6 Billion Dollar Trader has to hire bodyguards!

Kowabunga! This isn't a case of celeb paranoia or anything. People actually want a pound of flesh. Seriously folks, Brian Hunter, the Canadian-based trader with the heavy finger, the one who made those losing $6bn bets on the gas market which brought down hedge fund Amaranth, has had to hire two bodyguards after 'several attempted attacks - not from investors, but from (former) colleagues!

And why not, you might ask. The terminally injured hedge fund is winding down. As many as 250 of the firm's 420 employees will be canned this week. According to Bloomberg, Amananth is contacting several financial institutions, including rival hedge funds Citadel Investments, Pequot Capital Management and SAC Capital Advisors, hoping to find employees new positions. The firm is said to have 353 staff in Greenwich, 26 in London, 18 in Toronto, 11 in Singapore, 9 in Calgary and 3 in Houston.

Amaranth is hoping, however, that rivals will wait before poaching the staff it needs to successfully wind down. The Times quotes from an e-mail, titled 'Amaranth Talent Acquisition', sent out by the firm's Head of Human Resources, Stan Friedman, which said that 'my goal is to see every employee placed in another job. I would like to give you access to our entire employee population in an organised manner that benefits both Amaranth employees and you'.

Hunter himself might find it a little difficult to obtain a new job. Having said that, as he is believed to have earned around $100m last year, he probably won't mind.

http://news.hereisthecity.com/news/business_news/6072.cntns