RAJARATNAM UPS THE STAKES IN INSIDER TRADING PROBE DEFENCE
TIME was when those facing high-profile lawsuits would crawl into hiding with their respective legal advisers, shunning all publicity and emerging only to don their sharp suits on the morning they went into court. But not any more.
Perhaps emboldened by Goldman Sachs’ go-get-‘em attitude to shielding itself against the SEC, Raj Rajaratnam – the Galleon hedgie embroiled in a $50m (£33.8m) insider trading investigation in the US – is now going all out in his own defence.
To that end, he’s launched a website, www.rajdefense.org, which he describes as “A clearinghouse for facts and related information”.
Still, it’s a handy tool for followers of the intriguing case – there’s all the latest news (including Friday’s move by Rajaratnam’s lawyers to suppress wiretap evidence collected by the FBI for use in the investigation), plus impassioned arguments against various unfavourable reports in the press.
It’s also got an extensive image library containing numerous shots of the full-figured Raj in all his glory, wearing the same dark suit and blue tie but in a variety of grinning poses.
CITY CATWALK
Fashion-savvy ladies and gents might want to clear some lunchtime space in their diaries this week, as Old Spitalfields Market prepares to put on a week of catwalk and fashion events – all for free.
The market will see collections from nearby boutiques and stores being showcased on the catwalk, as well as themed events including an Alice in Wonderland-themed Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and a “swishing” event (exchanging unwanted clothes with like-minded swappers) on Wednesday and a vintage day on Thursday.
EXERCISE JUNKIE
A well-deserved mention for John “Johnners” McCormick, managing director of City financial printing firm Sterling, who is by now over 200 miles and 19 days into his monster charity run from John O’Groats to Lands End.
Having trudged on through ripped muscles, Scottish wind, rain and sunburn (yes, The Capitalist doesn’t have a clue how that happened either), the valiant chap still has nine weeks of his trip left to go, all in aid of disadvantaged childrens’ charity Chicks.
His blog site – www.johnnersrunsjogle.com – is worth checking out to get him the sympathy vote, though watch out for the frequent nude and semi-nude pictures he’s prone to posting to show the developments to his physique as the weeks go by.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you…