FD-204 report of SA John W. Frazer, Jr. re David Arthur Staudt NORJAK claims (MI 164-36)

FD-204 (Rev. 3-3-59)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Copy to:

Report of: SA JOHN W. FRAZER Office: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Date: October 23, 1975

Field Office File #: 164-36 Bureau File #: 164-2111

Title: NORJAK

Character: CRIME ABOARD AIRCRAFT - HIJACKING; EXTORTION

Synopsis: On 10/6/75, DAVID ARTHUR STAUDT arrested Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on local charges of Armed Robbery and Federal charges of UFAP. STAUDT interviewed by Bureau Agents 10/7/75, at which time he claimed to be D.B. COOPER, hijacker of Northwest Orient Airline flight 305 occurring 11/24/71. STAUDT gave details of his alleged involvement to Bureau Agents and furnished a map indicating where the hijack/extortion money was buried. It is noted that STAUDT has made similar claims since late 1973 with no determination made as to the veracity of his statements. Copy of map furnished Los Angeles Division and search conducted in Joshua Tree National Monument near Palm Springs, California, where STAUDT alleged hijacking loot buried. Search failed to recover any of the hijacking monies although from directions given, it is apparent that STAUDT has been in that location previously. Comparison of fingerprints conducted at FBI Laboratory against NORJAK latent case with no identification made with respect to STAUDT, FBI Number 218811E. [REDACTED] interviewed Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 10/21/75, at which time she advised STAUDT has been claiming to be D.B. COOPER since reading a newspaper article during late 1973. [REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] with STAUDT while he has been in a fugitive status and in this regard

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.

DB COOPER-53880 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1970 O - 406-840

MI 164-36

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visited Joshua Tree National Monument with him during [redacted b6/b7C] On this occasion no mention was made of money or NORJAK matter and [redacted b6/b7C] claims STAUDT not out of her sight while at the location described by STAUDT on map. STAUDT is facing local armed robbery charges in Milwaukee area and Federal bank robbery charges in San Francisco, California, area. He is presently confined at Central State Hospital, Waupun, Wisconsin, where he is undergoing psychiatric observation. STAUDT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS; TO HAVE SUICIDAL TENDENCIES; AND TO BE AN ESCAPE RISK.

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b6 b7C

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DETAILS:

On December 8, 1973, the evening edition of the "Milwaukee Journal", published the following newspaper article regarding NORJAK hijacking:

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DB COOPER-53881

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MI 164-36

On August 21, 1974, SA JOHN W. FRAZER, JR., and SA [redacted] had occasion to interview [redacted] in connection with a bank robbery investigation. [redacted] provided information considered to be reliable in connection with the bank robbery matter. At the termination of the interview, [redacted], when questioned regarding his knowledge of DAVID STAUDT advised that he had heard from an unnamed third party that STAUDT claims to have been D.B. COOPER, the individual who was responsible for NORJAK. [redacted] advised that STAUDT claims he has buried the money in some park in either Northern California, Oregon, or Washington. [redacted] states that he can possibly determine the exact location and name of the park and, if able to do so, will furnish same to the interviewing Agents. He advised that the park is very large and the the information provided by STAUDT through the third party was not specific with respect to where the money could be located. [redacted] further stated that the information sounded good to him and he at one time had thoughts about going to this park and attempting to locate the money for his own use.

The above information and photographs of DAVID ARTHUR STAUDT were subsequently furnished to Seattle Division.

By communication dated July 25, 1975, the Kansas City Division advised as follows:

On [redacted] 1975, [redacted] [redacted] number [redacted] advised that he had some information pertaining to the skyjacking in which D.B. COOPER was involved. He stated that he was once [redacted] in Wisconsin and [redacted] told him so much about the skyjack that he is almost sure the man was involved. He indicated that if this individual whose name was DAVID STAUDT, was seen by two FBI Agents in the Milwaukee Office during March, 1974, at Waupun State Hospital, Wisconsin, the rest of what STAUDT told him probably is true also. [redacted] stated he wants nothing in return for this information and that he now figures he should start looking out for himself. He did state, however, that if this information is true and there is a reward, he certainly wants the money as it will be his [redacted] It is noted that [redacted] and he claims that he [redacted] [redacted]

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MI 164-36

[REDACTED b6/b7C/b7D] claims that during spring of 1974, he was [REDACTED] in Wisconsin and [REDACTED] He was placed under observation [REDACTED] and was [REDACTED] a man called DAVID STAUDT. STAUDT was being tested as he also was claiming insanity since he was charged with a bank robbery which he later beat.

STAUDT indicated that he jumped out of the airplane, he had a direction finder with him, and his accomplice, a woman, had a homing device in a landrover automobile. Between the homing device and the direction finder, STAUDT was able to be picked up in the dense woods and taken out with the money. STAUDT indicated that he still had the money as it was so hot he could not spend it. Because he was having trouble spending this loot, he robbed a bank for $9,000.00. He beat the bank robbery case which he was charged with since his lawyer had the hospital superintendent "in the bag." STAUDT indicated that he made one mistake in this entire sky- jacking, in that he had previously used the alias D.B. COOPER and he was very upset over this and he hoped to get this straightened out when he got out of the hospital.

[REDACTED b6/b7C/b7D] stated that he believes that STAUDT is the most brilliant criminal [REDACTED] [REDACTED] STAUDT apparently never pulled any time except when he was a youth at the Federal Correctional Institute, Chilicothe, Ohio. He currently is an "antique car freak" spending over $30,000.00 for cars. He travels in very high monied society and always has highly attractive women with him.

STAUDT was telling him some of his schemes for kidnaping such as to make a large remote control airplane and have the loot put on the airplane and fly it away to where he was located therefore beating the surveillance of the drop. He also has a scheme in which he would tunnel under a house and have the money put into a garbage can in the house. The garbage can would have a false bottom and he would get the money from it and make his getaway undetected.

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DB COOPER-53885

MI 164-36

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On October 6, 1975, DAVID ARTHUR STAUDT was arrested by the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Police Department on charges of Armed Robbery and Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution. It was noted that STAUDT had previously escaped from the Muskego, Wisconsin, Police Department on the evening of October 4, 1975, with a subsequent investigation by Bureau Agents and local officers resulting in the recovery of [REDACTED] cash. This money was determined b7E to have been taken in a robbery of the First National Bank of San Jose, Palo Alto, California, on October 3, 1975. 28 bait bills from this robbery were present in the above sum. STAUDT was interviewed regarding the matter during the early morning hours of October 7, 1975, at which time he admitted robbing the above-mentioned bank as well as numerous other banks in Los Angeles, California; Denver, Colorado; and Burmingham, Michigan. In addition, STAUDT also claimed to be D.B. COOPER, the unknown individual responsible for NORJAK hijacking. He furnished the following information in this regard:

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DB COOPER-53886

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