2 World Financial Center Evacuated, "Suspicious Package" Being Investigated [Update: Break's Over]

Building 2 is home to Nomura Securities, among others. According to the Daily News reports the package is thought to contain a grenade. Update: Though initially worried about what was going on, Nomura employees are apparently "pretty calm right now" and "gathered at a local bar waiting to see what's next." Nomura NY Offices Evacuated Due To Suspicious Package, Traders Say [MarketBeat] NYPD Investigating Suspicious Package at World Financial Center [Bloomberg] World Financial Center evacuated after suspicious package found [NYDN]

Author:: Bess Levin
Updated:: Jan 14, 2019
Original:: Apr 12, 2012

Building 2 is home to Nomura Securities, among others. According to the Daily News, the package iswas thought to contain a grenade. Update: Though initially worried about what was going on, Nomura employees are apparently "pretty calm right now" and "gathered at a local bar waiting to see what's next." Update II: Everybody can get back to work-- the package contained a "novelty grenade."

Nomura NY Offices Evacuated Due To Suspicious Package, Traders Say [MarketBeat]
NYPD Investigating Suspicious Package at World Financial Center [Bloomberg]
World Financial Center evacuated after suspicious package found [NYDN]
2 World Financial Center Evacuated [Photo]
WFC Evacuation Prompted by Novelty Grenade [CNBC/Reuters]

As you may have heard, earlier today, people working in 2 World Financial Center were evacuated from the building after a suspicious package was flagged by security. Initial reports claimed it contained a grenade; obviously this was cause for alarm and would have continued to be had the NYPD determined it to be an actual grenade and not a "grenade-like novelty item," mounted on a plaque with a sign that says "Complaint Dept. Pull Pin." Now that it's clear everyone is safe (and at least mildly buzzed), a few questions need answering. 1. Who sent this thing? Was it: a) A person whose sense of humor involves putting something like the above (or a sign that reads "I can only please one person per day. Today isn't your day...and tomorrow don't look good either") on her desk. b) An idiot friend of someone who works in the building. c) An rival bank trying to disrupt Nomura trading d) other 2. Assuming the item was purchased by someone working in the building, when do you think it dawned on him or her that they were responsible for having the building evacuated? 3. What will the consequences for the sender be, legal and professional? Senior Jailhouse Correspondent Matt puts the probability of prison time at 1.37 percent.

Time was, Steve Cohen told the Feds where they could go. No matter how much heat they put on him, the Big Guy would not burn. If they wanted to relentlessly circle him in an attempt to find evidence of insider trading, that was fine by Steve. But he wasn't going to act like he gave a rat's ass and he certainly wasn't going to wilt under the scrutiny or draw the blinds at Casa Cohen and curl up in a ball to cry. This time two years ago, despite SAC receiving a subpoena from the government, the FBI raiding the firms of several former SAC employees, and an analyst being asked to wear a wire while chatting him up, Cohen not only hopped on a private plane to attend Art Basel, but he did so with a smile on his face. ("Cohen," the Journal reported, was in "jovial spirits and eager to chat about his fresh art acquisitions," which included a "large-scale map of the world made from tin cans" that he bought in the first five minutes of the fair opening.) And while one could argue that the heat on Steve has been cranked up quite a bit more since then, we assumed he was dealing with it in typical Steve fashion, and would make it to Miami like always. So it was particularly troubling to hear this:

1. A class-action lawsuit by investors. 2. Murder via bomb charges. Brian Malley, 55, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Victoria Shachtay, a disabled mother who died in November 2011 when an explosive package was delivered to her home in Innisfail, Alta. Malley, who worked for Assante Wealth Management, is accused of sending that package. Malley now faces allegations he lost an estimated $50 million for dozens of clients. The claims are contained in a lawsuit filed this week in Red Deer Court of Queen's Bench. "This was their retirement savings," said Rob Armstrong, one of lawyers behind the lawsuit. "The allegations are that Mr. Malley was placing them in very speculative and high risk investments and losing money." The statement of claim suggests Malley's conduct was "high-handed, malicious and highly reprehensible." The document further alleges that Malley "acted in his own best interests which were in conflict with the interests of his client class members." The lawsuit claims that Malley invested in equities that were riskier than what his clients may have wanted and made frequent trades within a short time-frame to earn more commissions. $80M lawsuit filed against financial advisor accused of murder [CBC]