed a joint venture agreement, signed by Frye for Wackenhut and by Tribal Chairman Welmas for the corporation. The report states that the agreement gives as the primary purpose of the venture to "qualify for, bid on, and obtain government guard service contracts," and that the joint venture bid on two government security contracts that it did not receive.[^7]
The report states that Wackenhut's files contain documents showing Nichols's efforts to market night-vision goggles and rifle scopes to individuals identified as representatives of the governments of [[Guatemala]] and [[Honduras]], and that "It was Nichols' view that the Cabazon's, as a sovereign nation, were not subject to the usual export and import controls." It states that the files also contain internal Wackenhut memoranda expressing the opinion that any such sales would require State Department approval, and preliminary applications Wackenhut filed with the [[United States Department of State|State Department]], and that "As far as we could tell, no sales were ever made."[^7]
The report places a night-vision demonstration on the evening of September 10, 1981 at the Lake Cahuilla gun range in Indio.[^7] A [[Riverside County District Attorney's Office]] report dated October 10, 1991 carries a title naming [[Earl Brian]]: "Nicaraguans and Earl Brian at Lake Cahuilla-9/10/81."[^25] The FBI FD-302 of an interview with Wayne Reeder places the demonstration at the Indio Police Department range, as do the FD-302s of interviews with Sam Cross, the Indio police chief in 1981, and Sergeant [[Dave Baird]].[^5][^26] Cross told agents that he assigned four or five officers to attend the demonstration and that, if automatic weapons were present, they were expected to arrest Nichols.[^26] [[Peter Zokosky]] told agents that those present included a "Mr. VANDERWORKER," and that [[Jimmy Hughes|Jim Hughes]] acted as interpreter for three Spanish-speaking males described as the customers.[^27] The records found do not establish whether the Mr. Vanderworker named by Zokosky is the former CIA officer [[John Vandewerker]].
[[Michael Riconosciuto]] executed an affidavit on March 21, 1991 in which, as the Bua report summarizes it, he claimed to have been Director of Research for a joint venture between Wackenhut Corporation and the Cabazon Indians. He described the venture as engaged in the development and manufacture of certain military type materials intended for sale to foreign governments and forces. The affidavit went on to describe the role that [[Peter Videnieks]] and Brian played in converting and distributing stolen Inslaw software, and described Videnieks as a frequent visitor to the reservation and a "close associate" of Brian.[^7]
The report states that "the joint venture had no employees at any time" and that "The only individual employed by Wackenhut was Frye." Of Riconosciuto's claim about Brian, it states: "We found no evidence to support Riconosciuto's claim that he and Earl Brian were employed by Wackenhut or by the joint venture."[^7]
The 1992 House Report on the INSLAW affair states that the committee "is not in a position to make findings of fact on Dr. Brian's role."[^28] The report quotes Welmas in the [[Washington Business Journal]] of March 30, 1992 as saying that "Brian must have been involved."[^28]
### Fred Alvarez
[[Fred Alvarez]] was the tribe's vice chairman and security chief at the cardroom.[^13] The Senate paper states that in about May 1981 he publicly criticized the Cabazon management, told local newspapers his life was in danger, and was removed as vice chairman. According to the paper, Alvarez and two other men decided to consult a lawyer about a suit to open the casino's books.[^13]
The same paper states that on July 2, 1981 Alvarez and two non-Indians were found dead, and that the three had been shot in the head with a .38 caliber revolver the evening before. The paper states the case has never been solved.[^13] Seymour wrote that the killings occurred on June 29, 1981.[^15] An undated newspaper clipping reproduced in the FBI file gives Alvarez's age as 32 and reports that shortly before his death he had told the Indio Daily News that he feared for his life.[^29] The Daily News editorial of January 1985 states that he walked into the newspaper's editorial offices almost four years earlier, that a month later, shortly after the fifth in a series of meetings with editors, he and two other persons were murdered in the back yard of his home, and that no one had been charged.[^10]
Gene Gilbert, an investigator for the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, told FBI agents on October 7, 1992 that he was investigating the murder of Alvarez in 1991 when he came in contact with Riconosciuto, and that he interviewed Riconosciuto in prison in [[Springfield, Missouri]] and again in [[Spokane, Washington]].[^25]
### Casolaro and the INSLAW Context
Seymour wrote that [[Danny Casolaro]] was investigating the Cabazon and Wackenhut projects as part of his investigation of [[The Octopus]] when he was found dead in a [[West Virginia]] motel room in 1991.[^15]
The Bua report states that the West Virginia State Police Crime Laboratory found a folded piece of paper inside Casolaro's left shoe, indented as if something had been written on a page on top of it, and reproduced the impressions. The report states that the writing was Casolaro's and gives the text, which includes the lines "Outline Chapter on 1980," "John Philip Nichols after arrival Indian Reservation," "Fred Alvarez" and "Finish up chapter w/ Paul M. & Fred A." The report states that there is no indication when Casolaro wrote the words or why he placed the paper in his shoe.[^7] The House Report cites the Riverside County District Attorney's Office Special Operations Report of October 10, 1991, pages 2 to 4, in note 221.[^28]
### Later Operations
The Cabazon Band's corporation [[Cabazon Bingo, Inc.]] operated [[Fantasy Springs Resort Casino|Fantasy Springs Casino]] on tribal land; a California appellate opinion records bingo being played there on or about September 17, 1995.[^30] *Indian Country Today* described Fantasy Springs Resort Casino at Indio as the Band's casino in 2008.[^31] Southwest Gaming managed the Desert Oasis Indian Casino under the 1986 contract as of July 1989.[^20]
### Footnotes
[^1]: *In re Cabazon Indian Casino*, 57 B.R. 398 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Feb. 5, 1986), BAP No. CC-85-1006-MVAb (Meyers, B.J., for the majority; Volinn, B.J., dissenting). https://static.case.law/br/57/cases/0398-01.json
[^2]: *Zangari v. Cabazon Indian Casino (In re Cabazon Indian Casino)*, 35 B.R. 124 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Dec. 29, 1983), BAP No. CC-82-1578-GVAb. https://static.case.law/br/35/cases/0124-01.json
[^3]: *California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians*, 480 U.S. 202 (1987), No. 85-1708, argued Dec. 9, 1986, decided Feb. 25, 1987. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/480/202
[^4]: *Cabazon Band of Mission Indians v. City of Indio*, 694 F.2d 634 (9th Cir. Dec. 14, 1982). https://static.case.law/f2d/694/cases/0634-01.json
[^5]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, FD-302 of the interview of Wayne Reeder, file 74-86438, interview October 5, 1992 (transcribed December 9, 1992). https://archive.org/download/INSLAW-CabazonWackenhunt/DOCID-70002059%20INSLAW%20Cabazon%20Wackenhunt_djvu.txt
[^6]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), March 20, 1988, p. B-1 with jump page, "Manager proposes plush Indian casino, club," by Mike Kataoka, reproduced in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^7]: United States Department of Justice, *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc.* (March 1993), section "(i) The Wackenhut-Cabazon Joint Venture," printed pp. 55 to 58; section "(ii) Riconosciuto's March 21, 1991 Affidavit," pp. 44 to 45; Casolaro paper, pp. 166 to 167. Official finding, placed as the position of the body that issued it. https://archive.org/download/doj-oip-inslaw-1993/DOJ-OIP-INSLAW_1993_djvu.txt
[^8]: Jan Golab, "Close-Up," *Los Angeles*, September 1983, pp. 116 to 128, reproduced in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^9]: "Gaming & Wagering Business," October 1984, reproduced in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^10]: "The Cabazons: Time to clear the air," editorial, *Daily News* (Indio, California), dated January 29, 1985 in the FBI transmittal, enclosed with a letter of February 5, 1985 to Secretary of the Interior William Clark, in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 198D-LA-96, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_198D-LA-96_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^11]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, memorandum, "Crime on Indian Reservation - Gambling," November 5, 1986, in file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^12]: Letter from John W. Fritz, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, to the Daily News, Indio, May 6, 1985, in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 198D-LA-96, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_198D-LA-96_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^13]: *Federal Government's Relationship with American Indians*, Hearings before the Special Committee on Investigations of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, S. Hrg. 101-126, Part 2 (February 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1989), statement of Robert Morehouse, California Attorney General's office, "High Stakes Bingo on Indian Reservations in California," pp. 415 to 419 (Cabazon Band section at pp. 417 to 419). https://archive.org/details/micro_IA41152832_0182
[^14]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, airtel to the Director, July 19, 1983, "Pan American Management Inc.," file 183-1746, in file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^15]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro's Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal.* TrineDay, 2010.
[^16]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), February 9, 1989, p. A-1, "Cabazon bingo casino listed as Mafia-tied," reproduced in file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^17]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), February 11, 1989, "Indians deny link to crime," by David Boyles, reproduced in file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^18]: "FBI deals crippling blow to LA mob," *Las Vegas Sun*, February 3, 1998. https://lasvegassun.com/news/1998/feb/03/fbi-deals-crippling-blow-to-la-mob/
[^19]: "Alleged mobsters plead guilty," *Las Vegas Sun*, March 13, 2000. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2000/mar/13/alleged-mobsters-plead-guilty/
[^20]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), July 29, 1989, p. B-1, "Poker club firm chief accused of embezzling," by Mike Kataoka, reproduced in file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^21]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), September 20, 1989, p. B-1, "Felony charges being dropped in poker club case," reproduced in file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^22]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), November 6, 1984, p. B-1, "Judge upholds Indian bands right to operate bingo parlors," reproduced in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^23]: *Cabazon Band of Mission Indians v. County of Riverside*, 783 F.2d 900 (9th Cir. 1986). https://static.case.law/f2d/783/cases/0900-01.json
[^24]: Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, Pub. L. 100-497, § 2, Oct. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 2467, codified at 25 U.S.C. § 2701. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/25/2701
[^25]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, FD-302 of the interview of Gene Gilbert, Riverside County District Attorney's Office, file 74-86438, interview October 7, 1992 (transcribed December 28, 1992). https://archive.org/download/INSLAW-CabazonWackenhunt/DOCID-70002059%20INSLAW%20Cabazon%20Wackenhunt_djvu.txt
[^26]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, FD-302 of the interview of Sam Cross, file 74-86438, interview October 6, 1992 (transcribed December 10, 1992); FD-302 of the interview of Sergeant Dave Baird, interview October 6, 1992 (transcribed December 9, 1992). https://archive.org/download/INSLAW-CabazonWackenhunt/DOCID-70002059%20INSLAW%20Cabazon%20Wackenhunt_djvu.txt
[^27]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, FD-302 of the interview of Peter Zokosky, file 74-86438, interview October 5, 1992 (transcribed December 9, 1992). https://archive.org/download/INSLAW-CabazonWackenhunt/DOCID-70002059%20INSLAW%20Cabazon%20Wackenhunt_djvu.txt
[^28]: H. Rept. 102-857, *The INSLAW Affair*, House Committee on the Judiciary (1992), notes 218 to 222. https://archive.org/download/InslawAffairInvestigativeReport/TheInslawAffair_djvu.txt
[^29]: Undated newspaper clipping reproduced in Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/download/JohnPhilipNichols/1344360-0_-_183A-LA-1746_-_Section_1_djvu.txt
[^30]: *Trudgeon v. Fantasy Springs Casino*, 71 Cal. App. 4th 632 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 21, 1999). https://static.case.law/cal-app-4th/71/cases/0632-01.json
[^31]: "Cabazon Band adds sleek cuisine and sexy nightlife," *Indian Country Today*, April 16, 2008. https://ictnews.org/archive/expanding-the-fantasy-3/

101
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/Los Angeles Crime Family.md Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
---
category: "Organized Crime"
tags:
- Organization
- OrganizedCrime
- LaCosaNostra
- LosAngeles
- Racketeering
aliases:
- Los Angeles Crime Family
- Los Angeles crime family
- Southern California Crime Family
- Los Angeles mob
- Los Angeles Mafia
- Los Angeles La Cosa Nostra
- Mickey Mouse Mafia
created: 2026-10-09
updated: 2026-10-09
location: "Los Angeles, California"
summary: "The Los Angeles Crime Family, called the Southern California Crime Family by California authorities, was a La Cosa Nostra group whose boss in 1986 was Peter John Milano."
relations:
- type: head_of
with: "[[Peter Milano]]"
reverse: true
start: 1986
role: "boss, identified in the California Attorney General's 1986 annual report"
fn: 1
- type: member_of
with: "[[Carmen Milano]]"
reverse: true
start: 1986
role: "underboss, identified in the California Attorney General's 1986 annual report"
fn: 1
- type: member_of
with: "[[Jack LoCicero]]"
reverse: true
start: 1986
role: "consigliere, identified in the California Attorney General's 1986 annual report"
fn: 1
- type: member_of
with: "[[Luigi Gelfuso]]"
reverse: true
start: 1986
role: "caporegime, identified in the California Attorney General's 1986 annual report"
fn: 1
- type: member_of
with: "[[Rocco Zangari]]"
reverse: true
start: 1986
role: "identified as a member of the Southern California Crime Family"
fn: 5
---
The Los Angeles Crime Family was a [[La Cosa Nostra]] group in Los Angeles that California authorities called the Southern California Crime Family. The [[California Attorney General's Office]] described it in June 1987 as "the only functioning traditional organized crime family based in this state."[^1]
### Structure in 1986
The Attorney General's report for 1986 lists [[Peter Milano]] as boss, his brother [[Carmen Milano]] as underboss and [[Jack LoCicero]] as consigliere. It names [[Luigi Gelfuso]], [[Vincent Dominic Caci]], [[John Aquilante]] and [[Michael Rizzitello]] as caporegimes, and states that the family consisted of about 20 members, five of whom were recruited during the last three years. The report says the structure "remained unchanged in 1986" and states that the family's weakness "is due largely to police scrutiny and ineffective family leadership."[^1]
The report states that the Chicago Crime Syndicate had represented the family's interests on the La Cosa Nostra Commission until recently, and that it "is believed to have been replaced in this role by one of the New York crime families, probably because the breakdown in its structure diminished its influence in California."[^2]
### Las Vegas and the Chicago mob
The report states that [[Anthony Spilotro]], the Chicago syndicate's lieutenant, "led a cadre of key personnel in Southern California and Las Vegas who were heavily involved in bookmaking and loansharking" during the 1970s and early 1980s, and that he and his brother Michael were found beaten to death in a shallow grave in Indiana in June 1986.[^2]
The [[Las Vegas Sun]] wrote on February 3, 1998 that "the FBI offensive smashed a bid by the Los Angeles crime family to muscle in on the street rackets once controlled by the Chicago mob," and that no mob family had moved so heavily into [[Las Vegas]] since Spilotro's 1986 murder.[^3]
### Gambling conspiracy, 1975
In 1975 the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth Circuit]] affirmed convictions in a gambling conspiracy in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles that involved Peter Milano, Luigi Gelfuso and [[John Joseph Vaccaro]]. Milano and Gelfuso received concurrent four-year sentences.[^4]
### Cardroom and vending machines
The 1986 report identified [[Rocco Zangari]], who was observed unloading cartons of cigarettes at [[Piggy's Vending]] in [[Riverside County]], and the manager of that business, [[Steven Cino]], as members of the family.[^5] On February 9, 1989 the [[Press-Enterprise]] reported that Zangari, the manager of the cardroom of the [[Cabazon Indian Casino]] until 1981, was identified in a federal racketeering indictment in Los Angeles as an associate of Peter Milano, whom federal prosecutors identified as the leader of mob activities in Southern California until his conviction for racketeering.[^6]
### Indictment and pleas, 1987 to 1988
On May 21, 1987 [[Michael Gelfuso]], Peter John Milano and Luigi Gelfuso were indicted on racketeering and loansharking violations, conspiracy and attempt to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine. They were ordered detained, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of reconsideration of the detention orders on February 1, 1988.[^7]
[[United Press International]] reported on April 5, 1988 that the racketeering trial of Luigi Gelfuso Jr. and co-defendants had opened in Los Angeles federal court, and that eleven other men, including Peter John Milano, described as the reputed boss of the Los Angeles Mafia, had already pleaded guilty.[^8]
### Blitzstein murder and the 1998 indictment
A federal racketeering indictment unsealed in Las Vegas on February 2, 1998 named 16 defendants, including Carmen Milano as the reputed underboss of the Los Angeles mob. The Sun reported that the FBI had alleged that Los Angeles and Buffalo mobsters murdered [[Herbie Blitzstein]] to take control of his loansharking and auto insurance fraud operations.[^3]
The Ninth Circuit's opinion in the appeal of [[Robert Panaro]] and Stephen Cino describes a fifty-count indictment with fourteen co-defendants, charged with racketeering-related crimes including murder, conspiracy to commit extortion and money laundering.[^9]
In March 2000 the Las Vegas Sun reported that Carmen Milano and [[Dominic Spinale]] had pleaded guilty to racketeering charges, and that Zangari pleaded guilty to supervising other mob members while they sold $75,000 in counterfeit checks to undercover agents in the fall of 1996.[^10]
### Footnotes
[^1]: California Department of Justice, Bureau of Organized Crime and Criminal Intelligence, *Annual Report to the California Legislature* (June 1987; Attorney General John K. Van de Kamp), pp. 2-3, "Southern California Crime Family" and "Leadership of the Southern California Crime Family." https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/111070NCJRS.pdf
[^2]: California Department of Justice, *Annual Report to the California Legislature* (June 1987), pp. 4-5, "The Chicago Crime Syndicate." https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/111070NCJRS.pdf
[^3]: Jeff German, "FBI deals crippling blow to L.A. mob," *Las Vegas Sun*, February 3, 1998. https://lasvegassun.com/news/1998/feb/03/fbi-deals-crippling-blow-to-la-mob/
[^4]: *United States v. Calaway*, 524 F.2d 609 (9th Cir. Oct. 3, 1975). https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/8910026/united-states-v-calaway/ and https://static.case.law/f2d/524/cases/0609-01.json
[^5]: California Department of Justice, *Annual Report to the California Legislature* (June 1987), pp. 19-20, "Piggy's Vending." https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/111070NCJRS.pdf
[^6]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), February 9, 1989, p. A-1, "Cabazon bingo casino listed as Mafia-tied," reprinted in FBI Los Angeles file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1. https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
[^7]: *United States v. Michael Gelfuso, Peter John Milano and Luigi Gelfuso*, 838 F.2d 358 (9th Cir. Feb. 1, 1988). https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/500776/united-states-v-michael-gelfuso-peter-john-milano-and-luigi-gelfuso/ and https://static.case.law/f2d/838/cases/0358-01.json
[^8]: United Press International, "Trial begins for reputed members of 'Mickey Mouse Mafia,'" April 5, 1988. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/04/05/Trial-begins-for-reputed-members-of-Mickey-Mouse-Mafia/4166576216000/
[^9]: *United States v. Panaro*, 241 F.3d 1104 (9th Cir. Feb. 28, 2001). https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/772293/united-states-v-robert-panaro-united-states-of-america-v-stephen-cino/ and https://static.case.law/f3d/241/cases/1104-01.json
[^10]: Kim Smith, "Alleged mobsters plead guilty," *Las Vegas Sun*, March 13, 2000. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2000/mar/13/alleged-mobsters-plead-guilty/

228
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/Minerva Project.md
View file

@ -48,31 +48,31 @@ relations:
reverse: true
role: "seed financing, $25 million"
start: 2012-03
fn: 12
fn: 14
- type: funded
with: "[[TAL Education Group]]"
reverse: true
role: "minority equity investment, $18,000,003"
start: 2014-10
fn: 16
fn: 18
- type: funded
with: "[[ZhenFund]]"
reverse: true
role: "co-led second round"
start: 2014-10
fn: 11
fn: 13
- type: funded
with: "[[Yongjin Group]]"
reverse: true
role: "co-led second round"
start: 2014-10
fn: 11
fn: 13
- type: funded
with: "[[ByteDance]]"
reverse: true
role: "led $57 million Series C"
start: 2019-07
fn: 17
fn: 19
- type: director_of
with: "[[Kevin Harvey]]"
reverse: true
@ -84,249 +84,259 @@ relations:
reverse: true
role: "director; TAL chairman and chief executive officer"
start: 2014-10
fn: 7
fn: 9
- type: director_of
with: "[[Philip Lader]]"
reverse: true
role: "director"
start: 2015
fn: 21
fn: 23
- type: director_of
with: "[[Gwynne Shotwell]]"
reverse: true
role: "director"
start: 2017-12
fn: 8
fn: 10
- type: director_of
with: "[[Yiming Zhang]]"
reverse: true
role: "director"
start: 2019-07
fn: 18
fn: 20
- type: director_of
with: "[[Wendy Kopp]]"
reverse: true
role: "director"
start: 2019-07
fn: 18
fn: 20
- type: director_of
with: "[[Rong Luo]]"
reverse: true
role: "director; name matches TAL chief financial officer"
start: 2019-07
fn: 9
fn: 11
- type: director_of
with: "[[Alex Peng]]"
reverse: true
role: "director"
start: 2022-09
fn: 10
fn: 12
- type: head_of
with: "[[Bob Kerrey]]"
reverse: true
role: "executive chairman, The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship"
start: 2013-01-14
fn: 12
fn: 14
- type: member_of
with: "[[Bob Kerrey]]"
reverse: true
role: "advisory board"
start: 2011
fn: 12
fn: 14
- type: member_of
with: "[[Larry Summers]]"
reverse: true
role: "chairman, advisory board"
start: 2012-04-04
fn: 11
fn: 13
- type: member_of
with: "[[Patrick Harker]]"
reverse: true
role: "advisory board"
start: 2012-04-04
fn: 11
fn: 13
- type: member_of
with: "[[Lee Shulman]]"
reverse: true
role: "advisory board"
start: 2012-04-04
fn: 11
fn: 13
- type: head_of
with: "[[Stephen Kosslyn]]"
reverse: true
role: "founding dean, Minerva School of Arts and Sciences"
start: 2013-03-12
fn: 45
fn: 47
- type: employed_by
with: "[[Teri Cannon]]"
reverse: true
role: "chief policy and accreditation officer; acting president, Minerva Institute"
start: 2012
fn: 34
fn: 36
- type: partner_of
with: "[[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]]"
role: "HKUST-Minerva Scholars Program"
start: 2018-04-30
fn: 36
fn: 38
- type: partner_of
with: "[[Keck Graduate Institute]]"
role: "WSCUC-approved affiliation for Minerva Schools at KGI"
start: 2014-02
fn: 31
fn: 33
---
Minerva Project, Inc. is a for-profit corporation incorporated in Delaware and based in San Francisco.[^1] Its founder and chief executive, [[Ben Nelson]], was president of [[Snapfish]] when [[Hewlett-Packard]] agreed to buy the online photo service in 2005.[^2] Minerva's biography of Nelson states that he was Snapfish chief executive from 2005 through 2010 and led the sale to Hewlett-Packard for $300 million.[^3] The company's school began as the Minerva Schools at KGI, an arrangement with the [[Keck Graduate Institute]], and became an independent institution, Minerva University, that was accredited in 2021.[^4][^5] Its investors have included [[Benchmark Capital]], which provided the seed round, and investors from China and South Korea.
Minerva Project, Inc. is a for-profit corporation incorporated in Delaware and based in San Francisco.[^1] Its founder and chief executive, [[Ben Nelson]], was president of [[Snapfish]] when [[Hewlett-Packard]] agreed to buy the online photo service in 2005.[^2] Minerva's biography of Nelson states that he was Snapfish chief executive from 2005 through 2010 and began that tenure by "leading the company's sale to Hewlett Packard for $300 million." [[Computerworld]] reported on March 22, 2005 that "Terms of the deal were undisclosed."[^2][^3] The company's school began as the Minerva Schools at KGI, an arrangement with the [[Keck Graduate Institute]], and became an independent institution, Minerva University, that was accredited in 2021.[^4][^5] Its investors have included [[Benchmark Capital]], which provided the seed round, and investors from China and South Korea.
### Corporate filings
The company has filed five Form D notices with the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], in April 2012, November 2014, December 2017, July 2019 and September 2022.[^6] Each lists Nelson as an executive officer and director.
Hewlett-Packard's quarterly report for the period ended July 31, 2005 says that in the first nine months of fiscal 2005 HP acquired two companies and increased its ownership in a consolidated subsidiary, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $339 million, including direct transaction costs. The report says that the largest of these transactions was the acquisition of SAC, LLC, doing business as "Snapfish." The report for the period ended April 30, 2005 gave the aggregate for the first six months as approximately $332 million.[^7][^8]
The April 2012 notice gives March 26, 2012 as the date of first sale and an offering of $25,000,000, of which $16,666,667 had been sold. It lists [[Kevin Harvey]] as a director beside Nelson.[^1]
The notice filed November 14, 2014 gives October 14, 2014 as the first sale, an offering of $78,600,000 and $45,333,330 sold. It adds [[Bangxin Zhang]] as a director, and the business address moves to 1145 Market Street in San Francisco.[^7]
The notice filed November 14, 2014 gives October 14, 2014 as the first sale, an offering of $78,600,000 and $45,333,330 sold. It adds [[Bangxin Zhang]] as a director, and the business address moves to 1145 Market Street in San Francisco.[^9]
The notice filed December 5, 2017 gives November 21, 2017 as the first sale, an offering of $75,949,507 and $13,000,104 sold. Its directors are Nelson, Harvey, Zhang, [[Philip Lader]] and [[Gwynne Shotwell]].[^8]
The notice filed December 5, 2017 gives November 21, 2017 as the first sale, an offering of $75,949,507 and $13,000,104 sold. Its directors are Nelson, Harvey, Zhang, [[Philip Lader]] and [[Gwynne Shotwell]].[^10]
The notice filed July 12, 2019 gives June 28, 2019 as the first sale of an offering of $7,671,644, all of which was sold. Its directors are Nelson, Harvey, Lader, Shotwell, [[Rong Luo]], [[Yiming Zhang]] and [[Wendy Kopp]].[^9]
The notice filed July 12, 2019 gives June 28, 2019 as the first sale of an offering of $7,671,644, all of which was sold. Its directors are Nelson, Harvey, Lader, Shotwell, [[Rong Luo]], [[Yiming Zhang]] and [[Wendy Kopp]].[^11]
The notice filed September 2, 2022 gives August 18, 2022 as the first sale of an offering of $16,240,000, of which $3,065,519 had been sold. Its directors are Nelson, Harvey, Kopp, Shotwell, Lader and [[Alex Peng]], and it lists four further executive officers.[^10]
The notice filed September 2, 2022 gives August 18, 2022 as the first sale of an offering of $16,240,000, of which $3,065,519 had been sold. Its directors are Nelson, Harvey, Kopp, Shotwell, Lader and [[Alex Peng]], and it lists four further executive officers.[^12]
### Funding rounds
On April 4, 2012 the company announced that it had "secured $25 million in early stage funding from Benchmark Capital, the largest seed investment in the firm's history," and named [[Larry Summers]] chairman of its advisory board.[^11] The January 2013 release repeats the seed figure: "In early 2012, Minerva secured $25 million in seed financing from Benchmark Capital, the largest seed investment in the firm's history."[^12]
On April 4, 2012 the company announced that it had "secured $25 million in early stage funding from Benchmark Capital, the largest seed investment in the firm's history," and named [[Larry Summers]] chairman of its advisory board.[^13] The January 2013 release repeats the seed figure: "In early 2012, Minerva secured $25 million in seed financing from Benchmark Capital, the largest seed investment in the firm's history."[^14]
On October 15, 2014 Minerva announced "the first of two closes in a Series B round that will generate $70M in new financing," led by "a consortium of three investors from China": [[TAL Education Group]], [[ZhenFund]] and [[Yongjin Group]]. Benchmark Capital returned with an additional commitment. The release says that 70 percent of the round had been allocated and that the remaining 30 percent would be allocated by the beginning of 2015.[^13] TAL's filing of October 22, 2014 states that it led "the Series B funding for Silicon Valley-based Minerva Project together with ZhenFund and Yongjin Group."[^14]
On October 15, 2014 Minerva announced "the first of two closes in a Series B round that will generate $70M in new financing," led by "a consortium of three investors from China": [[TAL Education Group]], [[ZhenFund]] and [[Yongjin Group]]. Benchmark Capital returned with an additional commitment. The release says that 70 percent of the round had been allocated and that the remaining 30 percent would be allocated by the beginning of 2015.[^15] TAL's filing of October 22, 2014 states that it led "the Series B funding for Silicon Valley-based Minerva Project together with ZhenFund and Yongjin Group."[^16]
TAL's annual report for the year ended February 28, 2015 records "a minority equity investment of $18.0 million in Minerva" made in October 2014, with total consideration of $18,000,003 for an equity interest in Minerva Project, Inc., "a Delaware corporation," carried at cost. Its reports for the years ended February 2016, 2017 and 2018 carry the same figure.[^15][^16]
TAL's annual report for the year ended February 28, 2015 records "a minority equity investment of $18.0 million in Minerva" made in October 2014, with total consideration of $18,000,003 for an equity interest in Minerva Project, Inc., "a Delaware corporation," carried at cost. Its reports for the years ended February 2016, 2017 and 2018 carry the same figure.[^17][^18]
The company announced a $57 million Series C in July 2019. It was led by [[ByteDance]], with existing investors TAL and Yongjin Group and new investors Pinpoint Ventures, Kakao Ventures, Tan Tan Ventures and Lighthouse Combined from Korea.[^17][^18] EdSurge described Yongjin Group as one of "a host of Korean firms," and reported that the investors "hail from Asia." Nelson said that "There is a greater appreciation of the potential of education in Asia." EdSurge also quoted him on the company's structure: "now we are in a separation phase where the schools will soon be operating independently from the company."[^17] The Form D filed the following day records $7,671,644 offered and sold, from a first sale on June 28, 2019.[^9]
The company announced a $57 million Series C in July 2019. It was led by [[ByteDance]], with existing investors TAL and Yongjin Group and new investors Pinpoint Ventures, Kakao Ventures, Tan Tan Ventures and Lighthouse Combined from Korea.[^19][^20] EdSurge described Yongjin Group as one of "a host of Korean firms," and reported that the investors "hail from Asia." Nelson said: "There is a greater appreciation of the potential of education in Asia." EdSurge reported that the for-profit company had funded the Minerva Schools at KGI to that point, that it would provide no additional funds to them, and that the schools were looking to raise $50 million separately.[^19] The Form D filed the following day records $7,671,644 offered and sold, from a first sale on June 28, 2019.[^11]
### Board and advisory board
The October 2014 release states that "a representative from TAL will sit on the Minerva Project's Board, joining Nelson and Kevin Harvey, general partner at Benchmark Capital," and that Nelson would appoint two further members later. It quotes "Bangxin Zhang, chairman and CEO at TAL Education Group."[^13] The Form D filed on November 14, 2014 lists Bangxin Zhang as a director of Minerva Project, Inc. beside Nelson and Harvey, and the notice of December 2017 lists him again.[^7][^8] TAL's annual report names "Bangxin Zhang, our chairman and chief executive officer," and "Rong Luo, our chief financial officer."[^15] Zhang, the TAL chairman and chief executive, is the director named in the Form D notices.
The October 2014 release states that "a representative from TAL will sit on the Minerva Project's Board, joining Nelson and Kevin Harvey, general partner at Benchmark Capital," and that Nelson would appoint two further members later. It quotes "Bangxin Zhang, chairman and CEO at TAL Education Group."[^15] The Form D filed on November 14, 2014 lists Bangxin Zhang as a director of Minerva Project, Inc. beside Nelson and Harvey, and the notice of December 2017 lists him again.[^9][^10] TAL's annual report names "Bangxin Zhang, our chairman and chief executive officer," and "Rong Luo, our chief financial officer."[^17] Zhang, the TAL chairman and chief executive, is the director named in the Form D notices.
Rong Luo became TAL's chief financial officer in November 2014 and held the post through its report for the year ended February 2021.[^19] The Form D of July 12, 2019 lists him as a Minerva director in place of Zhang.[^9] The notice gives no biography; the identification of that director with TAL's chief financial officer rests on the identical full name and on TAL's board seat.
Rong Luo became TAL's chief financial officer in November 2014 and held the post through its report for the year ended February 2021.[^21] The Form D of July 12, 2019 lists him as a Minerva director in place of Zhang.[^11] The notice gives no biography; the identification of that director with TAL's chief financial officer rests on the identical full name and on TAL's board seat.
Harvey's biography in the 2025 proxy statement of [[Upwork]] lists among his other affiliations "Director, Minerva Project Inc., education innovation company."[^20]
Harvey's biography in the 2025 proxy statement of [[Upwork]] lists among his other affiliations "Director, Minerva Project Inc., education innovation company."[^22]
The 2016 proxy statement of [[AES Corporation]] lists the directorships of Philip Lader, including "UC RUSAL (from 2006 to the present)" and "the Minerva Project (from 2015 to the present)."[^21] Lader's biography on the [[Renaissance Weekend]] site describes him as Trustee Emeritus of the [[RAND Corporation]] and lists the [[Atlantic Council]] among his boards, and it says that he was "president of Business Executives for National Security."[^22]
The 2016 proxy statement of [[AES Corporation]] lists the directorships of Philip Lader, including "UC RUSAL (from 2006 to the present)" and "the Minerva Project (from 2015 to the present)."[^23] Lader's biography on the [[Renaissance Weekend]] site describes him as Trustee Emeritus of the [[RAND Corporation]] and lists the [[Atlantic Council]] among his boards, and it says that he was "president of Business Executives for National Security."[^24]
Shotwell is listed in the 2020 proxy statement of [[Polaris Inc.]] as a director of the Minerva Project. The same statement says that she held positions with Microcosm and with [[The Aerospace Corporation]] before she became vice president of business development at [[SpaceX]] in August 2002.[^23] [[Bob Kerrey]] was a trustee of The Aerospace Corporation from 2001 to 2002, according to the proxy statements of [[Tenet Healthcare]] for those years.[^24]
Shotwell is listed in the 2020 proxy statement of [[Polaris Inc.]] as a director of the Minerva Project. The same statement says that she held positions with Microcosm and with [[The Aerospace Corporation]] before she became vice president of business development at [[SpaceX]] in August 2002.[^25] [[Bob Kerrey]] was a trustee of The Aerospace Corporation from 2001 to 2002, according to the proxy statements of [[Tenet Healthcare]] for those years.[^26]
### The Minerva Institute and Kerrey's appointment
On January 14, 2013 the company announced the launch of The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship, which it described as a non-profit institute, and named Kerrey its executive chairman. The release says that Kerrey had joined the company's advisory board in 2011. It names Larry Summers as "chairman of Minerva's Advisory Board," and it quotes Kerrey: "I believe the Minerva Project is the single most important innovation in higher education in my lifetime."[^12]
On January 14, 2013 the company announced the launch of The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship, which it described as a non-profit institute, and named Kerrey its executive chairman. The release says that Kerrey had joined the company's advisory board in 2011. It names Larry Summers as "chairman of Minerva's Advisory Board," and it quotes Kerrey: "I believe the Minerva Project is the single most important innovation in higher education in my lifetime."[^14]
The April 2012 release had already listed Kerrey on the advisory board, with [[Patrick Harker]], then president of the University of Delaware, and [[Lee Shulman]], under Summers as chairman.[^11] An undated company overview in the [[Jeffrey Epstein|Epstein]] files names the same advisory board members and says that the company "was founded by CEO Ben Nelson in 2011."[^25] The January 2013 release gives the founding year as 2010, the October 2014 release as 2012, and the 2012 Form D records incorporation in 2011.[^1][^12][^13]
The April 2012 release had already listed Kerrey on the advisory board, with [[Patrick Harker]], then president of the University of Delaware, and [[Lee Shulman]], under Summers as chairman.[^13] An undated company overview in the [[Jeffrey Epstein|Epstein]] files names the same advisory board members and says that the company "was founded by CEO Ben Nelson in 2011."[^27] The January 2013 release gives the founding year as 2010, the October 2014 release as 2012, and the 2012 Form D records incorporation in 2011.[^1][^14][^15]
On November 11, 2014 the Institute announced the appointment of [[Stacey Childress]], then chief executive of NewSchools Venture Fund, and [[Michael Horn]] of the Clayton Christensen Institute to its board.[^26] Minerva's Institute page of 2020 lists as board members [[Bertil Andersson]], Childress, Horn, [[Diane Tavenner]], Phil Bronner and Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, with Kerrey as executive chairman and Nelson as founder. The 2021 page adds [[Venki Ramakrishnan]] and lists Kerrey as chairman.[^27][^28] The 2023 Board of Trustees page lists Tavenner as chair, Kerrey as chair emeritus, Nelson as founder and board member, and, among others, [[Randy Schekman]] and Zhang Yiming; the same page states that "the Minerva name, logo, and trade dress are trademarks of Minerva Project."[^29] On December 7, 2020 Minerva announced that [[Reed Hastings]] would support the Institute.[^30]
On November 11, 2014 the Institute announced the appointment of [[Stacey Childress]], then chief executive of NewSchools Venture Fund, and [[Michael Horn]] of the Clayton Christensen Institute to its board.[^28] Minerva's Institute page of 2020 lists as board members [[Bertil Andersson]], Childress, Horn, [[Diane Tavenner]], Phil Bronner and Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, with Kerrey as executive chairman and Nelson as founder. The 2021 page adds [[Venki Ramakrishnan]] and lists Kerrey as chairman.[^29][^30] The 2023 Board of Trustees page lists Tavenner as chair, Kerrey as chair emeritus, Nelson as founder and board member, and, among others, [[Randy Schekman]] and Zhang Yiming; the same page states that "the Minerva name, logo, and trade dress are trademarks of Minerva Project."[^31] On December 7, 2020 Minerva announced that [[Reed Hastings]] would support the Institute.[^32]
Minerva's accreditation history states that the Institute "assumed responsibility for funding and operating Minerva Schools in preparation for independent accreditation."[^31] Minerva's own announcement of July 22, 2021 describes the Institute as "a non-profit, tax-exempt entity" that "was founded in 2013."[^32]
Minerva's accreditation history states that the Institute "assumed responsibility for funding and operating Minerva Schools in preparation for independent accreditation."[^33] Minerva's own announcement of July 22, 2021 describes the Institute as "a non-profit, tax-exempt entity" that "was founded in 2013."[^34]
### Accreditation through Keck Graduate Institute
EdSurge reported in July 2013 that the company had partnered with Keck Graduate Institute, a graduate school in the [[Claremont Colleges]], to launch the Minerva Schools at KGI. The report said the [[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]] (WSCUC), which accredited KGI, would begin reviewing Minerva's programs for approval, and it described the arrangement as similar to the way the [[Stanford University]] School of Engineering operates within its university. The report also says that "while Minerva is a for-profit school, KGI is a nonprofit organization."[^4]
Minerva's accreditation page records that WSCUC approved the affiliation between KGI and Minerva in February 2014. It records that WSCUC granted initial accreditation to Minerva University in June 2021, "recognizing it as a freestanding, independent, accredited institution." A WSCUC action letter, listed on the same page as February 2026, followed a special site visit in the winter of 2026.[^31]
Minerva's accreditation page records that WSCUC approved the affiliation between KGI and Minerva in February 2014. It records that WSCUC granted initial accreditation to Minerva University in June 2021, "recognizing it as a freestanding, independent, accredited institution." A WSCUC action letter, listed on the same page as February 2026, followed a special site visit in the winter of 2026.[^33]
Minerva's Institute page of 2021 describes the Institute as "a private, non-profit, tax-exempt entity that operates Minerva Schools at KGI," and states that it "will become the home of Minerva University when WSCUC grants it accreditation separate from KGI."[^33] KGI's own account of August 2, 2021 says that Minerva University is "now a freestanding, independent institution." Its president, [[Sheldon Schuster]], said of the arrangement: "This was not a financial arrangement."[^5]
Minerva's Institute page of 2021 describes the Institute as "a private, non-profit, tax-exempt entity that operates Minerva Schools at KGI," and states that it "will become the home of Minerva University when WSCUC grants it accreditation separate from KGI."[^35] KGI's own account of August 2, 2021 says that Minerva University is "now a freestanding, independent institution." Its president, [[Sheldon Schuster]], said of the arrangement: "This was not a financial arrangement."[^5]
[[Teri Cannon]] is "Chief Policy and Accreditation Officer/ALO for MSKGI and Acting President, Minerva Institute." She joined Minerva in 2012 after working as a higher education consultant and, before that, as executive vice president of the accrediting commission itself, then WASC.[^34][^35]
[[Teri Cannon]] is "Chief Policy and Accreditation Officer/ALO for MSKGI and Acting President, Minerva Institute." She joined Minerva in 2012 after working as a higher education consultant and, before that, as executive vice president of the accrediting commission itself, then WASC.[^36][^37]
### Institutional partners
On April 30, 2018 Minerva and the [[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]] announced the HKUST-Minerva Scholars Program, under which HKUST students take four Minerva Cornerstone courses on Minerva's Active Learning Forum platform and Minerva students may spend part of their fourth year at HKUST. Nelson is quoted: "I am especially proud that our first partnership is with HKUST."[^36]
On April 30, 2018 Minerva and the [[Hong Kong University of Science and Technology]] announced the HKUST-Minerva Scholars Program, under which HKUST students take four Minerva Cornerstone courses on Minerva's Active Learning Forum platform and Minerva students may spend part of their fourth year at HKUST. Nelson is quoted: "I am especially proud that our first partnership is with HKUST."[^38]
A page on Minerva's admissions site, captured in September 2020, is headed "Partner: IDF 8200" and states: "IDF unit 8200 alumni have the mature perspective and technological experience to both benefit from and contribute to Minerva's diverse undergraduate experience."[^37] The company's case study for the Korean Institute for Energy Technology (KENTECH) says that Minerva "partnered with" it "to create a selective university" for students pursuing energy careers.[^38] On September 28, 2023 Minerva University announced a partnership with Rise, "an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust," to provide four-year scholarships.[^39]
A page on Minerva's admissions site, captured in September 2020, is headed "Partner: IDF 8200" and states: "IDF unit 8200 alumni have the mature perspective and technological experience to both benefit from and contribute to Minerva's diverse undergraduate experience."[^39] The company's case study for the Korean Institute for Energy Technology (KENTECH) says that Minerva "partnered with" it "to create a selective university" for students pursuing energy careers.[^40] On September 28, 2023 Minerva University announced a partnership with Rise, "an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust," to provide four-year scholarships.[^41]
### Federal aid and student visas
Minerva's financial aid page says: "Minerva does not participate in U.S. Title IV federal financial aid programs at this time."[^40] The WSCUC directory entry for Minerva University reads "Distributes Federal Financial Aid: No."[^41] The 2013 release had said that the company "will not rely on the federal government for assistance."[^12]
Minerva's financial aid page says: "Minerva does not participate in U.S. Title IV federal financial aid programs at this time."[^42] The WSCUC directory entry for Minerva University reads "Distributes Federal Financial Aid: No."[^43] The 2013 release had said that the company "will not rely on the federal government for assistance."[^14]
The university's About page states: "Minerva is also authorized by SEVP to host international students on F-1 visas, supporting its undergraduate residential program."[^42]
The university's About page states: "Minerva is also authorized by SEVP to host international students on F-1 visas, supporting its undergraduate residential program."[^44]
### Stephen M. Kosslyn
[[Stephen Kosslyn|Stephen M. Kosslyn]] was named divisional dean for the social sciences at [[Harvard University]], effective July 1, 2008, after serving as chair of the psychology department from 2005; he was John Lindsley Professor of Psychology.[^43] In February 2013 his email signature gave his position as director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford.[^44] On March 12, 2013 Minerva announced his appointment as Founding Dean; the release quotes Summers, "chairman of the Minerva Project Advisory Board": "I cannot imagine a better leader for Minerva's effort to develop new scalable approaches to higher education."[^45] By September 2014 his signature gave his position as dean of the Minerva School of Arts and Sciences at the Keck Graduate Institute, with a business address at 1145 Market Street.[^46]
[[Stephen Kosslyn|Stephen M. Kosslyn]] was named divisional dean for the social sciences at [[Harvard University]], effective July 1, 2008, after serving as chair of the psychology department from 2005; he was John Lindsley Professor of Psychology.[^45] In February 2013 his email signature gave his position as director of the [[Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences]] at Stanford.[^46] On March 12, 2013 Minerva announced his appointment as Founding Dean; the release quotes Summers, "chairman of the Minerva Project Advisory Board": "I cannot imagine a better leader for Minerva's effort to develop new scalable approaches to higher education."[^47] By September 2014 his signature gave his position as dean of the Minerva School of Arts and Sciences at the Keck Graduate Institute, with a business address at 1145 Market Street.[^48]
A final technical report filed with the [[Defense Technical Information Center]] under the title "Neuropsychological Components of Imagery Processing" names Kosslyn as principal investigator on AFOSR Grant 88-0012, performed at Harvard University. The report's cover header reads "AFOSR/ONR FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT," and the funding and monitoring organization is listed as the [[Air Force Office of Scientific Research]] at Bolling Air Force Base. The report carries a 1991 DTIC processing stamp.[^47]
Kosslyn's directorship of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences ran from January 1, 2011, succeeding [[Iris Litt]], to 2013.[^49][^50]
The 2020 report of Harvard's Office of the General Counsel found that Epstein had given Harvard two gifts, in 1998 and 2002, totaling $200,000 "to support Kosslyn's research," and that Kosslyn, as chair of the psychology department, recommended him for admission as a Visiting Fellow for 2005-2006. Kosslyn's letter of September 2, 2005 states: "I have known Jeffrey for about nine years," and "He has been my only collaborator on this project (for some five years now, I believe)," the project being a "theory of social prosthetic systems." Epstein's application of September 1, 2005 was approved on September 3, and a second year was approved on April 21, 2006. The report states that Kosslyn recalled Epstein as someone who "was barely ever around," and that the application form did not require Kosslyn to disclose the gifts. In November 2008, after President [[Drew Faust]] had concluded that Harvard should no longer accept gifts from Epstein, Kosslyn, then divisional dean, noted in an email: "If [President] Drew [Faust] weren't opposed to taking JEE's money, there wouldn't be a problem . . [.] but she is."[^48]
A final technical report filed with the [[Defense Technical Information Center]] names Kosslyn as principal investigator on AFOSR Grant 88-0012, performed at Harvard University. Its title page reads "Neuropsychological Components of Imagery Processing," the cover header reads "AFOSR/ONR FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT," and the funding and monitoring organization is listed as the [[Air Force Office of Scientific Research]] at Bolling Air Force Base. The report is dated January 25, 1991 and carries a 1991 DTIC processing stamp.[^51] DTIC technical reports from 1983 to 1992 name the [[Office of Naval Research]] as the monitoring office for Kosslyn's imagery work under five contracts: N00014-79-C-0982 at Brandeis University (report of January 24, 1983), N00014-82-C-0166 and N00014-83-K-0095 (three reports of August 20, 1984), N00014-85-K-0291 (reports of October 31, 1985 and July 28, 1987, the latter under the Personnel and Training Research Programs, Code 1142PT) and N00014-91-J-1243 (quarterly letters of August 8, 1991 and February 15, 1992 to Dr. Terry Allard of the Office of Naval Research).[^52] A February 28, 1989 report states that its work "was supported by ONR contract N00014-85-K-0291 and AFOSR grant 88-0012."[^53]
The 2020 report of Harvard's Office of the General Counsel found that Epstein had given Harvard two gifts, in 1998 and 2002, totaling $200,000 "to support Kosslyn's research," and that Kosslyn, as chair of the psychology department, recommended him for admission as a Visiting Fellow for 2005-2006. Kosslyn's letter of September 2, 2005 states: "I have known Jeffrey for about nine years," and "He has been my only collaborator on this project (for some five years now, I believe)," the project being a "theory of social prosthetic systems." Epstein's application of September 1, 2005 was approved on September 3, and a second year was approved on April 21, 2006. The report states that Kosslyn recalled Epstein as someone who "was barely ever around," and that the application form did not require Kosslyn to disclose the gifts. In November 2008, after President [[Drew Faust]] had concluded that Harvard should no longer accept gifts from Epstein, Kosslyn, then divisional dean, noted in an email: "If [President] Drew [Faust] weren't opposed to taking JEE's money, there wouldn't be a problem . . [.] but she is."[^54]
### Jeffrey Epstein's correspondence with Minerva, 2013 and 2014
On February 21, 2013 Kosslyn wrote to [[Lesley Groff]], the scheduler of Jeffrey Epstein, that "Ben wants to bring Senator Bob Kerrey with him. Would that be OK with JEE?" Groff replied: "Jeffrey says YES to all! 12:00 and bring along Sen. Bob Kerrey."[^49] The schedule for Friday, February 22, 2013 lists "12:00pm Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Senator Bob Kerrey." An earlier version had listed a "TENTATIVE Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn and Ben Nelson" at 11:30.[^50]
On February 21, 2013 Kosslyn wrote to [[Lesley Groff]], the scheduler of Jeffrey Epstein, that "Ben wants to bring Senator Bob Kerrey with him. Would that be OK with JEE?" Groff replied: "Jeffrey says YES to all! 12:00 and bring along Sen. Bob Kerrey."[^55] The schedule for Friday, February 22, 2013 lists "12:00pm Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Senator Bob Kerrey." An earlier version had listed a "TENTATIVE Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn and Ben Nelson" at 11:30.[^56]
On February 23, 2013 Kosslyn wrote to Epstein: "I'm absolutely torn by the situation." He added that "the rest of the team is A+," and that he had "met with the head guy at Benchmark, and they are very positive about the project." He reported that the managing director of the [[Mayfield Fund]] had been "very high on the idea" although the fund "turned them down for internal reasons." Epstein replied: "i see little downside , in taking it, but having all the money you need up front."[^44][^51] Minerva announced Kosslyn as Founding Dean on March 12, 2013.[^45]
On the evening of February 22, 2013 Kosslyn wrote to Epstein: "I'm absolutely torn by the situation." He added that "the rest of the team is A+," and that he had "met with the head guy at Benchmark, and they are very positive about the project." He reported that the managing director of the [[Mayfield Fund]] had been "very high on the idea" although the fund "turned them down for internal reasons." Epstein replied: "i see little downside , in taking it, but having all the money you need up front."[^46][^57] Minerva announced Kosslyn as Founding Dean on March 12, 2013.[^47]
On February 27, 2013 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn: "i have bill gates at the house tonight after 10," and asked whether [[Bill Gates]] knew Kerrey and whether Kerrey "would he like to come."[^52]
On February 27, 2013 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn: "i have bill gates at the house tonight after 10," and asked whether [[Bill Gates]] knew Kerrey and whether Kerrey "would he like to come."[^58]
On March 12, 2013 Groff asked Epstein whether she should "touch base with Bob Kerrey of the Minvera [sic] Project," and Epstein answered "ok."[^53]
On March 12, 2013 Groff asked Epstein whether she should "touch base with Bob Kerrey of the Minvera [sic] Project," and Epstein answered "ok."[^59]
On July 26, 2013 the educator [[Roger Schank]] wrote to Epstein under the subject "minerva project": "am to meet bob kerrey (who I know) monday" and "ran into kosslyn wed who is also involved." Epstein replied that he thought the project "nuts" and asked: "he and kosslyn are only init for the money nu?" Schank answered: "He has enough I would have thought (Maybe not Steve)."[^54] On August 12, 2013 a LinkedIn update forwarded to Epstein stated that "Bob Kerrey is now Executive Chairman at The Minerva Institute."[^55]
On July 26, 2013 the educator [[Roger Schank]] wrote to Epstein under the subject "minerva project": "am to meet bob kerrey (who I know) monday" and "ran into kosslyn wed who is also involved." Epstein replied that he thought the project "nuts" and asked: "he and kosslyn are only init for the money nu?" Schank answered: "He has enough I would have thought (Maybe not Steve)."[^60] On August 12, 2013 a LinkedIn update forwarded to Epstein stated that "Bob Kerrey is now Executive Chairman at The Minerva Institute."[^61]
On September 15, 2014 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn: "met with kerrey, too used to not being questioned properly." Later that day he reported what Kerrey had said: "he tried to describe minerva to cass sunstein, total fluff, but did say you had rasied 100 m with the condition that if students didn't come the money would be returned." Kosslyn replied: "I know nothing about that condition, and have no idea where he got that idea.. But maybe he knows something I don't know." He added: "I wish I had been able to explain Minerva to Sunstein (whom I've never met)."[^56]
On September 15, 2014 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn: "met with kerrey, too used to not being questioned properly." Later that day he reported what Kerrey had said: "he tried to describe minerva to cass sunstein, total fluff, but did say you had rasied 100 m with the condition that if students didn't come the money would be returned." Kosslyn replied: "I know nothing about that condition, and have no idea where he got that idea.. But maybe he knows something I don't know." He added: "I wish I had been able to explain Minerva to Sunstein (whom I've never met)."[^62]
On September 16, 2014 Kerrey wrote to Epstein after a brunch: "Thanks for a wonderful brunch and another great conversation." Epstein asked whether Kerrey had said that Kosslyn "had raised 100 million" and whether the money would be returned. Kerrey answered: "He has not closed the round yet but has very strong interest that will enable him to close. He will not lower standards to bring in the first large class in 2015 and will return unspent money from the second round if we fail to recruit at the standard we have set." Epstein forwarded the exchange to Kosslyn the same day.[^46][^57]
On September 16, 2014 Kerrey wrote to Epstein after a brunch: "Thanks for a wonderful brunch and another great conversation." Epstein asked whether Kerrey had said that Kosslyn "had raised 100 million" and whether the money would be returned. Kerrey answered: "He has not closed the round yet but has very strong interest that will enable him to close. He will not lower standards to bring in the first large class in 2015 and will return unspent money from the second round if we fail to recruit at the standard we have set." Epstein forwarded the exchange to Kosslyn the same day.[^48][^63]
The Form D notice for the round records a first sale on October 14, 2014, four weeks after that exchange, and an offering of $78,600,000.[^7]
The Form D notice for the round records a first sale on October 14, 2014, four weeks after that exchange, and an offering of $78,600,000.[^9]
### Footnotes
[^1]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed April 6, 2012, accession 0001546672-12-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667212000001/primary_doc.xml
[^2]: Computerworld, "HP reels in Snapfish," March 22, 2005. https://www.computerworld.com/article/1459387/hp-reels-in-snapfish.html
[^3]: Minerva Schools, "Ben Nelson, Founder, Chairman and CEO," staff biography, 2016. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/people/ben-nelson/ Computerworld reports that the president joined HP and that the price was not disclosed.
[^3]: Minerva Schools, "Ben Nelson, Founder, Chairman and CEO," staff biography, 2016. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/people/ben-nelson/
[^4]: EdSurge, "Validating a Virtual Startup School," July 23, 2013. https://edsurge.com/news/2013-07-23-validating-a-virtual-startup-school
[^5]: Keck Graduate Institute, "Minerva University, Formerly the Minerva Schools at KGI, Gains Accreditation," August 2, 2021. https://www.kgi.edu/news/2021/minerva-university-formerly-the-minerva-schools-at-kgi-gains-accreditation.html
[^6]: EDGAR submissions index for CIK 0001546672, listing five Form D filings (2012, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022). https://data.sec.gov/submissions/CIK0001546672.json
[^7]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed November 14, 2014, accession 0001546672-14-000002, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667214000002/primary_doc.xml
[^8]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed December 5, 2017, accession 0001546672-17-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667217000001/primary_doc.xml
[^9]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed July 12, 2019, accession 0001546672-19-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667219000001/primary_doc.xml
[^10]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed September 2, 2022, accession 0001546672-22-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667222000001/primary_doc.xml
[^11]: Minerva Project, "The Minerva Project Redefines Elite Higher Education for Students Worldwide; Secures $25 Million from Benchmark Capital," April 4, 2012. https://s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva-Project-Redefines-Higher-Education-Secures-25-Million.pdf
[^12]: PR Newswire, "Minerva Project Launches The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship; Appoints Former Senator of Nebraska Bob Kerrey as Executive Chairman of the Institute," January 14, 2013. https://prnewswire.com/news-releases/minerva-project-launches-the-minerva-institute-for-research-and-scholarship-appoints-former-senator-of-nebraska-bob-kerrey-as-executive-chairman-of-the-institute-186768111.html
[^13]: Minerva Project, "Minerva Project Announces $70 Million in Additional Funding," October 15, 2014. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Announces_70M_Additional_Funding.pdf
[^14]: TAL Education Group, Form 6-K filed October 22, 2014, Exhibit 99.1, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000110465914072864/a14-22783_1ex99d1.htm
[^15]: TAL Education Group, annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended February 28, 2015, filed May 28, 2015, Item 3 and Item 6, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000104746915005065/a2224838z20-f.htm
[^16]: TAL Education Group, annual report on Form 20-F filed May 31, 2016, notes to consolidated financial statements, Note 10, Long-term investments, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000114420416105878/v439035_20f.htm
[^17]: EdSurge, "Minerva Project Raises $57M to Support Its Tech Platform and Spin Off Its School," July 11, 2019. https://edsurge.com/news/2019-07-11-minerva-project-raises-57m-to-support-its-tech-platform-and-spin-off-its-school
[^18]: Built In, "Higher ed tech startup Minerva raises $57 million in Series C round." https://builtin.com/articles/higher-ed-tech-startup-minerva-raises-57-million-series-c-round
[^19]: TAL Education Group, annual reports on Form 20-F for the years ended February 2019, 2020 and 2021, Item 6, directors and senior management, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000114420419026826/tv518838_20f.htm and https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000110465921063077/tal-20210228x20f.htm
[^20]: Upwork Inc., definitive proxy statement filed April 25, 2025, director biographies, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1627475/000162747525000025/upwk-20250424.htm
[^21]: AES Corporation, definitive proxy statement filed March 7, 2016, director biographies (Philip Lader), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/874761/000087476116000083/a2016proxystatement.htm
[^22]: Renaissance Weekend, "Philip Lader," biography. https://renaissanceweekend.org/bios/philip-lader
[^23]: Polaris Inc., definitive proxy statement filed March 13, 2020, director biographies (Gwynne Shotwell), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/931015/000130817920000032/lpii2020_def14a.htm
[^24]: Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Schedule 14A proxy statements filed August 21, 2001 and August 14, 2002 (Kerrey as trustee of The Aerospace Corporation). https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70318/000091205701529713/a2056401zdef14a.htm and https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70318/000089710102000565/tenet023987_def14a.htm
[^25]: The Minerva Project, "An Overview," undated, EFTA01144731, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01144731.pdf
[^26]: Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship, "Michael Horn and Stacey Childress Appointed to the Board of The Minerva Institute," November 11, 2014. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Institute_Board_Announcement.pdf
[^27]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Institute Board Members," page captured September 21, 2020. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/about/institute/institute-board-members/
[^28]: Minerva University, "Institute Board Members," page captured September 21, 2021. https://www.minerva.edu/institute-board-members/
[^29]: Minerva University, "Board of Trustees," page captured October 1, 2023. https://www.minerva.edu/board-of-trustees/
[^30]: Minerva University, "Netflix Founder Reed Hastings to Support Minerva Institute," December 7, 2020 (headline and date). https://www.minerva.edu/announcements/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-to-support-minerva-institute/
[^31]: Minerva University, "Accreditation at Minerva University," accreditation milestones and documents page. https://www.minerva.edu/accreditation/
[^32]: Minerva University, "Minerva University Granted Accreditation by WSCUC," July 22, 2021. https://www.minerva.edu/announcements/minerva-university-granted-accreditation-by-wscuc
[^33]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Minerva Institute," page captured March 19, 2021. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/minerva-institute/
[^34]: WSCUC, staff page for Teri Cannon. https://www.wscuc.org/team/teri-cannon
[^35]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Teri Cannon, Chief Accreditation Officer," staff biography, 2016. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/people/teri-cannon/
[^36]: Minerva Project and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, joint announcement, April 30, 2018. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_KHUST_Announcement.pdf
[^37]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Partner: IDF 8200," page captured September 21, 2020. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/partners/partner-idf-8200/
[^38]: Minerva Project, "Case Study: KENTECH," 2023. https://www.minervaproject.com/case-study-kentech/
[^39]: Minerva University, "Minerva University Announces Partnership with Rise," September 28, 2023. https://www.minerva.edu/announcements/minerva-university-announces-partnership-with-rise/
[^40]: Minerva University, "Financial Aid," undergraduate financial aid page. https://www.minerva.edu/undergraduate/financial-aid
[^41]: WSCUC, institution directory entry for Minerva University. https://wscuc.org/institutions/minerva-university
[^42]: Minerva University, About page. https://www.minerva.edu/about
[^43]: Harvard Gazette, "Stephen Kosslyn named divisional dean for the social sciences," April 2008. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/04/stephen-kosslyn-named-divisional-dean-for-the-social-sciences
[^44]: Stephen M. Kosslyn email to Jeffrey Epstein, "thanks," February 23, 2013, EFTA01760981, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 10 (same text in EFTA00652848, Data Set 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01760981.pdf
[^45]: Minerva Project, "Minerva Project Names Dr. Stephen M. Kosslyn as Founding Dean," March 12, 2013. https://s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Project_Annouces_Stephen_M._Kosslyn.pdf
[^46]: Stephen M. Kosslyn email to Jeffrey Epstein, September 16, 2014, EFTA02365655, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 11. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02365655.pdf
[^47]: Stephen M. Kosslyn, principal investigator, "Neuropsychological Components of Imagery Processing," AFOSR/ONR Final Technical Report, AFOSR Grant 88-0012, Harvard University, DTIC accession AD-A232 391. https://archive.org/download/DTIC_ADA232391/DTIC_ADA232391_djvu.txt and https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA232391.pdf
[^48]: Harvard University, Office of the General Counsel, "Report Concerning Jeffrey E. Epstein's Connections to Harvard University," May 2020, pp. 4-8 and 10-11. https://ogc.harvard.edu/files/ogc/files/report_concerning_jeffrey_e._epsteins_connections_to_harvard_university.pdf
[^49]: Stephen M. Kosslyn and scheduler emails, "Re: complication," February 21, 2013, EFTA02147246, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02147246.pdf
[^50]: Epstein schedule emails for Friday, February 22, 2013, EFTA00395264 and EFTA01905308 (final version), EFTA00954261 and EFTA01800702 (earlier version), and Google Calendar reminder EFTA02148035, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00395264.pdf
[^51]: Jeffrey Epstein email to Stephen M. Kosslyn, "Re: thanks," February 22 to 23, 2013, EFTA00955209, Data Set 9; and EFTA01900925, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00955209.pdf
[^52]: Stephen M. Kosslyn and Jeffrey Epstein emails, February 27, 2013, EFTA00652828, Data Set 9, and EFTA01761690, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00652828.pdf
[^53]: Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Re: Bob Kerrey w/the Minerva Project," March 12, 2013, EFTA00393723, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00393723.pdf
[^54]: Jeffrey Epstein and Roger Schank, "Re: minerva project," July 26, 2013, EFTA00966277, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00966277.pdf
[^55]: LinkedIn update forwarded to Jeffrey Epstein, August 12, 2013, EFTA00652362, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00652362.pdf
[^56]: Jeffrey Epstein and Stephen M. Kosslyn emails, September 15, 2014, EFTA00996933 and EFTA00704445, Data Set 9, and EFTA02353638, Data Set 11, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00704445.pdf
[^57]: Bob Kerrey and Jeffrey Epstein, "Brunch," September 16, 2014, EFTA02590688, EFTA02590901 and EFTA02591244, Data Set 11, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library; forwarded to Stephen M. Kosslyn as EFTA00996971, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02591244.pdf
[^7]: Hewlett-Packard Company, Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 31, 2005, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR, Note 4, Acquisitions. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000047217/000104746905022690/a2160914z10-q.htm
[^8]: Hewlett-Packard Company, Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended April 30, 2005, filed June 8, 2005, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR, Note 4, Acquisitions. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000047217/000104746905016805/a2155974z10-q.htm
[^9]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed November 14, 2014, accession 0001546672-14-000002, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667214000002/primary_doc.xml
[^10]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed December 5, 2017, accession 0001546672-17-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667217000001/primary_doc.xml
[^11]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed July 12, 2019, accession 0001546672-19-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667219000001/primary_doc.xml
[^12]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed September 2, 2022, accession 0001546672-22-000001, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667222000001/primary_doc.xml
[^13]: Minerva Project, "The Minerva Project Redefines Elite Higher Education for Students Worldwide; Secures $25 Million from Benchmark Capital," April 4, 2012. https://s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva-Project-Redefines-Higher-Education-Secures-25-Million.pdf
[^14]: PR Newswire, "Minerva Project Launches The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship; Appoints Former Senator of Nebraska Bob Kerrey as Executive Chairman of the Institute," January 14, 2013. https://prnewswire.com/news-releases/minerva-project-launches-the-minerva-institute-for-research-and-scholarship-appoints-former-senator-of-nebraska-bob-kerrey-as-executive-chairman-of-the-institute-186768111.html
[^15]: Minerva Project, "Minerva Project Announces $70 Million in Additional Funding," October 15, 2014. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Announces_70M_Additional_Funding.pdf
[^16]: TAL Education Group, Form 6-K filed October 22, 2014, Exhibit 99.1, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000110465914072864/a14-22783_1ex99d1.htm
[^17]: TAL Education Group, annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended February 28, 2015, filed May 28, 2015, Item 3 and Item 6, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000104746915005065/a2224838z20-f.htm
[^18]: TAL Education Group, annual report on Form 20-F filed May 31, 2016, notes to consolidated financial statements, Note 10, Long-term investments, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000114420416105878/v439035_20f.htm
[^19]: EdSurge, "Minerva Project Raises $57M to Support Its Tech Platform and Spin Off Its School," July 11, 2019. https://edsurge.com/news/2019-07-11-minerva-project-raises-57m-to-support-its-tech-platform-and-spin-off-its-school
[^20]: Built In, "Higher ed tech startup Minerva raises $57 million in Series C round." https://builtin.com/articles/higher-ed-tech-startup-minerva-raises-57-million-series-c-round
[^21]: TAL Education Group, annual reports on Form 20-F for the years ended February 2019, 2020 and 2021, Item 6, directors and senior management, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000114420419026826/tv518838_20f.htm and https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1499620/000110465921063077/tal-20210228x20f.htm
[^22]: Upwork Inc., definitive proxy statement filed April 25, 2025, director biographies, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1627475/000162747525000025/upwk-20250424.htm
[^23]: AES Corporation, definitive proxy statement filed March 7, 2016, director biographies (Philip Lader), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/874761/000087476116000083/a2016proxystatement.htm
[^24]: Renaissance Weekend, "Philip Lader," biography. https://renaissanceweekend.org/bios/philip-lader
[^25]: Polaris Inc., definitive proxy statement filed March 13, 2020, director biographies (Gwynne Shotwell), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/931015/000130817920000032/lpii2020_def14a.htm
[^26]: Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Schedule 14A proxy statements filed August 21, 2001 and August 14, 2002 (Kerrey as trustee of The Aerospace Corporation). https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70318/000091205701529713/a2056401zdef14a.htm and https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/70318/000089710102000565/tenet023987_def14a.htm
[^27]: The Minerva Project, "An Overview," undated, EFTA01144731, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01144731.pdf
[^28]: Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship, "Michael Horn and Stacey Childress Appointed to the Board of The Minerva Institute," November 11, 2014. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Institute_Board_Announcement.pdf
[^29]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Institute Board Members," page captured September 21, 2020. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/about/institute/institute-board-members/
[^30]: Minerva University, "Institute Board Members," page captured September 21, 2021. https://www.minerva.edu/institute-board-members/
[^31]: Minerva University, "Board of Trustees," page captured October 1, 2023. https://www.minerva.edu/board-of-trustees/
[^32]: Minerva University, "Netflix Founder Reed Hastings to Support Minerva Institute," December 7, 2020 (headline and date). https://www.minerva.edu/announcements/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-to-support-minerva-institute/
[^33]: Minerva University, "Accreditation at Minerva University," accreditation milestones and documents page. https://www.minerva.edu/accreditation/
[^34]: Minerva University, "Minerva University Granted Accreditation by WSCUC," July 22, 2021. https://www.minerva.edu/announcements/minerva-university-granted-accreditation-by-wscuc
[^35]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Minerva Institute," page captured March 19, 2021. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/minerva-institute/
[^36]: WSCUC, staff page for Teri Cannon. https://www.wscuc.org/team/teri-cannon
[^37]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Teri Cannon, Chief Accreditation Officer," staff biography, 2016. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/people/teri-cannon/
[^38]: Minerva Project and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, joint announcement, April 30, 2018. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_KHUST_Announcement.pdf
[^39]: Minerva Schools at KGI, "Partner: IDF 8200," page captured September 21, 2020. https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/partners/partner-idf-8200/
[^40]: Minerva Project, "Case Study: KENTECH," 2023. https://www.minervaproject.com/case-study-kentech/
[^41]: Minerva University, "Minerva University Announces Partnership with Rise," September 28, 2023. https://www.minerva.edu/announcements/minerva-university-announces-partnership-with-rise/
[^42]: Minerva University, "Financial Aid," undergraduate financial aid page. https://www.minerva.edu/undergraduate/financial-aid
[^43]: WSCUC, institution directory entry for Minerva University. https://wscuc.org/institutions/minerva-university
[^44]: Minerva University, About page. https://www.minerva.edu/about
[^45]: Harvard Gazette, "Stephen Kosslyn named divisional dean for the social sciences," April 2008. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/04/stephen-kosslyn-named-divisional-dean-for-the-social-sciences
[^46]: Stephen M. Kosslyn email to Jeffrey Epstein, "thanks," February 23, 2013, EFTA01760981, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 10 (same text in EFTA00652848, Data Set 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01760981.pdf
[^47]: Minerva Project, "Minerva Project Names Dr. Stephen M. Kosslyn as Founding Dean," March 12, 2013. https://s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Project_Annouces_Stephen_M._Kosslyn.pdf
[^48]: Stephen M. Kosslyn email to Jeffrey Epstein, September 16, 2014, EFTA02365655, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 11. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02365655.pdf
[^49]: "Kosslyn appointed director of CASBS," The Stanford Daily, July 29, 2010. https://stanforddaily.com/2010/07/29/kosslyn-appointed-director-of-casbs/
[^50]: Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, "Leadership History," listing Stephen M. Kosslyn as Director, 2011 to 2013. https://casbs.stanford.edu/about/leadership-history
[^51]: Stephen M. Kosslyn, principal investigator, "Neuropsychological Components of Imagery Processing," AFOSR/ONR Final Technical Report, AFOSR Grant 88-0012, Harvard University, DTIC accession AD-A232 391. https://archive.org/download/DTIC_ADA232391/DTIC_ADA232391_djvu.txt and https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA232391.pdf
[^52]: Kosslyn technical reports and letters, DTIC accessions ADA124616 (January 24, 1983), ADA145711, ADA145514 and ADA145509 (August 20, 1984), ADA161296 (October 31, 1985), ADA183409 (July 28, 1987), ADA240202 (August 8, 1991) and ADA246449 (February 15, 1992). https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA124616.pdf
[^53]: Stephen M. Kosslyn, "Components of High-Level Vision: A Cognitive Neuroscience Analysis and Accounts of Neurological Syndromes," AFOSR/ONR Tech Report 89-1, February 28, 1989, DTIC ADA207848. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA207848.pdf
[^54]: Harvard University, Office of the General Counsel, "Report Concerning Jeffrey E. Epstein's Connections to Harvard University," May 2020, pp. 3, 5, 6 to 8, 10 and 26. https://ogc.harvard.edu/files/ogc/files/report_concerning_jeffrey_e._epsteins_connections_to_harvard_university.pdf
[^55]: Stephen M. Kosslyn and scheduler emails, "Re: complication," February 21, 2013, EFTA02147246, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02147246.pdf
[^56]: Epstein schedule emails for Friday, February 22, 2013, EFTA00395264 and EFTA01905308 (final version), EFTA00954261 and EFTA01800702 (earlier version), and Google Calendar reminder EFTA02148035, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00395264.pdf
[^57]: Jeffrey Epstein email to Stephen M. Kosslyn, "Re: thanks," February 22 to 23, 2013, EFTA00955209, Data Set 9; and EFTA01900925, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00955209.pdf
[^58]: Stephen M. Kosslyn and Jeffrey Epstein emails, February 27, 2013, EFTA00652828, Data Set 9, and EFTA01761690, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00652828.pdf
[^59]: Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Re: Bob Kerrey w/the Minerva Project," March 12, 2013, EFTA00393723, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00393723.pdf
[^60]: Jeffrey Epstein and Roger Schank, "Re: minerva project," July 26, 2013, EFTA00966277, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00966277.pdf
[^61]: LinkedIn update forwarded to Jeffrey Epstein, August 12, 2013, EFTA00652362, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00652362.pdf
[^62]: Jeffrey Epstein and Stephen M. Kosslyn emails, September 15, 2014, EFTA00996933 and EFTA00704445, Data Set 9, and EFTA02353638, Data Set 11, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00704445.pdf
[^63]: Bob Kerrey and Jeffrey Epstein, "Brunch," September 16, 2014, EFTA02590688, EFTA02590901 and EFTA02591244, Data Set 11, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library; forwarded to Stephen M. Kosslyn as EFTA00996971, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02591244.pdf

62
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/Wackenhut Corporation.md
View file

@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ aliases:
- Wackenhut
- G4S Secure Solutions
created: 2026-05-17
updated: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-09
category: "Private Organization"
tags:
- Organization
@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ relations:
- type: owned
with: "[[Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation]]"
role: "wholly owned subsidiary at Reston, Virginia"
fn: 40
fn: 42
---
Wackenhut Corporation is a security and investigative firm founded in 1954 by [[George R. Wackenhut]] and three other former [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] Special Agents. Initially named [[Special Agent Investigators]], it expanded to physical security and was renamed Wackenhut Corporation in 1958. Headquartered in [[Coral Gables, Florida|Coral Gables]], [[Florida]], Wackenhut grew to become one of the world's largest security and investigative firms, with operations across the United States and internationally. The [[San Francisco]] Chronicle described it as being "led by former officials of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]], the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, Defense Department and federal law enforcement."[^1][^2]
@ -126,11 +126,17 @@ Spy reported in 1992 that Bruce Berckmans, assigned to the CIA station in Mexico
The 1993 report of Judge [[Nicholas J. Bua]] for the Department of Justice states that Frye, then president of Wackenhut Services, Inc., responded for Wackenhut when the Cabazon Security Corporation solicited capability statements in early 1981, that the April 1981 joint venture agreement was signed by Frye and by Tribal Chairman Arthur Welmas, and that the joint venture had no employees. It states that the only individual employed by Wackenhut was Frye and that the investigators found "no evidence to support Riconosciuto's claim that he and Earl Brian were employed by Wackenhut or by the joint venture."[^34] The report also states that the firms Michael Riconosciuto named in a call to the Hamiltons, Wackenhut Research, Inc., and Wackenhut Security, Inc., "do not exist."[^34] Riconosciuto's March 21, 1991 affidavit, which the report summarizes, states that he was director of research for the Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture and that he modified PROMIS software for Wackenhut in 1983 and 1984.[^35]
The Bua report states that Wackenhut was interested because Cabazon Security Corporation, as a qualified minority contractor, would be eligible for government contract work under set-aside programs. The April 1981 agreement gives the primary purpose of the venture as to "qualify for, bid on, and obtain government guard service contracts," and the joint venture bid on two government security contracts that it did not receive.[^37]
The report states that Wackenhut's files contain documents showing efforts by John Philip Nichols to market night-vision goggles and rifle scopes to individuals identified as representatives of the governments of Guatemala and [[Honduras]], internal Wackenhut memoranda expressing the opinion that any such sales would require State Department approval, and preliminary applications Wackenhut filed with the State Department. It quotes Nichols's view "that the Cabazon's, as a sovereign nation, were not subject to the usual export and import controls" and states: "As far as we could tell, no sales were ever made."[^37]
The report places a night-vision demonstration on the evening of September 10, 1981 at the Lake Cahuilla gun range in Indio.[^37] FBI FD-302s of interviews with [[Wayne Reeder]], Indio police chief [[Sam Cross]] and Sergeant [[Dave Baird]], taken in October 1992, place it at the Indio Police Department range.[^38]
### PROMIS Software Modification
Within the Cabazon Joint Venture, Michael Riconosciuto claimed to have modified the proprietary [[PROMIS]] computer software. This modification, allegedly spearheaded by [[Earl Brian]] and made available through [[Peter Videnieks]] of the [[Department of Justice|U.S. Department of Justice]], was intended to facilitate the worldwide implementation of PROMIS in law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Riconosciuto's affidavit detailed his work on the software, including specific modifications for the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police|RCMP]] and the [[Canadian Security Intelligence Service|CSIS]] in [[Canada]]. This alleged pirating and modification of the PROMIS software became a central component of the [[PROMIS Software Scandal]].[^1]
It was here that the "trap door" was built into the U.S. version of PROMIS, based on [[Israel|Israeli]] information. This operation was conducted by a small CIA group, headed by [[Robert Gates]], who sought to keep it secret from the NSA due to interagency competition.[^37]
It was here that the "trap door" was built into the U.S. version of PROMIS, based on [[Israel|Israeli]] information. This operation was conducted by a small CIA group, headed by [[Robert Gates]], who sought to keep it secret from the NSA due to interagency competition.[^39]
### Danny Casolaro Investigation
@ -142,19 +148,19 @@ Beyond the Cabazon venture, Wackenhut was also implicated in other international
### Epstein
On July 13, 2009, [[Story Cowles]] wrote to [[Jeffrey Epstein]]: "Would you like to meet the wackenhut security candidates at your house, FSF or Jacks office. Friday is best for them." Epstein replied: "jacks off."[^38] A 24-page set of security officer reports on forms headed "G4S Wackenhut" covers the post at "358 El Brillo," Epstein's house in [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]]; one report, for the night shift of November 16, 2009, marks the officer as armed and records hourly perimeter checks, an office door found ajar and a gym door open, and the officer monitoring the main entrance.[^39]
On July 13, 2009, [[Story Cowles]] wrote to [[Jeffrey Epstein]]: "Would you like to meet the wackenhut security candidates at your house, FSF or Jacks office. Friday is best for them." Epstein replied: "jacks off."[^40] A 24-page set of security officer reports on forms headed "G4S Wackenhut" covers the post at "358 El Brillo," Epstein's house in [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]]; one report, for the night shift of November 16, 2009, marks the officer as armed and records hourly perimeter checks, an office door found ajar and a gym door open, and the officer monitoring the main entrance.[^41]
### Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation
[[Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation]] (WATCO) was a wholly owned subsidiary at Reston, Virginia, which the corporation's annual reports for 1985 and 1986 describe as a unique technical consulting firm offering advanced security and engineering services to government and industry, including sensor design, signal processing, systems integration, robotics and mobile intrusion detection systems, special weapons systems security and technology transfer. It contained the NUSAC division (nuclear material control and accounting, quality assurance), a Security Programs division and a Systems division.[^40] The 1985 report states that the Security Programs division was selected to formulate the conceptual design of the security system for the nuclear device assembly facility to be built at the Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site; the 1986 report adds selection for the security system conceptual analysis and design engineering of the new National Training Center of the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute, and completion of a turnkey integrated perimeter and access control system for the federal government at an overseas location.[^40]
[[Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation]] (WATCO) was a wholly owned subsidiary at Reston, Virginia, which the corporation's annual reports for 1985 and 1986 describe as a unique technical consulting firm offering advanced security and engineering services to government and industry, including sensor design, signal processing, systems integration, robotics and mobile intrusion detection systems, special weapons systems security and technology transfer. It contained the NUSAC division (nuclear material control and accounting, quality assurance), a Security Programs division and a Systems division.[^42] The 1985 report states that the Security Programs division was selected to formulate the conceptual design of the security system for the nuclear device assembly facility to be built at the Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site; the 1986 report adds selection for the security system conceptual analysis and design engineering of the new National Training Center of the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute, and completion of a turnkey integrated perimeter and access control system for the federal government at an overseas location.[^42]
The Florida corporation behind it, document 599071, was filed on December 29, 1978, the day after the corporation announced that it had bought the assets of NUSAC, Inc., a nuclear safeguards consultancy founded in 1968 as the Nuclear Surveillance and Auditing Corporation and headed by [[Ralph F. Lumb]]. It was renamed Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation on May 8, 1984, Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center, Inc. on January 9, 1990, and dissolved administratively on August 26, 1994.[^41][^42] In spring 1984 the Journal of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management reported that [[Ralph E. Caudle]], formerly director of the Department of Energy's Office of Safeguards and Security, had been named WATCO's president and that the Systems Division, Advanced Technologies Division, Security Programs Division and NUSAC had been merged into it.[^43]
The Florida corporation behind it, document 599071, was filed on December 29, 1978, the day after the corporation announced that it had bought the assets of NUSAC, Inc., a nuclear safeguards consultancy founded in 1968 as the Nuclear Surveillance and Auditing Corporation and headed by [[Ralph F. Lumb]]. It was renamed Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation on May 8, 1984, Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center, Inc. on January 9, 1990, and dissolved administratively on August 26, 1994.[^43][^44] In spring 1984 the Journal of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management reported that [[Ralph E. Caudle]], formerly director of the Department of Energy's Office of Safeguards and Security, had been named WATCO's president and that the Systems Division, Advanced Technologies Division, Security Programs Division and NUSAC had been merged into it.[^45]
The Wackenhut annual report covering 1984 states that the Department of Energy chose Wackenhut that year to establish and operate a Safeguards and Security Central Training Academy at Albuquerque under a three-year, $5 million contract that Wackenhut Services, Inc., won against 92 companies, and that Wackenhut had guarded the Nevada Test Site since 1965.[^44] An annual report for 1989 lists Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center, Inc., at Fairfax, Virginia, with Joseph A. Navarro as president and with a Defense Systems Analysis Group serving the Army's Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Army Survivability Management Office.[^45] A Defense Technical Information Center record lists the Fairfax company as the performing organization for a 1989 "Guide to Camouflage for Developers."[^46] The Fourth Circuit described the Center in 1992 as a subsidiary of Wackenhut International, Inc.[^47] The corporation's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1995, states that the Wackenhut Monitoring Systems and Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center divisions were sold or discontinued in 1993, with combined operating losses of about $2 million that year.[^48]
The Wackenhut annual report covering 1984 states that the Department of Energy chose Wackenhut that year to establish and operate a Safeguards and Security Central Training Academy at Albuquerque under a three-year, $5 million contract that Wackenhut Services, Inc., won against 92 companies, and that Wackenhut had guarded the Nevada Test Site since 1965.[^46] An annual report for 1989 lists Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center, Inc., at Fairfax, Virginia, with Joseph A. Navarro as president and with a Defense Systems Analysis Group serving the Army's Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Army Survivability Management Office.[^47] A Defense Technical Information Center record lists the Fairfax company as the performing organization for a 1989 "Guide to Camouflage for Developers."[^48] The Fourth Circuit described the Center in 1992 as a subsidiary of Wackenhut International, Inc.[^49] The corporation's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1995, states that the Wackenhut Monitoring Systems and Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center divisions were sold or discontinued in 1993, with combined operating losses of about $2 million that year.[^50]
A Wackenhut newsletter describes WATCO as specializing in applied research and development in nuclear safeguards and security policy, programs and systems, places it beside Stellar Systems, Inc., of Santa Clara, California, and states that its Security Programs Division worked with the Wackenhut Training Institute. WATCO developed a Touchscreen Station, a security station replacing multiple keystroke entries with single touch commands for alarms, access control, closed-circuit television and other sensors, and the newsletter notes that three WATCO officers, each a former Army officer with law enforcement or security experience, earned Certified Protection Professional status in the same year.[^49] A Wackenhut nuclear services brochure in the same papers also lists a Wackenhut Anti-Terrorism and Crisis Management Division.[^50]
A Wackenhut newsletter describes WATCO as specializing in applied research and development in nuclear safeguards and security policy, programs and systems, places it beside Stellar Systems, Inc., of Santa Clara, California, and states that its Security Programs Division worked with the Wackenhut Training Institute. WATCO developed a Touchscreen Station, a security station replacing multiple keystroke entries with single touch commands for alarms, access control, closed-circuit television and other sensors, and the newsletter notes that three WATCO officers, each a former Army officer with law enforcement or security experience, earned Certified Protection Professional status in the same year.[^51] A Wackenhut nuclear services brochure in the same papers also lists a Wackenhut Anti-Terrorism and Crisis Management Division.[^52]
From September 1987 WATCO's vice president for national security studies and programs was [[James B. Motley]], a retired Army colonel who in 1984 and 1985 had been director of terrorist research and low-intensity conflict studies at the [[National Institute for Public Policy]]. A June 20, 1990 resume packet of [[Counter Terrorism Consultants, Inc.]], the Washington firm of the former FBI counterterrorism supervisor [[Carter Cornick]] and the Letelier prosecutor [[Eugene Propper]], lists him as an associate of that firm and states that at WATCO he directs operational analyses and assessments of national security issues.[^51]
From September 1987 WATCO's vice president for national security studies and programs was [[James B. Motley]], a retired Army colonel who in 1984 and 1985 had been director of terrorist research and low-intensity conflict studies at the [[National Institute for Public Policy]]. A June 20, 1990 resume packet of [[Counter Terrorism Consultants, Inc.]], the Washington firm of the former FBI counterterrorism supervisor [[Carter Cornick]] and the Letelier prosecutor [[Eugene Propper]], lists him as an associate of that firm and states that at WATCO he directs operational analyses and assessments of national security issues.[^53]
### End of Wackenhut
@ -195,21 +201,23 @@ The Wackenhut/Cabazon Joint Venture was terminated on October 1, 1984, following
[^31]: Golrick, Philip D. Memorandum to David G. Marwell, "Phone Conversation with Joseph Oster," January 19, 1996, and letters and subpoena to Southern Research Company, Assassination Records Review Board electronic files of Philip G. Golrick (OSTER.WPD, SOURES.WPD); Central Intelligence Agency, report of investigation, September 13, 1960, JFK record 104-10109-10379, p. 14; Orleans Parish Grand Jury, testimony of Arthur Bidderson, January 9, 1969; Assassination Records Review Board, file inventory (082395.WPD). All consulted at the Mary Ferrell Foundation archive.
[^32]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Domestic Intelligence Division, informative note, April 14, 1967, JFK record 124-10369-10048; Assassination Records Review Board, public hearing transcript, testimony of James DiEugenio, p. 89; FBI Miami, memorandum of May 10, 1967, headquarters file 62-109060, section 129, p. 166.
[^33]: Osborn, Howard J. Memorandum for the record, November 8, 1967, JFK record 104-10133-10076.
[^34]: United States Department of Justice, Office of Professional Responsibility, report of Judge Nicholas J. Bua on the INSLAW matter (1993), section on the Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture, printed pp. 55 to 58 and footnotes 32 and 35. Official finding, placed as the position of the body that issued it. https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/nsa/DOJ-OIP-INSLAW_1993.pdf
[^35]: Report of Judge Nicholas J. Bua on the INSLAW matter (1993), printed pp. 42 to 43 (March 21, 1991 affidavit, paragraph 44 as quoted).
[^36]: John Connolly, "Inside the Shadow CIA," *Spy,* September 1992, pp. 46-54. Sole source for the Special Projects Division passage and the Pastora identification and retraction. https://www.prop1.org/legal/prisons/92wack.htm
[^37]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
[^38]: Epstein, Jeffrey, reply to Story Cowles, "Re: Wackenhut," email, July 13, 2009, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01829732. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01829732.pdf
[^39]: G4S Wackenhut, Security Officer Reports, client facility "358 El Brillo," November 2009, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01157725. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01157725.pdf
[^40]: The Wackenhut Corporation, annual reports for 1985 and 1986, sections on Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-CompanyReportsannualQuarterly," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks.
[^41]: Nuclear Materials Management (Journal of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management), vol. 8, no. 1 (Spring 1979), "Wackenhut Corporation Purchases NUSAC, Inc."; vol. 4, no. 1 (Spring 1975), "NUSAC" (company established 1968 as the Nuclear Surveillance and Auditing Corporation). https://resources.inmm.org/system/files/jnmm/vol_08/V-8_1.pdf and https://resources.inmm.org/system/files/jnmm/vol_04/V-4_1.pdf
[^42]: Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, "Detail by Entity Name" and "Name History," document 599071. https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults/EntityName/WACKENHUT%20ADVANCED/Page1
[^43]: Nuclear Materials Management, vol. 13, no. 1 (Spring 1984), "Ralph E. Caudle Heads Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation." https://resources.inmm.org/system/files/jnmm/vol_13/V-13_1.pdf
[^44]: The Wackenhut Corporation, annual report covering 1984, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-CompanyReportsannualQuarterly," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks (passages on the Safeguards and Security Central Training Academy and the Nevada Test Site).
[^45]: The Wackenhut Corporation, annual report placed as 1989, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-CompanyReportsannualQuarterly," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks (the last pages carry 1989 results and a first-quarter 1990 interim report), pages on the Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center and the list of major subsidiaries.
[^46]: Defense Technical Information Center, accession ADA216700, citation record. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA216700
[^47]: Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center, Inc. v. Sygnetron Protection Systems, Inc., 979 F.2d 980 (4th Cir. 1992). https://static.case.law/f2d/979/cases/0980-01.json
[^48]: The Wackenhut Corporation, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1995, filed March 23, 1995. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/104030/0000912057-95-001626.txt
[^49]: Wackenhut newsletter (titled *Pipeline* in the scan), undated issue, passages on The Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation, WATCO's Touchscreen Station and "New CPP's at WATCO," Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-Newsletters," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks.
[^50]: Wackenhut Corporation, nuclear services brochure, undated, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut - Newsletters," https://archive.org/details/ddosecrets_casolaro_files.
[^51]: CounterTerrorism Consultants, L.P., "Proudly Presents The Resumes of its Associates," fax copy dated June 20, 1990, pages 141 P10 and 141 P11, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Promotional Material," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks.
[^34]: United States Department of Justice, *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc.* (March 1993), section on the Wackenhut-Cabazon joint venture, printed pp. 55 to 58 and footnotes 32 and 35. Official finding, placed as the position of the body that issued it. https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/nsa/DOJ-OIP-INSLAW_1993.pdf
[^35]: United States Department of Justice, *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc.* (March 1993), printed pp. 42 to 43 (March 21, 1991 affidavit, paragraph 44 as quoted).
[^36]: John Connolly, "Inside the Shadow CIA," *Spy,* September 1992, pp. 46-54. https://www.prop1.org/legal/prisons/92wack.htm
[^37]: United States Department of Justice, *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc.* (March 1993), section on the Wackenhut-Cabazon Joint Venture, printed pp. 55 to 58. https://archive.org/details/doj-oip-inslaw-1993
[^38]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, FD-302s, file 74-86438: Wayne Reeder (October 5, 1992), Sam Cross and Dave Baird (October 6, 1992). https://archive.org/details/INSLAW-CabazonWackenhunt
[^39]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
[^40]: Epstein, Jeffrey, reply to Story Cowles, "Re: Wackenhut," email, July 13, 2009, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01829732. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01829732.pdf
[^41]: G4S Wackenhut, Security Officer Reports, client facility "358 El Brillo," November 2009, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01157725. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01157725.pdf
[^42]: The Wackenhut Corporation, annual reports for 1985 and 1986, sections on Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-CompanyReportsannualQuarterly," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks.
[^43]: Nuclear Materials Management (Journal of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management), vol. 8, no. 1 (Spring 1979), "Wackenhut Corporation Purchases NUSAC, Inc."; vol. 4, no. 1 (Spring 1975), "NUSAC" (company established 1968 as the Nuclear Surveillance and Auditing Corporation). https://resources.inmm.org/system/files/jnmm/vol_08/V-8_1.pdf and https://resources.inmm.org/system/files/jnmm/vol_04/V-4_1.pdf
[^44]: Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, "Detail by Entity Name" and "Name History," document 599071. https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults/EntityName/WACKENHUT%20ADVANCED/Page1
[^45]: Nuclear Materials Management, vol. 13, no. 1 (Spring 1984), "Ralph E. Caudle Heads Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation." https://resources.inmm.org/system/files/jnmm/vol_13/V-13_1.pdf
[^46]: The Wackenhut Corporation, annual report covering 1984, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-CompanyReportsannualQuarterly," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks (passages on the Safeguards and Security Central Training Academy and the Nevada Test Site).
[^47]: The Wackenhut Corporation, annual report placed as 1989, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-CompanyReportsannualQuarterly," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks (the last pages carry 1989 results and a first-quarter 1990 interim report), pages on the Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center and the list of major subsidiaries.
[^48]: Defense Technical Information Center, accession ADA216700, citation record. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA216700
[^49]: Wackenhut Applied Technologies Center, Inc. v. Sygnetron Protection Systems, Inc., 979 F.2d 980 (4th Cir. 1992). https://static.case.law/f2d/979/cases/0980-01.json
[^50]: The Wackenhut Corporation, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1995, filed March 23, 1995. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/104030/0000912057-95-001626.txt
[^51]: Wackenhut newsletter (titled *Pipeline* in the scan), undated issue, passages on The Wackenhut Advanced Technologies Corporation, WATCO's Touchscreen Station and "New CPP's at WATCO," Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut-Newsletters," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks.
[^52]: Wackenhut Corporation, nuclear services brochure, undated, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Wackenhut - Newsletters," https://archive.org/details/ddosecrets_casolaro_files.
[^53]: CounterTerrorism Consultants, L.P., "Proudly Presents The Resumes of its Associates," fax copy dated June 20, 1990, pages 141 P10 and 141 P11, Danny Casolaro papers, folder "Promotional Material," https://archive.org/details/casolaro-notebooks.