Eric resisted a little than gave in. “I have done nothing illegal, but I will go in voluntarily.”
One of the other FBI agents performed a pat down search of Eric and pulled out a wad of bills from his jacket
pocket. With a raised eyebrow, he handed this, along with some keys, Eric’s wallet and other items
to the other agent who dropped this all into a clear sealable plastic bag.
Eric then rode in the back of the black sedan down to the Berkeley Police station, where, after some initial
paperwork and processing, the FBI agents guided him into an interrogation room. Eric sat down at the table.
One of the agents brought him a cup of coffee and a candy bar.
The lead agent then started. “You need to know that we have enough evidence on you to send you to prison
for a long time. We know that there is something pretty big going on but that you are just a small fish in
a big sea. If you cooperate, we can keep your punishment down or maybe even you can stay out of prison
altogether.”
Eric sat silent for a moment, only staring at the agent, and then replied. “My family members are
hostages in this. I was forced into this. The people you are really after are ready to kill them
at a moment’s notice if I do not do their bidding.” Eric was suddenly overcome by emotions and
started sobbing uncontrollably.
One of the Agents placed a box of tissues on the table in front of Eric while the other one placed some
sheets of paper on the table.
“This is a printout of your Swiss Bank transactions for the last month. Why are you putting
money into a Swiss Bank Account?”
Eric just looked at him and continued his shuddering sobbing, tears streaming down his face.
“We just searched you apartment. Where did the briefcase with $7,000.00 in it come from?
Why were you carrying $3,000.00 on you when we brought you in?”
Eric’s sobbing just intensified. A female agent looked at the lead agent with a look of concern
and made a hand signal. The lead agent looked at her sternly and shook his head. He then set an MP3
player with speakers onto the table and pushed a button. Elements of the conversation with Juan, Robert,
and Shindo at the Ayala View Restaurant became audible.
Eric lost it completely at this point. He suddenly leaned over to the trashcan and vomited, still sobbing
uncontrollably. The female agent jumped up out of her chair and held Eric as he got the dry heaves.
Eric then sat back upright, wiped his lips with tissue, and regained a little composure. “Can you
provide protection to my family members?”
The lead agent looked at Eric with some compassion. “Absolutely, we have people watching your ex-wife
and your children now. You need to tell us who needs protection.”
Eric took a long, slow, deep breath and looked the lead agent directly in the eyes. “I will tell you
everything that I know.”