Perelman staff under investigation

Two employees of University Trustee and alumnus Ronald Perelman were charged last week with attempting to extort $500,000 from him. The employees -- a security chief and the head of maintenance at Perelman's East Hampton, NY, estate -- threatened to tell the East Hampton Star and the New York State Bar Association about listening equipment installed in Perelman's mansion unless Perelman paid each man $250,000. Attorneys for the accused men told Newsday that they believed the listening devices were installed in order to eavesdrop on guests at a political fund raiser for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) held at Perelman's estate. Perelman spokesperson Howard Rubenstein denied that charge to Newsday, calling it "absolutely false" and "laughable." He added that the devices were only installed in order to monitor Perelman's young daughter. Perelman, who has pledged $20 million to the University to build a new student center which will bear his name, was involved in another legal dispute with employees over the summer when a former executive in Perelman's investment corporation sued him for unlawful dismissal. That case was settled out of court in July. University spokesperson Barbara Beck said the University administration is not worried that Perelman's recent court cases will in any way jeopardize his donation for the Perelman Quadrangle. According to Newsday, East Hampton police and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations observed the two men receiving a payment of $500,000 from Richard Halperin, the executive vice president of Perelman's investment company on August 28, and arrested them later that night. Beck said the University has no official response to the case.