"To the best of my knowledge, (Dr. Keith) Mitchell went into the office with Mr. (Eric) Resteiner. They were in there about 15 to 20 minutes. They left the room. (Dr). Mitchell ... had the case of money with him. I then went into Mr. Resteiner office and grabbed the video, looked at it very briefly, and then placed the video into Mr. Resteiner's safe in his closet".
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Timothy Bass |
This is the evidence given by Timothy Bass in a deposition that forms part of a civil lawsuit filed in a Brooklyn court in New York against Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and convicted fraudster, Eric Restiner.
One of Resteiner's victims is taking legal action to recover an estimated one million U.S dollars that the international conman
is alleged to have given to the Grenadian leader in the form of a bribery payment in exchange for diplomatic cover.
Bass who claims to have secretly done the video-taping of the transaction explained in the deposition the equipment set up that took place at Resteiner's luxury villa at St. Moritz, Switzerland unknown to unsuspecting Prime Minister Mitchell.
" It was a voice and video recorder that was placed inside of a camcorder bag with a camera that was incorporated into the zipper pull", he said of the gadget that was used on the Prime Minister.
The Bass deposition was first recorded at a law office in Chicago, Illinois on May 23, 2007 to aid U.S oil investor, Jack Grynberg in an arbitration matter against the Grenada government.
The ex-security chief for Resteiner was questioned by attorney-at-law, Mitchell Katten who was retained by Grynberg and his RSM Production Corporation outfit based in Colorado in the United States.
Former opposition Leader Michael Baptiste is expected to show the entire video-tape at a public meeting on Sunday at Munich in the St. Andrew South west constituency.
Following is an edited version of the transcript of the Timothy Bass interview that was obtained by GRENADA TODAY:
Examination by Mr. Katten:
Q. Can you please state your name and spell your last name for the record?
A. Timothy Lee Bass, B A S S.
Q. Mr. Bass, have you ever had your deposition taken before?
A. No, Sir.
Q. And can you, just very briefly, tell me what your educational background is?
A. High school education with military background.
Q. Okay. And can you give me a brief description of your military background?
A. United States Air Force, security specialist from 1990 to 1996.
Q. When you say you were a "security specialist", if you could just describe for me what you mean by that.
A. I had a top secret security clearance, was in charge of personnel, and stuff like that in the U.S. Air Force.
Q. Okay. What I want to focus on today is your employment with an individual by the name of Eric Resteiner, so that's what I'm going to be referring to. Do you know an individual with that name Eric Resteiner?
A. I know Mr. Resteiner, yes.
Q. Okay. How do you know him?
A. I was director of security for Mr. Resteiner.
Q. So I take it you were an employee of Mr. Resteiner?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Over what period of time did you work for Mr. Resteiner?
A. From 1999 till 2001/2002.
Q. Okay. And was that 2001/2002 the last time you worked for Mr. Resteiner?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And I think you mentioned your position was director of security?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And what types of things did you do for Mr. Resteiner while you worked for him?
A. Provided personal security for him and his family, provided security for any individuals that he asked me to, provided movement, detail security, stuff like that.
Q. And when you were working for Mr. Resteiner, where were you working out of in terms of location?
A. St. Moritz, Switzerland; Nassau, Bahamas; Alexandria, Egypt.
Q. Where did he live?
A. He lived in all three of those places.
Q. And I take it you would just move with him depending on what location he was at the time?
A. Correct. Although I did not stay in Alexandria, Egypt. I visited there.
Q. Okay. I want to focus your attention on the time period of June of 2000.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you recall where you were working at that time for Mr. Resteiner?
A. St. Moritz, Switzerland, Villa Survretta.
Q. Did Mr. Resteiner have a home in St. Moritz, Switzerland?
A. Yes, he did
Q. Okay. And let me show you what's been marked as Exhibit NO. 1 previously by the court reporter. And let me, just for the record, mention that it is a letter dated May 17, 2007, to Brian King from Mr. Grynberg providing notice of the deposition and also attaching a copy of your affidavit.
I'd like you, if you can, just take a look at that affidavit for me, the last three pages of the exhibit, and tell me if you recognise that affidavit.
A. Yes, I do.
Q. Okay. And can you describe what that is that you're looking at?
A. It's an affidavit that I wrote pertaining to a payment made to the Prime Minister of Grenada.
Q. And did you date the affidavit? Or do you know when the affidavit was written? Let me strike that question and just ask you: When did you prepare the affidavit? If you want to look at the last page if that will refresh your memory, go ahead.
A. 25Th of April 2003.
Q. Okay. And I take it that this affidavit, as best as you can recall, accurately reflects the events that are described within it?
A. Yes, it does.
Q. And to the best of your knowledge, are the statement in the affidavit true and correct?
A. Yes, they are
Q. Okay. Then let me show you in exhibit what's been marked exhibit NO.2 and for the record, let me state that this is a photograph of an individual. And if you can take a look at that and tell me if you recognise that individual?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. And what is that individual's name?
A. It's Mr. Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada.
Q. And do you know if this individual was the Prime Minister of Grenada back in 2000?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. And do you know his first name, by any chance?
A. Keith Mitchell.
Q. Okay. Have you ever met Mr. Mitchell before?
A. I met him in Switzerland when he came to visit Mr. Resteiner.
Q. And do you recall when that occurred?
A. That occurred in June 2000
Q. When did you first come to meet Mr. Mitchell?
A. I had to go pick him up at a hotel in Zurich.
Q. Okay. And I take it you were picking him up for Mr. Resteiner?
A. Yes, I was. I was to pick up Mr. Mitchell and take him and his personnel back to the Villa Survretta In St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Q. And did you, in fact, do that?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Was anybody with the Prime Minister when you picked him up?
A. He had two bodyguards and a personal assistant.
Q. And how do you know that (the) two individuals were his bodyguards?
A. He told me they told me. Excuse me.
Q. Do you recall their names, as you sit here today?
A. I do not.
Q. Okay. Did you have any conversation with Mr. Mitchell when you were driving back to the villa?
A. Did not.
Q. Okay. Do you know why you were picking him up to bring him to the villa?
A. There was supposed to be a meeting with him and Mr. Resteiner and a few other individuals.
Q. Okay. And what happened after you arrived back at the villa in St. Mortiz?
A. Mr. Resteiner and him and the other individuals went into the living room at the house and talked, and then I went into Mr. Resteiner's office to set up some surveillance equipment.
Q. Okay. Let me ask you a question about that. You mentioned that you set up some surveillance equipment in Mr. Resteiner's office. Can you describe for us what type of surveillance equipment was set up?
A. It was a voice and video recorder that was placed inside of a camcorder bag with a camera that was incorporated into the zipper pull.
Q. Okay. I take it that the video equipment would not have been visible to somebody who was not looking for it?
A. No, it was not.
Q. Okay. And what was the purpose for setting up that equipment?
A. To video a transaction of United States currency between Mr. Resteiner and Mr. Mitchell.
Q. Okay. And when you say it was set up to record a transaction, who was providing
A. Mr. Resteiner was giving money to Mr. Mitchell.
Q. Okay. And do you know how much money Mr. Resteiner was giving to Mr. Mitchell?
A. I was told $500,000 by Mr. Resteiner.
Q. Okay. And when did Mr. Resteiner tell you that?
A. Beforehand.
Q. Okay. And was that sometime in June of 2000?
A. Correct. That was in June of 2000 when we were doing some test runs of the video equipment to place it in the best area to videotape it.
Q. And could you describe for me what you mean when you say you were doing "test runs"?
A. We were positioning the bag and the case on the desk to have the best view of Mr. Resteiner giving Mr. Mitchell the money.
Q. Do you know if Mr. Resteiner had any relationship with Mr. Mitchell or Grenada or the Government of Grenada?
A. I was told that he was the general ambassador for Grenada.
Q. And who told you that?
A. He told me that as well as his business card stated it and his letterhead stated it.
Q. And just so we're clear, when you say "he" you mean Mr. Resteiner.
A. Yes.
Q. He told you that he was a general ambassador for Grenada?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And it was yourself and Mr. Resteiner that sort of did a test run to make sure that the
A. Yes, sir.
Q. - - money would be visible on the surveillance equipment?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Okay. And do you know if this transaction went ahead?
A. It - - yes.
Q. Okay. And can you describe for me what happened with respect to that transaction?
A. To the best of my recollection, to the best of my knowledge, Mr. Mitchell went into the office with Mr. Resteiner. They were in there about 15 to 20 minutes. They left the room. Mr. Mitchell had the case of money with him.
I then went into Mr. Resteiner office and grabbed the video, looked at it very briefly, and then placed the video into
Mr. Resteiner's safe in his closet.
Q. Okay. Let me ask you some questions about what you just said. What was the money actually in?
A. It was in a briefcase. It appeared to be a Louis Vuitton briefcase.
Q. Okay. And did you actually start the surveillance equipment?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Okay. And do you know so you know if it was operating when
A. It was operating.
Q. And let me finish the question that is was operating at the time that Mr. Resteiner and Mr. Mitchell were in the office?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know if it actually recorded what went on in the office?
A. From what I saw when I went back into the office, it had recorded a meeting between the two of them.
Q. Okay. And I take it that you played it, at least in part, and were able to see that they were in there with a briefcase full of money?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. I'm going to open up this briefcase that's sitting next to you and if you could just tell me if this is what the brief similar to what the briefcase appeared that you saw in St. Moritz in 2000?
A. Very similar, yes.
Q. Okay. And I take it it was just full with money?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And was it U.S. currency or Š
A. U.S. currency hundred on the top layer was hundred-dollar bills.
Q. So when you opened the case, all you saw was hundred-dollar bills?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And to the best of your recollection, it would have been in a Louis Vuitton suitcase
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I'm sorry briefcase?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And after the meeting, the person you saw with the briefcase was Mr. Mitchell?
A. Mr. Mitchell, and then he gave it to his senior security staff.
Q. Okay. What happened after they left Mr. Resteiner's office?
A. Again, I went into the office, looked at the videotape very briefly to ensure that it had recorded, then I placed it into a safe in Mr. Resteiner's closet. Mr. Resteiner and Mr. Mitchell went and had dinner.
Q. Okay. And I take it when you went to make sure that the video equipment recorded the transaction, you found that it had?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you have the videotape again after that night?
A. No, sir.
Q. Okay. As far as you know, you left it in Mr. Resteiner's safe?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Okay. Did you look at the contents of the briefcase prior to the meeting of Resteiner and
A. I saw it before the meeting, yes.
Q. Okay. And when you saw it, it had cash in it?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And when you saw it during the videotape, you saw the cash in it?
A. To the best of my recollection, yes, it did have money in it.
Q. Okay. Did you have any other contact with Mr. Mitchell after that?
A. I took him to the hotel.
Q. Okay. Was anyone else with you?
A. Just myself, his two security staff, and his assistant.
Q. When you took him back to the hotel, did he have the briefcase with him?
A. Yes, he did.
Q. And, again, that would be the Louis Vuitton briefcase?
A. Yes.
Q. After you dropped I take it you dropped off Prime Minister Mitchell at the Zurich hotel?
A. Correct.
Q. And at that point, did you return back to the villa?
A. I did.
Q. Did you have any conversation with Mr. Resteiner about the transaction with him and Prime Minister Mitchell?
A. He stated to me that he had viewed the videotape and that the videotape was good and that he had the Prime Minister by the balls if he ever tried to do anything to him, and he also informed me that he would be leaving that night.
Q. Okay. That's what Mr. Resteiner told you?
A. Correct.
Q. Was anybody else present when he told you that?
A. No, sir.
Q. Okay. Did you ever have any other conversations with Mr. Resteiner about the Prime Minister?
A. After that, no, sir.
Q. Are you familiar with an individual by the name of Gregory Bowen?
A. I know him.
Q. All right. And what do you know about him?
A. I know that him and Mr. Resteiner had dealings and that he was kind of the middleman for Mr. Resteiner to go through to get to Mr. Mitchell.
Q. What's your understanding of the relationship between Gregory Bowen and the Prime Minister of Grenada?
A. The understanding that I have is that Mr. Bowen is second in charge of Grenada, and I've been told that he's a lifelong friend of him and a person that basically, in my opinion, is kind of like a if you want to get to Mitchell, you have to go to him first.
Q. Okay. I'm just going to ask you a couple of questions about the affidavit that's in front of you, a couple questions that I had about it. It indicates in your affidavit that you had several dress rehearsals in order to ensure that best possible recording of the meeting. I take it Is that what you were referring to earlier that you were trying to make sure that when the money was passed from Resteiner to Mitchell, it would appear on the videotape?
A. Correct.
Q. And in your affidavit, it indicates that Resteiner had advised you that he was paying money to the Prime Minister, Prime Minister Mitchell, for his appointment as a general ambassador of Grenada?
A. Correct.
Q. And do you know if anybody else was present when Mr. Resteiner told you that?
A. There was not.
Q. Okay. And I take it that this conversation was in the villa in St. Moritz?
A. Yes, it was.
Q. I just have a couple more questions. I appreciate your time. One - is it your understanding that Gregory Bowen was, quote/unquote, a frontman for Prime Minister Mitchell?
A. Yes.
Q. That people wanting to work with the government had to satisfy Mitchell and to do that, they went through Bowen?
A. Him and other people.
Q. Okay. And did Mr. Resteiner ever tell you make any comments to you about giving other monies, other than this $500,000 to Prime Minister Mitchell?
A. He had made a comment to me that he had done it before and that he had a trip before that was to Grenada; and there, he had to pay him before.
Q. Do you recall when he told you this?
A. That day in the Villa Survretta.
Q. Same time, June of 2005
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And, again, this was in the villa in St. Moritz?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was anybody else present when you had this conversation with him?
A. No, sir
Q. At that time, did he say why he had made the earlier payment to the Prime Minister?
A. He didn't say at that particular time why he made that payment, but it was very clear to me what he was talking about, that he was making this payment for being the ambassador and that the payment before was for the same thing.
Q. Okay. So to the best of your understanding just to summarise, and correct me if I'm wrong, but to the best of your understanding, Eric Resteiner had made at least two payments to Prime Minister Mitchell in order to be the ambassador an ambassador for Grenada?
A. Yes.
MR. KATTEN: I think that's all the questions I have.
