Trader a 'churchgoing family man'

Rusnak has not been seen at his Victorian house since scandal broke

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Colleagues have described the currency trader accused of carrying out a $750 million fraud against Allied Irish Bank as a churchgoing family man.

John Rusnak, 37, and his wife Linda moved into the Mount Washington area of the city in the mid-1990s -- the same time he started working at Allied's U.S. subsidiary Allfirst bank -- and they lived quietly, raising two daughters, neighbours said.

Away from work, Rusnak volunteered at Baltimore Clayworks, a nonprofit ceramic art centre, where he also sat on the board. Local news reports said he was also a board member at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, a local Catholic church.

Allfirst bank Chief Executive Officer Susan Keating described Rusnak's community background as "upstanding."

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Allied Irish chief executive Michael Buckley said in Dublin on Wednesday: "He has never given anybody any reason to believe from his performance and his job until now that he was an unusual individual in any way."

But on Wednesday, Allfirst officials accused Rusnak of stealing millions in what could be the largest such case since rogue trader Nick Leeson brought down England's Barings Bank in the mid-1990s.

Authorities did not charge him on Wednesday, but Rusnak's lawyers said he had voluntarily met agents from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and federal prosecutors.

Rusnak started working at the bank in 1993 and he was paid $85,000 a year, a modest salary for a currency trader with his experience.

Concern mounted over the weekend as bank officials talked to Rusnak on Saturday and again on Sunday about his alleged involvement in the fraud. He did not show up for work on Monday, Keating said.

Neighbour Chris O'Neill told The Associated Press that FBI agents visited Rusnak's house on Tuesday night asking if he knew where Rusnak was, but they later called back to say he had been found.

Rusnak has not appeared for work this week and bank officials said he would be dismissed if he did. His lawyer said Rusnak was in Baltimore, but was avoiding his home because of the reporters and photographers camped outside.

Allied Irish said the scam involved forged purchasing records for options contracts.

Pat Ryan, group treasurer for Allied Irish, said Rusnak had allegedly acted "very cleverly."

"At this point, it is what appears to have been a very sophisticated and well thought-out fraud," Ryan said.