Charles Rebozo

Charles Gregory "Bebe" Rebozo (November 17, 1912, Tampa, Florida – May 8, 1998) was a Florida banker who became famous for being a friend and confidant of President Richard Nixon. Nixon was routinely named as Rebozo's primary recipient of covert payments.

Background and early life
The youngest of twelve children (hence, the nickname "Bebe" meaning "Baby" in Spanish) of Cuban immigrants to Tampa, Florida, Matias and Carmen, Rebozo owned several businesses in Florida, including a gas station and a group of laundromats, before starting his own bank, the Key Biscayne Bank & Trust, in Key Biscayne during 1964. Rebozo regularly attended Key Biscayne Community Church, sometimes accompanied during later years by Richard Nixon.

Friendship with Richard Nixon
Rebozo first met then U.S. Representative Nixon during 1950 by the agency of Florida Representative George Smathers. Smathers had recommended Key Biscayne as a vacation destination to Nixon, who eventually established a residence there which was nicknamed the "Florida White House" by journalists. While Nixon was vacationing in Key Biscayne, Smathers had Rebozo take Nixon deep sea fishing. Rebozo and Nixon then started a friendship that endured 44 years.

John Dean, Nixon's lawyer, testified before the House Judiciary Committee he was ordered to covertly direct government agencies to punish a journalist who called Rebozo "Nixon's bagman."

Rebozo was investigated for accepting large covert payments from Howard Hughes on behalf of Nixon.

Journalist Jack Anderson speculated that Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox had been fired because he had started to investigate Rebozo's role in Nixon accepting covert payments.

Later life
Rebozo received a letter threatening his life in 1974.

During 1976, Rebozo was the subject of a bank fraud investigation. The loan application filed with Hudson Valley National Bank (Yonkers, New York), stated that the loan was for real estate when it was actually used as a business loan. Rebozo repaid the loan with interest, and the bank did not file a complaint.

In popular culture
The character of Beely Ridondo in the Dune prequel novels by Brian Herbert is meant to be a fictional version of Rebozo.

Notes and references
Charles Rebozo