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http://hamptonroads.com/2005/04/lettergravechapter4thwartingmarcosrevolt

LetterFromtheGraveChapter4:thwartingaMarcosrevolt
April7,2005

PartofthesuicideletterfromRichardM.Hirschfeld.

ByBILLBURKE
TheVirginianPilot

ABOUTTHISSERIES
OnthemorningofJan.11,whileawaitingtrialonchargesthat
includedconspiracyandobstructionofjustice,RichardM.Hirschfeld
hangedhimselfinthelaundryroomofaMiamiprison.Twodayslater,
VirginianPilotreporterBillBurkereceiveda31pagehandwritten
letterfromHirschfeld.
TheletterapparentlywascomposedoverseveraldaysjustpriortoHirschfeldtakinghislife.Itsmain
purpose:onefinalpleafromtheflamboyantlawyerfinanciertohavehisnamecleared.Burkehadstruck
uparelationship,primarilyviaemail,withHirschfeldin2000whiletheNorfolknativewasafederal
fugitive.Theycorrespondedoffandonfornearlyfouryears,hopingonedaytomeetinperson.
Thisseriesisbasedontheletter,independentresearchandinterviewswithdozensofHirschfeldcohorts,
familymembersandlawenforcementofficials.
Thisisthe4thof7chapters
Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3

OnaMaymorningin1987,RichardHirschfeldandhisfriendandbusinessassociateRobertChastain
walkeduptothedoorofahillsidemansioninHonolulu.
AMercedes500SELlimousinespeciallyfittedwitharmorplatingwasparkedinthegarage.Thehouse
andtheMercedeswerethepropertyofdeposedPhilippinedictatorFerdinandMarcos.
HirschfeldandChastainhadcometodiscussabusinessdealwithMarcos.Chastaincarriedaburgundy
briefcasewithabuiltintaperecorder.Marcosgreetedthemenanddirectedthemtohisstudy.Thetapein

thevoiceactivatedrecorderhadbeguntowhir.
MarcoshadtoldHirschfeldduringearliermeetingsaboutaplothehatchedtoretakehishomelandbyforce
andpaying10,000Filipinos$500eachtohelpintheuprising.
ButMarcosneededweapons,andlotsofthem.ThatswhereChastaincamein.
HirschfeldhadtoldMarcosthatChastainwasaninternationalarmsdealerwhocouldsupplytheformer
dictatorwiththetanks,antiaircraftweapons,M16s,mortarsandgrenadelaunchersheneededtomount
theJuly10invasion.
Marcossetupacodesystemtocommunicatewithhisvisitors.MarcoswouldbeknownasCharlie,
ChastainasAndrewandHirschfeldasJoe.
ButtheplotwentnofurtherthanthestudyoftheHonolulumansion.Hirschfeldhadachievedhisgoal:
gettingMarcos,hisonetimelegalclient,toconfessontapetohisplan,therebythwartingabloodyrevolt.
AfterHirschfeldturnedcopiesofthetapeovertoauthorities,Marcos,whohadbeengrantedasyluminthe
U.S.afterhefledthePhilippines,wasplacedunderwhatamountedtohousearrestinHawaii.
InaJune5,1987,letter,RamonA.Diaz,chairmanofthePhilippineCommissiononGoodGovernment,
thankedHirschfeldandofferedtopayhim5percentofthevalueofanyillicitgoldMarcoshadstashedinhis
homelandifthegoldwasrecovered.
InclosinghislettertoHirschfeld,Diazwrote:
TheRepublicofthePhilippineswouldliketoextenditsdeepestandmostprofoundappreciationforyour
willingness,andthatofMr.Chastain,togofaroutofyourwaystoassistthepeopleofthePhilippinesintheir
questforjustice.Thiskindofbraveryandgenerosityofspiritisrare.
HirschfeldwasscheduledtoappearbeforeacongressionalsubcommitteethatJune,wherethetapeswould
beplayed,butthehearingwaspostponeduntilJulyfornationalsecurityreasons.Hirschfeldhadspirited
theoriginaltapesofftoSwitzerlandforsafekeeping.
Thetapes,itturnedout,containedpotentiallyscandalousinformationthatcouldhaveembarrassedthe
ReaganWhiteHouse.

In1987,RichardM.HirschfeldandhisfriendandbusinessassociateRobertChastainsecretly
taperecordedconversationswithdeposedPhilippineleaderFerdinandMarcos,shownabovewith
Hirschfeld.Inthetape,Marcosplottedtoretakethecountrybyforce.CHARLOTTESVILLEDAILY
PROGRESS
IfstatementsmadetoinvestigatorsbyChastainweretrue,thetapeswereapotentialpoliticalbombshell.
ChastainsaidMarcoshadspokenofillicitsexualtrystsbyrankingadministrationofficials,chargesofbribery
solicitationsbyseniormembersoftheStateDepartmentandillegalconspiraciestoconcealthedetailsof
Marcosstolenwealth.
ButthemostdamningallegationsurfacedinanAug.21,1988,governmentmemoentitledWhiteHouse
MarcosCoverup.Init,investigativereporterWilliamScottMalone,whohadwrittenanarticleforRegardies
magazineaboutMarcoscapersandgoldstashes,saidChastainhadtoldhimMarcosmentionedonthe
tapesthathehadmadeillegalcampaigncontributionstotaling$12milliontotheReagancampaignin1980
and1984.
Inthememo,Malonewrotethattheoriginaltapes,intheWhiteHousesview,couldswingthependulumof
theentirecountry.Republicanoperativeswereconcernedthatthechargesweresoexplosivethatifthey
weremadepublic,therevelationscouldcosttheGOPthe1988presidentialelection.
Whentherevelationlatersurfacedpublicly,therewerecallsforafullblowninvestigation.Butthemysteryof
theMarcoscontributionswasneversolved.
TheincidentapparentlytookitstollonChastain.Weeksafterhistestimonyaboutthetapesbefore
Congress,hewastoldthatthefedswereconsideringbringingtaxchargesagainsthim.Healsoreceived
deaththreats.
By1989,hewasbesetbydemons,aperipateticsoulshufflingaimlesslyfromonecountrytoanother,said
hisformerwife,Peggy.OnDec.16,1989,hewrotePeggyafinalletter,placeditinanenvelopeandslipped
itinamailbox.
Then,inafinalactthateerilyforeshadowedthefateofhisfriendHirschfeld,hetookhisownlifeby
swallowingalethaldoseofbarbituratesinahotelroominVienna,Austria.
Hirschfeld,meanwhile,hadrefusedtospeakpubliclyaboutthecontentsoftheunplayedportionsofthe
Marcostapes.ThelongtimeRepublicanloyalistbristledwhenDemocratstriedtousethetapestoraise
questionsaboutReagansintegrity.

ScandalallegationsabouttheMarcostapestookatollonRobertChastainandhecommitted
suicidein1989inVienna,Austria.CHARLOTTESVILLEDAILYPROGRESS
TheMarcostapeshadnoimpactonthe1988presidentialelectioninspiteoftheconcernsofranking
Republicans.AmongthosewhoattendedthepartysnationalconventionattheNewOrleansSuperdome
thatyearwasHirschfeld,accompaniedbyMuhammadAli.TheysatbehindBarbaraBush,wifeofthepartys
nominee,whowouldbeelectedtotheWhiteHouseinNovember:GeorgeH.W.Bush.
HirschfeldhadbeenintroducedtotheBushessonGeorgeW.BushduringtheBushcampaign.Twoyears
later,HirschfeldandAliattendedabaseballgameinArlington,Texas,attheinvitationoftheyoungerBush,
whowasanowneroftheTexasRangers.
OnMay29,1990,Richard,hissonToddandAlidinedwithGeorgeandLauraBushinthestadium
restaurant,Hirschfeldwroteinhissuicideletter.TheRangerswereplayingBoston,and10yearoldTodd
wasthrilledtobeabletoseehishero,RogerClemens,pitchfortheRedSox.
Afterthegame,Bushtookthegrouptothelockerroomtomeettheplayers.Hirschfeldsaidhewaswearing
oneofAlischampionshiprings,whichAlihadpresentedtohimwithapersonalinscription.Inhissuicide
letter,HirschfeldsaidBushhadadmiredtheringduringthegameandatdinner:
Beforeweleftthestadium,Itookitoffmyfingerandpresentedittohim.Hedidntfeelitwasproperto
receivesuchagift,butIinsistedandsodidAli.Hefinallyreluctantlyacceptedit,probablysoasnottohurt
Alisfeelingsthatnight.
TheWhiteHousepressofficedidnotreturncallsabouttheincident.
AsHirschfeldmingledwithbaseballplayersandthefuturepresidentoftheUnitedStatesonawarmspring
eveninginTexas,hehadnocluethathisglorydayswithTheChampwereending.
Tenmonthslater,inMarch1991,AlidazzledalunchtimeaudienceatMr.DogandFriendsindowntown
Norfolkwithmagictricks.HewasintowntotestifyonbehalfofhisfriendHirschfeld.
AcrossGranbyStreet,inthefederalcourthouse,Hirschfeldshopesforstayingoutofprisonrestedwithhis
lawyer,AlbertJ.Krieger,wholistedamonghisclientsmobbossJohnGotti.

HirschfeldsaidJudgeJ.CalvittClarkeJr.exercised"cunning"useoffederalguidelinestoimpose
asixyearsentence.FILEPHOTO
OnMarch5,1991,afederaljuryinNorfolkconvictedHirschfeldofconspiringtodefraudtheIRSandthe
SecuritiesandExchangeCommissioninataxschemeinvolvinghisoldfriendChastain.Thecrimewasso
convoluteditconfusedsomejurorsandevenleftlawyersandaccountantsscratchingtheirheads.
Thechargesfocusedonanallegedphony$2.1millionlawsuitsettlementHirschfeldtookasadeductionon
his1984incometaxreturn.ProsecutorssaidHirschfeldmadethepaymentintheformof75millionshares
ofpennystocktoChastain,thenconcoctedacomplexseriesoftransactionstodisguisethefactthatthe
securitieswerestillunderhiscontrol.
Hirschfeldsaidthechargesweretrumpedup,andheaccusedtheleadprosecutorofusingGestapotactics
againsthim.
Thejudgewhopronouncedsentencing,J.CalvittClarkeJr.,wasnostrangertoHirschfeldandhislegal
woes.ClarkehadpresidedoverahearingduringthecontroversysurroundingabankHirschfeldtriedtoform
15yearsearlier.HirschfeldhadcometoregardClarkeasanadversary.
Now,onMay17,1991,ClarkewasabouttosendHirschfeldtoprison.Hirschfeldwroteinhissuicideletter
thatthejudgeexercisedcunninguseoffederalguidelinestoimposeatermofsixyearsforacrime
Hirschfeldarguedwouldusuallybetreatedasaciviloffenseandcarrynojailtime.Hirschfeldwrotethatthe
harshsentencedrewanangrydissentfromhiswife:
Lorettajumpedtoherfeetafterthesentencinghearingwasoverandshouted,'Wehavean11yearoldson
athome.WhyareyoudoingthisJudgeClarke?
Thejudgeglareddownatherfromhisbench,Hirschfeldwrote,andreplied,'BecauseIcan!
Hirschfeld,whooncelivedina12,000squarefoothouseandconsortedwithroyalty,wassoonsharinga63
squarefootcellwithanotherinmateinPetersburg.Asalawyer,heoncecommanded$500anhourforhis
services.Nowhewasearning$5.96amonthasaclericalassistant.
In1995,afterhewasparoled,thefedswereonhistrailoncemore.Hewasindictedagainin1996ona
chargeofconcoctinganillegalschemetoobtainaprisonfurloughintheearly1990sandorderedtoshow
upforaNov.21hearinginfederalcourt.Heknewthejudgecouldsendhimbacktoprison.
Hisoldfriend,Sen.OrrinHatch,in1991hadsworninanaffidavitthathebelievedHirschfeldposes

absolutelynoriskofflight...RichardHirschfeldwillnotflee.Butfiveyearslater,Hatchwouldbeproven
wrong.
InearlyNovember1996,HirschfeldmetwithHatchinhisWashingtonoffice,seekingthesenatorshelpin
hislegalcase.ButHatchsaidhecouldnotgetinvolved,forpoliticalreasons,Hirschfeldwrote.Itwasthelast
meetingbetweenthetwomen,andeachexpresseddisappointmentwiththeother,Hirschfeldsaid.Hatch
didnotreturnphonecallsseekinghiscomment.
Asthemeetingbrokeup,Hirschfeldmadeawrenchingdecision.HesawhiswifeofftoFlorida,wherethe
familywasgatheringforThanksgiving,atraditiondatingto1981.Hetoldherhewouldjointhemlater.
Instead,hepackedhisbelongingsintohiswhiteRollsRoyceandhaditshippedtoCadiz,Spain.
ThenItraveledtoVirginiaBeachto'visitwithmymother,fatherandsister,neverrevealingtothemthatI
wasgoingtoleavethecountry.Untilnow,thatwasthemostdevastatingexperienceIcanrecall,especially
sincemydadwasprettyfaralongwithhisAlzheimersafflictionandIhadnoideaifIwouldeverseehim
again.
Helefthisparentsapartmentandheadedfortheairport.Onceagain,Hirschfeldwasontherun.Butthis
timehewasntfleeingangryinvestorsinafailedbank.Hewasafugitivefromjustice.
ReachBillBurkeat4462589orbill.burke@pilotonline.com.