Editing Walter McDonald (section)

===Operational Patterns===
The bank’s activities mirrored tactics used in CIA covert operations. Its global network facilitated untraceable financial transactions, a hallmark of intelligence money-laundering schemes. For instance, Nugan Hand handled funds for arms deals and moved money for drug traffickers, including a $400,000 transfer linked to a heroin shipment from Thailand to Australia. These activities align with historical CIA practices, such as those during the Vietnam War, when Air America was alleged to have transported opium for Laotian warlords allied with the U.S.
===McDonald’s Role and Denials=== As a former CIA Deputy Director, McDonald’s expertise in economic intelligence made him a valuable asset for a bank engaged in complex financial schemes. He claimed his role was purely business-oriented, denying knowledge of any CIA connection. However, Australian investigators found his involvement suspicious, noting that he and other U.S. figures, including William Colby, were not held accountable despite the bank’s criminal activities. The U.S. government’s refusal to release CIA documents on national security grounds further fueled speculation of a cover-up.