Lucille
10-15-2008, 05:13 PM
AIG's lords and lady of the hunt may find themselves under attack after luxury trip (http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/10/14/2008-10-14_aigs_lords_and_lady_of_the_hunt_may_find.html)
Four top AIG executives flipped U.S. taxpayers the bird by spending $86,000 on a partridge hunt at an English country manor as the feds gave their struggling firm billions to stay afloat.
[...]
In interviews with undercover reporters, the AIG honchos said they were aware that the markets were crashing back in New York - but were more interested in bagging birds.
"The recession will go on until about 2011 - but the shooting was great today and we are relaxing fine," AIG honcho Sebastian Preil was quoted as saying.
Preil wasn't the least bit embarrassed that AIG, which got its first $85 billion bailout from the feds last month, needed taxpayer money to stay in business. The hunting trip came the week AIG got a second loan of $37.5 billion.
"We should be on an even keel in two years," he reportedly said.
Another AIG executive, Alvaro Mengotti, "slurped fine wine" while dispensing advice on surviving the financial crisis. "Invest your money in gold," he reportedly said.
The AIG hunting party stayed at Plumber Manor, a 17th century country house in scenic Dorset, southwest of London. In four days, they racked up a $17,500 bill for food and rooms.
Priel and a German businessman identified by the paper as Stefan Nill flew in from Frankfurt by private jet costing another $17,500, the paper reported.
Mengotti flew in from Spain and was driven to the hotel in one of the fleet of limos that cost $8,750, the paper said.
AIG spokesman Joe Norton confirmed Tuesday the hunt happened. He said "it was planned months (ago)," though he admitted it should have been cancelled.
"AIG's priority is to continue to focus on maximizing the value of the business so we can repay the federal reserve loan."
These Wall Street Welfare Queens make me want to scream.
Four top AIG executives flipped U.S. taxpayers the bird by spending $86,000 on a partridge hunt at an English country manor as the feds gave their struggling firm billions to stay afloat.
[...]
In interviews with undercover reporters, the AIG honchos said they were aware that the markets were crashing back in New York - but were more interested in bagging birds.
"The recession will go on until about 2011 - but the shooting was great today and we are relaxing fine," AIG honcho Sebastian Preil was quoted as saying.
Preil wasn't the least bit embarrassed that AIG, which got its first $85 billion bailout from the feds last month, needed taxpayer money to stay in business. The hunting trip came the week AIG got a second loan of $37.5 billion.
"We should be on an even keel in two years," he reportedly said.
Another AIG executive, Alvaro Mengotti, "slurped fine wine" while dispensing advice on surviving the financial crisis. "Invest your money in gold," he reportedly said.
The AIG hunting party stayed at Plumber Manor, a 17th century country house in scenic Dorset, southwest of London. In four days, they racked up a $17,500 bill for food and rooms.
Priel and a German businessman identified by the paper as Stefan Nill flew in from Frankfurt by private jet costing another $17,500, the paper reported.
Mengotti flew in from Spain and was driven to the hotel in one of the fleet of limos that cost $8,750, the paper said.
AIG spokesman Joe Norton confirmed Tuesday the hunt happened. He said "it was planned months (ago)," though he admitted it should have been cancelled.
"AIG's priority is to continue to focus on maximizing the value of the business so we can repay the federal reserve loan."
These Wall Street Welfare Queens make me want to scream.