Sheriff of Wall Street
“Sheriff of Wall Street” was the nickname given to Eliot Spitzer (New York State Attorney General, 1999-2006) in 2002 for his high-profile cases against Wall Street. Rudy Giuliani (U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, 1983-1989) also made many high-profile cases against Wall Street, but never received the “sheriff” nickname.
The Securities and Exchange Commision has been called “Wall Street’s Top Cop” since at least 1980 and its chairman the “Sheriff of Wall Street” in June 2002. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan was called the “Sheriff of Wall Street” in February 2001.
Preet Bharara (U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York since 2009) began some high-profile cases against Wall Street. On May 12, 2011, the New York (NY) Times wrote:
“The consistent presence of Mr. Bharara at the largest insider trading case in a generation — and the office’s resounding victory on Wednesday — signaled that the chief federal prosecutor in Manhattan was back as the sheriff of Wall Street.”
Wikipedia: Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer (born June 10, 1959) is an American lawyer, former politician of the Democratic Party and currently a political entertainer.
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63rd New York Attorney General
In office
January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2006
Wikipedia: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan. Preet Bharara, who was appointed by Barack Obama in 2009 is the U.S. Attorney for the District. Bharara took over the post from Lev L. Dassin, who was acting as the interim U.S. Attorney after Michael J. Garcia, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005, stepped down in December 2008 to join the partnership of New York law firm Kirkland & Ellis.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has jurisdiction over all cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney. The New York Times has called the office “one of New York City’s most powerful clubs.”
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List of U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of New York
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Rudolph Giuliani: June 3, 1983 - January 1, 1989
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Preet Bharara: August 13, 2009 – Present
Google News Archive
23 October 1980, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “SEC best place to go with broker complaint” by Bill Doyle, pg. 20, col. 5:
The SEC has slithered downhill since Manny Cohen left. But it’s still Wall Street’s top cop — and the best place to take complaints about brokers.
11 February 2001, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), “Bush gets first laugh” by Antonio Fins, pg. 1G:
At least so said the sheriff of Wall Street, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.
Google Groups: misc.activism.progressive
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
From: mckeever
Date: 15 Jun 2002 00:15:17 -0500
Local: Sat, Jun 15 2002 12:15 am
Subject: [toeslist] Corporate America’s crisis of confidence
System Failure
Corporate America has lost its way. Here’s a road map for restoring
confidence.
FORTUNE
Monday, June 24, 2002
By Joseph Nocera
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Consider the SEC’s mandate as sheriff of Wall Street.
OCLC WorldCat record
60 minutes. / The sheriff of Wall Street
Author: Trevor Nelson; CBS Video (Firm)
Publisher: [S.l.] : CBS Video, ©2002. (Original broadcast, 10/06/02)
Edition/Format: VHS video : VHS tape Visual material : English
Summary: Details the investigation by Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General of New York, of fraudulent investment advice given by Merrill Lynch, a prominent brokerage firm.
New York (NY) Times
While Spitzer Shrugs It Off, Others Talk Of His Future
By JONATHAN P. HICKS
Published: October 28, 2002
Eliot Spitzer talks happily about his work over the last four years as New York’s attorney general. He is enthusiastic discussing the cases that have led some to call him the Sheriff of Wall Street—like the $100 million settlement with Merrill Lynch, the securities firm.
OCLC WorldCat record
The Enforcer. The Crusader. The Sheriff of Wall Street. The Hypocrite?
Edition/Format: Article : English
Publication: FORBES, 170, Part 12 (December 9, 2002): 72
Database: British Library Serials
Time magazine
Eliot Spitzer: Wall Street’s Top Cop
By Adi Ignatius Monday, Dec. 30, 2002
Now that headline writers refer to Eliot Spitzer with comic-book-hero honorifics like “the Enforcer” or “Sheriff of Wall Street,” it’s worth remembering that when the New York State attorney general began his breakthrough investigation of Merrill Lynch in 2001, he wasn’t sure what he was doing.
NYTimes.com: Dealbook
May 12, 2011, 9:21 pm Legal/Regulatory | The Galleon Trial
U.S. Attorney Sends a Message to Wall Street
By BENJAMIN WEISER and PETER LATTMAN
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The consistent presence of Mr. Bharara at the largest insider trading case in a generation — and the office’s resounding victory on Wednesday — signaled that the chief federal prosecutor in Manhattan was back as the sheriff of Wall Street.
Washington (DC) Post
Prosecutor credited with bringing down Galleon head has had successful run
By Jerry Markon, Published: May 12 (2011)
The Justice Department official credited with bringing down hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam is a wisecracking, self-effacing, Bruce Springsteen-loving prosecutor who is deadly serious about what he views as rampant insider trading on Wall Street.
Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, has been hailed by some in the financial media as the “sheriff of Wall Street.” His office has ramped up white-collar enforcement, charging nearly 50 people in an insider trading crackdown that led to Wednesday’s conviction of Rajaratnam, founder of the Galleon hedge fund, on 14 counts of fraud and conspiracy.
Hindustan Times
Bharara, the sheriff of Wall Street
Jerry Markon, Hindustan Times
Washington, May 13, 2011
The US justice department official credited with bringing down Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam is a wisecracking, self-effacing, Bruce Springsteen-loving prosecutor who is deadly serious about what he views as rampant insider trading on Wall Street. Preet Bharara, the US attorney in Manhattan, has been hailed by some in the financial media as the “sheriff of Wall Street.” His office has ramped up white-collar enforcement, charging nearly 50 people in an insider trading crackdown that led to Wednesday’s conviction of Rajaratnam on 14 counts of fraud and conspiracy.