FBI agent David Rupert denied hiding money in an off-shore account in the Cayman Islands, but admitted to having visited the islands four times between 1990 and 1995/6, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr Rupert (51), is the chief prosecution witness in the trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael Mc Kevitt and the court has been told he received $ 1.25 million (€ 1.7 million) after agreeing in 1994 to infiltrate dissident republican groups for the FBI and later for the British Security Service, MI5.
Cross examined by defence counsel Mr Hugh Hartnett SC if he was there on a sun holiday, the witness replied: "I guess you could call it that, yes." Mr Rupert agreed with counsel that the Caymans was known as a good place to hide money but denied having done so.
Mr Rupert said he was in Florida "licking his wounds" after his business failed. He operated a number of businesses - Massena Transportation Services, Charlie's Tavern, Woodlawn Hotel and Gemini Trucking - which were all seized by the bank.
Cross examined about his association in Florida with Diego Silva, a South American with links to General Pinochet of Chile and former Panama dictator General Noriega, he said he met Mr Silva at his home in Bel Air to discuss an off-shore gambling project. Asked if Mr Silva had a bodyguard known as the Colonel, he replied that the former head of the Geneva Quick Response Team lived over Mr Silva's garage.
He said he believed this equated to the Garda Emergency Response Unit which, he added, was protecting him.
He agreed that the bankruptcy papers showed that he owed the US Internal Revenue Service $ 7,000 for 1984 and that he also owed State and local taxes when he went out of business. He also owed another $ 145,000.
Mr Hartnett suggested that he deliberately diverted funds into his secretary's account to evade lawful creditors. Mr Rupert admitted doing so, but said this was after a summary judgment and he did this to "stay in business".
The witness also denied having lied to the Garda and to the court about a later business venture that went bankrupt in 1992.
The trial continues today.