In a lengthy profile of hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, who recently pleaded not guilty to insider trading charges brought by the SEC, the Wall Street Journal almost makes you want to apply for a job at Rajarantnam's firm.
While much has been written about Rajaratnam's alleged web of informants and insider sources in Silicon Valley's biggest companies, who knew the founder of Galleon Group was such a card?
Here's the WSJ:
"At Galleon, Mr. Rajaratnam took his fondness for pranks and dares to a new level. When executives from stun-gun maker Taser International Inc. came to make an investment pitch around 2005, Mr. Rajaratnam offered $5,000 to anyone who'd agree to be shocked. Employees gathered around as two people propped up trader Keryn Limmer at the elbows and another person fired the weapon. Ms. Limmer's legs buckled beneath her from the shock. Ms. Limmer declined to comment."
And there's this:
That same year, employees arrived at Galleon's morning meeting to a surprise: In the conference room was a dwarf whom Mr. Rajaratnam introduced as an analyst hired to cover "small-cap" stocks. He was, in fact, an actor hired for an April Fool's Day gag.
For now, Rajaratnam will have to resort to jailhouse pranks -- despite pleas from his lawyer, his $100 million bail has not yet been reduced. Rajaratnam's lawyer argues that Bernie Madoff actually had less onerous bail terms.
Read the entire WSJ piece.