The Hotel Arbez

The Hotel Arbez was selected as a debriefing site. The border between France and Switzerland cuts through the dining room and a staircase. During WWII the Germans respected Swiss neutrality and respected the border. It is said that even the SS did not go up the Hotel’s stairs in search of enemies of the regime.

Tarek wasn’t supposed to leave Switzerland; USDoJ attorneys had no authority to operate in France. So he was going to sit on the Swiss side of the table while USDoJ sat on the other side. What is called “Queen for a Day” immunity would be granted; that is, use immunity for anything discussed at the table.

The debriefing never happened. Goaded by British lawyers who were unfamiliar with American plea bargaining, Tarek asked for assurances, assurances that could not be given without knowing what he had to trade. And that could only be gleaned during a debriefing. I sent him an email a week ago commenting on the Ghislaine Maxwell meeting with the DoJ. The immunity grant given to her was exactly what they had offered Tarek, who changed lawyers, gave up on a deal with DoJ, went to trial in Switzerland and got eight years.