London’s Sunday Times Prufrock column says it's hearing that Amaranth trader Brian Hunter has hired bodyguards. Even more striking, the Times report says the guards were hired after “several attempted attacks” from colleagues.
Are Amaranthers really trying to attack Hunter? We’re putting this at about a 30% chance of being true, because we find it hard to imagine energy traders in Calgary as thugs or assassins. And we find it hard to imagine Amaranth’s Greenwich, Connecticut staffers actually making the trip all the way out to Calgary just to deliver a beat down on the guy.
So has Hunter hired bodyguards? We’d give this about a 60% chance of being true. If we’d lost more than $6 billion of other people’s money, we’d probably think about a little extra security ourselves. Just because Amaranth employees aren’t attacking Brian Hunter doesn’t mean he’s not paranoid.
The trader they hate [Sunday Times; fourth item]
Posted by Daniel , Oct 09, 2006 1:05PM
I don't want to name any names, but I saw BH on a plane guarded by a blood sport champion with the initials AV on his shirt.
The bodyguard was with three of his Uzbeki teenage cousins--and one of their rich friends. (Don't think this is important, but he seemed to be on his way to the beach as soon as he got off the plane and I was able to spot the monogrammed letters JE on the towels he was holding.)
Some would say the above is impossible and to their little, self-limited minds it may very well be. But to those who know, to those who have reached a stage of enlightenment, well, impossible is nothing.
Posted by Scuttlebutt , Oct 09, 2006 1:22PM
I must have been on that same flight, because I can confirm. I immediately recognized the cage fighter/model/internationally renowned ballroom dancer/secret agent "AV." Later, I saw him incline bench pressing with 140 lbs (each).
Posted by Texas Energy , Oct 09, 2006 1:37PM
BH needs to learn the most important rule: to never lose money.
Posted by j , Oct 09, 2006 2:00PM
yes, there are lot of angry folks up in greenwich. nick is the one who should probably hire some muscle as well. He's the one that gave the greenlight to amaranth becoming a commodity fund, and who would argue ? BH was making boat loads of money for the firm up until everything fell apart, which only took a matter of weeks.
Posted by security , Oct 29, 2006 1:41AM
Does anyone have more detailed info on the "several attempted attacks" - it would appear the those attempts could potentially be prosecutable if true?