1
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2
REAL-TIME AND INTERACTIVE REAL-TIME TRANSCRIPT
3 ROUGH DRAFT DISCLAIMER
4 IMPORTANT NOTICE:
AGREEMENT OF PARTIES
5
6 We, the party working with real-time and rough
draft transcripts, understand that if we choose to
7 use the real-time rough draft screen or the
printout that we are doing so with the
8 understanding that the rough draft is a
noncertified copy.
9
We further agree not to share, give, copy, scan,
10 fax or in any way distribute this real-time rough
draft in any form (written or computerized) to any
11 party. However, our own experts, cocounsel and
staff may have limited internal use of same with
12 the understanding that we agree to destroy our
real-time rough draft and/or any computerized
13 form, if any, and replace it with the final
transcript upon its completion.
14
Case: Fortress v. Jeepers
15 Witness: David Lee
Date: June 1, 2011
16
REPORTER'S NOTE:
17 Since this deposition has been real-timed and is
in rough draft form, please be aware that there
18 may be discrepancies regarding page and line
number when comparing the real-time screen, the
19 rough draft, and the final transcript.
20 Also please be aware that the real-time screen and
the noncertified rough draft transcript may
21 contain untranslated steno, reporter's notes,
misspelled proper names, incorrect or missing Q/A
22 symbols or punctuation, and/or nonsensical English
word combinations. All such entries will be
23 correct on the final, certified transcript.
24 Court Reporter: Laurie A. Collins, RPR
Reporting Firm: Veritext Reporting Company
25
EFTA01165407
2
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: Good morning. We're
on the record. My name is Chris Martin. I'm
3 the videographer for Veritext Court Reporting.
Today's date is June 1st, 2011, and the time
4 is 9:06 a.m.
This deposition is being held at the
5 office of Susman Godfrey, 560 Lexington 09:06:52
Avenue, New York, New York. The caption on
6 this case is Fortress VRF I LLC and Fortress
Value Recovery Fund LLC versus JEEPERS, Inc.,
7 respondent, and Financial Trust Company, Inc.,
and JEEPERS, Inc., counterclaimants and third-
8 party claimants. This is filed with the
Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service,
9 Reference Number 1425006537. The name of the
witness is David Lee.
10 And at this time will counsel please 09:07:27
introduce themselves for the record.
11 MR. SUSMAN: Harry Susman for JEEPERS
and FTC, along with Darren Indyke.
12 MR. ARFFA: I'm Allan Arffa from Paul,
Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. We
13 represent the claimants in this proceeding.
Also with me is Hannah Sholl from Paul, Weiss.
14 MS. JOHNSON: Megan Johnson from
Fortress.
15 MR. SIFFERT: John Siffert, Lankler 09:07:53
Siffert & Wohl LLP, on behalf of Dan Zwirn
16 personally.
MR. O'BRIEN: William O'Brien from
17 Cooley LLP for the Zwirn entity parties in the
case. There are several of them. I don't
18 know all the names.
MR. SIFFERT: And you're representing
19 the witness.
MR. O'BRIEN: And the witnesses.
20 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: At this time the 09:08:16
court reporter, Laurie Collins, will swear in
21 the witness.'
EXAMINATION BY
22 MR. SUSMAN:
Q. Mr. Lee, can you give us your address
23 for the record?
A. Sure. 5 Stokes Farm Road, Old Tappan,
24 New Jersey 07675.
Q. Have you given testimony before?
25 A. Yes. 09:08:48
Q. In connection with this Zwirn fund?
EFTA01165408
3
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. Yes.
Q. How many times?
3 A. I can't recall specifically, but more
likely than five.
4 Q. Did you give testimony to the SEC?
A. No.
5 Q. In what connection have you given 09:09:12
testimony? What proceedings?
6 A. Fund-related litigation with specific
counterparties involving transactions.
7 Q. Where do you currently work?
A. I have my own firm.
8 Q. What is the name of it?
A. Colford Capital, C-O-L-F-O-R-D.
9 Q. What does Colford Capital do?
A. It is a merchant banking operation
10 trying to find acquisitions and advising on 09:09:51
corporate transactions.
11 Q. How long has Colford been in existence?
A. Today is its first anniversary.
12 Q. Prior to working at Colford, where did
you work?
13 A. Dan Zwirn & Co.
Q. How long of a gap was there between
14 when you left D.B. Zwirn and Colford starting?
MR. O'BRIEN: It's Colford.
15 Q. I'm sorry, could you spell it? 09:10:21
A. C-O-L-F-O-R-D.
16 Q. Okay. Got you.
How long of a gap was there between
17 work -- when you quit at Zwirn or stopped working
and your starting up at Colford?
18 A. None.
Q. Does Dan Zwirn have any connection to
19 Colford?
A. No.
20 Q. Anyone who worked with you at the Zwirn 09:10:45
enterprise connected to Colford in any way?
21 A. On an affiliate basis, I do utilize the
services of an assistant that previously worked
22 with me at Dan Zwirn.
Q. Is it a he or she?
23 A. She.
Q. What's her name?
24 A. Alicia Ferraro.
Q. And when you say "an affiliate basis,"
25 does she work somewhere else most of the time? 09:11:18
A. Yes. She actually works for Dan Zwirn
EFTA01165409
4
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 as well.
Q. So you and Dan share the same
3 assistant?
A. Yes.
4 Q. And "assistant," is she your secretary?
A. Secretary.
5 Q. Do you and Dan share offices? 09:11:32
A. Yes.
6 Q. Where are those offices?
A. 595 Madison Avenue.
7 Q. Who else offices at 595 Madison?
A. A person named Todd Meister,
8 M-E-I-S-T-E-R.
Q. Did he have any connection to the Zwirn
9 operation?
A. No.
10 Q. And what business is it that Mr. Zwirn 09:12:01
runs out of 595 Madison Avenue?
11 A. As I understand it, he has an
investment firm called Alda Capital that has made
12 investments in various financial businesses.
(Mr. Schwartz joins proceedings.)
13 Q. Does Colford and Alda make investments
together?
14 A. No, we have not made any investments
together.
15 Q. Do you and Mr. Zwirn look at 09:12:31
investments together?
16 A. To date we have not looked at any
investments together.
17 Q. Are there plans to do so in the future?
A. Nothing definitive or concrete.
18 Q. I had asked you, I think, whether
Mr. Zwirn had any connection to Colford. I also
19 mean does he provide any financing or investor in
any way.
20 A. No 09:12:55
Q. How about does Fortress provide any
21 financing to Colford?
A. No.
22 Q. Can you give me your educational
background?
23 A. Wharton School, University of
Pennsylvania, 1986 bachelor's.
24 Q. And then after graduating from Wharton,
where did you go to work?
25 A. Dillon, Read. 09:13:35
Q. How long were you at Dillon, Read?
EFTA01165410
5
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. A little under two years.
4. What were you doing at Dillon, Read?
3 A. I was an investment banking analyst.
4. From Dillon, Read where did you go?
4 A. Lazard.
Q. How long were you at Lazard?
5 A. I left Lazard in January 1999, so 09:13:53
approximately 11 years.
6 Q. And what were you doing at Lazard?
A. I was an investment banker.
7 Q. Where did you go from Lazard?
A. Sandler Capital.
8 4. How long were you at Sandler?
A. Two years.
9 4. What were you doing at Sandler?
A. Making private equity investments.
10 4. Sandler is a hedge fund? 09:14:32
A. More of a private equity fund.
11 4. Private equity fund? Okay.
And where is Sandler located?
12 A. New York City.
4. So that takes us up to roughly 2001?
13 A. Correct.
4. In 2001 where did you go to work?
14 A. I started a firm called Saturn Venture
Partners.
15 4. How long did you keep operating Saturn 09:15:06
Ventures?
16 A. For about two years.
Q. What did Saturn Ventures do?
17 A. It was a venture capital firm.
Q. So now 2003, roughly, where did you go
18 to work?
A. I started a firm called LLJ Capital.
19 MR. O'BRIEN: Could you spell that?
THE WITNESS: LLJ.
20 Q. LLJ Capital. What does LLJ stand for? 09:15:40
A. It was my last name, my junior
21 partner's last name, and our wives' names both
started with J.
22 Q. I got you.
What did LLJ do?
23 A. It was funded by Dan Zwirn to make
special situation debt investments.
24 Q. Was LLJ owned by Dan Zwirn or just
simply the financing was provided?
25 A. It was financing was provided. 09:16:14
Q. How did you come to meet Dan Zwirn?
EFTA01165411
6
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. I hired Dan Zwirn out of Wharton in
1993, and he worked mostly under my supervision
3 for the first year and a half as an investment
banking analyst.
4 Q. So that would have been at Lazard?
A. Yes.
5 Q. So you basically gave Dan his first job 09:16:47
in finance?
6 A. Well, he had a summer internship
before, but I guess his first full-time job.
7 Q. And do you remain friends with Dan?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
8 Q. I'm sorry, so from 1993 to 1996,
roughly, he worked for you?
9 A. No, for about a year and a half.
Q. Oh, for just a year and a half?
10 A. Yes. 09:17:14
Q. And did he leave Lazard in 1994/'95?
11 A. I actually left Lazard in mid '94 and
then returned back to Lazard a year and a half
12 later. Dan left Lazard in '95.
Q. Where did you go during this interim
13 period from Lazard between '94 and '95?
A. Toronto Dominion Bank.
14 Q. So as I understand it, you hired Dan,
he was at Lazard, you left; by the time you came
15 back, then he was leaving? 09:17:57
A. He had left when I came back.
16 Q. He had left.
A. Yes.
17 Q. You remained friends with Dan from '95
through 2003?
18 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. We maintained an acquaintance.
19 Q. So in 2003 when he or D.B. Zwirn
provided the funding for LLJ Capital, how did that
20 come to be? 09:18:28
A. I reconnected with Dan in 2003 over
21 lunch, having not seen him for two or three years.
And he discussed with me the possibility of
22 starting a new business with his funding.
Q. So the funding that you mentioned that
23 D.B. Zwirn provided to LLJ Capital, what entity
exactly provided the funding to LLJ? What Zwirn
24 entity? I'm not so much concerned with the name
as was it one of the hedge funds or was it some
25 company he ran. 09:19:13
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
EFTA01165412
7
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. All the funding we received came from
the D.B. Zwirn Specialty Opportunities Fund L.P..
3 Q. So that would have been the onshore
fund; right?
4 A. Correct.
Q. And how much funding did they initially
5 provide to LLJ? 09:19:32
A. It was on a deal-by-deal basis.
6 Q. How long did this -- did LLJ Capital
remain in existence?
7 A. I remained with LLJ until April 2005.
Q. What happened in April 2005?
8 A. I joined D.B. Zwirn & Co.
Q. At that point how much -- did LLJ
9 Capital as of April 2005 get money from anyone
else other than D.B. Zwirn?
10 A. No. 09:20:12
Q. How much money, roughly, by April 2005
11 did LLJ Capital have invested on behalf of
D.B. Zwirn?
12 A. I think approximately a hundred
million.
13 Q. So in 2005 you decided to go in-house,
in effect, with the Zwirn management company?
14 A. Yes.
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection.
15 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 09:20:40
Q. And what was your position that you
16 started in April 2005 with D.B. Zwirn?
A. I was a managing director.
17 Q. What entity was it that actually
employed you?
18 A. D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P.
Q. Were you a partner in D.B. Zwirn & Co.,
19 L.P.?
A. No.
20 Q. I meant when you first joined. Did you 09:21:20
ever become a partner in D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P.?
21 A. No.
Q. In the D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P., what --
22 it provided investment advisory services?
A. It was the management company on behalf
23 of the funds and managed accounts.
Q. By that you mean it would provide
24 management services for the onshore fund, the
offshore fund, and the various managed accounts;
25 is that right? 09:22:00
A. Yes.
EFTA01165413
8
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
Q. As the managing director, what were
3 your job responsibilities? What were you doing?
A. Well, I was a managing director, and my
4 responsibilities were to originate and manage a
portfolio of investments and to also manage a
5 portfolio of investments that had been originated 09:22:46
by others prior to my arrival.
6 Q. And how long were you a managing
director of D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P.?
7 A. Until October '06.
Q. How big was the portfolio of
8 investments that you were managing between April
'05 and October '06?
9 A. North of 300 million.
Q. You mentioned a portfolio of
10 investments that had been made by someone else 09:23:32
that you were managing; is that correct?
11 A. By others.
Q. By others.
12 Who were the others who had made those
investments?
13 A. There was a person named Ivan Zinn and
a person named Cameron Fleming.
14 Q. Was there some special area of
investments that you were charged -- or type of
15 investment you were charged with making? 09:24:06
A. I generally focused on an industry,
16 which was media, telecommunications, and the
services that provided those two industries.
17 Q. Now, as a managing director, did you
have any role in the administrative functions of
18 the management company?
A. None.
19 Q. Did you have any role in meeting with
the investors in the actual funds or clients who
20 had managed accounts? 09:24:58
A. I occasionally was asked to come in for
21 portions of meetings.
Q. What portions of the meetings would
22 those be?
A. Most of the time -- frankly, all the
23 times that I can remember, I was asked to discuss
the types of investments that I focused on and the
24 portfolio.
Q. During that time period from April 2005
25 to October 2006, did you ever have any discussions 09:25:35
with investors about what the terms of any
EFTA01165414
9
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 investment would be in the funds or in the managed
accounts?
3 A. No.
Q. Did you, when you were making
4 investments either at LLJ Capital or when you were
a managing director, make any investments with
5 Fortress, side by side or in some sort of 09:26:07
partnership?
6 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
7 A. I don't recall closing on any deals
that I originated with Fortress. There were a
8 number of portfolio investments that had Fortress
as a coinvestor that I inherited from Ivan and
9 Cameron.
Q. Can you give me a rough estimate of the
10 size of those investments? 09:26:47
A. Of each investment or cumulative?
11 Q. Cumulatively.
A. Including Fortress's piece or D.B.
12 Zwirn piece?
Q. Just the D.B. Zwirn piece.
13 A. I'd have to guess, but I would estimate
200 million.
14 MR. O'BRIEN: Let me just say that you
shouldn't guess. You can -- if you can
15 estimate in some range, but just a fat guess 09:27:25
you should not do.
16 THE WITNESS: Okay.
No, I cannot.
17 Q. What's that?
A. No, I cannot.
18 Q. Was it fair of the $300 million
portfolio that you were in charge of looking after
19 that more than half of those investments had
Fortress as a coparticipant?
20 A. No, that would be inaccurate because 09:27:58
investments mature and are repaid. So the numbers
21 that I threw out would be based -- at least on the
300 north number I threw out earlier was an
22 approximate running tally, and the guess I threw
out was cumulative.
23 Q. So that I understand what you're
saying, you're saying the 300 was a sort of
24 average amount of the portfolio over time, at any
point in time, and the 200 million was some amount
25 of investment that may have run -- churned through 09:28:40
the portfolio over the year; is that fair?
EFTA01165415
10
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Roughly.
3 Q. Did you yourself have any investment in
the onshore or offshore Zwirn funds prior to
4 October 2006?
A. Yes.
5 Q. What were you invested in? 09:29:08
A. The onshore fund.
6 Q. When did you make that investment?
A. The spring of 2006.
7 Q. How large of an investment did you
make?
8 A. 400,000.
Q. Do you recall what the liquidity option
9 was that applied to your investment?
A. The one year plus liquidity.
10 Q. Did you make any subsequent investments 09:29:52
into the onshore funds after this initial
11 investment?
A. No.
12 Q. Did you ever invest in the offshore
fund?
13 A. No.
Q. Did you have at any point any ownership
14 interest or in any of the Zwirn entities other
than the investment you've mentioned in
15 offshore -- onshore fund? 09:30:33
A. You'd have to be more specific. I'm
16 not sure I understand your question.
Q. Yeah. Did you have any ownership
17 interest in any of the -- strike that.
When we started, Mr. O'Brien said he is
18 here representing a bunch of Zwirn entities.
There are entities called Zwirn Holdings,
19 D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P., D.B. Zwirn & Co. LC.
Did you have any ownership interest in
20 any size in any entity that had the name Zwirn in 09:31:06
it, other than your investment in the onshore
21 fund?
A. So in your -- I just want to make sure
22 I understand the question. When you're referring
to the Zwirn entities, are you referring to
23 entities that are affiliated with the management
company?
24 Q. Yes.
A. No, I did not.
25 Q. I'm also referring to just any company 09:31:43
that had the name Zwirn in it, or entity.
EFTA01165416
11
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. It could have been part of the
3 management company, it could have been a hedge
fund, any type of entity.
4 A. No.
Q. What happened, by the way, to LLJ
5 Capital? 09:32:21
A. It was acquired by the onshore fund in
6 the second half of 2005.
Q. When it was acquired, did you receive a
7 payment for your ownership interest in LLJ
Capital?
8 A. Yes.
Q. How much of a payment did you receive?
9 A. Approximately 800,000.
Q. Do you remain a limited partner in the
10 onshore fund? 09:33:04
A. Yes.
11 Q. Did you ever withdraw any of your
initial $400,000 investment?
12 A. No.
Q. Prior to October of 2006, did you
13 had you ever heard of Jeffrey Epstein?
A. Yes.
14 Q. In what connection had you heard of
Mr. Epstein prior to October 2006? And I'm using
15 that October date because that's when I understand 09:33:37
you became the acting CFO.
16 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I heard of Jeffrey Epstein through
17 colleagues at Lazard.
Q. By the way, what had you heard from
18 your colleagues at Lazard about Jeffrey Epstein?
A. Not flattering things.
19 Q. Such as?
A. That he was extremely difficult.
20 Q. Difficult in what way? 09:34:19
A. Generally difficult to do business with
21 and difficult to negotiate with and belligerent.
Q. Other than what you heard from Lazard
22 folks about Jeffrey Epstein, had you heard
anything else about him between -- prior to
23 October of 2006?
A. Other than magazine or newspaper
24 articles, I do not recall anything else.
Q. Did you know that he was an investor in
25 the Zwirn fund? 09:34:58
A. Prior to October 2006?
EFTA01165417
12
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Yes.
A. No.
3 Q. Prior to October 2006, had you ever
heard of an entity called Financial Trust Company?
4 A. No.
Q. Now, you mentioned -- oh, I want to ask
5 you one last question about some of the background 09:35:26
we talked about earlier.
6 How did you and Dan end up sharing
office space currently?
7 A. When I left, D.B. Zwirn was housed at
Fortress's offices. Dan had a -- and Todd, who
8 shares that floor, had an empty corner office.
And Dan had also hired Alicia. And so he made an
9 offer for me to sublet that space, which I found
attractive and decided to put my office there.
10 Q. So you left Fortress or D.B. Zwirn, I'm 09:36:18
sorry, in roughly June of 2010?
11 A. May 31, 2010.
Q. So you continued to work at
12 D.B. Zwirn & Co. even after Fortress acquired the
management company?
13 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection.
MR. ARFFA: Objection.
14 Q. I'm sorry, I guess it didn't acquire.
After Fortress took over management
15 responsibilities of the funds, the onshore and 09:36:46
offshore funds --
16 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. -- did you become an employee of
17 Fortress?
A. No.
18 Q. You remained an employee of
D.B. Zwirn & Co.?
19 A. Yes.
Q. And it moved its offices, then, into
20 Fortress's offices for some period of time? 09:3-:03
A. Yes.
21 Q. And you made the move at that point?
A. Yes.
22 Q. Fortress took over management of the
funds in roughly the summer of 2009?
23 A. June 1, 2009.
Q. So for roughly a year you were working
24 for D.B. Zwirn & Co. but actually physically
housed at Fortress's facilities?
25 A. Yes. 09:37:36
Q. In October of 2006 you became the
EFTA01165418
13
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 acting CFO of D.B. Zwirn & Co.?
A. Yes.
3 Q. Do you remember what day it was that
you were made the acting CFO in October?
4 A. October 5th.
Q. Who suggested to you that you become
5 the acting CFO? 09:38:17
A. It was a discussion amongst myself, Dan
6 Zwirn, and David Proshan.
Q. What was the discussion that occurred?
7 MR. O'BRIEN: I'm just going to caution
the witness, since Mr. Proshan you said might
8 have been involved in these conversations, to
not in your answer reveal any communications
9 that are in the nature of legal advice or
seeking legal advice.
10 A. I don't recall the specifics of the 09:39:05
conversation. It's been a long time ago.
11 Q. At that point you obviously knew that
Perry Gruss was no longer the CFO?
12 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
Q. Right?
13 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
MR. ARFFA: Objection. Can I just have
14 a rule that if any of us object to form that
it counts for everyone and that way you don't
15 have to hear two or three people saying it? 09:39:30
MR. SUSMAN: Yeah, that's fine. I
16 don't know how you're going to do that in
practice, but fair enough.
17 MR. ARFFA: The first one to say it;
the others don't have to.
18 A. Can you repeat the question, please?
Q. Yeah. Before you went to this meeting
19 with Mr. Zwirn and Mr. Proshan, did you know that
Perry Gruss was no longer the CFO?
20 A. Yes. 09:39:52
Q. How did you learn that Perry Gruss was
21 no longer going to be the CFO?
A. I learned in a discussion with Lawrence
22 Cutler over lunch.
Q. The discussion with Mr. Cutler over
23 lunch, how -- how many days before or was it the
day before the October 5th, 2006, meeting that you
24 had?
A. It was on October 5th.
25 Q. So what did Mr. Cutler tell you at the 09:40:31
lunch that you had?
EFTA01165419
14
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. He told me that Perry Gruss had
resigned the night before. He told me that there
3 had been an internal investigation and that
investigation had resulted in a number of issues
4 regarding management company expenses and the use
of money from the funds for the purchase of an
5 airplane but that it had been remediated but the 09:41:30
decision had been made that Perry had to go and
6 that we were going to restructure senior
management and implement a number of new
7 compliance procedures.
Q. Did he at the lunch suggest to you that
8 you might become CFO as part of this
restructuring?
9 A. No.
Q. Prior to Mr. Cutler telling you at
10 lunch that there had been this internal 09:42:14
investigation, did you have any hint that there
11 was an investigation underway?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
12 A. No.
Q. So was it the news that Mr. Cutler told
13 you that there had been an internal investigation
that came as a surprise to you; first time you
14 heard of it was October 5th?
A. Yes.
15 Q. Had you heard that there were any 09:42:44
issues with Perry Gruss's job performance at all
16 prior to October 5th?
A. Yes.
17 Q. What issues had you heard existed about
his job performance?
18 A. Dan had informed me around September
15th that he wanted to make management changes and
19 that he wanted me to consider possibly stepping
into a role of managing the firm in the near
20 future. 09:43:25
Q. When Mr. Zwirn informed you that he
21 wanted to make management changes, did he
specifically mention Mr. Gruss as one of those
22 changes he wanted to make?
A. No, he did not.
23 Q. I think I asked you what issues you
were aware of about Mr. Gruss's job performance,
24 and you told me in response that you had this
discussion with Mr. Zwirn on September 15th.
25 MR. SIFFERT: Objection. 09:44:02
Q. My only question is did Mr. Zwirn
EFTA01165420
15
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 mention Perry Gruss during this September 15th
conversation.
3 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. He mentioned that I should spend time
4 with Perry to learn more about the firm's business
and finances.
5 Q. Did you infer from that that there was 09:44:20
some issue that he had with Perry Gruss?
6 A. I recall making an inference that there
could have been an issue.
7 Q. Did you ask Mr. Zwirn specifically
whether there was some problem with Perry Gruss's
8 performance?
A. I don't recall asking him that
9 specifically.
Q. And prior to the September 15th
10 discussion with Mr. Zwirn, had you heard of any 09:44:49
specific issues with Mr. Gruss's job performance?
11 A. No.
Q. Did you ask Dan why he wanted to make
12 management changes?
A. Yes.
13 Q. And what did he say?
(Discussion off the record.)
14 A. My recollection was that he wanted
somebody who had deal experience in a role of
15 leadership as opposed to someone that had more of 09:45:24
an operational background.
16 Q. So at least during the September 15th
conversation, Mr. Zwirn did not mention to you
17 that there was any sort of investigation underway
about any sort of improprieties involving
18 Mr. Gruss?
A. No, he did not.
19 Q. The only explanation he gave you for
why he might want to make management changes was
20 to bring somebody with more deal experience into a 09:46:05
leadership role?
21 A. Yes.
Q. How is it, by the way, that you
22 remember that this discussion with Mr. Zwirn
happened on September 15th, 2006?
23 MR. SIFFERT: Objection.
A. I just happen to remember. There
24 were -- there were a number of events that
occurred in that short window of time that I seem
25 to have specific recollection of, but obviously 09:46:41
there are other things I don't.
EFTA01165421
16
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. So between September 5th and October
5th, did you hear any other news about Mr. Gruss's
3 job performance or any investigation about him or
any issue with the management company?
4 MR. O'BRIEN: I take it you mean
September 15.
5 MR. SUSMAN: Did I -- I did mean 09:47:02
September 15. Sorry.
6 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Repeat the question.
7 Q. I'll ask the question again. Between
September 15th, 2006, and October 5th, 2006, did
8 you hear any additional information about
Mr. Gruss's job performance or any issues at the
9 management company in terms of how it was being
run?
10 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 09:47:32
Q. Any problems?
11 A. I was not aware of any problems
associated with Mr. Gruss's performance.
12 Q. Essentially you had a discussion with
Mr. Zwirn on September 15th where he mentioned he
13 might want to make some changes, and October 5th
you go to lunch with Mr. Cutler and he tells you
14 Perry Gruss is going to have to leave, you come
back from lunch, and you're offered his job on
15 October 5th? 09:48:00
MR. SIFFERT: Objection as to form.
16 Q. Is that --
A. I'm not sure whether that was a
17 question or a statement.
Q. Is that the chronology? Do I have it
18 right?
MR. SIFFERT: Objection as to form.
19 A. Those two events occurred on those two
dates, yes.
20 Q. I just want to make sure I'm not 09:48:17
missing any events that occurred between September
21 15th and October 5th relative to your becoming
CFO.
22 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Well, once again, define "events."
23 Q. Any conversations you had with anyone
else, any information you learned in the interim
24 that gave you some indication you might become the
CFO or have some leadership role.
25 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 09:48:45
A. Part of the September 15th and
EFTA01165422
17
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 subsequent September 18th conversation with Dan,
as I previously mentioned, Dan suggested I speak
3 with Perry and some others with regard to learning
about the firm's operations and its finances and
4 in particular to spend time with Lawrence Cutler
to learn about a number of the operational changes
5 that were planned. 09:49:21
Q. You mentioned there was a September
6 18th discussion with Dan? What was that
discussion about?
7 A. On the 15th he mentioned the idea that
he wanted me to think about that he wanted to
8 discuss with his partners. On the 18th we had a
confirmation discussion that I was interested in
9 taking on the additional role, and he conferred to
me that his partners were in agreement with him.
10 Q. By the 18th when you said you were 09:50:04
interested in taking on the additional role, did
11 you understand that role was going to be the CFO?
A. At that point in time, no. I thought
12 the role would be more of a president- or CEO-type
role sometime in the future.
13 Q. Did you actually talk to Mr. Gruss
between September 15th, say, and October 5th,
14 2006?
A. Yes.
15 Q. And what did you talk to him about? 09:50:30
A. I recall a couple of conversations and
16 a breakfast meeting where I was trying to gather
as much information as I could from him about the
17 firm and the funds and its finances and inner
workings.
18 Q. Did he ask you why you were asking for
this information?
19 A. No, he did not.
Q. Had you ever asked for that kind of
20 information from him before? 09:51:09
A. No.
21 Q. Did you also meet with Mr. Cutler?
A. Yes.
22 Q. How many times do you think you met
with him during -- between September 15th and
23 October 5th in an effort to learn more about the
firm's management?
24 A. I can't recall how many times.
Q. And Mr. Gruss during this time period
25 never, in any of your discussions, let on that he 09:51:38
was under some kind of investigation, perhaps, or
EFTA01165423
18
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 that his job might be in jeopardy?
A. No.
3 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. You say you talked to Mr. Gruss about
4 the firm's finances. By that do you mean the
management company's finances or do you also
5 include the funds' finances? 09:52:00
A. I would say all of the above.
6 Q. During those conversations did
Mr. Gruss tell you anything about the liquidity
7 needs of the funds, the onshore and offshore
funds?
8 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. No.
9 Q. Did he express any concern to you that
the funds did not have a lot of liquidity?
10 A. Not that I can recall. 09:52:38
Q. So on October 5th you were offered the
11 job of acting CFO; is that right?
A. Yes.
12 Q. Did you get a pay raise?
A. At that point in time, no.
13 Q. Mr. Cutler had explained to you that
there was this issue with the airplane and the
14 fund expenses that had been the subject of an
internal investigation. He explained that to you
15 at lunch; right? 09:53:19
A. It was management fees, not fund
16 expenses.
Q. And you understood it was prepayment --
17 early payment of management fees --
A. Yeah.
18 Q. -- that had occurred, was an issue?
A. Yes.
19 Q. And was that the first you'd ever heard
of investor money being used to finance an
20 airplane purchase? 09:53:39
A. Yes.
21 Q. And was it also the first you ever
heard of the early payment of management fees?
22 A. Yes.
Q. Did anybody explain to you why the
23 management fees had been paid earlier or what the
explanation that had been given for that practice
24 was?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
25 MR. O'BRIEN: Since the question 09:54:04
doesn't have a time frame, I'm going to direct
EFTA01165424
19
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 you to not, in your answer, communicate
something that was communicated to you by
3 counsel.
A. I recall Lawrence saying that on a
4 number of occasions management fees were taken
after they were accrued but prior to when they
5 were payable. 09:54:37
Q. Did Lawrence explain to you or tell you
6 what the explanation was for why that had
occurred?
7 A. I can't really recall at that point in
time.
8 Q. After you became the acting CFO on
October 5th, was that news then conveyed to all
9 the other employees that day or the next day?
A. It was conveyed on October 9th.
10 Q. What was the reason for delaying from 09:55:14
October 5th to October 9th to tell the employees
11 that you were the acting CFO?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
12 A. There was a strategy to make a
comprehensive announcement to the employees about
13 Perry's departure and other organizational
changes.
14 Q. After the announcement was made that
you would be acting CFO, did you then make any
15 effort to contact investors in the funds or 09:55:59
managed accounts to let them know about your new
16 job responsibilities?
A. There was no effort on my part.
17 Q. I understand there were a series of
investor calls to inform investors, roughly about
18 October 10th or October 11th. Do you recall that
happening?
19 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. My understanding is that Dan and
20 possibly others from the IR department made a 09:56:35
number of investor calls I believe starting on
21 October 9th.
Q. Did you participate in any of those
22 investor calls in any way?
A. I don't recall participating in any of
23 those round of calls.
Q. When did you first hear that there had
24 been advances made from the offshore fund to the
onshore fund and from some of the managed accounts
25 to the onshore fund? 09:57:09
A. On October 9th.
EFTA01165425
20
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Was it before or after the announcement
of your new job and that Perry was gone?
3 A. After.
Q. Was the announcement in a conference
4 room?
A. It was in Dan's office with a number of
5 employees dialed in globally. 09:57:36
Q. On a conference call?
6 A. Yes.
Q. After that meeting how did you then
7 come to learn about the advances from the offshore
fund to the onshore fund?
8 A. Lawrence came to my office, said that
he had had a conversation with Alisa Butchkowski
9 and that Alisa had told him that when her prior
boss, LeeAnn Law, left in the summer of 2006 that
10 LeeAnn had told her that the offshore fund was 09:58:42
owed money from the onshore fund and that two of
11 the accounting employees, Jason Pecora [phonetic]
and Phil Ryu, also knew about it.
12 Q. How much was the amount of these -- the
money that was owed at that point?
13 A. As of that moment, I didn't know.
Q. Did Larry give you any indication of
14 how large a sum it was?
A. I can't recall.
15 MR. SIFFERT: Lawrence? 09:59:34
MR. SUSMAN: Lawrence? Is that what it
16 is? Fair enough.
Q. What was your reaction to Mr. Cutler
17 telling you about what Alisa had told him?
A. Surprise.
18 Q. And then did Mr. Cutler explain to you
when he'd had this conversation with Alisa?
19 A. It was shortly after the firm
announcement.
20 Q. So after you had this conversation with 10:00:17
Mr. Cutler, what did y'all do about this
21 information you'd learn from Alisa?
A. We asked Alisa to come up to my office,
22 and also Bob Sumberac, and we asked Alisa to
repeat what she had told Lawrence just earlier.
23 Q. Did she repeat to you the same thing
that Mr. Cutler had conveyed?
24 A. Yes.
Q. After you had this discussion with
25 Alisa, what did y'all then do? 10:00:54
A. We asked Jason Pecora to come up to my
EFTA01165426
21
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 office, and we asked Alisa to yet again explained
what she had just explained. And then we asked
3 Jason what he knew about this issue that Alisa had
brought to our attention.
4 Q. Did Jason confirm what Alisa had said?
A. Jason said he had no idea what we were
5 talking about. 10:01:24
Q. So what happened after you had this
6 conversation with Jason and Alisa?
A. I asked Dan Zwirn and the other two
7 partners, Chris Swan and Vasan, into the office,
and we explained what had just happened in the
8 conversation with Alisa.
Q. And what was their reaction?
9 A. Dan had a look of utter surprise and
shock, screamed out some expletives. And then I
10 recall conversation about trying to figure out if 10:02:06
this was true and how do we figure this out.
11 Q. Did y'all come up with a plan to try to
figure out if it was true?
12 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. My recollection is that the first step
13 we would take would be for Bob Sumberac, who was
the controller, to dig into the firm's accounting
14 systems and ledgers to see if he could figure out
whether this was true or not.
15 Q. So you tasked Bob with going and trying 10:02:40
to dig through the fund's ledgers to see if there
16 were in fact these monies owed?
A. Yes.
17 Q. And did Bob do that?
A. Over the course of the next two days,
18 yes.
Q. Did he report back in some form?
19 A. Well, we had multiple conversations
over the course of those two days.
20 Q. Was it all oral? Was there anything 10:03:14
written that was prepared by Mr. Sumberac and
21 given to you or Mr. Zwirn?
A. I recall a spreadsheet that he put
22 together at some point during those two days.
Q. So that takes us to roughly like
23 October 11th, thereabouts?
A. Yes
24 Q. Did the spreadsheet show the
outstanding balance of the advance from the
25 offshore fund to the onshore fund? 10:03:57
A. The first analysis showed an estimated
EFTA01165427
22
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 balance of 108 million.
Q. Did that balance materially change over
3 the subsequent weeks?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
4 A. With regard to what we believed the
onshore fund owed the offshore fund, no.
5 Q. Was there at this point any indication 10:04:40
that there had also been advances from the managed
6 accounts or the TE fund?
A. As of October 11th, no.
7 Q. When did you discover that there had
also been advances from the Highbridge managed
8 account and the TE fund?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
9 A. The weekend of the 14th and 15th, we
discovered that there was possibly a balance of
10 approximately 50 million owed from the onshore 10:05:14
fund to the Highbridge account. And we also
11 thought that there might be balances owed from the
onshore to the TE account as well.
12 Q. How did you discover the $50 million
advance from the Highbridge account to the onshore
13 fund?
A. We had engaged Deloitte & Touche that
14 week to assist us; and as part of some analyses
and work that we saw, a wire transfer.
15 Q. When did Deloitte & Touche get hired, 10:06:31
roughly, relative to October 9th, when you first
16 heard about the issue from Alisa?
A. It was either that Thursday or that
17 Friday, so either the 12th or the 13th.
They were engaged by Fried Frank, so I
18 don't know if --
Q. So Fried Frank was also hired roughly
19 after -- shortly after October 9th?
A. Yes.
20 Q. Did you participate in any of the 10:07:20
meetings to discuss what would be disclosed to
21 investors during the October 9th, 10th, and 11th
series of calls?
22 A. No.
Q. By the way, when you found out about
23 these advances to the onshore fund, did it cause
you concern that this had occurred?
24 A. Yes.
Q. And why?
25 A. Why -- I don't understand your 10:07:54
question.
EFTA01165428
23
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. What about it was of concern to you?
A. It caused a lot of concerns. One of
3 the concerns that was prominent was did we have an
accurate NAV calculation.
4 Q. Any other concerns?
A. Yes, of course.
5 Q. Such as? 10:08:38
A. The quality of the books and records.
6 Q. Anything else?
A. I'm not sure -- do you want me to list
7 out all the emotions I went through that week?
Q. Not really the emotions as much as the
8 issues that were potentially raised by having
these loans or advances.
9 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Well, as I said, the primary concern
10 was did we have an accurate NAV. If we did not 10:09:17
have an accurate NAV, then there were a lot of,
11 you know, consequences.
Q. Was there any -- were you concerned
12 that -- about how investors would react to hearing
about it?
13 A. That would be one of the consequences.
Q. But whether or not there was an
14 accurate NAV calculation, might investors be
upset? Did you believe investors might be upset
15 about this having occurred? 10:09:50
A. Yes.
16 Q. Were there any tax issues that were
raised by having these loans or advances occur?
17 MR. O'BRIEN: Does your question have
any time frame?
18 MR. SUSMAN: Sure this October of 2006
time period.
19 MR. O'BRIEN: The whole month?
MR. SUSMAN: Yeah.
20 MR. SIFFERT: Well, the concern I 10:10:09
have --
21 MR. SUSMAN: Look, guys, I'm letting
you all do this, but you've got to stop it.
22 Okay? Object to form. Don't -- you can
quibble with the question all you want.
23 MR. SIFFERT: To the extent these
involve privileged conversations -- we're
24 trying to avoid privilege, Harry. That's the
issue.
25 MR. SUSMAN: So just instruct him. 10:10:30
MR. SIFFERT: It's not disruptive.
EFTA01165429
24
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. O'BRIEN: Just instruct him, he
said.
3 MR. SIFFERT: I'm not obstructing.
MR. SUSMAN: Just instruct him.
4 MR. SIFFERT: Okay. Don't report
anything about conversations with counsel on
5 these topics. 10:10:46
A. Tax issues would be privileged.
6 Q. After October 14th when you also
discovered that there might be money from
7 Highbridge's managed account that had been
advanced plus you thought there was an issue with
8 the TE fund, were you involved in attempting to
document these loans or advances so that there was
9 some piece of paper that actually memorialized,
such as a note?
10 A. Yes. 10:11:29
Q. Were in fact notes prepared that
11 obligated the onshore fund to repay the money at
some point in time?
12 A. Yes.
Q. Why didn't you just have the onshore
13 fund repay the money as opposed to entering
into a -- a loan agreement that would allow
14 repayment over some period of time?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
15 You may answer. 10:12:14
A. The onshore fund did not necessarily
16 have the liquidity at that point in time to repay
it quickly.
17 Q. There was a second series of investor
phone calls like at the end of October; is that
18 correct?
A. Yes.
19 Q. Did you participate in those, any of
those calls?
20 A. Yes. 10:12:43
Q. How many of them did you participate
21 in?
A. I can't recall specific number.
22 Q. Was your role to speak during the call
or were you just there listening?
23 A. The vast majority of the calls I
listened.
24 Q. Who else listened with you?
A. It was split amongst Elise Hubsher and
25 I believe Lawrence Cutler. 10:13:21
Q. Did you listen to a call that involved
EFTA01165430
25
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Financial Trust Corporation or Jeffrey Epstein?
A. No, I did not, did not.
3 Q. What was the reaction of the investors
on the call that you did listen in on?
4 A. Vast majority were supportive.
Q. Were any agitated or upset?
5 A. I do not recall any of the calls in 10:14:15
which I listened in on an investor openly
6 expressing agitation.
Q. Did you hear from Ms. Hubsher,
7 Mr. Cutler, or Mr. Zwirn that there had been other
investors who were agitated during these calls,
8 during calls that you didn't listen to?
A. The only one I can recall was the call
9 that he had with Financial Trust.
Q. What were you told about the call that
10 he had with Financial Trust? 10:15:02
A. I recall Dan mentioning that Jeffrey
11 was upset.
Q. Did Mr. Zwirn tell you anything more
12 than Jeffrey Epstein was upset?
A. I can't recall specifically with regard
13 to that particular call what else was said.
Q. We're talking about the second set of
14 investor calls Mr. Zwirn told you after he had had
one with Financial Trust that Mr. Epstein was
15 upset? 10:15:59
A. Yes.
16 Q. At that point you knew who Financial
Trust was and who Mr. Epstein was relative -- that
17 they were a big investor in the fund; is that
right?
18 A. Yes.
Q. Did Mr. Zwirn tell you what he planned
19 to do about Mr. Epstein's being upset?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
20 A. That he was going to call Glenn. 10:16:17
Q. Glenn?
21 A. Glenn Dubin.
Q. Did you know who Glenn Dubin was at
22 that point?
A. Yes.
23 Q. Had you ever spoken yourself to Glenn
Dubin?
24 A. I don't recall speaking to Glenn prior
to that second call to investors directly.
25 Q. I don't mean in any capacity. Had he 10:16:44
ever made an investment where you spoke to him at
EFTA01165431
26
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 any point in time?
A. I don't recall speaking to him before
3 that.
Q. Did Mr. Zwirn explain to you why he was
4 going to talk to Mr. Dubin about Mr. Epstein being
upset?
5 A. I recall that Glenn had a close 10:17:05
relationship with Jeffrey and that Dan almost
6 always conferred with Glenn on matters related to
Jeffrey.
7 Q. In between the time of the second --
the first set of calls and the second set of
8 calls, before you made the second set of calls,
you reached out to lenders to the fund; correct?
9 A. Yes.
Q. Who was -- I think it's KBC? Do I have
10 the initials right? 10:17:52
A. Yes. That was one of the lenders.
11 Q. It was a lender to both the onshore and
offshore fund?
12 A. Yes.
Q. Were they the biggest lender?
13 A. No.
Q. What kind of liquidity did they provide
14 to the funds?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
15 A. As of that particular day, they were 10:18:15
actually not a lender. We had a credit agreement
16 that was in the process of being closed.
Q. Did you reach out to them because you
17 were concerned that the issues with Gruss had
potentially -- strike that.
18 Did you have any problems with any of
the lenders when you told them about the Perry
19 Gruss issues or these interfund notes?
A. No.
20 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. 10:18:50
Q. You've told me you heard Mr. Epstein
21 was upset after the second investor call. When
was the first time that you heard that Mr. Epstein
22 wanted or was asking for some of his money back
from the fund?
23 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I believe there was a letter faxed to
24 us around November 13th.
Q. I'm going so to show you what was
25 previously marked as Exhibit 5. Is that the 10:19:59
letter?
EFTA01165432
27
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 (Discussion off the record.)
MR. SUSMAN: I'm not going to ask him
3 about the document other than is that the
letter you're referring to.
4 MR. ARFFA: What's the exhibit number?
MR. SUSMAN: It's Exhibit 5.
5 A. Yes. 10:20:20
Q. Prior to seeing Exhibit 5, had you
6 heard from any source that Mr. Epstein might want
some of his money back from the fund?
7 A. I don't recall that I had heard he
wanted his money back prior to this letter.
8 Q. Now, you had told me during the second
set of calls that I think none of the investors
9 who you listened to were upset or agitated, were
supportive.
10 Did you hear from Mr. Zwirn or 10:21:04
Mr. Cutler or Ms. Hubsher that any of the
11 investors on the calls they had listened to had
asked for any of their money back?
12 A. No, I don't recall anyone asking for
their money back around those calls.
13 Q. And certainly in the calls you listened
to, did any of the investors ask for their money
14 back?
A. Not that I recall.
15 Q. Prior to receiving Exhibit 5, had you 10:21:40
dealt with any investors attempting to redeem from
16 the fund?
A. I don't believe so.
17 MR. SUSMAN: I think we've been going
for about an hour and 20 minutes. Do you want
18 to take a break? Or keep going? Whatever you
want to do.
19 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: There's eight
minutes left on the video.
20 MR. SUSMAN: Let's go eight more 10:22:14
minutes.
21 Q. Exhibit 5, how did you come to see it
first? Did it arrive on the fax machine and
22 someone deliver it to you or did somebody
specifically bring it to your attention?
23 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't remember.
24 Q. After you saw Exhibit 5, did you
participate in the discussions about Mr. Epstein's
25 $80 million request, on or about November 13th? 10:22:44
A. Can you be more specific? Participate
EFTA01165433
28
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 with whom?
Q. Were there any discussions either on
3 November 13th or, say, the next day that you
remember about Mr. Epstein's $80 million request?
4 A. I recall us having discussions about
this letter shortly after receiving it.
5 Q. And who were those discussions with 10:23:11
that you recall?
6 A. I believe it included counsel.
Q. All of the discussions had included
7 counsel that you remember?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
8 A. I can't remember conversations that
didn't include counsel.
9 Q. Did you have any discussions on
November 13th, that day or the next day, with
10 anyone from Mr. Epstein's office about -- 10:24:02
specifically about the $80 million request?
11 A. I recall a telephone call with Harry
Beller.
12 Q. And what do you recall from that
conversation?
13 A. My recollection was I told Harry that
their investment was subject to a lockup agreement
14 and that there was a schedule of when certain
tranches of their investment were eligible to be
15 redeemed and that there certainly was no ability 10:24:44
nor right for them to receive an immediate
16 liquidated cash interest.
Q. Other than the conversation you just
17 told me about, did you have any other
conversations with Harry Beller about Mr. Epstein
18 redeeming on November 13th or November 14th, let's
say?
19 A. I only recall one conversation with
Harry during this time frame with this letter.
20 Q. From the description of the 10:25:19
conversation, had you already received the letter,
21 the $80 million request, at the time you had the
conversation?
22 A. I believe it was in response to
receiving the letter.
23 Q. And, for example, that's why you recall
having discussion with him that he could not
24 immediately redeem the money, which is one of --
what the Exhibit 5 actually requests?
25 A. Yes. 10:25:41
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
EFTA01165434
29
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Okay.
If you look at Exhibit 5, the next page
3 of it, you'll see there's a fax confirm there that
shows that it was sent around 6 o'clock at night
4 in the evening.
A. Okay.
5 Q. So this conversation with Mr. Beller 10:25:58
had to either have occurred later on the evening
6 of November 13th or sometime on the 14th; is that
fair?
7 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I just don't recall specifically what
8 time.
Q. I want to make sure I've got your
9 memory of the conversation. You told Mr. Beller
that the -- Mr. Epstein's investments were subject
10 to lockups. Do you remember that? 10:26:42
A. Yes.
11 Q. And that there was no right to
immediately withdraw?
12 A. Yes.
Q. What else do you recall from the
13 conversation?
A. I recall Harry saying Jeffrey wants his
14 bait back, and that he'll let the profit ride.
Q. Anything else you recall?
15 A. No. 10:27:22
Q. I think you testified that you told him
16 that there was -- did you -- strike that.
When you said the investment was
17 subject to a lockup agreement, did you explain to
him what the lockup agreement was?
18 A. I don't recall getting into the
specifics of the lockup agreement.
19 Q. What did Mr. Beller say to you in
response to your saying the investment was subject
20 to a lockup agreement? 10:27:49
A. The only thing I can recall Harry
21 saying is that Jeffrey wants his bait back.
Q. I think you testified you told
22 Mr. Beller there was a schedule for his -- for --
some schedule?
23 A. Yes, that the redemptions were subject
to a lockup agreement that had tranches with dates
24 associated with it.
Q. PF had Mr. Beller seen the schedule
25 that you were talking about? 10:28:23
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection.
EFTA01165435
30
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. As far as you know?
A. I don't know.
3 Q. Did you offer to send him the schedule?
A. I don't recall.
4 Q. Did he ask to see the schedule that you
referenced?
5 A. Not that I recall. 10:28:36
Q. How did the conversation with
6 Mr. Beller end?
A. I can't recall.
7 MR. SUSMAN: All right. Let's take a
break.
8 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're off the
record. The time is 10:28. This is the end
9 of Tape 1.
(Recess taken from 10:28 to 10:43.)
10 (Mr. Indyke joins proceedings.) 10:41:11
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're back on the
11 record. The time is 10:43. This is the
beginning of Tape 2.
12 Q. Mr. Lee, after you had the conversation
with Harry Beller that you discussed, did you tell
13 anyone about the conversation?
A. I most certainly would have.
14 Q. Would you have told Dan Zwirn?
A. Yes.
15 Q. Do you remember what his reaction was? 10:44:09
A. No, I don't recall.
16 Q. Did Mr. Zwirn indicate to you whether
he had also talked to Harry Beller?
17 A. I don't recall.
Q. I want to focus sort of on the time
18 period shortly after you got the $80 million
request. Did you participate in any discussions
19 where Glenn Dubin was present or participated in
some way, about the request?
20 A. I recall at least one but maybe more 10:44:56
than one conversation that Dan had with Glenn, but
21 I was not on the line. I was sitting in his
office.
22 Q. So you were sitting in Dan's office
while Dan was talking to Glenn?
23 A. Yes.
Q. And it was not on a conference call, so
24 you were just hearing Dan talking to -- his side
of the conversation?
25 A. Yes. 10:45:30
Q. When did these conversations occur?
EFTA01165436
31
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. Sometime around this date of November
13th.
3 Q. And you just happened to be in
Mr. Zwirn's office when he called Mr. Dubin up?
4 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. I don't recall exactly why I was in his
5 office. 10:45:57
Q. And what do you recall from listening
6 to those conversations between Mr. Zwirn and
Mr. Dubin about the $80 million request?
7 A. My recollection was Dan was asking
Glenn to have Jeffrey back down.
8 Q. Did Mr. Zwirn make this request to get
Jeffrey to back do you know more than once to
9 Mr. Dubin?
A. I can't recall.
10 Q. Do you recall the substance of what 10:4:-:0=
Mr. Zwirn was saying to Mr. Dubin to get him to
11 get Jeffrey to back down?
A. I recall Dan explaining to Glenn or --
12 well, let me rephrase that -- asking Glenn to
explain to Jeffrey that he wasn't entitled to
13 immediate payment and that the funds were illiquid
in its investment strategy and that people
14 couldn't just withdraw their money on demand. But
that was in the context of Dan trying to have
15 Glenn explain that to Jeffrey. 10:47:49
Q. Is there anything else you recall from
16 the conversations you listened in on, or at least
listened in on the Dan side of the conversation
17 with Mr. Dubin?
A. I remember Dan saying the last thing we
18 need is a lawsuit from Jeffrey.
Q. After Mr. Zwirn had these calls with
19 Mr. Dubin, did Mr. Zwirn hang up the phone and
tell you what Glenn said to him?
20 A. I believe he did. 10:48:37
Q. What do you recall Mr. Zwirn telling
21 you Mr. Dubin had said to him on the call?
A. That I don't remember exactly.
22 Q. Just so I'm clear, is it you recall one
call or two calls where you were listening to the
23 Zwirn side of a conversation with Mr. Dubin about
the $80 million request?
24 A. I recall more than one call, but I
can't remember if it was two, three, four.
25 Q. It may have been multiple calls that 10:49:08
you recall listening to, at least sitting in the
EFTA01165437
32
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 office listening to, with Mr. Dubin about the 80
million?
3 A. As I think about it, I think there was
some iteration in the process.
4 Q. This series of calls occurred after you
received the written demand for $80 million or
5 before? 10:49:37
A. There may have been a call before
6 receiving the letter having to do with Jeffrey
being upset.
7 Q. As I understood your testimony earlier
was that until you got the $80 million written
8 request you were unaware that Mr. Epstein wanted
to withdraw his money; is that right?
9 A. That's my recollection.
Q. Am I correct that the calls that you
10 would have listened to between Mr. Zwirn and 10:50:18
Mr. Dubin about Mr. Epstein's request to withdraw
11 money must have occurred after you got Exhibit 5?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
12 A. With regard to the 80 million request,
that would be my recollection.
13 Q. Do you recall that -- had Mr. Epstein
made some other different request to withdraw
14 money prior to the $80 million request?
A. I don't recall Mr. Epstein making a
15 withdraw to -- or making a request to withdraw 10:51:01
money from the funds prior to this.
16 Q. During the conversations that you
listened to with Dan and Glenn, did Mr. Zwirn ever
17 reference any conversations that he had had with
Mr. Epstein?
18 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. About withdrawing money.
19 A. Not about withdrawing money. I don't
recall any conversations that Dan relayed to me.
20 Q. Did you participate in any 10:51:59
conversations with Chris Swan about Mr. Epstein's
21 withdraw request in the November 2006 time period?
By that I mean any -- were you a participant in
22 any conversation where Chris Swan was present?
MR. O'BRIEN: Can you just terminate
23 the question to be that as a whole?
MR. SUSMAN: Yes.
24 Q. During November 2006 do you recall
participating in any discussions where Chris --
25 about the $80 million request where Chris Swan was 10:52:26
present?
EFTA01165438
33
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. SIFFERT: Again, not privileged
conversations.
3 MR. SUSMAN: It can be either/or. I
just want to know who was there.
4 A. Many times there were multiple people
in the room. I can't recall specifically any time
5 Chris was in the room; I can't specifically say he 10:52:48
was never in the room.
6 Q. How many conversations can you recall
discussions that occurred within the Zwirn
7 operation -- strike that.
During November 2006 how many
8 conversations do you recall occurred for the
purpose of discussing this $80 million request of
9 Mr. Epstein's?
A. Specifically with regard to this
10 request, I can't recall, but I would say numerous. 10:53:29
Q. Just so make sure I'm clear, other than
11 this conversation that you listened to between
Mr. Dubin and Mr. Zwirn, were any of those
12 conversations ones where lawyers were not present?
A. I can't recall.
13 Q. Did you ever listen to any conversation
between Mr. Zwirn and Mr. Epstein about his
14 request to withdraw money during November 2006?
A. I don't recall. I don't believe I did.
15 Q. How about any conversation between 10:54:25
Mr. Zwirn and Mr. Beller about the $80 million
16 request?
A. I don't recall.
17 Q. Did you take any notes of the
conversations that you listened to where Dan was
18 talking to Glenn?
A. No.
19 Q. By the way, the conversation that you
say you had with Harry Beller about the $80
20 million request, did you call Mr. Beller or did he 10:54:59
call you?
21 A. I believe I called him.
Q. How did you know to call him about --
22 let me ask. Did you know who Harry Beller was --
A. Yes.
23 Q. -- prior to -- when did you first learn
who Harry Beller was?
24 A. I believe sometime in October.
Q. Okay. And who told you who he was?
25 A. People in the IR department. 10:55:26
Q. And what did they tell you?
EFTA01165439
34
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. Dan also told me.
That he was cagey, be very careful what
3 you say to him.
Q. They also explained to you that
4 Mr. Beller represented Mr. Epstein --
A. Yes.
5 Q. -- in some capacity? 10:55:53
A. Yes.
6 Q. Did you understand what capacity
Mr. Beller represented Mr. Epstein in?
7 A. At that point in time, I thought he was
a tax accountant for Mr. Epstein.
8 Q. So after you received Exhibit 5, the
$80 million request, why did you call Mr. Beller
9 up, the tax accountant, to discuss it?
A. I recall having had other conversations
10 with Harry prior to this, and so therefore I felt 10:56:24
I had a direct relationship with him
11 telephonically.
Q. So you had had discussions with
12 Mr. Beller about other matters related to the FTC
investment --
13 A. Yes.
Q. -- prior to the 80 million?
14 A. Yes.
Q. What were those discussions about?
15 A. He wanted to understand -- or wanted to 10:56:46
know what the monthly performance was in October,
16 again in early November, and I would explain to
him that the nature of the funds' assets being
17 illiquid resulted in our being able to provide
performance data lagged substantially.
18 He also asked me a number of questions
about New York State-sourced income.
19 Q. So as I understand it, you had had
enough conversations with Mr. Beller that you felt
20 like he was your point of contact at FTC, so 10:57:37
that's why you called him about the $80 million
21 request?
A. Yes.
22 Q. Did you make any effort to contact
Mr. Epstein directly?
23 A. No.
Q. Did somebody ask you to call Mr. Beller
24 about the $80 million request or did you do it on
your own initiative?
25 A. I can't recall. 10:58:07
Q. Did anybody -- do you recall anyone
EFTA01165440
35
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 talking about calling Mr. Epstein up directly to
request him about the $80 million request?
3 A. I don't recall.
Q. So after these calls that you listened
4 to with Mr. Zwirn where he's talking to Mr. Dubin,
what do you recall happening next with
5 Mr. Epstein's $80 million request? 10:58:39
A. I recall hearing through Dan, through
6 Glenn, that Jeffrey was very concerned that if he
couldn't have his $80 million right away then the
7 NAV must not be valid. He wanted to understand
how he came to value the assets and came up with a
8 net asset value.
MR. O'BRIEN: I'm sorry, had you
9 finished your answer?
THE WITNESS: No.
10 Q. Sorry. 10:59:29
A. And I can't recall specifically whether
11 this occurred before or after the 80 million
request. Jeffrey wanted to speak to Harry Davis
12 at Schulte Roth specifically with regard to why
Dan's disclosure in early October didn't allude to
13 the items that were in the disclosure in late
October, and then that Jeffrey wanted to meet with
14 PwC and Fried Frank to understand the NAV, and
that PwC being the auditor would not speak to
15 investors so that we would have Deloitte make a 11:00:29
presentation as to how the NAV was calculated.
16 Q. And that meeting was -- a meeting was
set up for you to make a presentation to
17 Mr. Epstein; correct?
A. Yes, yes, an appointment was made for
18 sometime that following week, which then had to be
rescheduled for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
19 (Pause.)
Q. So at the time the meeting was
20 scheduled, thereabouts, did you understand that 11:01:37
Mr. Epstein was -- strike that.
21 At some point was Mr. Epstein's -- his
redemption request was still outstanding. He had
22 made it in writing and not retracted it; correct?
MR. SIFFERT: Objection to form.
23 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. At some point did you hear or did you
24 learn that Mr. Epstein was formally going to
retract his $80 million request?
25 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection. 11:02:10
Q. Was going to agree to withdraw it?
EFTA01165441
36
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
3 A. I was informed sometime in December of
that year, through Dan, through Glenn Dubin, which
4 was a call I did not participate on, that Jeffrey
wanted to move or assign Financial Trust's
5 interest on the onshore fund to a newly formed New 11:02:47
York C Corp. because of some New York
6 State-sourced income issue he was concerned with
and that if we accommodated his request, because
7 the GP could refuse such a request, that the
redemption issue would go away.
8 Q. Mr. Zwirn informed you of this
agreement that Mr. Epstein had agreed to; you did
9 not participate in it being -- the deal being
struck, if you will?
10 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 11:03:35
A. Correct.
11 Q. You just heard about it second- or
thirdhand?
12 A. Yes.
Q. And the way Mr. Zwirn described it was
13 that it was some arrangement that had been agreed
to between Jeffrey and Glenn Dubin; is that right?
14 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. I don't know if "agreement's" the word.
15 I was informed that if we accommodated this 11:03:53
request the redemption issue would go away, were
16 the words I remember.
Q. When you were informed that, had
17 Mr. Zwirn decided whether to accommodate
Mr. Epstein's request to transfer the interest?
18 A. He asked me to look into whether we
could do it because they wanted to do it postdated
19 to 1/1/06.
Q. And you did look into it; correct?
20 A. Yes. 11:04:29
Q. And determined you could do it?
21 A. With certain representations from
Financial Trust that we could be comfortable in
22 doing it since we were within the same tax year.
Q. And you conveyed that news to
23 Mr. Zwirn -- is that right? -- that in fact you
could do -- you could accommodate the request?
24 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Yes.
25 Q. And did Mr. Zwirn indicate to you that 11:04:57
he was then going to accept Mr. Epstein's proposal
EFTA01165442
37
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 that he -- you cardiac date his request to
transfer the interest and he would withdraw the
3 redemption -- or the redemption issue would go
away?
4 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. My understanding was Dan was going to
5 inform Glenn and Glenn would inform Jeffrey. 11:05:21
Q. Did your accommodating Mr. Epstein's
6 request to transfer the interest from FTC to
JEEPERS, did that take time and effort and money
7 by D.B. Zwirn & Co.?
A. It took some time and some effort and
8 some amount of legal fees to outside counsel to
document.
9 Q. Okay.
Now, when Mr. Zwirn -- strike that.
10 As I understood your testimony, 11:06:12
Mr. Zwirn said that if Mr. Epstein would -- if the
11 fund would accommodate Mr. Epstein's request the
redemption issue would go away?
12 A. It's not the fund accommodating; it's
the GP of the fund.
13 Q. If the GP accommodated Mr. Epstein, the
redemption issue would go away; is that right?
14 A. Yes.
Q. And that occurred in December, this
15 conversation? 11:06:34
A. Yes.
16 Q. So as of December was the redemption
issue still there, still alive?
17 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
18 A. We never thought it was a redemption or
valid redemption, so we didn't look at it this
19 way. We just thought it was somebody demanding
his money back, which he wasn't entitled to. So
20 that's how we operated. 11:06:57
Q. Did you understand that if -- strike
21 that.
If Mr. Epstein did not say the
22 redemption issue would go away, was the GP willing
to go through this effort to nevertheless
23 accommodate his transfer of his interest?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
24 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't understand. Can you ask it
25 again? 11:07:40
Q. Yeah. As I -- you say that the general
EFTA01165443
38
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 partner accommodated Mr. Epstein's desire to
transfer the interest, and Mr. Epstein said that
3 the redemption issue would go away if you
accommodated him; right?
4 A. Through Glenn through Dan, yes.
Q. Okay.
5 If -- was the reason why -- one of the 11:08:01
reasons why you accommodated Mr. Epstein and went
6 through the effort of helping him transfer it
because you wanted him to make the redemption
7 issue go away? That was part of the deal, as you
understood it?
8 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. My recollection is that was the only
9 reason we would have accommodated the request from
Mr. Epstein.
10 Q. After the transfer of the interest in 11:08:43
December of '06/early '07 is when the documents
11 were signed. Does that sound right to you?
A. My recollection is it was executed
12 sometime in late December 2006.
Q. After that point in time when was the
13 next time that you heard that Mr. Epstein, if at
all, wanted his money back still?
14 A. I received a phone call message from
Harry on January 31st, 2007, when I returned. I
15 happened to be walking down the street in London, 11:09:25
so that's -- for some reason I have a specific
16 recollection. But he called and said, Where is
Jeffrey's money? I said, what do you mean? What
17 are you talking about? He said, Where is
Jeffrey's 80 million? I said, You're not entitled
18 to it and we accommodated your request -- transfer
request. We were told that if we did that you'd
19 stop making these demands, it would go away. He
said, I don't know what you're talking about on
20 these transfers issues. I just know Jeffrey asked 11:09:59
me where his 80 million was, so that's why I'm
21 calling you.
Q. So after you had this conversation with
22 Mr. Beller -- strike that.
What was your reaction to having this
23 call with Mr. Beller where he's saying, I want my
80 million, after you had understood Mr. Epstein
24 said it was going to go away?
A. I recall being quite angry.
25 Q. So how did you leave things with 11:10:29
Mr. Beller once you had this call with him on
EFTA01165444
39
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 January 31st?
A. Something along the lines of if you
3 want your money back, you have a lockup agreement
and a schedule of redemption dates, and you can
4 exercise it per the agreement.
Q. Did you convey the substance of your
5 conversation with Mr. Beller with Mr. Zwirn? 11:10:55
A. Yes, of course.
6 Q. What was his reaction?
A. Anger.
7 Q. Did he tell you what he was going to do
in response to having heard from Mr. Mr. Beller
8 that Mr. Epstein still wanted his 80 million back?
A. I believe he was going to call Glenn.
9 Q. This series of calls happened on like
January 31st is what you recall?
10 A. (Nods head.) 11:11:36
Q. What then happened to the $80 million
11 request that had been renewed? What's the next
thing you recall?
12 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. I can't recall whether there were
13 conversations that Dan relayed to me involving
Glenn and including his wife, whether they
14 occurred prior to February 14th or shortly
thereafter. But I don't recall being specifically
15 involved in any activities or discussions with 11:12:15
regard to Epstein until the morning that they sent
16 us a subsequent letter, which I think was on
February 14th.
17 Q. And what -- the letter you're referring
to is a letter that was sent on February 14th
18 where Mr. Epstein demanded all of his money back?
A. Yes.
19 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. The
document speaks for itself. But I think we
20 know what letter we're talking about. 11:12:39
Q. What caused you to get back involved
21 with Mr. Epstein's withdraw request on the morning
of February 14th?
22 A. My recollection is that Harry was
berating some of the junior staff in the IR
23 department about receiving some type of schedule
and that the schedule had an error on it. And
24 then Dan also -- I think Harry also called Dan and
wanted to see the redemption schedule, and I think
25 he wanted to see a comparison of the redemption 11:13:47
schedule, the current version, versus whatever had
EFTA01165445
40
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 been sent to him back in November.
I also recall a very heated
3 conversation between Dan and Harry where once
again I sat in Dan's office but was not on the
4 phone.
Q. What do you recall doing on the morning
5 of February 14th regarding Mr. Epstein's 11:14:34
redemption?
6 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't recall a redemption on the
7 morning of the 14th. What I recall was Harry
verbally abusing our IR staff with regard to
8 gathering certain information. So I decided to
run interference and started examining that
9 information, working directly with the staff to
make sure I understood what was right or wrong and
10 to make the corrections and to make sure that what 11:15:06
was sent to him was correct.
11 Q. And your memory is that the derating
or --
12 MR. ARFFA: Verbal abuse.
Q. -- verbal abuse of the IR staff had --
13 by Mr. Beller had to do with Mr. Epstein's
redemption rights?
14 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't believe it was with regard too
15 his rights. I think it was with regard to a 11:15:33
schedule and an error in a date on that schedule.
16 Q. The schedule was of what?
A. It was a schedule of eligible
17 redemption dates and investment tranches eligible
for that redemption date.
18 Q. So your memory is that Mr. Beller was
berating the staff prior to February 14th about a
19 schedule of redemption dates?
A. Yes.
20 Q. And you decided to -- and he was upset 11:16:13
that there was some sort of error on that
21 schedule?
A. Yes.
22 Q. And so as a consequence you decided to
run interference for them and start dealing with
23 Mr. Beller?
A. Well, that's -- I almost -- I always
24 tried to run interference with Mr. Beller, because
he had a history of being abusive to our junior
25 staff. So on prior occasions I had asked 11:16:44
Mr. Beller to only call me and not to call any of
EFTA01165446
41
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 our staff members.
Q. You mentioned that Mr. Beller had
3 wanted to see a comparison of the current version
of redemption schedule versus one he'd received
4 earlier?
A. Yes, I recall a request -- I can't
5 recall whether it was before or after Dan had some 11:17:23
conversation with Harry -- that we had to send a
6 comparison schedule.
Q. Okay.
7 So what did you do on the morning of
the 14th with regard to -- strike that.
8 So let's get the chronology right.
January 31st you heard from Mr. Beller that
9 Mr. Epstein wants his 80 million back; right?
A. (Nods head.)
10 Q. And on the -- at some point did you 11:17:53
hear from your staff that Mr. Beller was
11 complaining about some redemption schedule that
he'd received prior to February 14th?
12 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't recall Mr. Beller complaining
13 about a redemption schedule prior to February
14th. I don't recall.
14 Q. The complaints that Mr. Beller had
about the redemption schedule that you're talking
15 about, did those occur on February 14th? 11:18:29
A. I believe they did.
16 Q. They occurred in the hours right before
you got the letter from Mr. Epstein asking for a
17 full redemption; right?
A. I believe so.
18 Q. Now, after you got the February 14th
letter, did you participate in any discussions
19 with Mr. -- where Mr. Dubin was present about
Mr. Epstein's redemption?
20 A. I don't recall participating in any 11:19:22
conversations between Dan and Glenn where I was on
21 the phone line.
Q. You did not talk directly to Glenn?
22 A. With regard to Epstein, no.
Q. As I understand it, you -- did Dan
23 convey to you the substance of some conversations
he had with Glenn about Mr. Epstein's withdraw
24 request during February of 2007?
A. I believe so.
25 Q. And what do you recall Mr. Zwirn 11:19:55
telling you about those conversations?
EFTA01165447
42
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. Just the general context of my
recollection is that Glenn and Ava, his wife, were
3 going to try to talk Jeffrey off the ledge, was
the term being used in conveying the conversation
4 Q. Did you ever hear what had come of
those conversations?
5 A. I don't recall any resolution to the 11:20:30
conversations.
6 Q. Let me talk to you quickly about the
Highbridge managed account. Prior to becoming
7 CFO, did you have any involvement with the
Highbridge managed account?
8 A. No.
Q. Did you make any investments for the
9 Highbridge managed account?
A. I would make investments that would be
10 funded by the various funds, which may have 11:21:21
included the managed account, but I didn't have
11 any involvement with those allocation decisions.
Q. Who made the allocation decisions?
12 A. Prior to October of '06, I believe
allocation decisions were the primary
13 responsibility of Perry Gruss.
Q. Was there anyone in particular who was
14 responsible for managing the Highbridge managed
account within Zwirn? Is there someone who that
15 was their primary task? 11:21:59
A. Prior to October '06, I was not aware
16 of anyone whose main job was to manage that
managed account.
17 Q. Do you have any idea what role Glenn
Dubin had in managing the Highbridge managed
18 account?
A. Prior to October '06?
19 Q. Uh-huh.
A. No.
20 Q. When did you first hear that Highbridge 11:22:34
wanted to withdraw its money from the managed
21 account?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
22 A. At some point between October '06 and
January '07, I was made aware that Highbridge had
23 exercised an option to freeze 50 percent of their
account, but I can't recall whether that freeze
24 date was April '05 or April '06.
Q. Did you understand that --
25 MR. O'BRIEN: Have you finished 11:23:18
answering the question? Have you finished
EFTA01165448
43
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 your answer?
THE WITNESS: I haven't finished my
3 answer.
I believe they had an option to put a
4 hundred percent of their account into what we
call freeze mode, which is very different from
5 a liquidation or redemption, in April '07. We 11:23:38
received letters, the same letter addressed to
6 multiple parties at D.B. Zwirn, in January
2007 that instructed us to freeze their
7 account and to turn over management of that
account to Highbridge.
8 Q. Prior to that request in January of
2007, did you have any indication or hint that
9 Highbridge intended to try to have the account
actually liquidated or paid out to them or taken
10 away from D.B. Zwirn's role? 11:24:28
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. You
11 asked multiple questions there.
Q. Let me ask it this way: As I
12 understand it, you heard that Highbridge had asked
to freeze part of the account sometime in '06,
13 which meant that D.B. Zwirn would continue
managing it?
14 A. Yes, under -- under the agreement,
D.B. Zwirn was to manage it, even with a hundred
15 percent of the managed account in freeze mode. 11:24:50
Q. And at their discretion could liquidate
16 investments and pay them out, D.B. Zwirn could?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
17 A. Would manage out investments.
Q. When was the first time you heard that
18 Highbridge wanted to take over immediate control
of the account and take it away from D.B. Zwirn?
19 A. Sometime in late January of '07, we
received by hand messenger multiple -- a single
20 letter addressed to multiple parties at 11:25:22
D.B. Zwirn.
21 Q. Prior to receiving that lettered, did
you have any hint that Highbridge was going to
22 take that kind of action of immediately trying to
take control of the account?
23 A. No
Q. Were you familiar with -- strike that.
24 As of the end of '06, how did the
assets in the Highbridge managed account compare
25 to the assets held by the onshore fund, in terms 11:25:53
of the type of investments? Were they identical?
EFTA01165449
44
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. No, they were not identical.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
3 A. There was a tremendous amount of
overlap in holdings amongst the various funds in
4 the managed accounts with different allocations
based upon liquidity and tax issues. So nearly
5 every investment that was in the Highbridge 11:26:23
managed account was a participation in a larger
6 investment that were held by other funds of
D.B. Zwirn.
7 Q. As I understand it, a big chunk of what
was in the Highbridge managed account was an
8 investment in some German housing company that was
publicly traded?
9 A. Yes.
Q. Did the onshore fund and offshore fund
10 also have investments in that same company or was 11:26:52
that something that was unique to the Highbridge
11 managed account?
A. There was an investment in both funds
12 in that company.
Q. Given the overlap of investments
13 between the Highbridge managed account and what
was in the onshore and offshore fund, was there
14 any concern that if you tried to sell the
Highbridge -- the assets just in the managed
15 account that that would negatively impact the 11:27:27
onshore and offshore funds?
16 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. Absolutely. That was of great concern,
17 and that's one of the primary reasons, as I
understand it, why the investment management
18 agreements did not allow for immediate withdrawals
or liquidation of the Highbridge account and that
19 they would receive proceeds in the ordinary course
when realized but that terminating the account had
20 the practical efficacy of not allocating any new 11:28:01
investments to the Highbridge account.
21 Q. Would the opposite be true as well,
that if you sold a bunch of assets in the onshore
22 fund or offshore fund it could negatively impact
the Highbridge managed account?
23 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. It's quite possible.
24 Q. If you had a run on the onshore fund,
for example, and you had to liquidate investments
25 to pay investors back, could that cause Highbridge 11:28:27
to be unable to sell its assets?
EFTA01165450
45
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. Well, your question supposes a
3 hypothetical that couldn't happen because of the
redemption schedule in terms and lockups and the
4 ability for the general partner to gate, to
prevent a run on the bank from investors.
5 Q. If for whatever reason you needed to 11:28:53
liquidate assets in the onshore fund, for example,
6 could that make it harder for Highbridge to
liquidate its assets?
7 MR. ARFFA: Objection. I think that's
asked and answered.
8 A. You're asking me a hypothetical that
preconditions or presupposes the answer, so I
9 don't understand your question.
Q. I'm asking -- how does my hypothetical
10 presuppose a condition? 11:29:21
A. I said presupposes the answer.
11 Q. Which what?
A. Well, I interpret your question as
12 saying if it rains I'll get what. So I don't
understand your question.
13 Q. Because it follows logically if the
onshore fund has to liquidate its assets
14 Highbridge would have problems selling its assets?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection.
15 MR. ARFFA: Objection. 11:29:39
Q. Is that right?
16 A. Not necessarily have problems selling,
but it would potentially cause material harm in
17 value to the Highbridge assets.
Q. Because they're marked to market, and
18 if you have to have a fire sale of these assets,
that would then impact the value of the Highbridge
19 assets that they still held; is that right?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
20 A. That's a logical conclusion to your 11:30:00
hypothetical question.
21 (Discussion off the record.)
(Exhibit 60, DESCRIPTION, marked for
22 identification.)
Q. I'm going to show you Exhibit 60.
23 (Exhibit 61, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
24 Q. While we're on that, I'm going to show
you what we're marking as Exhibit 61.
25 Q. Do you recognize Exhibit 60 and 61? 11:31:11
A. Vaguely.
EFTA01165451
46
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Are the Exhibits 60 and 61 you
e-mailing to yourself these e-mails?
3 A. Oh, when at some point we were notified
there'd be potential litigation or arbitration, I
4 put together information for purposes of having it
handy by going through the D.B. Zwirn e-mail
5 system with certain screens. 11:32:11
Q. So in January of 2010, you had access
6 to everyone's -- or at least Mr. Zwirn's e-mail
account at Highbridge -- I mean at D.B. Zwirn; is
7 that right?
A. Yes, I had access to the entire
8 D.B. Zwirn e-mail system.
Q. Including the e-mails that were not
9 yours?
A. Yes.
10 Q. And you went -- and what did you do? 11:32:31
You went through those e-mails trying to find
11 e-mails that you thought might be relevant to a
dispute with Mr. Epstein?
12 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Yeah, I think so.
13 Q. These are -- right, these are two
e-mails from 2006 between Mr. Dubin and
14 Mr. Zwirn -- right? -- that you originally didn't
have any involvement in; right?
15 A. Correct. 11:33:07
Q. So what do you go back into the system
16 and search for Mr. Dubin's name and Mr. Epstein's
name?
17 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
Q. Let me strike that.
18 A. I can't remember exactly how I did it.
Q. How did you locate these e-mails, even?
19 A. There was -- there was a program on our
Outlook system where I could search by sender,
20 keywords, date ranges, a whole host of different 1 1 :33:
parameters.
21 Q. How much time did you spend searching
through these old e-mails?
22 A. I don't recall.
Q. Was it days?
23 A. I don't recall in terms of how many
days I spent or how much time per day I spent.
24 Q. Was it a big job? Did it take you many
hours?
25 A. I don't -- I didn't consider it a big 11:34:09
job. I did not -- I don't recall it taking up a
EFTA01165452
47
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 significant amount of time.
Q. Did someone ask you to do this?
3 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
Objection on privileged grounds, if there is a
4 privileged response to that.
THE WITNESS: Yeah, there is.
5 Q. Did counsel ask you to do this or did 11:34:30
you do it on your own initiative?
6 MR. O'BRIEN: I'm going to object to
that question on privileged grounds. You can
7 answer the question as to whether or not you
did it on your own initiative.
8 Q. Let me ask it this way: Were you given
a specific instruction by somebody to do this,
9 search through these e-mails? It's a "yes" or
"no."
10 A. It's not a "yes" or "no." I 11:35:08
volunteered that I could gather information to
11 counsel. Counsel said that would be good.
MR. O'BRIEN: Stop there.
12 THE WITNESS: Yeah.
(Exhibit 62, DESCRIPTION, marked for
13 identification.)
Q. Let me show you Exhibit 62. Have you
14 seen Exhibit 62 before?
A. I can't recall if I saw this specific
15 one. 11:36:10
Q. Did you participate in preparing state
16 of the firm talking points that was going to be
given on or about October 30th, 2006?
17 A. I recall being frequently active in
prepare state of the firm talking points. I do
18 not recall if I participated in this specific date
's talking points.
19 Q. Would Mr. Zwirn be the one to sort of
give the state of -- strike that.
20 Were these talking points for some 11:36:37
meeting of the firm employees?
21 A. It was common practice once a month on
Monday mornings to have a state of the firm
22 conference call, which could be attended in person
in the main conference room.
23 Q. And Mr. Zwirn would -- would he make
the presentation or would you?
24 A. Dan would.
Q. Number 2 on the talking points says
25 there have been some rumors about our firm needing 11:37:07
to sell assets in order to meet a large investor
EFTA01165453
48
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 redemption. These rumors are false.
Do you know what that's referring to?
3 A. Given that this was the Monday after we
had disclosed to the world our talking points
4 about the issues and the internal investigation we
were about to undertake, there were lots of rumors
5 out there, including pending newspaper articles 11:37:41
that we were aware were being prepared and made
6 those rumors that were false.
Q. So in other words there wasn't some
7 specific rumor about you needing to sell assets to
meet a large investor redemption?
8 A. There may have been. But as I said,
there were multiple rumors flying around that
9 weekend.
(Exhibit 63, DESCRIPTION, marked for
10 identification.) 11:38:23
Q. I'm going to show you real quick
11 Exhibit 63. You will recognize Exhibit 63 was the
promissory note from the onshore fund to the
12 offshore fund for the $108 million?
A. Yes, I recognize this.
13 Q. And you signed it?
A. Yes.
14 Q. The demand note, it recites that there
was a loan made by lender -- it's on the first
15 page -- that there was a loan made by the lender 11:38:58
to the borrower on June 13th, 2005, the maximum
16 aggregate principal amount of such loan at the
time being $175 million.
17 Do you see that on there?
A. Yes.
18 4•
MR. SUSMAN: It's in the defined terms,
19 Bill.
MR. O'BRIEN: Thank you.
20 Q. Was there actually some loan made on 11:39:20
June 13th, 2005, of $175 million?
21 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. No, I think the 175 was sort of the
22 maximum that was outstanding. I think the loan
that was made in June of '05 was 78 million.
23 Q. On the Schedule I that you're looking
at, is that your handwriting?
24 A. Yes.
Q. Where it says notation made by DL,
25 that's you? 11:40:05
A. Yes.
EFTA01165454
49
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. The information that's on Schedule I is
information that you got from whom?
3 A. Bob Sumberac.
Q. Got you.
4 If you could, just turn to -- there are
these letter agreements at the end of Exhibit 63
5 dated October 31st, 2006. 11:40:35
A. Yes.
6 Q. I just want to run through real quick,
there are various entities. There's D.B. Zwirn &
7 Co., L.P.. and that's the manager?
A. Yes.
8 Q. And there's also something called
D.B. Zwirn Partners LLC, which was the general
9 partner of the fund?
A. Of the onshore fund.
10 Q. Of the onshore fund. 11:40:57
And so D.B. Zwirn & Co., LLP, the
11 manager, received management fees from the onshore
fund; is that correct?
12 A. I'm sorry?
Q. Did D.B. Zwirn & Co. LLP --
13 A. L.P.
Q. -- L.P., I'm sorry, receive management
14 fees from the onshore fund?
A. Correct.
15 Q. And the incentive fee went to D.B. 11:41:21
Zwirn Partners, LLC?
16 A. There was an incentive allocation that
went to LLC.
17 Q. You were the CFO of both of those
entities; is that right?
18 A. I can't recall specifically if I was
the CFO of LLC, but I was the CFO of L.P. at that
19 point in time.
MR. SIFFERT: It's been an hour.
20 MR. SUSMAN: Has it? Do you want to 11:41:58
break or do you want to go to 12:30 and have
21 lunch? What's your reference? It's kind of
of up to you.
22 MR. SIFFERT: I don't think we should
go for another 45 minutes.
23 MR. SUSMAN: Let's take a break.
THE WITNESS: I'm fine.
24 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're off the
record. The time is 11:42. This is the end
25 of Tape 2. 11:42:17
(Recess taken from 11:42 to 11:50.)
EFTA01165455
50
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're back on the
record. The time is 11:50. This is the
3 beginning of Tape 2 -- 3, sorry.
Q. If you could, on Exhibit 63, which is
4 the promissory note from the onshore to the
offshore fund, it recites in the first paragraph
5 that the -- it says little I, the outstanding 11:51:21
principal amount of the loan payable on the
6 earlier to occur of, and it says written demand by
lender and December 31, 2006, maturity date. And
7 then it little 2 is the interest is repayable.
Was it the expectation when you entered
8 into this prom sorry note that the loan, the 108
million, would be paid by December 31, 2006?
9 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Yes.
10 MR. ARFFA: Harry, can I also ask, 11:52:00
there does not appear to be a Bates stamp on
11 there. I don't think that --
MR. SUSMAN: Yeah, because it's like a
12 TI F image. If you notice the signatures and
handwriting, for some reason when it prints
13 out, it doesn't come with a Bates number.
It's on one of your CDs.
14 MR. O'BRIEN: This was produced by us?
MR. SUSMAN: Yes.
15 (Exhibit 64, DESCRIPTION, marked for 11:52:25
identification.)
16 Q. Let me show you Exhibit 64. This is an
unsigned version of a promissory note to --
17 between the onshore fund and Highbridge for $50
million. Do you know was a note like this
18 actually executed?
A. Yes, I believe it was.
19 Q. Again, this states a maturity date of
the earlier to occur of of December 31, 2006, was
20 listed. Again, was it your expectation that this 11:53:00
50 million would be repaid by the end of the year?
21 A. Yes.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
22 Q. So what happened? Why wasn't the
offshore fund repaid and Highbridge repaid by
23 year-end 2006?
A. My recollection is that both of these
24 loans were repaid by the end of 2006.
Q. Were new loans put in place?
25 A. Yes. 11:53:22
Q. So they were refinanced, in effect?
EFTA01165456
51
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. No.
Q. What was the difference between the old
3 notes and the new?
A. In conjunction with our internal
4 reviews and working with Deloitte, we found that
there were other amounts owed from the onshore
5 fund to other funds, and those were documents as 11:53:48
notes as well.
6 Q. Actually, I probably marked some of
these. Hold on.
7 (Pause.)
Q. By the way, when you participated in
8 the investor calls, there were scripts? When you
listened there was a script that Mr. Zwirn was
9 supposed to follow?
A. Yes.
10 Q. Did you participate in drafting or 11:54:50
developing those scripts?
11 A. Yes.
Q. Do you know who else participated in
12 drafting those scripts?
A. There were a very large number of
13 people who participated in those scripts,
including multiple counsels.
14 Q. Do you know whether Glenn Dubin was
involved in preparing the scripts?
15 A. I recall that there was a script 11:55:24
specifically for Glenn. I do not recall if Glenn
16 made any comments on that crypt.
Q. You mean a script that Glenn was
17 specifically supposed to use? For what purpose?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
18 A. To the extent he received calls from
investors or other parties asking about the Zwirn
19 disclosures.
Q. Was it somehow different project the
20 script that Mr. Zwirn was going to use? 11:55:55
A. My recollection was that it was
21 consistent with the Zwirn script but less detailed
so that if detailed questions occurred Glenn could
22 refer them back to Dan.
Q. Were there any particular investors
23 that you anticipated might call Mr. Dubin or who
Mr. Dubin was tasked with calling?
24 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. I don't recall us tasking Mr. Dubin
25 with making any calls, but we believed he would 11:56:29
receive a large number of calls because many of
EFTA01165457
52
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 the important investor relationships were
originally sourced through Glenn.
3 Q. By the way, were you ever told when
Mr. Dubin first heard object these issues
4 regarding the financing of the airplane or the
payment of management fees?
5 A. Yes, I do recall shortly after Perry's 11:56:58
termination Lawrence Cutler telling me that they
6 had reviewed the results of the Schulte
investigation into those two issues at some point
7 in mid to late September and that Glenn's
conclusion was that Perry had to be fired.
8 Q. Did Mr. Cutler tell you anything more
about what Mr. Dubin's reaction was to hearing
9 about the use of investor funds to finance the
plane or prepayment of management fees?
10 A. That's about the only thing I can 11:57:49
remember.
11 Q. Let me show you what's been previously
marked as Exhibit 38. Oh, wait. Can I see
12 Exhibit 38 real quick? I just want to make sure
it's the same.
13 A. (Handing.)
Q. It is. Perfect. Sorry.
14 This is a series of e-mails in the late
morning of November 13th. Mr. -- first of all,
15 who is Anne Colice? 11:58:44
A. She was a junior assistant to Dan's
16 primary assistant.
Q. Was she just Dan's assistant or did she
17 work as anyone else's assistant?
A. I think just Dan.
18 Q. And she sends an e-mail to Mr. Zwirn
that says that Harry Beller has called or these on
19 the phone and that then that he called and it was
very important. Mr. Zwirn then forwarded that to
20 you. 11:59:15
Did you have any discussions with
21 Mr. Zwirn after you got this e-mail about what
Mr. Beller was calling about?
22 A. I don't recall.
Q. You -- upon getting the e-mail you then
23 forward it to Elise Hubsher. Why did you do that?
A. I don't recall.
24 Q. You have here a note: Need their
redemption schedule. Why were you asking her for
25 Mr. Epstein's redemption schedule? 11:59:46
A. I just don't recall.
EFTA01165458
53
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q Let me show you what's been previously
marked as Exhibit 39. Do you recognize Exhibit 39
3 as Ms. Hubsher sending you a redemption schedule
for Financial Trust?
4 A. I don't see an e-mail from Ms. Hubsher
to me here.
5 Q. If you look at the top, it's -- oh, is 12:00:32
this different? Maybe.
6 MR. O'BRIEN: Let me see.
Q. Sorry, let me show you Exhibit 40. I
7 apologize.
A. Okay.
8 Q. Exhibit 40, do you recognize it as an
e-mail from Ms. --
9 MR. ARFFA: Sorry, which?
MR. SUSMAN: This is Exhibit 40.
10 MR. ARFFA: What is the Bates stamp? 12:01:00
MR. SUSMAN: The Bates stamp is
11 DBZCO-FTC_2114 is the first page.
MR. ARFFA: That's Exhibit 40?
12 MR. SUSMAN: That's Exhibit 40.
Q. Do you recognize Exhibit 40 as
13 Ms. Hubsher then sending you this redemption
schedule for FTC?
14 MR. ARFFA: I just want to put on the
record, as we did last time, where the names
15 of other investors appear, we do ask that that 12:01:18
be treated as confidential.
16 MR. SIFFERT: It's on the first page of
the document.
17 A. I see what's on top here. I don't
recall specifically this e-mail.
18 Q. Do you know what you would have --
why -- what you would have been doing with the FTC
19 redemption schedule on November 13th, 2006, during
the day?
20 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. 12:01:50
A. I can't recall specifically this
21 e-mail.
Q. Do you recall reviewing this redemption
22 schedule on November 13th, 2006?
A. I don't actually recall reviewing it,
23 but that doesn't mean I didn't.
Q. Okay. Do you recall sending it to
24 anyone else?
A. No.
25 Q. Did you ever specifically send this 12:02:17
redemption schedule to Harry Beller on or about
EFTA01165459
54
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 November 13th, 2006?
A. I just don't recall.
3 Q. In your reviewing of the old e-mails
that are archived at D.B. Zwirn, have you ever
4 seen any evidence of anybody sending this
redemption schedule to Harry Beller on or about
5 November 13th, 2006? 12:02:47
A. I don't recall.
6 Q. Let me just for ease show you again
another copy of Exhibit 5. You've got it there.
7 A. Okay.
Q. That's the $80 million request. You
8 see there's -- the first sentence of it begins, As
per our conversation, I hereby instruct you to
9 liquidate an interest in the amount of $80
million?
10 Did you discuss with Mr. Zwirn what 12:03:26
conversation Mr. Epstein was referring to?
11 A. I remember Dan denying that he ever
promised Jeffrey $80 million. But I don't recall,
12 prior to receiving -- or seeing a copy of this
letter, Dan mentioning a conversation with Jeffrey
13 regarding 80 million.
Q. After you got the letter, did you have
14 any conversations with Mr. Zwirn about whether he
had had some conversation with Mr. Epstein about
15 $80 million? 12:04:17
A. As I stated, I remember Dan denying
16 that he was ever promised Jeffrey $80 million.
Q. How did it come up that Mr. Zwirn was
17 denying that he ever promised Mr. Epstein 80
million? Why did Mr. Zwirn say that to you?
18 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Because it's in the letter.
19 Q. And so did you ask Mr. Zwirn
specifically: Did you promise Mr. Epstein 80
20 million? 12:04:55
A. I can't remember exactly how I phrased
21 the question, but I do recall saying why would
Jeffrey think he was entitled to $80 million,
22 something along those lines.
Q. Dan said in response what?
23 A. Absolutely there's no way in the world
I would have promised that. It's completely
24 illogical. He's not entitled to it.
Q. Correct you thought Mr. Epstein's
25 requests, these redemption requests, he sent in 12:05:32
were bogus; is that right?
EFTA01165460
55
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. I'm not sure of the ultimate definition
3 of bogus, but we didn't think that they were valid
redemption requests.
4 (Exhibit 65, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
5 Q. Let me show you Exhibit 65. This is an 12:05:53
e-mail from you to the auditors and Mr. Liebowitz.
6 You say, With you forward to our audit partner the
correspondence between us and Epstein re his bogus
7 redemption request; right?
A. Uh-huh.
8 Q. I assume you include within the bogus
redemption requests Exhibit 5; right? That's the
9 $80 million letter that's here (indicating).
A. I'm not sure whether I'm referring to
10 that or to the February letter. 12:06:26
Q. Well, you thought they both were bogus,
11 that's why you say his bogus redemption requests;
right?
12 MR. SIFFERT: May I just have a moment
with counsel?
13 A. I'm not sure why this isn't privileged.
(Discussion off the record.)
14 Q. Put aside Exhibit 65. We'll deal with
it later. Mr. Lee, you thought Exhibit 5 was
15 bogus -- right? -- the 80 million? 12:07:09
A. Apparently I did at the time I wrote
16 this e-mail.
Q. Yeah, okay.
17 Q. Did you have any discussions with
Mr. Zwirn about putting in writing to Mr. Epstein
18 immediately after you got the $80 million request
something saying this is bogus or silly or
19 ridiculous or you're lying when you suggest,
anything to that effect?
20 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 12:07:37
Q. Did y'all discuss that?
21 A. I believe we did, but most of those
conversations were privileged.
22 Q. Were any of them not privileged?
A. It's possible, but I can't recall the
23 specifics of ones that were or were not.
MR. O'BRIEN: Can I say with regard to
24 Exhibit 65 an issue comes up it appears to be
a privileged communication that should not
25 have been produced. So I'm just putting you 12:08:07
on notice right now of that, and we will
EFTA01165461
56
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 follow up with that. I just wanted to give
you notice of that immediately.
3 MR. SUSMAN: We'll deal with it. I'm
not quite sure how that could be privileged,
4 but no point in fighting about it.
Q. So am I correct, Mr. Lee, that without
5 violating the privilege you can't explain to me 12:08:34
why D.B. Zwirn didn't respond in writing to
6 Mr. Epstein's $80 million request at the time and
explain it was invalid or anything to that effect?
7 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
8 Without revealing privileged
communications, if you can answer that
9 question, if you understand the question, you
can.
10 A. The conclusions as to why we didn't 12:09:06
respond were based upon legal advice.
11 Q. Now, you mentioned the meeting with
Mr. Epstein where it was canceled, set up. I'm
12 going to show you, to refresh memory, Exhibit 66.
(Exhibit 66, DESCRIPTION, marked for
13 identification.)
Q. You recall that you had flown in from
14 Florida to attend the meeting, and it was canceled
while you were in the air?
15 A. Yes, I remember that pretty vividly. 12:09:36
Q. You were on Thanksgiving break with
16 your family?
A. (Nods head.)
17 (Exhibit 67, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
18 Q. Let me show you Exhibit 67. This is
the day -- you sent an e-mail to Mr. Zwirn I guess
19 the day the meeting was canceled November 21st
saying did you end up chatting with him at 10 a.m.
20 today, Mr. Epstein, and then Mr. Zwirn responds to 12:10:17
you; correct?
21 A. Yes.
Q. Okay. And Mr. Zwirn at the end says
22 bottom line we are showing extreme fealty, which
is what he wants. I realize the absolute bizarre
23 nature of this response, but critical to keep him
capital.
24 Did you understand why Mr. Zwirn
thought it was -- why Mr. Epstein wanted you to
25 show extreme fealty to him? 12:10:48
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
EFTA01165462
57
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. Can you ask the question again?
Q. Yeah. Mr. Zwirn is saying, We're
3 showing extreme fealty, which is what he wants.
A. Okay. Yeah, I read that.
4 Q. Did you have any understanding where
Mr. Zwirn got that idea from?
5 A. We -- Dan believed that Jeffrey liked 12:11:24
to be kowtowed to, was a comment he had made to me
6 before. So that would be consistent with that
statement.
7 Q. So Dan believed that he -- what Jeffrey
really wanted was just for Dan to kowtow to him?
8 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection.
Q. Is that --
9 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. Ask the question again.
10 Q. Are you saying did you understand that 12:11:59
Dan thought it was necessary to kowtow to Jeffrey?
11 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. Yes, I believe it was -- Dan believed
12 it was necessary to kowtow to Jeffrey.
Q. Did you understand why Dan said, I
13 realize the absolute bizarre nature of this
process but critical to keep him happy.
14 Why was it critical to keep Mr. Epstein
happy?
15 A. In light of our announcements and 12:12:27
negative press and pending SEC investigation, we
16 thought the last thing we needed was litigation
from a major investor who was constantly in the
17 press himself for his other issues.
Q. Now I want to show you what have been
18 previously marked as Exhibit 31. Then I'm going
to show you what I marked as Exhibit 68.
19 (Exhibit 68, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
20 MR. O'BRIEN: I'm just going to look at 12:13:07
Exhibit 31, which I don't have a copy of.
21 MR. SUSMAN: Sure.
Q. Do you see that -- am I -- does it look
22 to to you what Exhibit 68 is you forwarding on an
e-mail that you had received from Cara Howe on
23 October 18th, 2006, titled "redemption schedule"?
A. That would be a logical conclusion.
24 Q. And if you look at Exhibit 31, isn't
that the original of the e-mail that you received
25 on October 18th, 2006, from Ms. Howe? 12:13:52
A. I have no reason to believe that this
EFTA01165463
58
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 is -- that the answer is not yes.
Q. Okay. Why were you -- and if you look,
3 Exhibit 31 is a spreadsheet that shows a --
MR. ARFFA: Do you have 31?
4 MR. SUSMAN: I don't have copies with
me. It was previously marked. I don't have a
5 copy myself. 12:14:15
Q. It's a spreadsheet that shows the
6 redemption rights of various investors.
A. Yes
7 MR. O'BRIEN: When he asks questions
like that about a thick document, at least
8 take the time to look at it to see whether
it's correct.
9 Q. Who is Brian ray burn CK?
A. Brian was a mid level lending officer
10 at Citibank and was part of the group that was in 12:14:41
charge of the loan that Citibank had made to
11 D.B. & Co., the management company.
Q. This was a loan that allowed the
12 management company to fund its operations; right?
A. It was a working capital loan.
13 Q. For the management company itself?
A. For the management company.
14 Q. To pay the management company expenses;
right?
15 A. Well, money's fungible, but yes, it was 12:15:17
a loan to the management company.
16 Q. Why were you sending to Mr. Ray burn
this redemption schedule for the redemption -- for
17 the potential redemptions of investors in the
funds themselves?
18 A. Because that would have a material
impact on the potential revenue of the management
19 company if its assets under management were to
decline. And so therefore as part of his
20 diligence, he presumably wanted to have a sense of 12:15:51
what the AUM profile would look like to support
21 our revenue projections to support the loan.
Q. So, in other words, was Citi attempting
22 to see in November of 2006 or to make sure that
investors could not withdraw in large numbers from
23 the funds, which would have a bad impact on the
management company?
24 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
25 A. I can't recall specifically why he 12:16:20
wanted to see it, but in conjunction with his
EFTA01165464
59
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 duties as a loan officer, it would make sense for
him to look at something so material to the
3 operations of the management company.
Q. We talked earlier about the transfer
4 from FTC to JEEPERS. You were involved in
documenting the assignment from FTC to JEEPERS;
5 correct? 12:16:58
MR. ARFFA: Objection, asked and
6 answered, I believe.
A. I had some level of supervisory
7 involvement of David Proshan, who was dealing
directly I believe with Darren Indyke.
8 Q. Do you recall that there was a release
in the assignment that was originally drafted?
9 A. I recall specifically asking for a
release from Financial Trust and JEEPERS that the
10 reason for their transfer or whatever reasons for 12:17:38
their transfer would have no negative implications
11 to D.B. Zwirn & Co. because we had no idea as to
specifically why they were trying to make this
12 confer.
(Exhibit 69, DESCRIPTION, marked for
13 identification.)
Q. Let me show you what I am going to mark
14 as Exhibit 69. Do you recognize this as draft of
an assignment between FTC and JEEPERS that
15 Mr. Proshan sent to Mr. Epstein's representative 12:18:28
Mr. George Delson, I believe was his name?
16 A. I don't recognize the
gdbassociates@aol.com.
17 Q. Do you recognize this is a draft
assignment?
18 A. It appears to be.
Q. If you look on page 3, it's F -- it's
19 DBZCOFTC_680 is the Bates number you see there is
a clause that says assignor and assignee does
20 hereby release and forever discharge the 12:19:31
indemnified persons from all claims, debts,
21 liabilities, demands, and it continues on. Okay?
With respect to arising out of this interest or
22 assignment. Do you see that? That's the release
that was proposed?
23 A. That was the release that was proposed
by David Proshan.
24 Q. If you turn to the paragraph before on
page DBZCOFTC_679, there's a paragraph: Each of
25 assignor and assignee does hereby agree to jointly 12:20:04
and severally to indemnify and hold harmless the
EFTA01165465
60
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 fund; right? That's an indemnification. You know
the difference between indemnification and
3 release; right?
A. Yes, I do.
4 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. So you asked to be indemnified in case
5 somehow you guys got in trouble because of the 12:20:21
assignment; right?
6 A. When you say "we," to whom are you
referring?
7 Q. DBZ.
A. Well, I can't speak to what was
8 motivating Mr. Proshan on this draft to put these
clauses in other than there would be an obvious
9 benefit if JEEPERS were to agree to it.
(Exhibit 70, DESCRIPTION, marked for
10 identification.) 12:21:00
Q. Let me show you Exhibit 70. After the
11 assignment, the draft, was sent to Mr. Epstein,
Mr. Epstein objected to the release -- right? --
12 and Mr. Proshan informed you and Mr. Dubin of
that?
13 A. Yes, I recall this.
Q. Was the reason for the release that you
14 had proposed in part to make sure that Mr. Epstein
couldn't resurrect his $80 million request?
15 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection, asked and 12:21:44
answered.
16 A. David acted --
MR. O'BRIEN: Just answer the question.
17 A. I don't know what the question is. You
made a statement. Do you want to ask a question?
18 Q. No, it's a question. Is one of the
reasons why you sought to get a release as part of
19 this assignment was to make sure that Mr. Epstein
could not resurrect the $80 million request, that
20 it had gone away for good? 12:22:15
A. When you say "you," are you referring
21 to me?
Q. I'm talking about the entity for which
22 you were the CFO.
A. Once again, I do not know -- my
23 recollection is until I saw this I wasn't aware
that David Proshan was asking for this.
24 Q. You have no memory of asking -- that
you asked for a release or what happened with the
25 release? 12:22:42
A. No, I have a memory that I thought he
EFTA01165466
61
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 was asking for too much, and I instructed him
MR. O'BRIEN: Just -- you can talk
3 about -- inches okay.
MR. O'BRIEN: -- what you thought, but
4 in terms of communications with counsel, do
not answer.
5 A. My thought when I saw this was that 12:22:58
this was overreaching.
6 Q. Asking for the release?
A. Yes.
7 Q. And why did you think it was
overreaching?
8 A. I just thought it was.
Q. You can't remember any reason why other
9 than just you thought it was overreaching? That's
it?
10 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 12:23:38
A. My sense of what was fair to ask for in
11 light of what this accommodation was to accomplish
that asking for a blanket release on anything and
12 everything was just too much.
Q. Well, did you want to get a release, at
13 a minimum, of Mr. Epstein's $80 million request?
A. That falls into privilege.
14 Q. Did you have any direct discussions
with Mr. Epstein or any of his representatives
15 about the terms in the release should be, or the 12:24:29
assignment, rather, should be?
16 MR. O'BRIEN: I'm sorry, which one are
we asking about?
17 MR. SUSMAN: The assignment.
A. I do not recall having any
18 conversations with Epstein or his representatives.
Q. In addition the assignment, do you
19 recall that JEEPERS filled out a subscription
document, a new subscription agreement?
20 A. I don't recall that one. 12:25:15
(Exhibit 71, DESCRIPTION, marked for
21 identification.)
Q. I show you Exhibit 71.
22 MR. ARFFA: What's the number on this?
MR. SUSMAN: It's Exhibit 71.
23 (Discussion off the record.)
Q. Do you recall reviewing Exhibit 71 at
24 any point in time?
A. No.
25 (Exhibit 72, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
EFTA01165467
62
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Let me show you what's been previously
marked but I'm going to mark it again. It's
3 Exhibit 72. Remember you said earlier that
Mr. Beller had been calling up prior to February
4 14th and berating people about the roll justify
schedule or redemption schedule?
5 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. 12:27:18
That's not my recollection of what his
6 testimony was.
MR. SUSMAN: Yeah.
7 A. No, my recollection of my testimony is
that he was berating on February 14th. I think I
8 stated there were prior occasions he had berated
people and he had been instructed to speak only to
9 me.
Q. Does Exhibit 73 refresh your memory
10 that what he had been berating people about and 12:27:39
what had to do with the capital balances and the
11 numbers he was getting and that in response to
that on February 12th you asked that he be
12 instructed to only speak to you?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
13 A. That does refresh my memory.
(Exhibit 73, DESCRIPTION, marked for
14 identification.)
Q. Let me show you Exhibit 73. This is --
15 MR. ARFFA: Seventy-three? 12:28:13
MR. SUSMAN: Seventy-three.
16 Q. This is an e-mail that you sent early
in the morning of February 14th at 6 a.m. It says
17 the detailed redemption roll-off schedule for
Jeffrey Epstein.
18 Do you know what had occurred to cause
you to want to ask for the roll-off schedule for
19 Jeffrey Epstein either sometime before 6 a.m. in
the morning on February 14th or on February 13?
20 A. I can't remember what precipitated it. 12:28:44
Q. You just have no memory why on the 14th
21 you are making this request?
A. I can't recall specifically why I was
22 making this request.
Q. Now, you did say that you had a call
23 with Mr. Beller on January 31st where he had asked
about the 80 million; right?
24 A. Yes.
Q. That was the one when you were in
25 London? 12:29:10
A. Yes.
EFTA01165468
63
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. And do you recall any discussions
between the January 31st call with Mr. Beller and
3 the morning of February 14th at 6 a.m. with anyone
about Mr. Epstein's redemption rights?
4 A. Well, I remember having or making a
phone call after hanging up with Harry to inform
5 them about that conversation. I do not recall any 12:29:34
conversations about Epstein's redemption or
6 roll-off between January 31st and February 14th.
(Exhibit 74, DESCRIPTION, marked for
7 identification.)
Q. Let me somehow you Exhibit 74. This is
8 an e-mail from Dan Zwirn to Mr. Dubin on February
14th, 2007. This is at 9 a.m. in the morning.
9 And Mr. Zwirn writes, This is what I sent to you.
We had also sent to Harry Beller and reviewed with
10 him in excruciating detail. And the title is 12:30:28
attached Financial Trust 1/1/13/06.
11 Had you sent the attached schedule to
Mr. Beller before February 14th, 2007?
12 MR. ARFFA: I just want to put on the
record that we request confidential treatment
13 as to the names of the other investors.
A. I believe I had, but I can't recall
14 with definitiveness if I did.
Q. When do you believe you had sent it to
15 them prior to February 14th at 9 a.m. in the 12:31:12
morning?
16 A. Sometime around that November 13th
letter A .
17 Q. And you would have sent it to him by
e-mail; right?
18 A. I just can't recall.
Q. Well, when you say you believe you sent
19 him the redemption schedule, did you tell Dan
Zwirn that you had sent him -- sent Harry Beller
20 the redemption schedule? 12:31:47
A. I believe -- I believe so, but I can't
21 recall for sure.
Q. Why is it that you believe that you
22 sent Mr. Beller the redemption schedule sometime
around November 13th, 2006?
23 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't know why I believe it. I just
24 believe I did.
Q. I think I asked you before, but to this
25 day you've seen no evidence that you actually did 12:32:11
send the redemption schedule to Mr. Beller back in
EFTA01165469
64
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 November of '06; right?
A. You have not presented me any evidence
3 of that, no.
Q. Well, and you haven't found any when
4 you went searching for the old e-mails; right?
A. I didn't go searching for these types
5 of e-mails, so... 12:32:32
Q. Well, in your review of historic
6 documents, you haven't seen evidence of you
forwarding a redemption schedule to Mr. Beller on
7 February 13th, 2006?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
8 A. In my very limited review of documents,
I have not seen any evidence that I forwarded.
9 Q. When Mr. Zwirn sent this e-mail to
Mr. Dubin that says, we have sent to Harry Beller
10 and reviewed with him in excruciating detail, did 12:32:54
you understand Mr. Zwirn was talking about you,
11 David Lee, that that's the "we" who sent it to
Harry Beller and went over it with him in
12 excruciating detail?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
13 A. I can't remember with that level of
detail with regard to this e-mail from four years
14 ago.
Q. Did you ever ask Mr. Zwirn what he was
15 referring to when he said we had also sent to 12:33:29
Harry Beller and reviewed with him in excruciating
16 detail?
A. I don't recall asking him that.
17 Q. And Mr. Zwirn says, we will resend to
Harry and Jeffrey and go through it again in as
18 much detail as they would like; right? That's how
he ends the e-mail; correct?
19 A. That's what I read.
Q. And then you -- Exhibit 21, you
20 actually sent this e-mail. You forwarded it to 12:33:58
Mr. Beller; correct?
21 A. Apparently.
Q. And do you recall what Mr. Beller's
22 reaction was when he got Exhibit 21?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
23 Q. Do you?
A. No, I don't recall.
24 (Exhibit 75, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
25 Q. Let me show you Exhibit 75. Do you 12:34:36
recognize Exhibit 75 as you sending another
EFTA01165470
65
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 schedule to Mr. Beller and to a woman named Lesly
who you believe to be Mr. Epstein's assistant?
3 A. I can't recall who Lesly is.
Q. At a minimum you send it to Mr. Beller;
4 right?
A. Apparently.
5 Q. And why did you send Exhibit 75 to 12:35:21
Mr. Beller after having sent him Exhibit 21?
6 MR. ARFFA: Sorry, what's the new one,
exhibit? What's the JE 2640?
7 MR. O'BRIEN: That's Exhibit 75.
MR. SUSMAN: Seventy five.
8 MR. ARFFA: That's Exhibit 75. Thank
you.
9 A. I can't recall.
Q. Do you have any --
10 A. I believe it was because there was an 12:36:14
error in the schedule we sent, so we were trying
11 to send him an amended one.
Q. There was an error in the Exhibit 21
12 schedule?
A. Yes.
13 Q. Which was the schedule from back from
November of 2006?
14 A. Yeah, I think so.
Q. Do you remember what the error was?
15 A. I don't recall specifically what it 12:36:31
was.
16 Q. Do you recall having any discussions
with Mr. Beller about these schedules after you
17 sent them to him on February 14th?
A. The conversation I remember is the one
18 Dan had with him where I sat in his office.
(Exhibit 76, DESCRIPTION, marked for
19 identification.)
Q. Let me show you Exhibit 76.
20 MR. SIFFERT: Have you finished your 12:37:15
answer?
21 THE WITNESS: No. Yeah, I'm finished,
sorry.
22 Q. So the bottom of Exhibit 76 is an
e-mail from Dan to Glenn Dubin that he then
23 forwarded to you, and this is on February 14th.
MR. O'BRIEN: I'm sorry, the bottom --
24 you mean on the first page?
MR. SUSMAN: The first page, yes.
25 Q. Mr. Zwirn is writing to Mr. Dubin: We 12:37:46
sent a detailed schedule to Jeffrey and Harry. We
EFTA01165471
66
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 called their offices, asked for Jeffrey and Harry,
and referred to Harry.
3 When he's talking about the "we," did
he understand he was including -- he meant him and
4 you?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
5 A. Let me read this. 12:38:06
Q. Okay.
6 (Pause.)
A. Okay. What's your question?
7 Q. Is the conversation that Mr. Zwirn was
reporting to Mr. Dubin on Exhibit 76 the
8 conversation that you recall having with
Mr. Beller on February 14th?
9 A. I believe so.
Q. And so according to -- does Mr. Zwirn's
10 retelling of the conversation jibe with your 12:39:14
recollection of the conversation?
11 MR. O'BRIEN: I'll just note that the
e-mail refers to two different conversations.
12 MR. SUSMAN: Right. That's correct.
A. So you're referring to the paragraph
13 that says, Harry called back after reviewing the
sheet?
14 Q. Yes
A. It seems to be consistent with my vague
15 recollection. 12:39:47
Q. Okay. And so what I'm -- Mr. Lee,
16 you've told me you had a conversation with
Mr. Epstein back on November 13th, 2006 -- I'm
17 sorry, what's that?
A. I never had a conversation with
18 Mr. Epstein.
Q. I meant -- I'm sorry, you had a
19 conversation on November 13th or 14th, 2006, with
Mr. Beller about the redemption schedule. We've
20 talked about that conversation; correct? 12:40:18
A. Yes.
21 Q. And you say you had a conversation on
January 31st with Mr. Beller about Mr. Epstein's
22 $80 million; correct?
A. Yes.
23 MR. O'BRIEN: That's the very matter in
dispute, but we'll pass.
24 MR. SUSMAN: What's that?
MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Epstein's request for
25 $80 million. 12:40:36
MR. SUSMAN: Fine.
EFTA01165472
67
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. And then you had this conversation on
February 14th with Mr. Zwirn and Mr. Beller;
3 correct?
A. Yes.
4 Q. Are there any other conversations with
Mr. Beller that you had about Mr. Epstein's
5 redemption that we -- other than those three? 12:40:59
A. It's very possible that I had, but :
6 can't recall with specificity when.
Q. Now, Mr. Zwirn says that -- in his
7 Exhibit 76 he writes, Harry called back after
reviewing the sheet and asked for immediate
8 redemption yet again despite the fact he has
absolutely no contractual right to that. We would
9 be making exception for him against our 150 other
investors.
10 And the "immediate redemption yet 12:41:33
again," did you understand what Mr. Zwirn was
11 referring to there, what prior requests had been
made for an immediate redemption?
12 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. For me to answer your question would be
13 to make a presumption based upon what I'm reading
now. I don't recall my reaction to reading this
14 four years ago.
Q. Then if you could, at the -- so is it
15 fair that Mr. Beller's reaction to upon seeing 12:42:13
these schedules on February 14th was that he was
16 upset?
MR. SIFFERT: Objection to form.
17 A. I don't recall Harry being upset in
phone conversations that I had or that I listened
18 to. The memory that sticks out in my mind is
Harry had this attitude of Jeffrey wants his
19 money, just give him his money. We say, you have
these -- it doesn't matter; Jeffrey wants his
20 money. That was sort of the tone he always took. 12:42:55
It was sort of like watching a Woody Allen movie.
21 So I don't recall him expressing anger
or making any type of cohesive arguments with
22 regard to the request.
Q. And then do you recall what Mr. -- how
23 Mr. Beller left it when you were done talking to
him?
24 A. I don't recall other than reading this
paragraph, but I do recall that we were supposed
25 to have a call scheduled with Jeffrey after lunch. 12:43:26
Q. And did that call take place?
EFTA01165473
68
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. We attempted to call Jeffrey, but he
never returned our call.
3 Q. And do you recall that shortly
thereafter you got the letter demanding a full
4 redemption?
A. Yes, I do recall that.
5 MR. SUSMAN: Do y'all want to take a 12:43:53
lunch break?
6 MR. O'BRIEN: I was just about to
suggest it.
7 MR. SUSMAN: Okay. Fine.
THE WITNESS: How apropos. We're
8 talking about lunch breaks.
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're off the
9 record. The time is 12:43. We're off the
record.
10 (Time noted: 12:43 p.m.) 12:44:07
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
EFTA01165474
69
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 AFTERNOON SESSION
(Time noted: 1:16 p.m.)^
3 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're back on the
record. The time is 1:16. This is the
4 beginning of Tape 4.
Q. Mr. Lee, let me show you Exhibit 48.
5 Do you recall receiving Exhibit 48 from Alisa 0::1:-:29
Butchkowski on February 14th, 2007?
6 A. I have a vague recollection. I don't
recall this specific e-mail schedule but...
7 Q. If you look at Exhibit 21 -- you have
it in your pile over there. It's the -- here's a
8 copy of it if you don't --
A. I have it.
9 Q. Okay. If you look on -- Exhibit 21 on
the second -- the redemption schedule, it shows --
10 for each of the tranche investments it simply 01:18:21
shows the amount of invested capital and then the
11 total appreciated value of the account.
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
12 A. You're referring to Exhibit 21?
Q. Yes.
13 A. Okay.
Q. Do you see Exhibit 48 is
14 Ms. Butchkowski attempting to calculate the
current value of each one of the investments?
15 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. 01:18:50
A. I'm having a hard time reading it.
16 Q. You see at the top it says current
tranche value -- you're on the schedule itself?
17 A. Yes. Okay.
Q. And if you look, the first line,
18 there's the April 1, 2002, subscription with the
value of 17,675,619.63?
19 A. Okay.
Q. And if you look at the very bottom of
20 the page, you see balance at 12/31/06, and there's 01:19:27
this 17,675,620 number?
21 A. Okay.
MR. O'BRIEN: I'm going to give the
22 witness my copy, which I think might be a
little --
23 THE WITNESS: More legible?
MR. O'BRIEN: A little less dark.
24 THE WITNESS: More legible.
Q. In the top of that column is $10
25 million? 01:19:48
A. Okay.
EFTA01165475
70
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Do you recognize Exhibit -- what
Ms. Butchkowski was trying to do in Exhibit 48?
3 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
Q. Let me ask a better question. What the
4 calculations that are in these charts, what those
are attempting to do in the schedule that's
5 attached to Exhibit 48. 01:20:10
MR. SIFFERT: Objection to form.
6 A. Presumably she's trying to calculate
the current NAV value of each tranche that
7 Financial Trust invested in.
Q. Do you understand how she did the
8 calculation?
A. Yes.
9 Q. You understand what -- what is it that
you understood she did to try to derive the
10 current NAV of each tranche? 01:21:12
A. She took the investment date and the
11 amount of each investment for that tranche,
calculated the attributable P&L to that capital
12 account, and then rolled that number forward based
upon monthly net P&Ls.
13 Q. Was this a calculation that she -- did
you track on a like monthly basis the value of
14 each tranche of an investment, or is this
something that they had especially calculated at
15 your request? 01:21:54
MR. ARFFA: Object to the form.
16 A. I can't specifically recall.
Q. By the way, did you give her any
17 instructions about how to do this calculation of
the current NAV?
18 A. I don't recall giving her instructions.
Q. Do you know where she got this
19 methodology from?
A. I don't recall.
20 Q. Where is Ms. Butchkowski today; do you 01:22:33
know?
21 A. I have no idea.
Q. When was the last time you spoke to
22 her?
A. I believe in early 2007.
23 (Exhibit 77, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
24 Q. Let me show you what I'll mark as
Exhibit 77. Exhibit 77 is an e-mail, and I want
25 to focus -- it's a chain of e-mails, but let's 01:23:08
focus on the bottom one is an e-mail from Patricia
EFTA01165476
71
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Peters to Dan cc'd to you; subject: Jeffrey's
office. His assistant called to see if you were
3 available to meet with him between 1 and 4 today
or tomorrow. And then you respond, Initial
4 reaction is not to meet with him.
MR. ARFFA: It says not to meet him.
5 MR. SUSMAN: Not to meet him. 01:23:33
A. Yes.
6 Q. Why did you think it wasn't a good idea
to meet Mr. Epstein as of February 20th, 2007?
7 A. My recollection is in light of the fact
that we had had a number of conversations or Dan
8 had had a number of conversations with Epstein via
Glenn Dubin that that our relationship with
9 Mr. Epstein going forward should be more
formalized and possibly include attorneys.
10 Q. Did you have any understanding whether 01:24:23
Mr. Zwirn ever talked to Mr. Epstein directly
11 without Mr. Dubin's participation?
A. Other than the call prior to
12 Thanksgiving and the two rounds of investor calls,
I am not aware of any conversations that Dan had
13 with Mr. Epstein that did not include Glenn or
Glenn's wife.
14 Q. I'm showing you what I'm marking as
Exhibit 78. I'm sorry, withdraw Exhibit 78. I
15 show you what's been previously marked as Exhibit 01:25:17
50. Now, Exhibit 50, the bottom is an e-mail from
16 Ms. Hubsher to you and Mr. Zwirn on March 2nd,
2007. She's got a chart that shows the difference
17 in redemptions of new scheme versus original
scheme.
18 A. Okay.
Q. Do you recall -- did you ask
19 Ms. Hubsher to perform this calculation?
A. I believe I did.
20 Q. And why did you ask her to do it? 01:26:14
A. In conjunction with our discussions
21 with Mr. Epstein around February 14th and the
letter that was sent, it was the first time I was
22 aware that there was a side letter that was dated
in January of '05. And in referencing that side
23 letter in the February 14th letter, there was a
position taken that the rolling redemption
24 schedule would be based on the entire capital
account as to when the first tranche was made as
25 opposed to the practice that we had apparently had 01:27:09
in place the entire time, every investor at each
EFTA01165477
72
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 tranche had a two-year rolling lockup.
So therefore in light of that
3 assertion, I wanted to see if it would have had a
material impact on the amount of redemptions that
4 could occur over the course of the following
quarters.
5 Q. You said you wanted to see if it would 01:27:42
have a material impact on the amount of
6 redemptions that could occur over the course of
the following quarter.
7 What is the "it" that you're referring
to?
8 A. The hypothetical scenario that if we
took the interpretation asserted by Mr. Epstein in
9 this letter.
Q. So in other words you asked Ms. Hubsher
10 to say if Jeffrey Epstein is right about how the 01:28:09
redemption schedule rights work, show me what
11 impact it would have on the funds?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
12 Q. Is that right?
A. I don't know if I asked her in the
13 context of saying if Jeffrey was right. I asked
her to see what it would look like under an
14 alternative interpretation based upon the letter.
Q. But the alternative interpretation was
15 the Epstein view of the redemption rights; 01:28:37
correct?
16 A. As communicated in the February 14th
letter, yes.
17 Q. By the way, here's Exhibit 49. It's
been previously marked. That's the model that was
18 actually attached to Exhibit 50 when it was
originally sent to you, just to save trees and not
19 passing out copies.
A. Okay.
20 Q. Okay? 01:29:12
A. Is there a question?
21 Q. Do you recognize Exhibit 49 as the
document that you actually got initially from
22 Ms. Hubsher?
A. I don't recall the backup. I do recall
23 the summary.
Q. Why, Mr. Lee, if you thought
24 Mr. Epstein's position was bogus or not bright,
why did you have Ms. Hubsher go through all this
25 trouble? 01:29:41
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
EFTA01165478
73
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. We ran lots of "what if" analysis for
many different situations constantly.
3 Q. Why would it matter what impact
Mr. Epstein's -- if you -- Mr. Epstein's view was
4 accepted, why would it matter what impact that
would have on the fund versus the old
5 interpretation? 01:3C:09
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
6 A. Can you --
Q. Strike that.
7 As I understand it, you asked
Ms. Hubsher to model the redemption -- the
8 liquidity of the fund under the existing
interpretation of redemption rights versus what
9 would happen if Epstein's view of the world were
right; is that fair?
10 A. Yes. 01:30:33
Q. Why did you care to know what the
11 difference would be?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
12 A. Because I wanted to see what the
possible scenario would look like.
13 Q. Was one reason why you wanted to see
that because if it were more helpful to the fund
14 you might considering adopting Mr. Epstein's view?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
15 A. No, I don't recall thinking that. I 01:30:59
just wanted to know what the answer was.
16 Q. Just for curiosity's sake?
A. Yes.
17 Q. Am a I correct that based on what
Ms. Hubsher modeled, if you look at the results,
18 if you accept the Epstein view it would permit
greater redemptions earlier; right?
19 A. It would permit greater but not in a
material way.
20 Q. So, for example, $128 million more of 01:31:40
redemptions in June of 2007 would not have been a
21 material change to the fund?
A. Not in the context of a fund that was a
22 nearly $2 billion NAV at that point in time.
Q. And then to have 116 million in
23 September of additional redemptions also wouldn't
be material if you added those up?
24 A. Where you're referring to 116, you're
referring to both funds. In that case then you're
25 referring to over $5 billion of AUM. So no, it 01:32:13
would not be material.
EFTA01165479
74
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Can I ask why was this exercise being
done in early March since Mr. Epstein's request
3 had been sent in mid-February, February 14th?
A. During that time frame, the first
4 quarter of 2007, we were dealing with thousands of
critical issues, including an SEC investigation
5 that was quite active internally, dealing with 01:32:54
auditors, dealing with investors, employees.
6 Epstein was nowhere near at the top of
our list of priorities at that point in time.
7 (Exhibit 78, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
8 Q. Let me show you Exhibit 78.
MR. ARFFA: Sorry, what number?
9 MR. SUSMAN: Seventy-eight.
Q. This is a series of e-mail chains, and
10 you started off with an e-mail to Gordon 01:33:52
Goldenstein; and subject: Rudman called today,
11 what is agenda. And he responds Epstein and WR
back channel to George Mitchell to preempt a
12 blowup.
Do you remember what you were referring
13 to -- I'm sorry, that he was referring to?
A. I think there was a belief that Jeffrey
14 had a close relationship with George Mitchell and
Senator Warren Rudman, who was on our advisory
15 board, also had a close relationship with George 01:34:35
Mitchell. And we were trying to see if there was
16 a possibility to create a dialogue by utilizing
Mr. Mitchell.
17 Q. To preempt a blowup, a blowup of what?
A. I think it's -- there was a presumption
18 that -- not a presumption, excuse me. We did not
want public litigation at a time where the firm
19 and the fund was vulnerable. And we felt that
Jeffrey was the type of person that could blow up
20 and launch litigation, making spurious 01:35:21
allegations. And given his issues and constant
21 press attention for his felonious acts that that
was not the kind of press coverage we wanted to
22 have.
Q. This says, Epstein and WR back channel
23 to George Mitchell to preempt a blowup, and you're
saying that was to preempt a blowup but -- Epstein
24 and Warren Rudman would back channel to George
Mitchell to preempt a blowup of Epstein.
25 MR. ARFFA: Objection. 01:35:56
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection.
EFTA01165480
75
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Am I misreading what was meant there?
MR. ARFFA: Asked and answered.
3 MR. SIFFERT: It's not what he said.
A. I already answered your question. My
4 inference and recollection of this e-mail and
conversation was George Mitchell, who is a
5 well-known political figure and diplomate, through 01:36:17
relationship that he had with Epstein and Senator
6 Rudman, could possibly create a bridge to
communication.
7 Q. To Jeffrey?
A. Yes.
8 Q. To prevent him from suing you?
A. Yes.
9 Q. And then you respond, By the way, the
Highbridge guys told me there is tons of details
10 on J Epstein's pick dill low in the public 01:36:42
deposition files. Can Alex get those?
11 Why did you want to get details about
Jeffrey Epstein's peccadillos?
12 A. Because I thought it would be entering
and entertaining to read.
13 Q. Again, just out of curiosity's sake?
A. Yes.
14 Q. And what Highbridge guys told you that
there was tons of details on Mr. Epstein's
15 peccadillos? 01:37:08
A. Bob Caruso and possibly others. I
16 don't recall who the others would be.
Q. Was Glenn Dubin one of them?
17 A. Not that I recall.
Q. Did you ever talk to a Brenda Ames at
18 Highbridge about the situation with Mr. Epstein?
A. I don't recall speaking to Brenda
19 specifically about Mr. Epstein, but I just don't
recall.
20 Q. Did you ever tell her that 01:38:07
Mr. Epstein's facts supporting his redemption
21 demands weren't particularly good facts and the
fund should agree to resolve things with him as a
22 result?
A. I don't recall.
23 Q. Do you deny that you ever said that to
her?
24 A. All I say is I don't recall.
(Exhibit 79, DESCRIPTION, marked for
25 identification.) 01:38:48
Q. I show you Exhibit 79.
EFTA01165481
76
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 By the way, before I talk about Exhibit
79, Mr. Lee, you -- I think you've mentioned more
3 than once the notion that the fund was concerned
about Mr. Epstein making a public fight with the
4 fund because of his -- in particular because of
his bad publicity that he had. Do you recall?
5 A. Yes. 01:39:33
Q. Was that a concern that was shared by
6 Dan Zwirn, as far as you know?
A. I believe so.
7 Q. Did y'all discuss that we really don't
want Jeffrey to make a big stink?
8 A. I believe so.
Q. And was the concern that you didn't
9 want people to associate Jeffrey Epstein with the
fund --
10 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. 01:39:58
Q. -- because of who Jeffrey was?
11 A. That was one of the reasons.
Q. So you wanted to do what you could to
12 keep any dispute with Mr. Epstein out of the
public eye, or any sort of public association of
13 him with the fund; right?
A. Ask the question again.
14 Q. Yeah. Actually, that's okay.
Let's look at Exhibit 79. Who is Eric
15 Dillon? 01:40:27
A. He is the managing partner of the
16 Silver Creek Capital, which was the fund that had
the largest investment in the onshore fund.
17 MR. ARFFA: We ask for confidential
treatment as to the names of the other and
18 identities of the other investors.
Q. Did you tell Mr. Dillon that
19 Mr. Epstein was a crazy man?
A. I don't recall specifically telling
20 Mr. Dillon that Epstein was a crazy man. 01:41:10
Q. Mr. Dillon wrote in an e-mail where he
21 says, You told me he was a crazy man and
threatening to sue. Do you have some reason to
22 dispute Mr. Dillon's accounting -- attributing to
you having called Mr. Epstein a crazy man?
23 A. I generally was very deferential to
Mr. Dillon, and so I don't recall why I would take
24 umbrage with his statement and try to have a fight
over it.
25 Q. So are you saying you didn't call 01:41:48
Mr. Epstein a crazy man but you just didn't want
EFTA01165482
77
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 to fight with Mr. Dillon about it?
A. I said I don't really recall telling
3 Mr. Dillon Mr. Epstein was a crazy man.
Q. Do you recall telling other people that
4 he was a crazy man?
A. I don't know whether I used the word
5 "crazy," but -- so I can't recall if I told other 01:42:10
people I thought he was crazy.
6 (Exhibit 80, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
7 Q. I show you Exhibit 80. Who is Travis
Metz from Monitor.com -- I'm sorry, from Monitor?
8 A. Monitor is a private equity fund based
in Boston affiliated with the Monitor Consulting
9 Company.
Q. Why were you discussing with Mr. Metz
10 in the summer of 2007 various issues relating to 01:43:00
the management company?
11 A. We were seeking a potential minority
investment in the management company from Monitor.
12 Q. How much money were you seeking as an
investment?
13 A. I can't recall specifically, but I
think we were seeking to raise somewhere around 30
14 to 100 million dollars.
Q. Why did you need the capital infusion?
15 A. Because of all the expenses associated 01:43:38
with the internal investigation. There were
16 remediations to the fund, the payment of interest
on behalf of the onshore fund that was made on the
17 $108 million loan to the offshore fund, and the
nonreceipt yet of the 32 million estimated 2006
18 incentive fee from the Highbridge managed account.
Q. Did you contact anyone else besides
19 Monitor about making an investment in the
management company during the 2007 time period?
20 A. We spoke to a large list of people. 01:44:17
Q. And who was Berenson?
21 A. Berenson is an investment banking firm
that was advising us.
22 Q. Did Mr. Dubin have any participation in
these efforts to raise money for the management
23 company?
A. No.
24 Q. At some point in time in two
thousand -- strike that.
25 At some point in time -- strike that 01:44:39
too.
EFTA01165483
78
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 By the time -- when you became CFO,
what was Mr. Dubin's role in this operations of
3 the management company that you could perceive?
MR. O'BRIEN: Just so we're clear,
4 you're talking about early October '06?
MR. SUSMAN: Yeah.
5 MR. O'BRIEN: He was acting CFO at that 01:44:54
time.
6 MR. SUSMAN: Okay. Fair enough.
A. My understanding was that Dubin Swieca
7 Asset Management, of which Glenn was partners with
Henry Swieca, had a profit participation in the
8 management company and its affiliated entities
equal to 31 percent.
9 Q. But on a day-to-day basis, what did you
see Mr. Dubin do in terms of running or
10 participating in the running of the management 01:45:36
company?
11 A. What I saw as of October I think going
forward was very little involvement other than
12 dealing with Mr. Epstein and occasionally some of
the other investors to which he had personal
13 relations.
Q. Before October of '06 when you were a
14 managing director of the fund, or even in your
days at LLJ, did you see Mr. Dubin acting to help
15 run the management company in any capacity? 01:46:14
A. On a firsthand basis, no, I had never
16 seen or met Mr. Dubin.
Q. That's prior to October of 2006?
17 A. Correct.
Q. What about for Henry Swieca, did you
18 ever see him or meet him?
A. I have to date never met him.
19 Q. Did you have any understanding that --
from Mr. Zwirn or anyone that Mr. Dubin's level of
20 activity with the management company underwent any 01:46:40
change as of October 2006 versus what it had been
21 before that time period?
A. Ask the question again.
22 Q. Yeah. I think -- you observed
Mr. Dubin's role in the management company after
23 October 2006 when you were CFO.
A. Right.
24 Q. And I think you said it was limited;
fair?
25 A. Yes. 01:47:12
Q. Did anybody tell you that he had been
EFTA01165484
79
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 more active in the recent past?
A. Define "recent."
3 Q. Last year or two.
A. My understanding was that he had a
4 fairly active participation in the management
company, especially with regard to procurement of
5 investors through -- less and less active, but 01:47:32
from '03/'04 it was very active, '05 a little less
6 active, and '06 much less active is my
understanding from conversations and other
7 anecdotes.
Q. After October 2006, did you witness any
8 change in Mr. Dubin's role in the management
company?
9 A. I noticed a dramatic change after we
received the letters in January 2007.
10 Q. Those are the letters from Highbridge? 01:48:10
A. Yes.
11 Q. And what was the nature of the change
after you got the letters from Highbridge in
12 January of 2007?
A. A role of trying to be supportive to
13 one of being in opposition to each other.
Q. Did you and Mr. Zwirn ever discuss what
14 caused Mr. Dubin's attitude to change in January
of '07?
15 A. We had many conversations that were 01:48:44
based on speculations.
16 Q. And what were the situations?
A. One of the primary speculations was
17 that Highbridge was undergoing a routine SEC
examination at the time of our disclosures in late
18 October 2006 and our self-reporting in turn caused
their examination to be extended and for them to
19 receive some type of letter or reprimand from the
SEC.
20 Q. Did you ever have any knowledge of what 01:49:23
exactly the SEC's investigation of Highbridge
21 entailed?
A. I do not believe it was an
22 investigation; I believe it was a routine
examination. My only reference point as to what
23 actually occurred was contained in a lawsuit from
Highbridge's former general counsel that was filed
24 in New York State court.
Q. That's the Carol Rubin file?
25 A. Yes. 01:49:50
Q. But you haven't seen the letter that
EFTA01165485
80
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Highbridge received from the SEC regarding its
subadvisory role with Zwirn?
3 A. No, I never saw such a letter.
Q. By the way, one of the things that
4 Mr. Metz mentions -- and it's covered in the third
star from the bottom, right above a star that
5 says, What is JCK? Do you see that that star that 01:50:20
says, Can you explain the various liquidity
6 redemption options that investors have in
different funds, including key dates?
7 A. Okay.
Q. It says, What I want to focus on is how
8 much do you know about what people are going to do
on September 1st. Remind us again why September
9 1st matters so much.
Do you know what he's referring to?
10 MR. O'BRIEN: There's another sentence. 01:50:52
MR. SUSMAN: I don't want to ask about
11 that.
A. A majority of the investors were in a
12 redemption option called one year plus liquidity,
which was the same option that Travis Metz
13 personally was in as an investor in the onshore
fund. The notice requirement for redemption at
14 the end of the year was 120 days. Therefore
September 1st was an important date to know how
15 many people and dollar amounts were going to 01:51:24
redeem under that option.
16 MR. ARFFA: I hadn't realized until now
he was an investor. So again we'd ask for
17 confidential treatment of that.
(Exhibit 81, DESCRIPTION, marked for
18 identification.)
Q. I show you Exhibit 81. Did you
19 participate in the negotiation of this agreement
between DSAM and the D.B. Zwirn entities?
20 A. Yes, I did. 01:52:04
Q. Why is it that Mr. Zwirn -- I'm sorry,
21 Mr. Dubin and Mr. Swieca were being bought out of
the management company?
22 A. It was a demand being made in
conjunction with the payment of the incentive fee
23 that was owed by Highbridge to D.B. Zwirn & Co.
Q. In other words, in order for Highbridge
24 there was -- strike that.
There was an incentive fee or
25 management fee that was owed to the management 01:52:44
company from the Highbridge managed account; is
EFTA01165486
81
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 that right?
A. Yes.
3 Q. I understand you're saying Mr. Dubin
said in order for you to get paid that fee from
4 Highbridge you have to buy me out of the
management company?
5 A. That's not how he phrased it. 01:53:01
Q. How did he phrase it?
6 A. Meeting in Glenn's conference room
sometime in June of 2007, Glenn had a prepared
7 script which he seemed to be reading or
paraphrasing from where he said that he would
8 agree to have Highbridge pay their incentive
fees -- and I can't remember exactly what the
9 conditions were for that -- and in addition you
will buy me out of my interest in D.B. Zwirn for
10 $30 million. And if you don't agree to my 01:53:36
conditions, I will sue you.
11 Q. Did he say what he would sue you for?
A. No.
12 Q. Well, was one of the conditions for
payment of the fee from Highbridge that you let
13 Highbridge's assets go, in effect?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
14 A. I think the agreement is self-evident
in terms of how the managed account would be
15 managed. So we weren't letting them go; we were 01:54:07
still managing the assets, but subject to their
16 direction.
Q. You entered into -- at the same time
17 you entered into Exhibit 81, right, you entered
into Exhibit -- what I'll mark as Exhibit 82.
18 (Exhibit 82, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
19 Q. You were involved in negotiating
Exhibit 82?
20 A. Yes. 01:54:52
Q. And Exhibit 82 is the settlement
21 agreement in effect between Highbridge -- the
entity that owned the Highbridge managed account
22 and D.B. Zwirn; right?
A. Correct.
23 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
Q. And that agreement calls for a
24 liquidation of the Highbridge managed account and
payment, and as well there's a provision that
25 talks about Highbridge will in turn pay the 01:55:15
management company the incentive fees and
EFTA01165487
82
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 management fees that are owed.
A. Yes.
3 Q. Right?
It doesn't tie -- Exhibit 82 does not
4 tie payment of the management fees or incentive
fees to buying Mr. Dubin out of the management
5 company; correct? 01:55:36
A. Correct.
6 Q. But you're saying in a meeting
Mr. Dubin effectively tied the two together?
7 A. I believe he did.
Q. Did Mr. Dubin explain why he thought he
8 was entitled to be bought out of the management
company?
9 A. No.
Q. He just demanded it and said, If you
10 don't do it, I'm not going to -- or implied if you 01:56:05
don't do it you won't get paid your fees from
11 Highbridge?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
12 A. My inference was yes.
Q. Well, did you have any discussion with
13 Mr. Dubin about why he felt entitled to be bought
out of the management company?
14 A. With Mr. Dubin? No.
Q. Did in fact the management company use
15 the management fees or incentive fees that 01:56:32
Highbridge paid it to fund the payments to
16 Mr. Dubin?
A. In part. Money's fungible.
17 Q. In fairness, who did the -- you
negotiated Exhibit 81; right? Strike that.
18 Was there any effort to conceal the
existence of Exhibit 81 from Highbridge, to your
19 knowledge? Exhibit 81 is the agreement with
Mr. Dubin.
20 A. To conceal? 01:57:04
Q. Yeah.
21 A. No.
Q. Highbridge knew that both agreements
22 were being entered into at the same time; correct?
A. Well, Bob Caruso was the CFO of
23 Highbridge. Bob Caruso was the counterparty from
the business side with whom I negotiated.
24 Q. Both agreements?
A. Yes.
25 Q. Did Mr. Caruso ever link the payment of 01:57:27
the Highbridge management fees to Mr. -- to the
EFTA01165488
83
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 buyout of Mr. Dubin from the management company?
A. Not explicitly.
3 Q. Under Exhibit 81 Mr. Dubin -- not
Mr. Dubin, Mr. Dubin Swieca asked that management
4 is supposed to be paid $30 million in a series of
payments.
5 A. Correct. 01:58:01
Q. Were those payments all made?
6 A. No.
Q. How much of it was paid?
7 A. Let me look at the payment schedule.
Q. It's probably in paragraph 2(b), the
8 first page, the very bottom.
A. The 3.12 million was paid. The 17 --
9 the 9.5 was paid. The 17.5 was not paid.
Q. Was it ever paid? It wasn't paid on
10 time, but was it paid at all? 01:58:42
A. No.
11 Q. Has there been any sort of resolution
of that outstanding payment?
12 A. Yes. It's my understanding that as of
I believe May 1, 2009, DSAM relinquished all
13 claims to any future payments with regard to this
agreement.
14 Q. Was there an agreement that
memorialized that?
15 A. There was a letter, I believe. 01:59:08
Q. And what was the background that led to
16 DSAM agreeing in May of 2009 to any of these
future payments?
17 MR. O'BRIEN: I just caution you not
to --
18 Q. Strike that. Sorry.
Was the May 1, 2009, agreement
19 connected to the acquisition or takeover by
Fortress?
20 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. 01:59:32
A. I don't know if it was connected, but
21 it did occur coincidently at the same time.
Q. Is it your understanding it was
22 designed to facilitate Fortress taking over
management of the funds?
23 A. Without their relinquishment, I don't
believe the transactions could have occurred.
24 Q. By the way, there is on Exhibit 81 the
necked "whereas" clause. It says, whereas DSAM
25 does not receive through its interest any fees 02:00:03
accruing from DBZ L.P.'s management of HCN/Z
EFTA01165489
84
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Special Opportunities LLC.
Was that an accurate recitation?
3 A. I believe so.
Q. Well, except I think -- didn't you just
4 tell me in some of the money from Highbridge deal
was used to pay for the interests?
5 A. Once again, money is fungible. Their 02:00:35
capital accounts had a special allocation to
6 exclude amounts earned from the Highbridge managed
account.
7 Q. In Exhibit 81 there's provisions about
DSAM releasing all of its interests in any DBZ
8 entity. Did that include Mr. Dubin's personal
interest in the fund, do you know one way or the
9 other? Is that what the intent was?
A. No. His personal interest in the
10 onshore fund and I believe in the tax-exempt fund 02:01:15
were completely segregated from this agreement.
11 Q. Now, let's talk briefly about Exhibit
82, the Highbridge agreement.
12 A. Okay.
Q. I'll tell you what, to give you a
13 little background, let's just go through this real
fast.
14 (Exhibit 83, DESCRIPTION, marked for
identification.)
15 Q. I show you Exhibit 83. Exhibit 83 is 02:01:55
the letter that you referred to that you received
16 in late January '07 from Highbridge, or series of
letters?
17 A. Yes.
Q. So from this -- from the time after you
18 received this letter, was the relationship with
Highbridge adversarial?
19 A. In terms of actual day-to-day
interactions, they were quite cordial. But the
20 presumption was that we were adversaries. 02:02:29
(Exhibit 84, DESCRIPTION, marked for
21 identification.)
Q. Exhibit 84. Do you recall receiving or
22 seeing a copy of Exhibit 84 an April 11, 2007,
letter to Larry Cutler?
23 A. Yes.
Q. In the letter Highbridge specifically
24 accuses you of having promised to transfer the
shares of GAGFAH on February 15th and then
25 essentially reneging on that promise; right. The 02:03:15
first paragraph, if you're confused, says, David
EFTA01165490
85
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Lee assured us at that meeting that the improper
activities were under investigation and that Zwirn
3 would immediately begin to transfer assets to us,
such as the GAGFAH shares, which were reason ply
4 liquid. Further, since February 15th meeting
David Lee has advised us that Zwirn would transfer
5 the GAGFAH shares to us provided we put the 02:03:44
request in writing. We cannot tolerate you taking
6 positions in writing that are in conflict with
reassurances made to us verbally.
7 Right?
A. I remember this very well.
8 Q. Their position was you told them that
you'd give them the shares if they put it in
9 writing. They did. The fund responded by saying
they're not going to do it. And they wrote this
10 letter to you. Right? 02:04:09
A. My recollection -- this is pretty
11 vivid -- is I felt it was bald-faced lying and I
had other witnesses in that meeting that
12 corroborated I never made such assurances.
(Exhibit 85, DESCRIPTION, marked for
13 identification.)
Q. Look at Exhibit -- I show you Exhibit
14 85. This was a letter that you were sent in
connection with the audit of Highbridge from
15 August 10th, 2007, and what it says is that the 02:04:48
NAV of the Highbridge managed account was $580
16 million as of December 31, 2006. Do you see that?
A. Yes.
17 Q. This one -- did you send back anything
to confirm whether this was correct or not?
18 A. I believe we had discussions with
Highbridge and with PwC to help assist in the
19 completion of their audit. I don't recall us
sending a letter that addressed this letter
20 specifically but that it was more of a process. 02:05:44
Q. All right. So let's just -- I want to
21 walk through some of the numbers, Exhibit 85. It
says there's an NAV of 580 million. But then
22 there's a paragraph below it that says subsequent
to year end we received redemption proceeds of 146
23 million, roughly, which are not included in the
NAV as detailed below -- above.
24 A. Okay.
Q. Does that mean that the NAV of the
25 Highbridge managed account was roughly $720 02:06:14
million as of December 31, '06?
EFTA01165491
86
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. I don't know because the ownership in
CG Holdings was a liquid stock that had
3 significant volatility. So that value could have
been materially lower or materially higher.
4 Q. CG Holdings is what held the GAGFAH
shares?
5 A. The GAGFAH shares. 02:06:53
Q. Does the number of 700 million sound
6 about right as of December 31, '06?
A. I don't recall.
7 Q. You don't. Okay. Suffice it to say
sometime after December 31 Highbridge got $146
8 million out of the managed account; right?
A. Yes.
9 Q. If we could, let's look at Exhibit 82.
A. Okay.
10 Q. Do you know as of the time you quit 02:07:33
working at DBZ whether there was still any money
11 in the Highbridge managed account or had it all
been distributed?
12 A. My recollection was that there were
still assets in the Highbridge managed account as
13 of May 31, 2010.
Q. How significant in size?
14 A. I don't know.
Q. Now, if you turn to page 2 --
15 MR. O'BRIEN: We're on Exhibit 82? 02:08:10
Q. -- of Exhibit 82, there's paragraph D,
16 additional payments.
A. Okay.
17 Q. It says essentially it calls for the
repayment of the loan from the onshore -- to the
18 onshore account; correct?
A. Yes.
19 Q. Did that loan get repaid?
A. There are essentially two loans. The
20 50 million loan from October of '06 that was 02:08:39
documented was repaid. This is referring to the
21 amount of intercompany or interfund payables to
the Highbridge account that we did not have a
22 definitive answer to because it was pending the
completion of the 2006 audits.
23 Q. So by the time of the agreement of
Exhibit 82, had the Highbridge -- the $50 million
24 Highbridge loan been repaid in full?
A. The loan that was referred to and
25 documented in October '06 had been repaid. 02:09:21
Q. Okay. And then this -- the interfund
EFTA01165492
87
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 balances that were not reconciled, I guess, as of
the time of this agreement, were they ultimately
3 reconciled and repaid to Highbridge by the end of
2007?
4 A. There was a reconciliation. I can't
remember when it was paid down.
5 Q. And do you know how much money, 02:09:52
roughly, was paid out to Highbridge from the
6 managed account from the time of Exhibit 82 until
you stopped working at DBZ & Co.?
7 A. I don't know offhand.
Q. Do you know if it was hundreds of
8 millions of dollars? Any idea?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
9 A. I don't recall.
Q. Do you have any ballpark of what
10 percentage of the Highbridge account was actually 02:10:26
liquidated and paid out to Highbridge?
11 A. No.
MR. SUSMAN: Let's take a quick break.
12 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're off the
record. The time is 2:10.
13 (Recess taken from 2:10 to 2:19.)
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We're back on the
14 record. The time is 2:19. This is the
beginning of Tape 5.
15 Q. Whether did you first hear that this 02:20:01
dispute with Mr. Epstein actually had erupted into
16 litigation? Do you remember who you heard that
from?
17 A. I don't remember specifically who I
heard it from.
18 Q. Have you heard that -- or have you seen
an affidavit that Mr. Dubin has signed in
19 connection with this dispute?
A. I recall reading an affidavit.
20 Q. Have you and Dan talked about that 02:20:41
affidavit?
21 A. Yes.
Q. And what have you and Dan talked about
22 regarding that affidavit?
A. That Dan has no recollection and does
23 not believe that it's conceivable that he ever
would have made such a promise to Jeffrey.
24 Q. Anything else?
A. Speculation as to why Glenn would put
25 himself in such a position in support of Jeffrey. 02:21:14
Q. And what was that speculation?
EFTA01165493
88
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. We have no idea what relationships
exist beyond business relationships between
3 Jeffrey and Glenn.
Q. Mr. Zwirn had an interest in something
4 called Corbin Capital Partners, I believe. Were
you aware of that?
5 A. I don't know the full name of the 02:21:53
entity, but yes, I was aware that Dan had an
6 interest in an entity called Corbin.
Q. Did you know what Corbin did?
7 A. I believe them to be a fund-to-fund
manager.
8 Q. Did they ever invest in D.B. Zwirn?
A. I don't believe they did.
9 Q. Do you know how Dan came to have that
interest in Corbin?
10 A. My understanding is that when Glenn was 02:22:20
setting up Corbin he asked Dan for various advice
11 and analyses and that he received some type of
interest as payment for such advice and that Dan
12 also purchased an interest in that entity by
writing a check.
13 Q. Do you know that Mr. Zwirn and
Mr. Dubin had some dispute over the Corbin
14 interest?
A. Yes.
15 Q. That resulted in litigation? 02:23:07
A. Yes.
16 Q. Did you testify at all in that
litigation?
17 A. No.
Q. Are you aware of how that litigation --
18 what the outcome is?
A. Not really.
19 Q. I think you said you never gave
testimony to the SEC. Did I hear that right?
20 A. That's correct. 02:23:28
Q. Were you interviewed by them in any
21 capacity?
A. No, I was not.
22 Q. Have you spoken to investors in the
onshore fund about the dispute with Mr. Epstein?
23 A. I believe I mentioned or had some
discussions with various investors about the
24 Epstein settlement agreement that was entered
into. I don't recall specifically any other
25 conversations with Epstein -- about Epstein to 02:24:08
investors.
EFTA01165494
89
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. We saw earlier I think it was Silver
Creek, for example. That was one of the
3 conversations that you had about the Epstein
settlement?
4 A. Yes.
Q. And what was the reason you told them
5 the fund had entered into this agreement with 02:24:26
Mr. Epstein?
6 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
A. I don't really recall telling them the
7 reason other than that I read in the e-mail you
just gave me.
8 Q. Well, in the e-mail you said, Call me
up, and it's a short e-mail exchange. So do you
9 recall what you actually told people when they
asked you why the fund gave a $45 million priority
10 payment to Mr. Epstein? 02:24:56
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
11 A. Other than pursuant to a settlement
agreement, I don't recall having conversations
12 specifically as to why.
Q. Did you ever talk to Chris Swan about
13 this dispute with Mr. Epstein?
A. Which dispute with Mr. Epstein?
14 Q. Over his redemption requests.
A. Which one?
15 Q. All of them. 02:25:39
A. I don't recall any specific
16 conversations with Chris about Epstein. I do
believe that he was in the room when we had group
17 discussions about Epstein, which most likely
included legal counsel when we had those
18 discussions.
Q. By the way, you've -- other than
19 talking to investors and to the lawyers for the
various parties in this case, who have you
20 discussed this dispute with Mr. Epstein with? 02:26:30
A. Once again, which dispute are you
21 referring to?
Q. Well, let's talk about the dispute
22 since February of 2007.
A. February 2007.
23 A. We had -- I'm trying to think of
discussions that weren't with counsel. The only
24 think I can really think of was discussions with
potential parties during our strategic process
25 when we were seeking a change in control, 02:27:24
including Fortress and others that were in that
EFTA01165495
90
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 process, as part of their diligence efforts.
Q. And did the Fortress people ask, as
3 part of the diligence, inquire into this dispute
with Mr. Epstein what was the issue?
4 A. I believe so, but I really am having
difficulty remembering details about those kind of
5 discussions. There were lots of items going on at 02:27:49
that time.
6 Q. Do you remember who you had the
discussions with at Fortress, about the Epstein
7 issue?
A. It would have been with a large
8 collection of their transaction team that was
conducting the transaction with us.
9 Q. By the way, when I was asking you, you
know, about these -- the Chris Swan discussions
10 and you said that you had had -- there were a lot 02:28:24
of group discussions about dealing with Jeffrey
11 Epstein's redemption requests and Chris may have
been in those or not and lawyers may have been
12 present, do you recall whether was Glenn Dubin
ever present in any of those discussions?
13 A. I do not believe he was.
Q. So whatever discussions were had with
14 Mr. Dubin were between Mr. Zwirn and Mr. Dubin off
in private, in effect, other than what you
15 listened to over the phone? 02:28:53
A. Yes, I believe so.
16 Q. By the way, on the managed account, the
accounting for the managed account, was it handled
17 separately from the accounting for the onshore and
offshore funds?
18 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. What do you mean, "handled separately"?
19 Q. Were there a different group of
accountants who dealt with the managed account's
20 books and records than, say, for the onshore fund 02:29:23
or was it the same accounting staff that dealt
21 with everything?
A. The same accounting staff dealt with
22 everything, but at some point after the settlement
agreement with Highbridge I did assign a couple of
23 people to specifically keep track of Highbridge's
assets.
24 Q. To your knowledge did -- oh, I know you
said you were an investor in the onshore fund.
25 Was Dan Zwirn an investor in the onshore fund? 02:29:59
A. I believe he was.
EFTA01165496
91
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 Q. Was he an investor in the offshore
fund?
3 A. He was an investor by virtue of an
offshore deferral.
4 Q. In other words, the incentive fee was
deferred and rolled into an investment in the
5 offshore fund itself, in effect? 02:30:18
A. Yes.
6 Q. Other than as a -- by virtue of his
deferral arrangement, was he an investor in the
7 onshore fund -- offshore fund?
A. I do not believe he was.
8 Q. Who was the -- by the way, you
mentioned you assigned a specific accountant to
9 deal with the Highbridge managed account post the
settlement agreement?
10 MR. ARFFA: Objection to form. I don't 02:30:45
think that's what he said.
11 Q. A particular accounting person?
A. I assigned a couple of -- if I said
12 accounting, I meant operations.
Q. Okay. Those people were in charge of
13 running off the assets, in effect, liquidating
them?
14 A. No. The assets were not segregated
from the other assets of the funds, so their
15 assets -- other than the GAGFAH shares, were not 02:31:07
liquidated in any priority fashion over any other
16 fund assets.
Q. Even post the settlement agreement?
17 A. Yes.
Q. So just as whatever asset could be
18 sold, if the Highbridge managed account happened
to own some of it, then it would become liquid for
19 the Highbridge managed account?
A. Yes. So, for example, if the onshore
20 fund owned half of this water bottle and 02:31:36
Highbridge owned the other half and I sold it for
21 $10, $5 would go to the onshore fund and $5 would
go to Highbridge.
22 The onshore fund had leverage, so that
money would get used to repay debt; and Highbridge
23 didn't have leverage, so that money would go back
to Highbridge.
24 (Mr. Schwartz leaves proceedings.)
Q. Since you left Fortress a year ago --
25 I'm sorry, since you left D.B. Zwirn & Co., have 02:32:09
you had continuing contact with either D.B. Zwirn
EFTA01165497
92
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 or Fortress?
A. Define D.B. Zwirn.
3 Q. The entities that were the management
company and the general partner.
4 A. The former management company entities
I believe do not have any employees, so it would
5 be difficult to have contact with them other than 02:32:36
through things like this.
6 Q. And what is the status of the entities
that were called DBZ & Co., L.P., and the various
7 Zwirn entities that Mr. O'Brien represents?
MR. O'BRIEN: You may want to break
8 that down specifically. The answer may be
different, and it may be hard to answer in a
9 global way. I don't know. I'm just saying.
Q. Do you know what the status is of
10 D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P.? 02:33:20
A. I believe the name was legally changed
11 to something else called Irvington, but I don't
know the full name.
12 Q. Yep.
A. And I don't know what's left anymore.
13 Q. Where did the name Irvington come from?
A. Don't know. I assume it came from Dan.
14 Q. What assets did it have when you last
worked for D.B. Zwirn & Co.?
15 A. I don't believe it had any assets of 02:33:52
any materiality, nor do I believe it had any
16 liabilities of any materiality at that point.
Q. How about D.B. Zwirn Partners LLC, do
17 you know what's happened to it?
A. I don't believe it exists. I believe
18 that entity is, if not dissolved, has no reason to
exist.
19 Q. And how about Zwirn Holdings?
A. Don't know, don't have the foggiest
20 idea. 02:34:33
Q. And when you were last working for --
21 so the entity you last worked for would have been
D.B. Zwirn & Co.?
22 A. L.P..
Q. L.P.?
23 A. Correct.
Q. You last worked for it as of the summer
24 of 2010; right?
A. Correct.
25 Q. And how much was your salary in that 02:34:49
last year?
EFTA01165498
93
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 A. My base salary was at the rate of 1
million per year.
3 Q. Was there a bonus function to it?
A. Yes.
4 Q. And how long had your base salary been
at a million a year?
5 A. Since 2007. 02:35:08
Q. With a bonus component?
6 A. My bonuses were approximately 2.5
million per year.
7 Q. 2.5 million per year for 2007, 2008,
2009?
8 A. Yes.
Q. And 2010?
9 A. No. 2010 was at a lower rate and
prorated for the five months.
10 Q. And how was the bonus calculated? Was 02:35:31
there a formula?
11 A. It was an agreed number.
4. It was an agreed number? Between who
12 and who?
A. Between Dan and myself.
13 4. Was it based on some performance
metric?
14 A. No.
Q. Where did D.B. Zwirn & Co. get the
15 money to pay you this salary? 02:35:54
A. D.B. Zwirn & Co. received management
16 fees and incentive fees.
Q. Even once the gates went up in 2008?
17 • The gates never went up.
Q. Well, the fund went into -- I'm sorry,
18 the funds that D.B. Zwirn & Co. and managed, the
onshore and offshore funds --
19 A. Yes.
Q. -- they in 2008 ceased taking new
20 investments; correct? 02:36:27
A. They actually ceased taking new
21 investments far earlier than that. I believe we
stopped taking new investments as early as late
22 '06.
Q. From late '06?
23 A. Yes.
Q. So from late '06 on there were no new
24 investments in the offshore fund?
A. I do not believe there were.
25 Q. But DBZ D.B. Zwirn & Co. L.P. 02:36:49
continued to receive these management fees up
EFTA01165499
94
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 until Fortress took over?
A. Yes.
3 Q. And that was the source of cash flow
that it had was the management fees?
4 A. And incentive fees prior to 2009.
Q. Got you.
5 And why did you quit working for 02:37:16
D.B. Zwirn & Co. in the summer of last year?
6 MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form.
A. In conjunction with the transaction
7 with Fortress, I had an employment agreement that
lasted through 12/31/09. I was asked by
8 representatives of Fortress to stay through May 31
of 2010 in conjunction with the transaction.
9 Q. Do you have any continuing -- or did
you, after May 31, 2010, have any continuing
10 contractual arrangement with Fortress? 02:37:52
A. I have certain confidentiality and
11 nonsolicit arrangements that were in conjunction
with my employment there.
12 Q. Any compensation paid to you post May
2010?
13 A. Not a penny.
Q. And do you -- and D.B. -- were you
14 working for D.B. Zwirn & Co., L.P., when its name
was changed?
15 A. I don't recall if the name change 02:38:25
occurred prior to May 31, 2010, or after.
16 Q. Was it formally wound down in some --
"it" being D.B. Zwirn & Co. -- in some fashion?
17 A. I do not believe it was formally
liquidated under Delaware law.
18 Q. Did you ever have any position with
Zwirn Holdings or was that simply Dan Zwirn's
19 entity?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
20 A. Zwirn Holdings I believe it was an 02:38:59
intermediate holding company for Dan's interest in
21 the Dan Zwirn affiliates, so no.
(Pause.)
22 Q. Did you participate in -- as I
understand it, the onshore fund would make
23 investments in certain -- would originate loans,
let them season, and then transfer them to the
24 offshore fund after a period of time?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
25 A. The onshore fund engaged in a lot of 02:40:03
activities, and yes, loan origination was one of
EFTA01165500
95
1 NONCERTIFIED ROUGH DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL
2 them. And on occasion the onshore fund, either
directly or through its CLO, wholly owned CLO,
3 would syndicate or participate in portions of
loans to the offshore funds to its managed
4 accounts and to third parties.
Q. And the reason the onshore fund -- with
5 the onshore fund they would have to let the loan 02:40:34
season before it could give it -- before the
6 offshore fund could invest because the offshore
fund could not be originating loans in the United
7 States; is that right?
MR. O'BRIEN: Objection to form. And
8 to the extent that your answer has anything to
do with legal advice that you might have
9 received or been aware of, I direct you not to
reveal that information.
10 A. It's contained in the audit. The 02:40:57
offshore fund as a general matter should not be
11 engaged in a U.S. active trader business, which
would include loan origination as a matter of
12 business practice.
Q. One of the reasons why you were
13 concerned about the loans from the offshore fund
to the onshore fund is they might be perceived to
14 be loan origination in the U.S.; is that right?
MR. ARFFA: Objection to form.
15 A. The concern was not a single loan from 02:41:31
the onshore fund or even two or three loans; the
16 concern was an offshore entity providing capital
for purposes of having another entity originate
17 loans for its benefit, as a matter of practice.
Q. It could be a problem for the tax
18 status of the offshore fund?
A. It could be a potential risk in
19 jeopardizing the tax status of the offshore fund.
MR. SUSMAN: I have no further
20 questions. 02:42:03
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: This is the end of
21 today's deposition. The time is 2:42. We're
off the record.
22 (Time noted: 2:42 p.m.)
23
24
25
EFTA01165501