The strange saga of Bud Culligan has all the hallmarks of a Robert Ludlum novel.
Culligan claims he was a contract hit-man for the CIA from 1943 to 1990. He claims that in this time he was responsible for the assassination of 117
individuals at the behest of the U.S. government.
The infamous "Culligan List" consists of some big names :
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Patrice Lumumba
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Rafael Trujillo
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Dag Hammerskjold
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Jose Fuentes
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King Farouk
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Gamal Nasser
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Ngo Dinh Diem
Culligan was first brought to the attention of investigators by Col. L. Fletcher Prouty, a name that is very well known to those investigating the JFK
hit.
Culligan also figures into the JFK hit in an indirect way;
In one of his affidavits (More on this to come) Culligan stated that the assassins of JFK were paid a large sum of cash and were given special
privileges by the CIA. Three members of this hit-team were apparently attempting to blackmail the CIA for more cash. Culligan was called in and met
with these three men in Miami, he informed them that he was preparing a hit-team to do an assassination in a South American country and for them to
meet him in Guatamala to set up the logistics.
In Culligan's words:
"They were demanding more money and what they got was me."
Apparently Culligan and two others met with these men and dispatched them in Guatamala.
Culligan also claims that two surviving members of the JFK hit-team are
E. Howard Hunt and
Frank Sturgis.
Unfortunately there is nearly no information about Culligan on the web and his autobiography "Highway Into Hell" is impossible to find. The book was
published in Brussels, the CIA apparently prevented publication and distribution within the U.S.A.
The popular
Matt Helm spy series was supposed to be inspired by Culligan's exploits.
Culligan was embroiled in a court battle with the CIA in which he claimed loss of recognition, loss of retirement, and several million dollars in
damages.
141 felony charges had been lodged against Culligan in Oregon, Rhode Island, New Mexico and Florida.
Apparently the reason Culligan went public about his life was because the CIA refused to allow him to retire from duty.
As with all these shady inhabitants of the intelligence netherworld, Culligans claims are unverifiable.
The facts are that Culligan has indeed filed four Federal lawsuits against the CIA.
For a very interesting article on Bud Culligan and actor Steven Seagal read "Popular Alienation: A Steamshovel Press Reader" by Kenn Thomas.
Steamshovel Press
Does anyone know what has become of Culligan? I first read of him in 1995 in the above stated publication. If anyone has any further information they
can add it would be appreciated.
[edit on 7-5-2006 by Beelzebubba]
