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Dr. Balis:
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Hello?
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Agt. Kline:
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Hello, I'm Special Agent John Kline of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This is my identification. You are Dr. Charles Balis?
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes I am. Please have a seat. What can I do for you?
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Agt. Kline:
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I'd like to ask you a few questions about one of your patients, if that's all right.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'd be happy to help, within the limits of doctor/patient confidentiality. Which patient?
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Agt. Kline:
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You were treating a man by the name of Joseph Mazurka?
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes I was. What about him? Has he committed some kind of crime?
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Agt. Kline:
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It seems that way. When was the last time you saw him?
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Dr. Balis:
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Last Monday. He showed up at what used to be our regular time. What did he do? Is he missing?
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Agt. Kline:
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Yes, along with some extremely sensitive government information. Usually I wouldn't go into any details, but I want to make a deal with you. I need some information from you and so I'll tell you some stuff that I probably shouldn't, okay? What I'm saying is confidential. I know that you can't tell me information that Mazurka told you during a therapy session, but you can point me in the right direction if you know what I need, right?
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Dr. Balis:
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I can't promise anything, but I'm very interested in hearing what you have to say.
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Agt. Kline:
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Well, someone broke into some computers we thought were secure and then they tried to sell us back our own data. They thought they'd be cute and sent messages about it over the internet, using an anonymous reposting service.
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Dr. Balis:
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And how is Joseph involved?
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Agt. Kline:
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I'm getting to that part. We replied to the messages and said we wanted to make a deal, right? Well they must have thought they had figured out the perfect crime or something; they wanted us to transfer funds into a numbered account in an offshore gambling operation. But these guys were like a lot of crooks: they think they are smart and everybody else is stupid. We've got hackers of our own and it wasn't hard to trace the guy who claimed the money. That was this guy Joseph Mazurka. He actually gambled away about half of it playing virtual roulette, then had the rest wire-transferred to his bank here in San Francisco. We almost got him when he went in to withdraw it but he gave us the slip--we're still not sure how. He can't get far, though; we have tremendous resources. We know who he is and what he looks like. What we'd like to know from you is if you have any idea who he was working with and where we might find them. That type of information is not the sensitive privileged stuff that doctors like you are usually concerned about. Nobody where he works has seen him for a while or admits to knowing much about him. We don't think he's the mastermind; it looks like he's just a patsy. But he could be in a lot of danger. If you want to help him out, you should tell us what you know. If we get him first, we'd probably give him immunity in exchange for his testimony, but you've got to figure his pals know that too. I guess I don't need to draw you a picture...
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Dr. Balis:
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I was afraid that something like this might happen. I'm going to tell you more than I really ought to, but I haven't been very successful with Joseph and I think he really does need some intervention before he gets into even more serious trouble than he is in already. Joseph recently lost his wife who disappeared with his children. He has a history of some domestic abuse--I believe he was arrested prior to his wife leaving.
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Agt. Kline:
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Yes, we know all about that.
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Dr. Balis:
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Of course. Joseph believes he is a patriot--one of the strident right-wing militia type. He told me also that he was in some debt with some underworld figures. Joseph told me that he had been approached by some other right wingers who said that they supported his patriotic vision and promised to pay his debts and find his wife if he'd do something for them. I begged him not to get involved with these characters, but...well, he didn't tell me what they were planning, but I suspected it was nothing good. I really don't know much more about this. Oh, I got the impression that some of them were programmers for SII, but I'm not sure.
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Agt. Kline:
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You can't tell me anything else about these guys he was associating with? SII must have a thousand programmers. You don't have any idea where he'd be hiding?
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm afraid not. He was living in some cheap residential hotel in the Tenderloin, but you must have been all through that. But there was one thing he said...
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Agt. Kline:
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Yes?
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Dr. Balis:
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He mentioned an Irishman; warned me about him in fact. I didn't know what to make of it and he didn't go into details, just said he was a killer.
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Agt. Kline:
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An Irishman huh? He didn't describe him by any chance, did he?
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Dr. Balis:
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Sorry. And I really don't know where he'd go; With his wife and kids gone...he never really discussed having any family or close friends.
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Agt. Kline:
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Hmm. Well thanks for your cooperation Dr. Balis. Here's my card. If you think of anything else that might help give me a call, okay?
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Dr. Balis:
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All right, but that's really all I know.
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Agt. Kline:
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Goodbye then. We really do appreciate the information.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye and good luck. I hope you find him in time.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Conversation
Transcripts of Joseph Mazurka's Therapy Sessions
