Opening Bell: 11.06.09

Schottenfeld Draws Scrutiny After Goffer Arrest in Insider Case (Bloomberg)
Zvi “Octopussy” Goffer’s employer has stated on previous occasions that this sort of thing is not cool but apparently no one was listening when he laid down the law. “There is no place at our firm for individuals who violate the securities laws,” Schottenfeld’s chairman, Richard Schottenfeld, said in an April 2008 statement.
Citi To Relaunch Troubled Hedge Fund Unit (FT)
Oh but don’t worry about people with good memories. C’s got a plan to throw them off the trail: “People close to the situation said that the company wanted to change the name of the unit – which has $14bn under management and also includes private equity operations – from Citi Alternative Investments (CAI) to Citi Capital Advisors.”
AIG Swings To Third-Quarter Profit After Write-Downs (WSJ)
AIG posted a profit of $455 million, or 68 cents a share, compared with a year-earlier loss of $24.47 billion, or $181.02 a share. The latest results included $1.8 billion in capital losses, while the previous year’s results included billions in write-downs from credit-default swaps and $15.06 billion in capital losses.
SEC Appoints Hedge Fund Veteran As Adviser (NYT)
Mr. Bookstaber, a former risk manager at banks like Salomon Brothers and Morgan Stanley and hedge funds like Ziff Brothers International and Moore Capital Management, is one of three new advisers to help the S.E.C. identify risks and trends in the financial markets. Also, he wrote a book! 2007′s “A Demon of Our Own Design.”
Banks Thwarting Feinberg Pay Model By Changing Bonus Formula (Bloomberg)
Suck it, Comp Cop.
Final Arguments Against 2 In Bear Stearns Fraud Case (NYT)
Mr. Cioffi, whose wife and children have attended the proceedings nearly every day, seemed confident he would be exonerated as he chatted with family members and friends before closing statements. “You can listen to the government call me a bum for three hours, and then my lawyers will get up and set the record straight,” he told a friend.

Comments (24)

  1. Posted by Joe Mac | November 6, 2009 at 8:25 AM

    Fannie Mae, where do I address that rent check?

  2. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 8:30 AM

    Citi Capital? Ha! That’s as silly as fooling the rubes by changing your name from LTCM to JWM

  3. Posted by JDW | November 6, 2009 at 8:31 AM

    You left off Chazz’s half-page op-ed in the WSJ.

  4. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 8:35 AM

    Quoting Gutfreund on risk management best practice is the new killing it.

  5. Posted by wcburrs87 | November 6, 2009 at 8:38 AM

    What ever happened to the slore from Murray Hill who had that NYM article this summer?

  6. Posted by Matt | November 6, 2009 at 8:51 AM

    What I meant was, “warm, tasty, whole-wheat toast with yummy butter and jam.” See?

  7. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 8:52 AM

    10.2.
    Hope and Change!

  8. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    Comp Cop
    Pay Pig
    Bonus Bobby
    Dollar Dick
    Lucre Lieutenant

  9. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 8:57 AM
  10. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    @3
    I kept looking for one of those wondrous sketches that the WSJ does for subjects and various authors, but to no avail. I assume the other columnists didn’t want to have to compete with the guns and rugged handsomeness of the Jabroni Pony.

  11. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 9:02 AM

    DONDE ESTA EL GREG MICHAELS?

  12. Posted by CoveredLong | November 6, 2009 at 9:12 AM

    @11 – Hola, como estas, estoy el Greg Michaels, y yo estoy estudiando como escribir un poquito mas mejor porque no estoy un escribante muy fantastico, pero, sin duda, mi Espanol es mas mejore que mi Ingles.
    Quien tiene una foto aburrida?

  13. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 9:21 AM

    I love breakfast burritos.

  14. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 9:37 AM

    Will Shia play Octopussy in “Wall Street: Trimming the Hedge”?

  15. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 9:39 AM

    The really funny part is that Mr. Zvi will not need to change his nickname in prison, as eight guys with names like Tyrone, Leroy, and Abdul use him as the amusement park that he is.

  16. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 9:43 AM

    @15 – That sounds really nice. Tell me more.
    -Ms. Michaels

  17. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 9:44 AM

    @10 A picture in the WSJ is called a headcut.

  18. Posted by Tax Chick | November 6, 2009 at 10:42 AM

    Methinks the Schottenfeld doth protest too much!

  19. Posted by Investorcluzo | November 6, 2009 at 10:46 AM

    @covered – yo “soy” greg, not “estoy”…c’mon hombre, that’s as bad as “you’re” vs “your”

  20. Posted by CoveredLong | November 6, 2009 at 10:55 AM

    @19 – Indeeed, although I figured any grammar/spelling mistakes would only serve to reinforce the point that Greg’s writing is poor to quite poor (like Citi’s balance sheet, hi-o!).
    …with that said I could certainly use a few remedial spanish classes. Gracias for the correction.

  21. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 10:57 AM

    @9, Mr. Gasparino writes “the one-year anniversary,” an increasingly common superfluity. “The first anniversary” is more standard usage.
    Maria McBride,
    Wedding Style Editor
    brides.com

  22. Posted by Norb Vonnegut | November 6, 2009 at 11:03 AM

    I particularly like the NYT report that “Octopussy” was chewing the sim cards on his cell phone after trading:
    http://acrimoney.com/2009/11/06/jaws-meets-james-bond/

  23. Posted by guest | November 6, 2009 at 11:40 AM

    Wow – whoever wrote that for Chaz is really smart!

  24. Posted by Investorcluzo | November 6, 2009 at 12:02 PM

    @covered – you make a very good point re greggums. I missed the subtlety of your post…hey, it’s friday.

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