United States Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Memorandum
Date: 12/1/78
To: Mr. Moore
From: J. O. Ingram
Subject: RYMUR
By teletype 11/30/78, Indianapolis FBI advised that [name and address deleted] Indianapolis, Indiana, telephone [deleted], telephonically contacted the Indianapolis Office and advised that [information deleted] Esther Mueller, DOB 3/28/02, had been with the Peoples Temple (PT) in Guyana and that he had last heard from her on 10/1/77. [Name deleted] additionally advised [2 lines deleted]. Jim Jones had Esther Mueller sign some papers in Guyana which resulted in $7 million going into a Swiss Bank Account in Mrs. Mueller’s name. Lane stated that Mrs. Mueller was definitely among the deceased in the Jonestown incident [2 lines deleted].
Lane claimed he had defected from the PT group and [5 lines deleted]
It is additionally noted that in Lane’s account of the incidents at Guyana which he provided to the FBI, he alluded to the fact that Jones had selected an irrational, senile woman named Esther Mueller to handle the funds of the PT. The background data pertaining to Esther Mueller has been provided to Inspector-Deputy Assistant Director Conrad S. Banner to assist the identification team in positively identifying Esther Mueller as deceased. To date, this identification has not been effected.
CONTINUED-OVER
Ingram to Mr. Moore Memorandum
RE: RYMUR
Subsequent discussion with Mr. Mintz and Mike Abbell, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) official, resulted in a decision that an investigation should be conducted to establish facts pertaining to possible violations of Federal law regarding [4 lines deleted] the FBI could conduct investigation to protect the civil interests of the U.S. Government by identifying and locating the assets of the PT as the U.S. Government may file liens on those assets to recover expenses incurred by the U.S. Government end transportation of the PT corpses from Guyana to the U.S.
Indianapolis was advised to re-contact [name deleted] and obtain a signed statement from him setting forth the following facts: [6 lines deleted].
A letter of confirmation of the above action is being directed to Mike Abbell, DOJ.
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