Robert D. Peloquin

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In 1966, Peloquin ran the first Strike Force in the United States. The United States Organized Crime Strike Force was first created as the "Buffalo Project," and operated as the first "field force," of the OCRS in Buffalo, New York, and would later be known as the Buffalo Strike Force. [1] The Buffalo Strike Force coordinated the efforts of the OCRS and federal law enforcement agencies. [1] [10] More than 30 people were on this team. [11] [12] While Chief of the Buffalo Strike Force, Peloquin investigated and prosecuted against the Magaddino and Profaci Mafia families. [6]

By 1989, inspired by Peloquin's successes in Buffalo, there were 14 Strike Forces across the country operating as independent prosecutorial and investigative teams coordinated against organized crime. [3] The Strike Forces were expanded after this first experiment for the purpose of finding and prosecuting illegal racketeering. [3]

Peloquin left the Department of Justice in 1968 to go into the private sector. [6] [5]

Entry into private practice

Peloquin went to work with of William G. Hundley to form the law firm "Hundley and Peloquin," where Peloquin acted as Associate Council to the National Football League, and advised it on security practices. [6] Hundley and Peloquin were hired by Pete Rozelle to organize grounds security and analyze internal security. [13] It was at this time that the two men were hired by Resorts International in order to purge the mafia from their casinos in the Bahamas. [13]

Intertel [14] [4]

In 1970, Hundley and Peloquin created the private intelligence agency called INTERTEL (Intelligence International Inc.), bringing the NFL with them as a client. [13] INTERTEL would perform background checks on new players, referees, prospective club owners, and more. [13] [15]

However, Hundley's ambition was not as large as Peloquin's. In an interview with the Washington Post , Hundley said: "I don't think Rob will ever be satisfied just being a lawyer. There's too much gunshots in him looking for the big challenge; I wanted to practice law. So we went our own ways."

In 1985, the majority of shares in INTERTEL was purchased by Resorts International, and Peloquin became a vice president in the company. [5] INTERTEL had a staff of 50 private detectives - most of them former FBI, CIA, and IRS investigators.

Peloquin told the Washington Post: "It's not really that much of a change to come here from the FBI or the IRS. INTERTEL is basically a collection of people who have succeeded reasonably well in government and have a desire for a second career. I get em cheap. I capitalize on government training." [5]

Peloquin's client list at INTERTEL included;

Some of INTERTEL's employees were involved with the Watergate scandal, and the investigative reporter Les Whitten claims that INTERTEL was hired to spy on Jack Anderson after he published leaked documents from the Nixon campaign. [16] [5] Peloquin disputed the claim made by Les. [5]

In 1990, he retired from the company as Chairman of the Bahamas branch of Resorts International.

Retirement and later life

In 1981, Peloquin retired from the Navy Reserves with the rank of Commander. [6]

In 1990, he moved to Plantation, Florida. [6]

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Washington, D.C. [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Government Accountability Office (April 11, 1989). "Review of the Department of Justice Organized Crime Strike Forces" (PDF). Office of Justice Programs.
  2. ↑ "Sad News: The Death of Robert Peloquin, Who Ran Howard Hughes' Private Intelligence Ops". TheSpyPost. 2011-04-09. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  3. 1 2 3 "Organized Crime: Issues Concerning Strike Forces | Office of Justice Programs". ojp.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  4. 1 2 "Spies For Hire | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Peloquin of Intertel: Intelligence, Security, 'Targets of Opportunity'". Washington Post. 2024-03-03. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Wiseman, Lauren (March 28, 2011). "Robert D. Peoloquin, lawyer". Washington Post.
  7. ↑ "Robert Peloquin Obituary (2011) - Washington, DC - The Washington Post". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  8. ↑ Anderson, Edward (2022-09-09). "The Squad Created To Imprison Jimmy Hoffa". CrimeBeat. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  9. 1 2 3 "THE BIG PLAYERS ON THE BOARDWALK". The New York Times. 1978-02-05. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  10. ↑ Lashley, Rickey D. (1995). Policework : the need for a noble character. Internet Archive. Westport, Conn. : Praeger. ISBN   978-0-275-95013-2.
  11. ↑ Waller, Leslie (1978). Hide in plain sight : the true story of how the United States Government and organized crime kept a man from his own children. Internet Archive. New York : Dell Pub. ISBN   978-0-440-13603-3.
  12. ↑ Wiseman, Lauren (2011-03-28). "Obituary for Robert D. Peoloquin, lawyer". Washington Post.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Times, Frank J. Trial Special to The New York (1970-07-26). "Concern Fights Crime in Business". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  14. ↑ Hougan, Jim (December 1, 1974). "A Surfeit of Spies". Harper's.
  15. ↑ "Memorandum for the Record: Subject Robert D. Peloquin" (PDF). Archives.gov. May 20, 1971.
  16. ↑ "Articles connected to Watergate" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
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Bob Peloquin
Robert Peloquin.jpg
1st Chief of the Buffalo Strike Force
In office
1966–1968