WALL STREET

Bayou Co-Founder Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Defraud

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A co-founder of the collapsed Stamford, Conn.-based Bayou hedge funds admitted in federal court yesterday that he conspired to defraud investors of more than $10 million, prosecutors said. U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said James Marquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

— Associated Press

E*Trade To Leave NYSE for Nasdaq

E*Trade Financial Corp. is leaving the New York Stock Exchange to re-list its shares on Nasdaq Stock Market Inc., reversing a high-profile 2001 defection that once embarrassed Nasdaq and dealing a blow to the Big Board. The New York online financial-services company will move its shares back to Nasdaq later this month, where they will trade under the ETFC symbol, the president of E*Trade, R. Jarrett Lilien, told Dow Jones Newswires yesterday.

— Dow Jones Newswires

PUBLISHING

N.Y. Times Names James Follo as CFO

The New York Times Co. yesterday said it has named James Follo as its new chief financial officer, replacing Leonard Forman, who is retiring at the end of December. Mr. Follo,47,had most recently been chief financial and administrative officer at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. He had also been CFO of General Media International Inc., a publishing company. Mr. Follo formally assumes his duties January 8.

— Associated Press

Geffen Offers $2 Billion For Los Angeles Times

Billionaire David Geffen has offered to buy the Los Angeles Times newspaper for $2 billion in cash, but parent company Tribune Co. has declined to accept or reject the bid, according to press reports yesterday. Chicago-based Tribune rebuffed the offer because it is still seeking offers for the entire company, the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times reported. Tribune began soliciting bids in September, and late last month extended a self-imposed deadline to complete its strategic review.

— Dow Jones Newswires