Laszlo Toth

Stars Too Far Laszlo Toth

Laszlo Toth, a US citizen, at that time holding a high position as the Director of Technical Research at the Great Western Sugar Company in Colorado. In 1975 Laszlo was visiting Europe and his native country of Yugoslavia that included preparatory steps towards technical cooperation with the European sugar industry. During stay in his hometown of Vrbas, Toth was shocked to find himself arrested by the Yugoslav State Security; charged as a CIA operative; tried in kangaroo court and sentenced to seven years in the notorious maximum security prison Sremska Mitrovica. Stars Too Far describes Toth's harrowing experiences and the ensuing struggle for his freedom, involving President Gerald Ford, US Ambassador to Yugoslavia Laurence Silberman, Foreign Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Colorado 4th District Congressman Jim Johnson, US Secretary of the Treasury William Simon, and many other US officials and citizens, that led to one of the lowest points in relations between the American and Yugoslav governments since World War II. The story of his rescue and eventual release from behind the Iron Curtain provides new insight and unprecedented view into one of the fiercest diplomatic clashes between Tito's communist Yugoslavia and the Ford administration. The situation has clearly demonstrated a solid American principle of standing behind each American citizen.




Laszlo Toth was born in Yugoslavia and grew up in the Sugar Factory Vrbas worker's colony as the third generation in the family trade. Laszlo is a former Research and Technical Director of the Great Western Sugar Company, in Denver, Colorado, and remains a consultant for the U. S. sugar industry.