Who is Alessio Rastani?
Alicia Wood
September 28, 2011 - 12:04PM
Alessio Rastani pictured on his Facebook page ... "People should not see me as the enemy."
After his interview with BBC television went viral, independent trader Alessio Rastani has been called immoral, satanic, and a charlatan.
But he has also been called something else: sensible.
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"People should not see me as an enemy, they should see me as a friend," Mr Rastani, 34, told smh.com.au from his South London home today.
"I am happy to point them in the right direction, so they can learn how to actually profit from a market crash."
And he said emphatically that his comments, which have gone viral on the internet since an interview with the BBC, are not a hoax.
Mr Rastani declined to say how much money he earned in his most successful year - "that's between me and the tax man" - but said he was not raking in millions.
His most successful year as an independent trader was 2008 and early 2009 - "that was a great market, and that's why I am looking forward to another".
He said he studied law at the University of Wales, before working for a financial institution he would not name.
Five years ago, he started trading for himself because of the "freedom" it afforded.
"I sat down and followed what [experienced traders] did, and learned a lot from them.
"I've never been the kind of guy who works for anybody. What I really wanted to do was be independent.
"Some people say that it is a negative that I don't work for a financial institution - I think it is a positive. Financial institutions are making bankers unemployed right now. In this climate it is safer to be trading for yourself," he said.
He was also strident in stressing he is not part of an elaborate hoax. "I am a trader and I am a public speaker. But people can say whatever they want, it is a free country."
UK newspapers last night suggested he was part of the satirical duo the Yes Men, who create hoaxes to embarrass large institutions.
Mr Rastani denied this, and the Yes Men duo claim they do not know him.
"We've never heard of Rastani. Despite widespread speculation, he isn't a Yes Man. He's a real trader who is, for one reason or another, being more honest than usual."
In his interview with the BBC, he said that world leaders could not fix the eurozone debt crisis, and that the investment bank Goldman Sachs ruled the world.
Most provocatively, he said he dreamed of the money he would make from a recession.
"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 told the BBC.
"Personally I've been dreaming of this moment for three years. I have a confession, which is I go to bed every night, I dream of another recession."
But Mr Rastani urged people to learn from his comments, and seek out ways to make money from a crashing market.
"People who have been more critical of me are saying that I am enjoying, that I am smacking my lips, and making money from other people's misery. That's not true at all, that is not me as a human being," Mr Rastani told smh.com.au
"What I would say, is if you are sitting around waiting for the government to sort out this financial mess - be prepared to wait a long time.
"During that time, there will be people like me, in the trading business who are going to make a killing in this climate. If you don't get yourself educated, and learn how to make money in this market, then you could be left with nothing."
He said he was merely voicing the opinions of many traders, and rejected the idea he was heartless.
"I never said I was looking forward to people losing their jobs, I just said if you are going to wait for the government to help – you are going to lose everything. The government doesn't care, the banks don't care."
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/business/who-is-alessio-rastani-20110928-1kw8a.html#ixzz1ZD8QmXxx
