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| Rusnak Surfaces to Talk to
Authorities, Lawyer Says
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Patrice Dickens WASHINGTON - The foreign exchange trader wanted in connection with $750 million that is missing from Allfirst Bank is not on the lam and has met with federal officials on the case, his attorney said Thursday. John Rusnak met with FBI and federal prosecutors Wednesday afternoon, said Bruce Lamdin, one of two attorneys representing Rusnak. Officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI in Baltimore would neither confirm nor deny any such meeting. "We are not speaking about particulars," said Pete Gulotta, a special agent in the FBI's Baltimore office. Lamdin said Rusnak has been staying "either at home or with friends," adding that his client has been avoiding his Baltimore home because he is being hounded by the press. Lamdin also said that Rusnak "came to see his attorney on Monday," when he first went missing from Allfirst Bank, raising suspicions among internal auditors. He declined most other opportunities to comment on the case. "We are not going to discuss guilt or innocence," said Lamdin, who is representing Rusnak with David B. Irwin. "He has not been charged with anything." Gulotta and Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Evans would only say that the case is still being investigated and they cannot talk about specifics. Officials at Allfirst Bank became suspicious last week when an annual management review of the bank's treasury division indicated fraudulent activities in the foreign exchange trading area. They announced Wednesday that $750 million was missing from the foreign trades area. They suspended four employees while they investigate the case, and have said they will fire Rusnak if he ever shows up. Rusnak, who has worked at Allfirst since 1993, did not show up to work on Monday, one day after Allfirst' bank inspectors began asking questions about the legitimacy of some of his transactions. Allfirst officials described Rusnak as a husband and father, "a solid work performer" and an "upstanding member of the community." He had no previous disciplinary actions against
him, officials said Wednesday, and was considered an employee of good
standing until Monday.
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