Hedge Funds: Who Was the High-Rolling Picasso Buyer?

The New York Times | 5 May 2010

It’s hard to ignore the $106.5 million price tag attached to the Picasso piece whose sale on Tuesday is the biggest-ever price tag for a work of art sold at auction.

But who could stump up that kind of cash?

The buyer remains a mystery, but tucked at the bottom of Carol Vogel’s report in The New York Times is a list of the usual suspects, including a few hedge fund moguls known for their art-collecting habits.

According to dealers who spoke to Ms. Vogel before the auction, the potential bidders could have included

* Kenneth C. Griffin of the Citadel Investment Group
* Steven A. Cohen of SAC Capital
* Roman Abramovich, the Russian financer

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