Changes

The FBI had [[Philip Jaffe]] under audio surveillance during the ''[[Amerasia]]'' investigation and overheard Jaffe discussing with [[Andrew Roth]] various possible contacts for information from government sources.  Roth told Jaffe that Karr could obtain “a lot of stuff on the Far Eastern things that the other guys don’t get because of his Treasury connections.  He goes up once a week with Harry”.  Jaffe inquired as to whether this were [[Harry Dexter White]], and Roth stated it was.   

The FBI had [[Philip Jaffe]] under audio surveillance during the ''[[Amerasia]]'' investigation and overheard Jaffe discussing with [[Andrew Roth]] various possible contacts for information from government sources.  Roth told Jaffe that Karr could obtain “a lot of stuff on the Far Eastern things that the other guys don’t get because of his Treasury connections.  He goes up once a week with Harry”.  Jaffe inquired as to whether this were [[Harry Dexter White]], and Roth stated it was.   

In 1950 Sen. [[Joseph McCarthy]] referred to Karr as Drew Pearson’s “[[Agent handling|KGB controller]]”.   

In 1950 Sen. [[Joseph McCarthy]] referred to Karr as Drew Pearson's “[[Agent handling|KGB controller]]”.   

Karr began writing about the use of public relations in business takeovers. In 1959, Karr became CEO of the Fairbanks-Whitney Corporation, a large [[defense contractor]] whose divisions included [[Colt Firearms]]. After three years the stockholders disposed of him.  Karr then turned to the movie and hotel businesses, and in 1971 became associated with [[Armand Hammer]], who expanded Karr’s contacts and business opportunities in the Soviet Union.  Karr became a good friend of the son-in-law of Soviet President [[Aleksei Kosygin]], Dzherman Gvishiani, and was granted North and South American trademark rights to Misha the Bear, the mascot of the 1980 Olympic games. Along with Hammer, he formed a joint venture to make and sell Olympic commemorative coins, an enterprise estimated to be worth some U.S. $200 million.

Karr began writing about the use of public relations in business takeovers. In 1959, Karr became CEO of the Fairbanks-Whitney Corporation, a large [[defense contractor]] whose divisions included [[Colt Firearms]]. After three years the stockholders disposed of him.  Karr then turned to the movie and hotel businesses, and in 1971 became associated with [[Armand Hammer]], who expanded Karr's contacts and business opportunities in the Soviet Union.  Karr became a good friend of the son-in-law of Soviet President [[Aleksei Kosygin]], Dzherman Gvishiani, and was granted North and South American trademark rights to Misha the Bear, the mascot of the 1980 Olympic games. Along with Hammer, he formed a joint venture to make and sell Olympic commemorative coins, an enterprise estimated to be worth some U.S. $200 million.

David Karr's boasted of have close ties with prominent U.S. senators and presidential candidates, and to have purveyed information between the Soviet and American governments on such issues as [[détente]], trade, and strategic-arms negotiations. Karr, now living in Paris, was head of a Franco-American firm called Finatech. According to KGB files, Karr arranged meetings between Sen. [[Edward Kennedy]] and Soviet leaders. A KGB file describes Kennedy in 1978 trying to help a close friend, former Sen. [[John Tunney]] of California, get some business in the Soviet Union.   

David Karr's boasted of have close ties with prominent U.S. senators and presidential candidates, and to have purveyed information between the Soviet and American governments on such issues as [[détente]], trade, and strategic-arms negotiations. Karr, now living in Paris, was head of a Franco-American firm called Finatech. According to KGB files, Karr arranged meetings between Sen. [[Edward Kennedy]] and Soviet leaders. A KGB file describes Kennedy in 1978 trying to help a close friend, former Sen. [[John Tunney]] of California, get some business in the Soviet Union.   

In late 1978, as [[Occidental Petroleum]] was attempting an unfriendly takeover of the Mead Corporation, Karr told a bizarre storyi n secret testimony before the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]]. One night in 1972, Karr said, he was summoned to a hotel in Moscow to find Hammer in his pajamas, in tears and on his knees, pleading with two K.G.B. agents not to arrest him.  Hammer was being accused of bribery and smuggling two letters written by the founder of the USSR, [[V.I. Lenin]], letters Hammer purchased at an auction in New York.  Karr said that Hammer was let off the hook by agreeing to donate the treasures to the Soviet Union.   

In late 1978, as [[Occidental Petroleum]] was attempting an unfriendly takeover of the Mead Corporation, Karr told a bizarre storyi n secret testimony before the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]]. One night in 1972, Karr said, he was summoned to a hotel in Moscow to find Hammer in his pajamas, in tears and on his knees, pleading with two K.G.B. agents not to arrest him.  Hammer was being accused of bribery and smuggling two letters written by the founder of the USSR, [[V.I. Lenin]], letters Hammer purchased at an auction in New York.  Karr said that Hammer was let off the hook by agreeing to donate the treasures to the Soviet Union.   

Within days of learning of Karr’s public disclosure, Hammer dropped his takeover bid of Meade. Seven months later, in July 1979, hours after returning from a trip to Moscow, Karr was found dead in suspicious circumstances in his Paris hotel room.  Amid suspicions that Karr had been murdered, his widow halted the burial so that an [[autopsy]] could be performed. One claim was that Karr had swindled his Russian partners. Rumors linked his friend Gvishiani to bribery scandals. [[Israeli intelligence]] officials claimed Karr was involved in secret Russian arms sales to states on the U.S. State Department’s terrorist watchlist, namely [[Libya]] and [[Uganda]].  

Within days of learning of Karr's public disclosure, Hammer dropped his takeover bid of Meade. Seven months later, in July 1979, hours after returning from a trip to Moscow, Karr was found dead in suspicious circumstances in his Paris hotel room.  Amid suspicions that Karr had been murdered, his widow halted the burial so that an [[autopsy]] could be performed. One claim was that Karr had swindled his Russian partners. Rumors linked his friend Gvishiani to bribery scandals. [[Israeli intelligence]] officials claimed Karr was involved in secret Russian arms sales to states on the U.S. State Department's terrorist watchlist, namely [[Libya]] and [[Uganda]].  

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, in the new atmosphere if openness, Soviet investigative journalist Albats published an article in ''[[Izvestia]]'' quoting documents from KGB archives that Karr was “a competent KGB source” who ‘‘submitted information to the KGB on the technical capabilities of the United States and other capitalist countries.”

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, in the new atmosphere if openness, Soviet investigative journalist Albats published an article in ''[[Izvestia]]'' quoting documents from KGB archives that Karr was “a competent KGB source” who ‘‘submitted information to the KGB on the technical capabilities of the United States and other capitalist countries.”