If you've been running a business for 38 years, you're approaching your 66th birthday, you've never owed a man a penny or done anyone any grievance in your life, and you feel hard done-by and try to protect yourself and your family, but go to prison, well if that's the society we're living in, I'm happy to accept that.
— Sean Quinn
I started off in 1993 with one lorry. I wasn't one of those guys buying a business and gearing it up.
The vast majority of debt that Anglo maintains is owed is strenuously disputed. However, I cannot now pay those loans which are due, following Anglo taking control of the Quinn Group of companies, which I and a loyal team spent a lifetime building.
In 2009 we increased the cash in Quinn Direct as we had in 2008. We increased the cash in it in 2010. The outstanding claims were €20m in March 2010 but Quinn Direct had more business in the U.K. than in Ireland.
Let's not forget, it was the government, Department of Finance and Central Bank that decided to unfairly land the taxpayers of this country with unmitigated losses of Anglo and massive legacy issues that would have been expected when nationalising a fraudulent bank.
I no longer own or control the businesses which I have spent my life building up.
I believe that Sean Quinn wouldn't be a man at all if he let someone steal his family's assets.
I wouldn't see myself as a gambler.
Never in my life did I steal a penny that didn't belong to me.
I was never one to run away from trouble - I intend to continue to fight my corner and try to redeem our reputation in some way. It's very difficult when you see the PR campaign that Anglo have built up against us. A lot of the media would be very anti-Quinn and have fallen hook, line and sinker for the Anglo story where they are the good guys.
Yes, I am scared of prison. It's the last thing if you are after building up a business over 38 years and you are approaching your 66th birthday and you never owed a man a penny and you feel hard done by and you try to protect yourself and your family and go to prison - if that is the society we are living in, I am happy to accept that.
I have made mistakes, but I feel that the people who have done things to me - they should be ashamed.
I am not in the business of pointing fingers or making excuses. However, recent history has shown that I, like thousands of others in Ireland, incorrectly relied upon the persons who guided Anglo and who wrongfully sought to portray a 'blue chip' Irish banking sector.
I'm a hard-nosed businessman, that if a company is paying its way, increasing profits for thirty-odd consecutive years, you don't put it into receivership.
If Anglo feels it hasn't done enough damage to me already by taking my money, my company, my reputation, if they want to finish it off by putting me in prison, then so be it - I'll accept that.
I suppose I was always very greedy. I was never happy with what we had, and I was always looking for new opportunities.
