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Goldman Prepares To Fight Carl Levin Allegations Of Massive Housing Short, Will Release Trove Of "Evidence" It Is Innocent

Tyler Durden's picture




 

As Goldman stock probes new lows every day, and in passing news has just announced it would sell its largely irrelevant Litton Loan mortgage servicing unit to Ocwen financial (which was named so after the founders could not come up with a name so they inverted Newco, but that is a story for another day) for $264 million but retain any potential fraud liability, the firm is now expected to release its own trove of documents expected to "defend" the firm from the various allegations presented in the Carl Levin 639 page report. The report  has already served as the basis for a subpoena lobbed at Goldman, and which some predict will have a much lower threshold of proving guilt courtesy of New York's "Martin Act" has pushed the stock to a one year low. It was only inevitable that Goldman would come up with some jiggering of its numbers to prove that it was in fact innocent. We wonder if the report will also provide an explanation for the following words by one Deeb Salem, a Goldman trader in the structure products group: "We began to encourage this squeeze, with plans of getting very short again." Swenson, Salem’s supervisor, sent e-mails in May 2007 urging traders to offer prices that will “cause maximum pain” and “have people totally demoralized.” In interviews with the committee, Salem and Swenson denied attempting a short squeeze, the report said." Regardless, we can't wait to see the latest attempt to obfuscate the public opinion with the mixing of apples and oranges. Alas, Goldman may be surprised to find that the general population is not quite as dumb as it expects this time around, and there will be those who will gladly cut through the fluff of any posted rebuke within minutes.

From the WSJ:

Goldman is now considering releasing documents about its mortgage bets that are aimed at showing what the securities firm's officials claim is sloppy math and incomplete analysis by the subcommittee as the panel sifted through tens of millions of documents turned over by Goldman.

The information might be released soon on Goldman's website, though a decision hasn't been made yet. Even if the documents aren't made public, they could be used by Goldman to defend itself in ongoing investigations that appear to be linked to the Senate subcommittee's report.

A subcommittee spokeswoman declined to comment.

One of the most dramatic documents released by the panel is a chart showing the size of Goldman's overall long or short bets on the housing market. While those bets varied from day to day, the Senate subcommittee said Goldman had net short positions of $10.6 billion on Feb. 26, 2007, and $13.9 billion on June 25, 2007. The June 25 position was the company's biggest bet against the housing market, according to the Senate subcommittee.

Goldman now plans to contend that both figures are wildly inaccurate, claiming Senate investigators overlooked or ignored bullish mortgage trades held by the securities firm, these people said.

Zero Hedge, for one, can hardly wait for the release of these documents...

 

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Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:32 | 1343179 RexZeedog
RexZeedog's picture

It's good to know that Goldman is innocent of any wrongdoing...

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:33 | 1343180 Josh Randall
Josh Randall's picture

I'm out of order ? YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BofddwtPBPw

 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:33 | 1343181 Number 156
Number 156's picture

In the end, Goldman will receive a humongous fine of .00001% of its income.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:34 | 1343182 Careless Whisper
Careless Whisper's picture

it's just a matter of time. there will be perp walks, and it will mark the start of a legit bull market.

 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:20 | 1343345 j0nx
j0nx's picture

And then you'll wake up and realize you were wet deaming and clean yourself off. Only way there will ever be perpwalks here from banskters and corrupt politicians are at the end of a pitchfork from a million plus or so of your fellow Americans and that aint.gonna.happen.ever. Americans are too spineless and weak.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:57 | 1343433 Ferrari
Ferrari's picture

I couldn't agree with you more. Although I think it's more likely that mayhem with guns, that will be called civil war, will break out between "liberals" and "conservatives," i.e., we, the Terminally Duped. Lloyd, along with Ben & Hank will be sipping cocktails in the Caribbean, while we're replaying Gettysburg.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:32 | 1343184 I am a Man I am...
I am a Man I am Forty's picture

what did Goldman do, only turn over incriminating evidence before?

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:33 | 1343185 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

GS apparently assumes we're ALL freaking morons and they can pass off every sugar coated turd as French confections! Very dangerous assumption.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:38 | 1343210 oogs66
oogs66's picture

dangerous?  they have been proven right time and time again as we are let down by our politicians and legal and regulatory systems

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:44 | 1343231 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

'Proven right'? No they just havent been prosecuted yet.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:49 | 1343252 oogs66
oogs66's picture

meant that their assumption that it will all go away has been shown to be correct time and again.  sorry.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:51 | 1343261 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

Oh right...well yes Goldie gets away with whatever because of our cowardly watchdogs and politicians who have allowed themselves to be purchased by those theyre supposed to be protecting us from...traitors!

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 15:15 | 1344068 GoinFawr
GoinFawr's picture

Ah yes, the ol' Whizzo Quality Assortment

LLoyd:"Well it DOES say 'Crunchy Frog' right on the box..." (nestled lovingly in the bosom of the fine print, right underneath 'QUINTUPLE AAAAA RATED')

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:36 | 1343187 Amish Hacker
Amish Hacker's picture

It figures that those with no morals would want to "have people totally demoralized." Similarly, those who claim to be without vice are usually the most vicious.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:33 | 1343189 gookempucky
gookempucky's picture

Headline reads : Blankfind says dog ate the records but we have this bag of shredded documents....have your people call my people @1-900-getscrewed

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:34 | 1343191 SparkyvonBellagio
SparkyvonBellagio's picture

Only if god's work includes being a kawksucker then they are indeed correct.

They need to go.

Lowest form of humans. Oh wait, some are reptilian.

Explains the lounging rock in the lobby near the heat lamps.

 

 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:40 | 1343201 hedgeless_horseman
hedgeless_horseman's picture

...and there will be those who will gladly cut through the fluff of any posted rebuke within minutes.

What is the limit on Giant Squids this season?

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:41 | 1343208 Cdad
Cdad's picture

DC politicians tossing handfuls of fecal matter at criminal syndicate Wall Street bankers.  How much are the front row floor tickets?

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:42 | 1343212 ArrestBobRubin
ArrestBobRubin's picture

For they are the victims here, never forget!

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:42 | 1343213 weltvermesser
weltvermesser's picture

time for HR01010101: public critisim of Go(l)D(man) is illegal and shall be punished with 3-5 years in prison or 2000 hours of compulsory labor at the FED`s prinitng press.


Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:40 | 1343218 richard in norway
richard in norway's picture

have they shorted their own stock

 

or maybe a cds

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:26 | 1343355 BlackholeDivestment
BlackholeDivestment's picture

They called it project ''name change'' last time, known as ''Subprimus''.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo-WjUjzV_Q

 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:45 | 1343239 oogs66
oogs66's picture

It will only be released to people on a need to know basis, because if the information became too well known it could cause calamity for the capital markets.  So to save mankind, they will make sure the information is sent only to a few high placed officials and will take the time to explain to them how it works.  Then those politicians can say everyone was wrong, Goldman is good, and it is in our own interest not to let the details out.

 

Then in 2 years they can hope we don't remember their names when they take posts as GS MD's.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:27 | 1343357 j0nx
j0nx's picture

You sir are 100% correct. Nice concise description of how the game works with these sociopaths. You forgot the part where those same politicians can trade on that inside information and make themselves even wealthier while all of this is going on. It's good to be king.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:45 | 1343240 UnRealized Reality
UnRealized Reality's picture

This info on Goldman is pointless. GS will never be indicted on any criminal charges. Who is spewing Hopium now.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:51 | 1343248 the not so migh...
the not so mighty maximiza's picture

As soon and the evidence is manufactured it will be released for all to see.  Touche!!

 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:07 | 1343293 eddiebe
eddiebe's picture

Dream on!

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 19:39 | 1345180 Papasmurf
Papasmurf's picture

Yes, kind of like birth certificates. 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 19:40 | 1345182 Papasmurf
Papasmurf's picture

del

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:51 | 1343249 Tangurena
Tangurena's picture

I used to work for Ocwen (across the street from the Jehovahdome in WPB). They were notorious for "purchasing" non-performing assets and using hard-ball tactics to collect. Registered as a bank, they took deposits from no one.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 10:58 | 1343272 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

I see....so although right before the housing collapse GS was $14 billion short, their argument is they were bet even LONGER the housing market at the same time! 

Wow I cant wait for this 'evidence' to be released....sharpening up my harpoon for squid season.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:02 | 1343280 weltvermesser
weltvermesser's picture

Ceterum censeo Goldman Sachsem esse delendam

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:05 | 1343287 Alienated Serf
Alienated Serf's picture

Fabulous Fab is gonna get thrown under the bus.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:02 | 1343288 eddiebe
eddiebe's picture

Sen Levin will get a feather in his hat for 'taking on the squid' ( he is up for re election), and Goldman will have a chance to not only vindicate themselves, but show their investors that they are innocent of wrong doing. At worst they will settle without having to admit to anything.

Move along now..,

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:07 | 1343294 Blano
Blano's picture

Carl Levin is just as big a piece of shit as Goldman is. 

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:09 | 1343299 eddiebe
eddiebe's picture

;Part of the show, and it looks like plenty of people are buying tickets.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:28 | 1343363 FreeNewEnergy
FreeNewEnergy's picture

My take on Carl Levin differs a bit from yours. He's been a senator since 1979. 32 years. Do you honestly think he even cares if he gets re-elected? Naturally, he's a shoo-in. He could butt-rape Blankfein in the middle of Ford Field before a sold-out crowd and still get 60% of the vote.

Levin likely had a moment of clarity in seeing American ideals being torn to shreds by the people who finance his campaigns and has likely had enough, even if that means going down in flames along with them. He knows right from wrong - thankfully, somebody does - and would like to see the Wall Street wrongs corrected.

I'm usually completely cynical when it comes to government, but I just have the feeling that Carl Levin may have had his very own epiphany, probably knows lots of people who have had their lives destroyed by the banking cartel - he's from Michigan, remember - and wants to go down in history as maybe one of the last remaining "good guys."

Now, as for that toilet detritus Eric Holder, he is a very large, smelly turd.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:05 | 1343297 Seasmoke
Seasmoke's picture

doesnt even mention selling the crap to their clients and then betting against them ......HANG THEM !

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:14 | 1343325 XRAYD
XRAYD's picture

Will we all be Greeks now?

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:20 | 1343326 FreeNewEnergy
FreeNewEnergy's picture

Amazing what people can do with computers, dates, spreadsheets, documents these days. Take robo-signing affidavits as only the first step. Banks are now counterfeiting promissory notes, etc. according to Abigail Field at Fortune has made the case in an article from Friday:

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/03/at-bank-of-america-more-incomp...

See the fifth paragraph from the bottom for details, but definitely read the whole story which points out just how badly BofA is going to be skewered by their Countrywide mortgages.

Here in NY, attorneys have to attest to the authenticity of their clinets' documents, so, if you have been waiting for the right time to default on a CW mortgage, now's the time because BofA is going to have a very hard time finding legal representation. Somehow, most lawyers just aren't prepared to risk their standing with the bar in exchange for a few fees on some really bad foreclosures.

As for Goldman's purported document dump, who's to say that whatever they produce wasn't just made up and printed out within the last three weeks or three months? There's nobody overseeing them.

In general, one cannot trust the veracity of any printed document these days. The banks have poisoned the well and there's no going back now. Fraud is rampant and now standard procedure.

Prepare for all out war in the courts, though I don't believe our current jurists (well, maybe here in NY, but I doubt elsewhere) are prepared for the onslaught of litigation and the mountains of phony documents that will be unleashed.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:42 | 1343375 Widowmaker
Widowmaker's picture

A trove is right.   Last time, the fags at Goldman Sachs turned over literally millions of pages of paper to parse.   In other words instead of being grateful or showing contrition,  nothing but spite was the action after their charter was bent/changed and taxpayers came to their record bonus rescue.

These collusion-crooks need shut down, and then the questions can be asked, otherwise the usual waste of expenses and drawing out time past the statutes of limitations is the ony play in the book.

Goldman fraud fucks have burnt every bridge with this taxpayer. 

Let them rot in cells in California.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 12:12 | 1343489 nathan1234
nathan1234's picture

Let them rot in cells in Alaska not California

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 12:07 | 1343483 nathan1234
nathan1234's picture

Fining Goldman, Jo Morgan etc is nonsense. The executives concerned should go behind bars and they should be barred from whatever trade they have been caught at.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 12:56 | 1343637 Bartanist
Bartanist's picture

Have they not learned that there is a right time to just STFU?

Do they think they are playing to the public? When has Goldman ever been a public company?

The more they protest with thin arguments the more credibility they will lose. There is a smoking gun and they have already released millions of pages of evidence. So, did they just magically find something new?

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 13:23 | 1343697 Ruffcut
Ruffcut's picture

They probably want to go private again. They need to tank the price down, though.

Goldass ballsacks will stay entrenched in all things money and government. They will linger for everybodies lifetime, like a big bad fart.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 14:30 | 1343912 long-shorty
long-shorty's picture

Goldman need not STFU. They need to fight fight fight, and not using legalistic crap, but by using the evidence. I totally believe David Viniar when he says they didn't know what their net beta was to subprime on certain days. How the hell do you know how these securities would act in an unprecidented crisis? If there is one group of people that is certainly less trustworthy than investment bankers, it is politicians. What a dog and pony show.

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 22:50 | 1345769 tradewithdave
tradewithdave's picture

Here's a link to the full 600+ page Carl Levin/Tom Coburn committee report on Wall Street including Goldman Sachs if you haven't seen it.

http://tradewithdave.com/?p=6811

Dave Harrison

www.tradewithdave.com

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!