Banker queried over Enron found dead
British employee gave statements to FBI in fraud case
LONDON -- A British banker who was questioned by US authorities in connection with the Enron scandal has been found dead, British media said yesterday.
The man's body was found Tuesday in a park in east London, but police declined to identify him. The Royal Bank of Scotland, however, sent condolences to the family of Neil Coulbeck, one of the bank's senior employees who had been questioned by the FBI in the case of three British bankers facing Enron-related fraud charges. The British Broadcasting Corp. and other media outlets also identified the man as Coulbeck, 53.
Police would not immediately say how he died, but homicide officers were investigating -- standard procedure on suspicious deaths. The FBI said it would not comment on any aspect of the case. A formal identification was expected today, police said.
David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew, and Giles Darby -- all former bankers with National Westminster Bank, which is owned by Royal Bank of Scotland -- are expected to be extradited today to the United States to face charges of defrauding their ex-employer of $7.3 million.
The three men have denied charges that they attempted to sell a part of the US-based energy company Enron Corp. for less than it was worth. Enron filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001.
Bermingham -- one of the ``NatWest Three" -- said Coulbeck was among several bank executives who had given statements to US authorities in connection with their case. He said Coulbeck had been ``a thoroughly decent, honest, professional guy and a very experienced banker."
The Royal Bank of Scotland, which also owns Providence-based Citizens Financial Group, said there was ``no evidence" that Coulbeck had been involved in the transaction under investigation.
``There is no evidence that Neil was involved in the approval of the transaction under investigation," bank spokeswoman Linda Harper said. ``Neil was highly regarded by his colleagues here in RBS and was a respected, capable and hardworking member of our senior management team."
