Kerviel trial set to begin
JEROME KERVIEL, the rogue trader blamed by the French bank Société Générale for clocking up losses of more than £4bn, defends himself in court tomorrow facing a possible five year prison term.
33 year-old Kerviel is being defended by one of France’s best known criminal lawyers Olivier Metzner. Metzner is seen as having a tough brief in having to defend the former trader who admits to exceeding bank limits and producing false information.
The case will focus on Mr Kerviel’s claims, detailed in a book he had published last month, that his bosses knew what he was doing and that it was common practice in the bank to exceed trading limits.
Soc Gen vehemently denies any complicity in Kerviel’s actions.
The trader scandal left SocGen reeling and last April Daniel Bouton resigned as chairman.