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'''Michael W. Burd''' was an American citizen and owner of the Midland Export Corporation of New York in the [[1940s]].  Along with his business partner, [[Robert Menaker]], Burd was allegedly a [[NKVD|Soviet intelligence]] operative during [[World War II]].

Burd was reported to have transferred large amounts of money through his company to other Soviet intelligence operatives throughout Latin America.  He also allegedly helped Soviet intelligence obtain American transit visas for two Soviet intelligence agents, [[Nicholas Fisher]] and his wife [[Maria Fisher]].  The Fisher's were both KGB illegal officers, posing as Swiss citizens, traveling to Mexico through the United States.  Burd used his connections in Washington, D.C. to appeal to David Niles, an aide to [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|President Roosevelt]], and later [[Truman]], for assistance in getting [[Visa (document)|transit visa]]s for the Fishers.

[[Venona]] decrypt 786 KGB New York to Moscow  1 June 1944 reads, 

:"Through Roosevelt's advisor David Niles will take 3 - 4 days, will cost $500. Round Niles there is a group of his friends who arrange anything for a bribe. Through them Burd obtains priority and has already paid them as much as $6,000. Whether Niles takes a bribe himself is not known for certain. Burd has talked to them about the payment." {{Citeneeded}}

Michael Burd's was assigned cover names Tenor, Bass, Bas, and Ten.  <!--Burd is referenced in these Venona project decrypts:

Venona 492 KGB Mexico City to Moscow, 9 June 1944; 526 KGB Moscow to Mexico City, 2 September 1944; 985 KGB New York to Moscow, 23 June 1943; 1000 KGB New York to Moscow, 24 June 1943; 1044 KGB New York to Moscow, 2 July 1943; 1088 KGB New York to Moscow, 7 July 1943; 786 KGB New York to Moscow, 1 June 1944; 889 KGB New York to Moscow, 23 June 1944; 943 KGB New York to Mosc(contracted; show full)
*[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/releases/01_Jun_1944_R3_m1_p1.gif 786 KGB New York to Moscow  1 June 1944, p.1]
*[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/releases/01_Jun_1944_R3_m1_p2.gif 786 KGB New York to Moscow  1 June 1944, p.2]
*John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr, ''Venona: Decoding Soviet Espionage in America,'' Yale University Press (1999), pgs. 266–267, 284–285.



[[Category:Accused Soviet spies|Burd, Michael]]
[[Category:Venona Appendix A|Burd, Michael]]