And the Salomon traders found themselves in a weird new role.

I stopped feeling like a geek the moment Salomon traders started asking my advice.

Many weak Salomon traders, along with a few customers, blew themselves up.

Big guarantees were still being made by other firms to Salomon traders and salesmen.

"It's difficult for me to imagine he broke the law," said one Salomon trader.

He also designed a sophisticated computerized trading system that many Salomon traders believed gave them an edge.

For example, Paul Mozer, the disgraced Salomon trader, earned more than $10 million in the last three years.

Those rules, according to the agency, were "willfully" violated by Salomon traders.

"He was not one of those who went stomping around the trading floor," said one Salomon trader who worked near him.

"He embarrassed the Treasury," said one Salomon trader.