Republic New York

[1] The company was controlled by Jewish Lebanese billionaire Edmond Safra (1932-1999), who was killed in a fire in his Monte Carlo penthouse apartment, by his American nurse Ted Maher.

[3] Safra had previously opened the Trade Development Bank in Geneva, Switzerland, which acquired a 36% stake in Republic.

Several years later, American Express tries to smear Safra, after he attempts to open a competing business.

"[10] Safra's banking interests catered to clients looking for tax havens in Switzerland, Luxembourg and Monaco.

[11] In 1981, Republic National Bank of New York sought a tax abatement to construct its Fifth Avenue headquarters.

Kenneth Schuman, chairman of the city's Industrial and Commercial Incentive Board, said that the market had become strong enough so that construction would take place without the tax abatement.

[19][20] The price was reduced to $9.85 billion, after the bank was convicted in a scheme to defraud Japanese investors, and fined over $600 million dollars, in connection with the disgraced market forecaster Martin A.

"[22] Two competitive parts of their operation were "low-cost checking and free automated teller machine services.