The story of Todd Thomson and Maria Bartiromo is starting to look more like a subject for litigation--or even prosecution--and not just titillation.
As reported by The New York Post's "Page Six" earlier this week, Thomson was separated from his big job at Citigroup because of concerns that he was too close to Bartiromo, the CNBC star--aka "The Money Honey." It seems that the two of them took a jet from NYC to Beijing, and there have even reports that they took that long flight alone. Bartiromo, of course, is married, although her husband doesn't seem to be much in the picture, does he? And meanwhile, "P6" keeps discovering more dishy details of more trips they took together.
Now yet more scoop, summed up by the AP's Frazier Moore:
"Questions arose about trips she took on a Citigroup corporate jet - and one she didn't. About a year ago, Thomson was turned down when he asked for the jet to bring Bartiromo to his home near Bozeman, Mont., for a skiing vacation he was hosting for some private-banking clients, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"Among other complaints, Thomson was faulted by Citigroup Chairman Charles Prince for the decision to spend $5 million to sponsor Sundance Channel programming that Bartiromo was expected to co-host. According to the Journal, Bartiromo no longer will host the project.
"Since 2004, Bartiromo has aired 11 major pieces on Citigroup, including four interviews with Thomson, according to the Journal's review of CNBC transcripts."
Cablegame is no expert on these things, but these sorts of dealings seem to be taking this story from the province of the tabloids to the much harsher area of litigators and prosecutors. Watch for a shareholder suit, and also for action from the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory agencies.
Something tells me that Bartiromo will have a different job in a year. Much different.
