Which Hollywood Star Tried to Bribe the CIA for $50k of Cocaine?
In a new book written by John Rizzo, a 34-year CIA employee, he makes some shocking allegations about an unnamed Hollywood movie star who was willing to spy in exchange for "primo" drugs.
According to Radar Online, Rizzo's book, Company Man:Thirty Years of Controversy and Crisis in the CIA, claims that "the CIA has long had a special relationship with the entertainment industry, devoting considerable attention to fostering relationships with Hollywood movers and shakers: studio executives, producers, directors and big-name actors."
Rizzo explains that the CIA seeks these relationships because industry "movers and shakers" have an unusual amount of access:
'Their power and international celebrity can be valuable—it gives them entrée to people and places abroad. Heads of state want to meet and get cozy with them. Their film crews are given free rein everywhere, even in places where the U.S. government doesn't normally have it.'
He tells the story of a "major" Hollywood actor at the time who approached the agency and "somehow knew that another big star's production company had an association with the CIA's clandestine service over the years … Now this guy was offering his own name and services to us. Free of charge. Anything he could do. Just out of patriotic duty."
But the actor's CIA handler then approached Rizzo with a more specific request:
"There is one little kicker," Rizzo claims his underling said. "The actor refuses to take any money, but he told us that instead all he wants of us is to score him the best fifty-thousand-dollar stash of cocaine we can find. He seems to think we can get the real primo stuff. So that's why I'm here. Is it ok for us to do it?"
While the handler assured Rizzo they could easily get the cocaine, Rizzo says he rejected the offer, but "later learned that the actor did provide some assistance to the CIA on a particular project" without payment.
If it's indeed true, it seems like there are only a few obvious patriotic cocaine connoisseurs who would be bold enough to make such offers. Please feel free to take your speculation into the comments.
[Image by Jim Cooke]