Cousin cross-examined by Yassine lawyer

AUSTIN (KXAN) - One of the Yassine brothers on trial on federal drug and money-laundering charges once asked the cousin who was cooperating with the FBI during its far-reaching investigation into their Austin nightclub enterprise if he was a snitch.

"Are you sure you guys aren't with the government?" Mike Yassine said to his cousin Mo Yassine while the two talked how to deposit checks and cash. Mo Yassine brushed off the question.

The conversation was among several played during the fourth day of the trial in U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks courtroom on Thursday morning.

For Mo Yassine, it was his second day in the witness chair in the trial of Mike, Steve and Hadi Ali Yassine. They were among family members and other associates arrested in an early morning raid of Sixth Street-area bars by federal agents in march.

Mo Yassine, who had worked on and off for his cousins dating back to the late 1990s, testified Wednesday that he had been cooperating with the FBi and other federal authorities for at least five years.

Under cross-examination by Mike Yassine's attorney, David Botsford, Mo Yassine admitted that there was some confusion in translations and that sound quality was sometimes muffled or not clear.

Also during cross-examination, Yassine acknowledged that the FBI told him that he'd be prosecuted if he performed illegal activity. Earlier, Yassine admitted during testimony that he had used drug while working for the FBI.

He also acknowledged to Botsford that he had lied to cousins and lied in recordings.

The trial is expected to continue at least into next week.