customers to invest in foreign currencies
through Tempelhof Bank in Zürich, Switzerland. That’s why we hired the services of Mr. Harrington T. Whitney-Davis, a renowned
financial advisor.”
Hello, my friend,
I said to myself. I thought of a verse from the Bible my father had liked to quote: “Do two walk together, unless they have
agreed?” We would soon see how these men had conspired.
I checked the FBI report again—nothing about Switzerland. Same went for the bank examiners. I double-checked with their agencies.
Nothing in the file. I went to see McHanna again, unannounced. If he was happy to see me, he was doing a good job of hiding
it. Instead, he looked concerned.
“Mr. McHanna, I forgot to ask you one other question,” Isaid. “In the end, did your savings bank in South Dakota finally launch the idea, offering your customers some foreign-currency
investment opportunities?”
He was stunned. After he recovered, he said slowly, “Well, actually, we didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“If I remember correctly, the board didn’t think the product fit the needs of our customers. They were mostly farmers and
small-business owners.”
“So the program was abandoned?”
“Yes. And right after that we discovered the fraud, and I tendered my resignation.”
Hmm. Brian DiLorenzo of the OTS told me that the savings bank had fired McHanna. What else might he have embellished?
“Have you seen or heard of Mr. Harrington T. Whitney-Davis since?”
McHanna turned his eyes to the window on his right and scratched his nose. “No.”
My friend,
I thought,
your mouth says no, but your body says yes.
I remembered the course about body language taught by the Mossad psychologist.
Research has shown that many, but not all, people tell the truth when they look to the left trying to remember events. When
they look to the right they rely more on their imagination, and therefore they’re either intentionally lying or their answers
cannot be relied upon. If a person questioned touches any part of his or her body, that indicates stress and the likelihood
of a lie. Look at the person’s pupils. They dilate when someone is lying. Same goes for a dry mouth that a person tries to
moisten by licking his or her lips.
“And what about Tempelhof Bank? Do you still have any relationship with them?” I asked.
McHanna’s smile disappeared. “I’m not sure. I would need to check on that. Anyway, I don’t think it’s relevant to your investigation,
Mr. Gordon. This information is a trade secret of my company, and has nothing to do with my former employment.”
He had a point, I thought, but I had plenty of them as well. He had just given me a reason to follow that lead and go to Switzerland.
C HAPTER S IX
David Stone refused outright when I reported my findings and asked for his authorization to go to Zürich. “You know the Swiss
sensitivity when it comes to investigations by foreign agents,” he said.
“Of course I know. Article 273,” I said. The Swiss criminal code made it a criminal offense for anyone besides a Swiss official
to question a witness within Switzerland, whether the case was criminal or civil.
“Right,” said David. He then reminded me, though we both knew I needed no reminding, that this law includes agents of foreign
governments who attempt to obtain information about a client of a Swiss bank. Even if a client authorizes the Swiss bank to
disclose information to a foreign government, the bank cannot divulge any information on that basis.
“So?” I said when he had finished.
“I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.”
I knew David. Although he was content to hear me recite the Swiss law he had often suspected I overlooked, he also wanted
to make sure I remembered Swiss law special restrictions regarding foreign governments. The Swiss legislature included that
restriction to protect Swiss banks from pressure by foreign governments, which could
through Tempelhof Bank in Zürich, Switzerland. That’s why we hired the services of Mr. Harrington T. Whitney-Davis, a renowned
financial advisor.”
Hello, my friend,
I said to myself. I thought of a verse from the Bible my father had liked to quote: “Do two walk together, unless they have
agreed?” We would soon see how these men had conspired.
I checked the FBI report again—nothing about Switzerland. Same went for the bank examiners. I double-checked with their agencies.
Nothing in the file. I went to see McHanna again, unannounced. If he was happy to see me, he was doing a good job of hiding
it. Instead, he looked concerned.
“Mr. McHanna, I forgot to ask you one other question,” Isaid. “In the end, did your savings bank in South Dakota finally launch the idea, offering your customers some foreign-currency
investment opportunities?”
He was stunned. After he recovered, he said slowly, “Well, actually, we didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“If I remember correctly, the board didn’t think the product fit the needs of our customers. They were mostly farmers and
small-business owners.”
“So the program was abandoned?”
“Yes. And right after that we discovered the fraud, and I tendered my resignation.”
Hmm. Brian DiLorenzo of the OTS told me that the savings bank had fired McHanna. What else might he have embellished?
“Have you seen or heard of Mr. Harrington T. Whitney-Davis since?”
McHanna turned his eyes to the window on his right and scratched his nose. “No.”
My friend,
I thought,
your mouth says no, but your body says yes.
I remembered the course about body language taught by the Mossad psychologist.
Research has shown that many, but not all, people tell the truth when they look to the left trying to remember events. When
they look to the right they rely more on their imagination, and therefore they’re either intentionally lying or their answers
cannot be relied upon. If a person questioned touches any part of his or her body, that indicates stress and the likelihood
of a lie. Look at the person’s pupils. They dilate when someone is lying. Same goes for a dry mouth that a person tries to
moisten by licking his or her lips.
“And what about Tempelhof Bank? Do you still have any relationship with them?” I asked.
McHanna’s smile disappeared. “I’m not sure. I would need to check on that. Anyway, I don’t think it’s relevant to your investigation,
Mr. Gordon. This information is a trade secret of my company, and has nothing to do with my former employment.”
He had a point, I thought, but I had plenty of them as well. He had just given me a reason to follow that lead and go to Switzerland.
C HAPTER S IX
David Stone refused outright when I reported my findings and asked for his authorization to go to Zürich. “You know the Swiss
sensitivity when it comes to investigations by foreign agents,” he said.
“Of course I know. Article 273,” I said. The Swiss criminal code made it a criminal offense for anyone besides a Swiss official
to question a witness within Switzerland, whether the case was criminal or civil.
“Right,” said David. He then reminded me, though we both knew I needed no reminding, that this law includes agents of foreign
governments who attempt to obtain information about a client of a Swiss bank. Even if a client authorizes the Swiss bank to
disclose information to a foreign government, the bank cannot divulge any information on that basis.
“So?” I said when he had finished.
“I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.”
I knew David. Although he was content to hear me recite the Swiss law he had often suspected I overlooked, he also wanted
to make sure I remembered Swiss law special restrictions regarding foreign governments. The Swiss legislature included that
restriction to protect Swiss banks from pressure by foreign governments, which could
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