Connecticut's Operation 'Steal New York Hedge Fund Managers' A Marginal Success

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They really had nothing much to talk about, given that Albany called off the proposed tax on New York-based hedge fund managers who live out of state, i.e. the impetus for Connecticut governor Jodi Rell's invitation to an 'intimate dinner' in Darien, but damn it, girlfriend was having her night. At 5:30 last evening, Rell came in "through the back door" at The Water's Edge and stuffed crab cakes, shrimp, fried calamari and filet mignon down the throats of 15 city-based financial firms' representatives while she made her pitch. It's unclear on what exactly her talking points were, or what else she's got up her sleeve**, but at least one guy, perhaps feeling used and abused by Governor Paterson et al, is in the bag.

"It's nice to be wanted," said Brett Cohen of JGB Capital, located on Madison Avenue.

In New York, "there's a hostile atmosphere of continuing to tax the finance firms," he said. "It's nice when a governor of a state says welcoming things. It's like a breath of fresh air."

**Robert Eick, from the Connecticut Development Authority, said "We are just laying the groundwork now. There are more discussions to be had," i.e. Rell took our suggestion to Rell "order the state development authority to build a series of office towers around a certain local establishment" seriously or Stevie's going to start making house calls.

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Personal Assistant Wasn't Stealing From Her Hedge Fund Boss She Was Stealing From Her Hedge Fund Boyfriend, Says Personal Assistant In Her Own Defense

Do you see the distinction? Prosecutors say that when glamorous young Renata Shamrakova spent nearly a million bucks last year jet-setting around the world and buying armloads of jewelry, the funds were stolen from her high-society boss, Todd Meister. Wrong, she says. He was my lover. The 26-year-old aspiring actress pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Superior Court Thursday to charges of grand larceny, identity theft and tampering with evidence. "It's not as clean and neat as the DA is saying," said Mark Agnifilo, the sultry Shamrakova's lawyer. "It's a he said-she said. He said this is a theft. She said it is not, because there was a relationship." Meister, 41, a Harvard Business School grad who founded the multibillion-dollar Priderock hedge fund, was not in court to hear the claim that his personal assistant maxed out his credit cards "with his consent." But afterwards, Meister - who has dated some of the richest women in society and was once briefly married to his childhood pal Nicky Hilton - called it a bunch of nonsense. "She didn't work out of my house, she worked out of my office. I've never even had a meal with her - not even a cup of coffee," Meister said. Hope this clears things up. Glamorous assistant to Nicky Hilton's ex says she didn't steal from tycoon - she was his lover [NYDN]