A federal judge blew his top yesterday, saying he won’t allow a securities fraud trial to turn into a circus of “Wacko Jacko” proportions.
Manhattan District Judge Jed Rakoff went into a tirade during the arraignment of two top executives at the once high-flying Impath Inc. who are charged with cooking the books and defrauding investors out of $260 million.
But one of the two defendants – former Impath chairman and CEO Anuradha Saad – was missing when the judge appeared.
“You think this is the Michael Jackson trial?! Where is she,” Rakoff growled.
Prosecutors and federal authorities said Saad was finishing being processed following her arrest. She arrived about five minutes later.
“I don’t expect this ever to happen again,” Rakoff said.
Both Saad and former president Richard Adelson pleaded not guilty and were released on $1 million bail.
Rakoff eventually calmed down.
Just a week after her indictment, Rakoff approved Saad’s request to go travel to Europe for a long-planned vacation.