The Murky, CIA-Linked Past of Robert Sensi, Charged Alongside the Former DEA Official for Money Laundering

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Paul Campo, 61, of Oakton, Virginia, who retired from the DEA in 2016 after a 25-year career, and Robert Sensi, 75, of Boca Raton, Florida, were caught in sting involving a DEA informant who posed as a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, prosecutors said.

Campo and Sensi appeared last week before a judge in New York, who ordered them detained without bail. Their lawyers entered not guilty pleas on their behalf. Campo’s lawyer, Mark Gombiner, called the indictment “somewhat sensationalized and somewhat incoherent.” He denied the two men had agreed to explore obtaining weapons for the cartel.

According to the indictment, Robert Sensi told "CS-1," a confidential source for the DEA, who posed as a member of the CJNG, that he could help procure commercial drones capable of carrying six kilograms of C-4 explosives, which were enough to “blow up the whole fucking…I don’t want to say.”

The file identifies 75-year-old Robert Sensi as the initial point of contact. He was the one who apparently established contact in 2024 with a confidential undercover source posing as a member of the CJNG.

In the federal indictment, Robert Mario Sensi is accused of:

• Offering the CJNG access to “a former head of financial operations for the DEA” (referring to Campo).
• Promising “sensitive information” about the agency’s investigations and sources.
• Directly participating in money laundering operations using cryptocurrencies and transfers to alleged wallets controlled by the DEA and IRS.
• Discussing weapons, drones, and explosives with the undercover source, and even discussing the C-4 payload capacity of commercial drones.

Sensi’s attorney, Amanda Kramer, unsuccessfully argued that Sensi should be freed while he awaits trial, saying he wouldn’t flee partly because he has multiple health problems, including injuries from a fall two months ago, early-stage dementia and Type II diabetes.

Sensi was previously convicted in the 1980s and 1990s of various charges mail fraud, defrauding the government and stealing $2.5 million from his former employer, Kuwait Airways. Prosecutor Gumaste said evidence shows Sensi also was engaged in a scheme to procure military-grade helicopters for an unnamed Middle East country.

But that is only on the surface of what court records show regarding Robert Mario Sensi since the 1970s.

Diplomatic Fixer

Public records further reveal that Mr. Sensi, who was noted to be 75-years-old and from Boca Raton, Florida, is the infamous former CIA operative Robert Mario Sensi, who was born on November 22, 1950 and unsuccessfully sued Penguin Group for defamation in January 2008 over their publication of Larry J. Kolb’s book “America at Night.” He alleged that the book had unlawfully "outed" him as a CIA operative.

According to the 2008 book by Kolb, Sensi, working first at a travel agency and then for Air France in Chicago had developed a reputation among diplomats and other Arab VIPs as the guy who could get things done for them in Chicago. A fixer adept at solving problems with INS, US Customs, local police, or just the guy to arrange theater tickets and private shopping tours.

In 1977, Sensi left Gulf Air and took a job in the Washington, D.C. office of Kuwait Airways. There, he reported directly to the Kuwaiti ambassador, and began performing services not only for the airline’s VIP travelers but also for the ambassador and visiting members of the Kuwaiti royal family. Sensi reportedly excelled in obtaining visas, residency, prestigious university enrollments, medical treatment, and other dispensations for prominent Kuwaitis and their friends. 

He also excelled in procuring prostitutes, covering up arrest records, bribing professors to improve grades and doctors to amend records of embarrassing diagnoses. He was soon given expanded responsibilities and control of a multi-million-dollar Kuwait Airways slush fund to cover his operating expenses. Which would be something that would later come back to trip up Sensi in the 1980s.

In 1977, Sensi, having met him through his frequent flying, arranged for PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat's first US media interviews. 

By then he was fluent in Italian, French, Spanish, English, and was learning Arabic and Farsi. Sensi was talent-spotted and recruited by the CIA according to Kolb. He had "ready access to DCI Casey and is a regular visitor to White House where guards there reportedly wave Sensi through on sight, without requiring credentials."

1980 US Presidential Election Surprise

According to Kolb's accounts, during a meeting at a Kuwaiti bar in 1986, Sensi claimed that the Republican National Committee (RNC) opened what Sensi calls "a secret channel to Iran." Sensi was not only alluding to secret plans for the US to sells arms to Iran, which was just developing, but to the 'October Surprise' of the November 1980 US presidential elections. Sensi also claimed that CIA Director William Casey had been involved in the US' secret dealings with Iran since the outset, as had Robert Carter, the deputy director of Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign.

Sensi’s past role led to him being treated as a credible witness to the Ronald Reagan administration’s alleged 'October Surprise' negotiation of the delay of Americans being released as hostage from Tehran until after his 1980 presidential campaign against Jimmy Carter ended. When journalist Craig Unger asked Sensi about whether the ‘October Surprise’ was real, he reportedly replied, “One hundred million per cent,” before adding that,“Absolutely. Unequivocally. And you can print it.”

1983 CIA Iranian Initiative

In 1988, Robert Mario Sensi testified in court that he and two Iranian exiles approached CIA officials in early 1983 about a plan to gain influence with moderate factions in Iran and that they undertook such an operation for the CIA later the same year.

The Iran initiative involved establishing companies that would appear to be international trading companies but would be designed to attract Iranian exiles who would be helpful to U.S. intelligence interests.

Sensi testified that a so-called Iran initiative operated for nearly three years and ultimately involved several influential Republicans with ties to the White House, including the late Director of Central Intelligence William J. Casey, a longtime aide to Casey, Robert Carter, and former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican William Wilson.

As a part of an agreement in the current trial that Sensi will not discuss names or code names of CIA officials he dealt with or reveal the exact details of meetings or call CIA officials as witnesses, the government has stipulated, or acknowledged, that Sensi had a relationship with the CIA from December 1983 until August 1986.

The government also acknowledged that Sensi met with Casey at the CIA on June 9, 1983, along with Carter. Robert Carter testified that the meeting concerned Sensi's plan to travel with one of the Iranian exiles, Habib Moallem, to Tehran and meet with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

In 1986, Sensi was arrested when he visited the Iranian Embassy in London where he was picking up a visa for travel to Iran.

Kuwait Airways Fraud Conviction

Robert Mario Sensi was sentenced to six months in prison for stealing $2.5 million from Kuwait Airways by U.S. District Judge George H. Revercomb on July 1, 1988, as reported at the time by The Washington Post.

Sensi testified at the civil trial and again at his criminal trial that his opening of the bank account, known by its last three digits as the "640 account," was authorized by former Kuwaiti ambassador Khalid Jaffar and that his use of the account for CIA-related operations was authorized by Sheik Jaber Athby al-Sabah, deputy chairman of the airline who is also the country's chief of civil aviation.

“The federal government has said that Sensi had a ‘relationship’ with the CIA from late 1983 until the time of his arrest,” reported The Post, adding that “Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore A. Shmanda, who prosecuted Sensi, said the charges against Sensi were unrelated to his CIA activities.”

"Sensi was convicted in the late 1980s and early 1990s of mail fraud, defrauding the government and stealing $2.5 million," said the the current prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Varun Gumaste. The prosecutor was said to have further claimed Sensi “was engaged in a scheme to procure military-grade helicopters for a Middle East country,” reported AP News.

There are no official records confirming any formal position for Sensi within the CIA or other official US government agencies. He had however traveled frequently to Europe, the Mideast, West Africa, and Latin America in fundraising roles as Chairman of the Ambassador’s Club, a Republicans Abroad division of RNC.

Nigerian Money Scams

In 1994, Sensi was arrested in Washington D.C. for his part in a Nigerian investment scam. The victim, believing he was working with the Nigerian government on several projects had paid over $816,000 to the defendants, without receiving any money in return. Special Agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division tracked the flow of money from Luxembourg into an Oklahoma City bank account, which led to the discovery of the alleged scheme.

Some of the money was then transferred to various accounts in Hong Kong, London and Washington, D.C. Other portions of the money were used to purchase, among other things, two Lincoln automobiles and an Oklahoma City nightclub named "Dreams."

2004 US Presidential Election Plot

In the Kirkland Junior Common Room at Harvard, Kolb detailed the subject of his second book, “America at Night,” which documented attempts to fabricate a business link between 2004 presidential candidate John F. Kerry to al-Qaeda.

In his book, Kolb alleges that the 'rogue CIA operatives,' Robert M. Sensi and Richard M. Hirschfeld, were both tied to former President George H.W. Bush. Sensi served in the CIA when Bush was Vice President, while Hirschfeld was close to the Bush family, according to Kolb.

“I just couldn’t see it as a coincidence that this...had been organized by a pair of rogue CIA con-men who had ties to George Bush,” Kolb said. Kolb, was a retired intelligence officer, the alleged scandal brought him back into the world of intrigue.

Kolb was publicly associated with the investigation when his name was released after he helped call off the financial merger that would have framed Kerry. 

Kerry criticized the Bush administration's linking of Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda, stating the Iraq War wasn't the "war against al-Qaeda," suggesting the administration misled the public on the rationale for the invasion, drawing accusations of being soft on terrorism.

America at Night Biography

“Robert Mario Sensi. Born November 22, 1950, in Blue Island, Illinois. Parents, Stephen and Frances Sensi. Two brothers, Ulisse and Edgar; no sister. K-7th grade, St. Joaquin School, Chicago. Grades 8-11, schools in Detroit, New York, and Rome. In Rome studied opera and Italian, while living with his grandparents. By age 17, had forsaken a future as an opera singer and was back in Illinois. 1968, graduated from New Trier High School, Northfield, Illinois. Attended Fordham University in Chicago, obtaining Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Loyola 1970, just two years after high school.

Sensi’s first job after college was as a repo man for CIT Financial Corp. in Chicago. Within months, moved on to positions as tour guide and incentive sales director for Travel Headquarters, a Chicago travel agency. 1973, left to work in Chicago sales office of Air France. Within a year was assistant district manager. 1976, moved to Gulf Air, opening Gulf’s Chicago office with title Midwest Sales Manager. 

Developed reputation among diplomats and other Arab VIPs as the guy who could get things done for them in Chicago—a fixer, adept at solving problems with INS, customs, local police, just the guy to arrange theater tickets and private shopping tours for wives on a moment’s notice, or to discreetly procure prostitutes or about anything else for their husbands once the wives were out on the town.

1977, left Gulf Air and took job in Washington office of Kuwait Airways. There, reported directly to Kuwaiti ambassador, and began performing services not only for the airline’s VIP travelers but also for the ambassador and visiting members of the Kuwaiti royal family. Excelled in obtaining visas, residency, prestigious university enrollments, medical treatment, and other dispensations for prominent Kuwaitis and their friends. Also excelled in procuring prostitutes, covering up arrest records, bribing professors to improve grades and doctors to amend records of embarrassing diagnoses. Proved so adept at extraordinary services that he was soon given expanded responsibilities and control of a multi-million-dollar Kuwait Airways slush fund to cover his operating expenses.

Also in 1977, Sensi met and befriended then relatively unknown frequent flyer Yasir Arafat, PLO Chairman. Arranged Arafat’s first U.S. media interviews. By then was fluent in Italian, French, Spanish, English, learning Arabic and Farsi. With these special talents and high-level access to prominent Arabs, Sensi was talent-spotted and recruited by CIA. He has ready access to DCI Casey and is a regular visitor to White House. Guards there reportedly wave Sensi through on sight, without requiring credentials. He travels frequently to Europe, the Mideast, West Africa, Latin America in fundraising role as Chairman of the Ambassador’s Club, and a Republicans Abroad division of RNC.”

Defamation Lawsuit

Mr. Sensi’s suit against Penguin for the publication of “America at Night” in which he was a major subject, alleged that Kolb, the son of former senior CIA official, had committed a felony by publishing a short biography of Sensi which revealed his past undercover work in the CIA. 

“The publishing of Robert Sensi’s biographical information that Kolb claims [CIA co-founder] Miles Copeland gave him is a felony act,” claimed Sensi’s complaint, adding that “Kolb claims he knows for certain that Sensi is or was a CIA agent, and knowingly published Sensi’s bio on pages 25 and 26 of [‘America at Night’].”

Sensi’s claim that Kolb committed a felony by publishing his CIA background is likely a reference to the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act, which was passed in response to former CIA officer Philip Agee naming a myriad station chiefs around the world through the magazine Covert Action Information Bulletin.

World Capital Market Ponzi Scheme

In 2015, Sensi had been found liable for $325,000 as a result of fraudulent transfers by Judge John F. Walter for his role in what the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission described as a “Hong Kong-Based Pyramid Scheme Targeting Asian and Latino Communities.” 

Led by the Temple City, California-based “Phil” Ming Xu, the World Capital Market pyramid scheme had tapped Sensi “to help handle complaints about the Receivership Entities’ Ponzi scheme from authorities in Peru, Taiwan, and Dubai,” according to a complaint in the Central District of California.

“Sensi further claims that he used to work for the Central Intelligence Agency and therefore had contacts in these locations,” continued the complaint, which had named Robert Sensi’s son Stefano Robert Sensi-Davenport as a co-defendant.

2023 Bankruptcy

Stefano (Steven) Sensi, a son of Robert, is listed as an Attorney-at-Law for the South American Division at Global Financing Consultants, the company owned by Paul Campo following his DEA departure in 2016. In his bio on the GFC website, Steven Sensi has "Experienced guidance in expanded partnerships, shareholder agreements or changes in corporate structure. He is fluent in English and Spanish. His partners are experienced criminal and civil litigators."

Public records further show that a Robert Mario Sensi from Boca Raton, Florida filed for bankruptcy in the state in 2023, while Florida public records for Stefano’s consulting firm Spacetao LLC list his and his father’s full name and share a registered address with that of Sensi Sr.’s Global Asset Tracking Corp, which is affiliated with the father’s public LinkedIn profile. 

Sources AP News, Washington Post, All Source Intelligence, Harvard Crimson, Washington Post, DOJ

Categories: cia, CJNG, dea, Money Laundering