CFO of Freddie MAC Commits Suicide

[Principessa]

David Kellermann, Freddie Mac CFO, Said To Have Committed Suicide

Though he had been with Freddie MAC 16 years, I find it interesting that he had only been CFO of Freddie MAC since September. Makes me wonder why his level of guilt was so high that he committed suicide. Or was this a corporate seppuku?

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

Unless he confirms in a suicide note, or it comes out that he was under the threat of imminent arrest or criminal charges, I think it was probably largely unrelated to Freddie Mac issues.

I support someone's right to end their life when they see fit, but, that had to be a horrible discovery for his wife. Hope there were no children around.

 

[catman]

Agreed.

There was a simillar situation, one of the richest men in the world (germany I think?) was in the top 20 richest, went from top 5 to bottom 20 (lost a couple of billion, commts suicide...) sad.

I do agree about the right to die issue (esp with terminal folks who don't want their savings/insurance/familly sucked dry while on a machine they don't need) if you have made your peace, its time to leave.

 

[B_Nick8]

I don't think it's fair to even speculate on this type of thing until facts come out. We have no idea what's relevant and what's not.

 

[D_Amyntas Lillydong]

death before dishonor.

 

[B_starinvestor]

This is really peculiar.

Obviously this guy had a guilty conscience whereas Frank Raines...not so much.

 

[798686]

It's very sad. Horrible to be in a position where you think that's the only answer.

Star - Don't know much about Frank Raines, but seems like the people who really are to blame are usually the ones who don't feel guilty. Fred Goodwin hasn't shown much guilt/remorse (at least publicly) over his disastrous tenure at RBS.

 

[B_starinvestor]

Star - Don't know much about Frank Raines, but seems like the people who really are to blame are usually the ones who don't feel guilty. Fred Goodwin hasn't shown much guilt/remorse (at least publicly) over his disastrous tenure at RBS.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[798686]

Thanks!

 

[faceking]

Maybe he was going to tell all... and it was really a homicide.

 

[midlifebear]

Maybe he was just having a bad day. It happens.

 

[B_starinvestor]

I read the article about the suicide this morning in (of all places) the NYTimes. [it was the only paper at the diner; otherwise I would use it to pick up pet extriment.]

The guy evidently had an unbelievable amount of pressure from groups with extremely divergent interests: shareholders, gov't and public. He was working 23 hour days and coming home only to change clothes; he had to hire security because the reporters/papparazzi were camped outside his home 24/7.

Sounds like the pressure, the public outcry, the heavy-handedness of gov't intervention, shareholder pressure and no sleep just caused him to snap. And he lost 98% on his stock options.

 

[Bbucko]

Everybody reaches their breaking point eventually.

Speculating on the breaking point of others is a really nasty bit of schadenfreude.

 

[798686]

Star - Sounds like he was under far too much pressure. It's awful to be stuck in a position that is completely unmanageable, when there seems to be no way of altering it no matter what course of action you take.

Bbucko - Not sure that discussing the reason for someone's suicide is necessarily bad - doesn't mean you don't feel a great deal of sympathy towards them. I also think that if certain causes are identifiable - pressure overload/untenable situations, etc. - then maybe lessons can be learned and measures put in place to stop it happening to someone else?
(Not meaning to be rude here, btw - probably partly trying to justify my part in this thread's discussion! lol).

 

[Bbucko]

Bbucko - Not sure that discussing the reason for someone's suicide is necessarily bad - doesn't mean you don't feel a great deal of sympathy towards them. I also think that if certain causes are identifiable - pressure overload/untenable situations, etc. - then maybe lessons can be learned and measures put in place to stop it happening to someone else?
(Not meaning to be rude here, btw - probably partly trying to justify my part in this thread's discussion! lol).

I agree that, in theory, there's nothing distasteful about discussing the suicide of a father and husband if it's done sympathetically. But when Starinvestor takes the time to lay partial blame for the man's death at "heavy-handedness of gov't", it's cheap exploitation, and more than a touch of glee at seeing how he can better illustrate his polemics with the death of a human being.

Yuck.