The 'trader' at the centre of a controversial interview, in which he claimed the City just 'loves' a economic disaster, was today accused of being a hoaxer.
Twitter users took to the social networking site to 'out' the City trader as an imposter and claimed he was a member of a group of hoaxers, hours after an astonishing interview on the BBC.
Interviewers were left open-mouthed as Alessio Rastani admitted that traders 'don't really care that much' about the prospect of an economic collapse.
He astonished BBC viewers yesterday by describing his hopes of profiting from a recession, adding: 'The governments don't rule the world - Goldman Sachs rules the world.'
The self-styled 'independent trader' also claimed he had been 'dreaming of this moment for three years', as the global economy faces continuing uncertainty.
However sceptics took to Twitter today to claim Mr Rastani was merely impersonating a city trader and was even a member of political hoaxers the Yes Men.
One user said: 'It doesn't matter if it was Alessio Rastani or The Yes Men. What he said reflects how traders really think.'
In an interview on BBC News, Mr Rastani predicted, 'The market is toast.'
But when presenter Martine Croxall asked him what the solution was, he admitted: 'For most traders, we don't really care that much how they're going to fix the economy, how they're going to fix the whole situation.
'Our job is to make money from it.'
He added: 'I have a confession - I go to bed every night and I dream of another recession, I dream of another moment like this.'
His comments came on a day of turmoil in the stock market, with major indices going up and down throughout the day.
Shocked Ms Croxall replied that 'jaws have just collectively dropped' at the trader's comments.
'We appreciate your candour,' she added, 'however, it doesn't help the rest of us, does it?'
But Mr Rastani insisted that 'anybody' can profit from a catastrophic crash with the right 'hedging strategies', and drew parallels with the 1930s Depression.
He concluded: 'The economic crisis is like a cancer. If you just wait and wait, thinking this is going to go away, just like a cancer it's going to grow and it's going to be too late.'
The presenters were almost dumbstruck at the end of the interview, as Ms Croxall's co-host asked her, 'Do you dream about the economy at night?'
'I try not to,' she replied. 'Nightmare.'
Mr Rastani's outburst drew a mixed reaction from viewers.
His Facebook page was flooded with people asking for investment advice, but not all internet users were so complimentary.
One Twitter user described Mr Rastani as 'jaw-droppingly amoral', while trader Jack Gavigan wrote: 'If Alessio Rastani is such a great trader, why does he spend time teaching people instead of, y'know, actually trading?'
Mr Rastani's website, LeadingTrader.com, is full of pictures of his speaking engagements, but provides little information about his own trading experience.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2042291/Stock-Market-Trader-Alessio-R...
TheSun Website
TV viewers were left stunned last night after a self-styled trader claimed bankers were "dreaming of another recession" so they can make more money.
BBC 24 newsreaders sat "open-mouthed" in amazement at Alessio Rastani's outburst — but today there were claims the outrageous interviewee was a hoaxer who managed to dupe the news channel.
Rastani said traders "don't really care that much" about the prospect of an economic collapse and told of his hopes of profiting from the recession, adding: "The governments don't rule the world - Goldman Sachs rules the world."
During the shocking interview, he said: "The market is toast. For most traders, we don't really care that much how they're going to fix the economy, how they're going to fix the whole situation
"Our job is to make money from it.
"I have a confession - I go to bed every night and I dream of another recession, I dream of another moment like this."
But Rastani's credibility came under question today as bloggers claimed he is a member of a group called the Yes Men, who pose as fake interviewees for the media.
Doubts about his alleged success as a trader were also raised as it was pointed out on Twitter that he is not currently employed by a bank or fund manager.
Rastani described himself as an "experienced stock market and forex trader and professional speaker". His website is dedicated to his public speaking.
Quantcast
Rastani appeared on the channel as stock markets worldwide were hit by another day of turmoil.
A shocked BBC presenter told him "jaws have just collectively dropped" after his scandalous words.
She added: "We appreciate your candour, however, it doesn't help the rest of us, does it?"
Rastani replied that "anybody" can profit from a recession if they use the correct strategies.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3839173/Traders-shock-BBC-outburst....
Hoax? the dude is talking sense, what a lot of people suspect anyway, what's the surprise here? i don't get it.
ukp2006 5 months ago 24
This is not hoax. Reuters thought its hoax, but BBC confirmed this is real investor... and do not forget "secret" analysis of same-name bank (Goldmansachs) where was wrote, I am bit pharaphrasing:"Yes, world economy going to hell, but still we can got good deals!"
kikirikikirlafsdfskd 5 months ago 16