[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04426_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 01 GEORGE 04426 240510Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 ISO-00 H-01 SCS-06 CA-01 CIAE-00 DODE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 PA-01 ICA-11 SP-02 NSC-05 SS-15 L-03 TRSE-00 HA-05 /088 W
——————000499 250103Z /70
R 221118Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8545
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE GEORGETOWN 4426
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJ: RUMOR OF VALISE OF MONEY TO SOVIET EMBASSY BY PT.
1. SOME OF THE AMERICAN PRESS CORPS STILL IN GEORGETOWN HAVE PICHED [PICKED] UP A STORY OF A SECOND VALISE OF MONEY WHICH WAS DELIVERED TO THE SOVIET EMBASSY BY SOMEBODY FROM THE PEOPLES TEMPLE (PRESUMABLY FROM THE GEORGETOWN RESIDENCE IN LAMAHA GARDENS) ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 18. ACCORDING TO THE SOTRY [STORY] THE SOVIETS KEP THE MONEY FOR APPROXIMATELY TWENTY DAYS AND THEN RETURNED IT TO FOREIGN MINISTER RASHLEIGH JACKSON, INFORMING HIM OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH IT CAME INTO THEIR POSSESSION AND THAT IT WAS BEING GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA “UNDER INSTRUCTIONS FROM MOSCOW.” THE SUITCASE, WHEN IT CAME INTO JACKSON’S CONTROL IS SAID TO HAVE CONTAINED SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF G$80,000.00 (APPROXIMATELY US$32,000.00) ALONG WITH A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF AMERICAN AND OTHER FOREIGN CURRENCY.
2. AMBASSADOR WILL ATTEMPT TO CONFIRM THE STORY WITH THE FORMIN AT EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY.
BURKE [U.S. Ambassador John Burke]
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
NNN