>> ASIAONE / NEWS / LATEST NEWS / BUSINESS / STORY
US ramps up Lehman probe
Sat, Oct 18, 2008
Reuters

NEW YORK - US PROSECUTORS have stepped up the investigation into the collapse of Lehman Brothers , with at least a dozen subpoenas being issued including one to the investment bank's chief executive, Richard Fuld, The New York Times reported on Saturday.

Citing people close to the probe who requested anonymity, the Times said federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey were examining events leading to Lehman's collapse and bankruptcy filing.

One person said New Jersey prosecutors were looking into whether Lehman executives, including Fuld, misled investors involved in the US$6 billion (S$8.9 billion) infusion of capital announced by Lehman in June about the bank's condition, the Times said.

That infusion came as Lehman disclosed a US$2.8 billion third-quarter loss, which caused its shares to plunge.

The Times said the New Jersey Division of Investment, which put money into the capital raising, had been subpoenaed, and that the division's director did not return a call seeking comment.

Brooklyn and Manhattan prosecutors meanwhile are looking into remarks made by Lehman executives during a Sept 10 conference call, which was five days before the company's bankruptcy filing, the newspaper said, and are also investigating whether Lehman assigned proper values on its large commercial real estate holdings.

It remains unclear whether any of the offices will bring their cases, the newspaper said.

And while the Times said no conclusions had been drawn, legal experts expected prosecutors would likely try to build fraud cases against Lehman executives by finding internal documents that contradicted public statements about the bank's status.

Representatives of the prosecutors' offices declined to comment, as did a spokesman for Fuld, the Times said, although Fuld has said his statements about Lehman's condition were based on the best information he had at the time.

Other subpoenaed current and former Lehman executives include Mr Joseph Gregory, the former president, and Mr Erin Callan, former chief financial officer, the Times said, citing a person with knowledge of the matter. -- THOMSON REUTERS

Is this article useful to you?
 

 
STORY INDEX
 
  US ramps up Lehman probe
   
 
  Japan cuts motorcycle output
   
 
  S Korea plans $44b injection
   
 
  Making wine in land of Vodka
   
 
  ING: $996m 3Q loss
   
 
  Russian loan in limbo?
   
 
  Oil rebounds above US$71
   
 
  GM-Chrysler talks heat up
   
 
  Global recession looms
   
 
  Wall St closes lower
   
>> RELATED STORY
US ramps up Lehman probe
MAS to banks: Do the right thing
Video: Nomura buys Lehman Europe business
Nikkei plunges lower
Goldman Sachs not buying Lehman

Elsewhere in AsiaOne...

Business: MAS to banks: Do the right thing

 

We welcome contributions, comments and tips.
a1admin@sph.com.sg
   

Search AsiaOne: