Ex-AIG Boss Hank Greenberg Fights Fraud Rap

Hank Greenberg
(photo from Time)

AIG's former chief executive Hank Greenberg continues his legal war against New York State. The war began when Eliot Spitzer bravely went after Greenberg and AIG, a stance history has ultimately vindicated. It took guts, as Greenberg was one of New York's most connected and feared power brokers.

Currently, New York governor Andrew Cuomo and New York state attorney general Eric Schneiderman are pursuing a fraud case against Greenberg and an AIG associate. Of course, AIG remains at the heart of the American financial disaster. Greenberg bitterly watched AIG collapse. In a way, it was a shame. Greenberg had -- and has -- profound flaws and is "challenging" to deal with. Even so, he had -- and has -- more brains than the fools who fecklessly and arrogantly led the nation into financial catastrophe.

The story of Greenberg's trial was reported in the online edition of the Chicago Tribune and other publications.

Final note: Greenberg has always been a pugnacious individual. He's achieved his toughness honestly: he was among the Rangers who climbed Pointe du Hoc during D-Day.