Martha Broker Dealing; Will squeal if given
immunity, source says
By TIMOTHY J. BURGER in Washington
and GREG B. SMITH in New York
Daily News Staff Writers
Let's make a deal.
Martha Stewart's stockbroker has approached prosecutors seeking immunity from charges if he tells them whether his A-list client lied to the FBI to cover up insider trading, said a source familiar with the investigation.
The broker, Peter Bacanovic, was put on administrative leave by Merrill Lynch last week after brokerage house lawyers discovered inconsistencies in his explanation about the sale of Stewart's ImClone Systems stock just before it collapsed.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney James Comey is investigating whether the princess of potpourri made false statements to investigators when she answered questions in April about why she sold her ImClone stock in the nick of time, sources said.
A source familiar with the investigation told the Daily News that Bacanovic has offered to help prosecutors but wants to make sure he won't have to face criminal charges.
