Who

Rajaratnam is the founder and managing partner of the Galleon Group, a tech-focused hedge fund with $7 billion under management. He made headlines in October 2009 when he was arrested for taking part in an insider trading scheme. 

Backstory

Born in Sri Lanka and educated in England, Rajaratnam earned a degree in engineering from the University of Sussex before arriving in the U.S. to attend business school at Wharton. He later took a job at the small investment bank Needham & Co. as an equity analyst covering the tech sector. In 1992, he was named president of the firm, but when he realized he was better at running money than managing people, he stepped down and founded a hedge fund with Needham. Rajaratnam remained at the firm for five years until leaving to found Galleon in 1997 with $350 million in capital.

Galleon didn't get off to the best start. The financial crisis in Asia battered the fund, resulting in early losses, but Rajaratnam has bounced back quite nicely. From offices in New York and Silicon Valley, he now oversees some $7 billion across several funds including the flagship Galleon Technology Partners, three media/tech funds, and Galleon Healthcare Partners. But it all came crumbling down in October 2009 when FBI agents knocked on his front door one morning at arrested him for allegedly taking part in $20 million insider trading scheme that involved five other individuals.

Keeping score

According to Trader Monthly, Rajaratnam took home $300 to $400 million in 2006 and $150-$200 million in 2007. Forbes pegged his net worth at $1.8 billion in 2008 and $1.3 billion in 2009.

Pet cause

Rajaratnam was on vacation in Sri Lanka when the tsunami struck in 2004. He was uninjured—he and his family left a beach resort a day before—but the disaster led him to start a charity to which he's donated more than $5 million. He's also a trustee of the American Indian Foundation alongside hotelier Sant Chatwal and the legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, among others.

Personal

Rajaratnam and his wife, Asha Pabla, have three children and live on Sutton Place. Divorce attorney Raoul Felder lives in the same building.