Courts / Dublin / Report

"Tremors" were starting to reverberate around financial world, witness tells Anglo trial

Date
2018-02-13
Stage
Trial
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

During the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, witness Matt Cullen, ex‑Treasury head, testified that he sensed impending trouble after a colleague warned that the interbank market was "drying up." Cullen agreed with prosecutor Paul O'Higgins that tremors were beginning to reverberate across the financial world. He recounted that in 2007, following a meeting with the Central Bank Governor and the Financial Regulator, Drumm formed a group to explore funding incentives, led by John Bowe. On 16 March 2008, Cullen received an email from Drumm inviting him to a St Patrick's Day executive meeting to discuss how Anglo could collaborate with other banks, possibly pooling resources into a 12‑month facility. Cullen noted that global market rumours at the time affected banks' ability to attract funds. Drumm, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and false accounting charges, claiming the alleged transactions were not dishonest.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "Tremors" were starting to reverberate around financial world, witness tells Anglo trial. Charges or matters: conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors at Anglo by "dishonestly" creating the impression that deposits in 2008 were €7.2 billion larger than they were; false accounting on December 3, 2008, by furnishing information to the market that Anglo's 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were. Procedural stage: trial

When:

Case subjects

David Drumm

Defendant

Charges: conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors at Anglo by "dishonestly" creating the impression that deposits in 2008 were €7.2 billion larger than they were; false accounting on December 3, 2008, by furnishing information to the market that Anglo's 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Matt Cullen

Defendant

Charges: conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors at Anglo by "dishonestly" creating the impression that deposits in 2008 were €7.2 billion larger than they were; false accounting on December 3, 2008, by furnishing information to the market that Anglo's 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Secondary Mention

Topics

Stage Trial

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