IN COURT

A former senior executive at Marsh & McLennan Cos. and two employees at American International Group Inc. pleaded guilty Tuesday in the state’s probe of bid-rigging and price-fixing in the insurance industry.

Joshua Bewlay, a former managing director at Marsh; John Mohs, a vice president in a unit of AIG; and Carlos Coello, an AIG underwriter, entered their pleas in state court.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said the defendants are expected to testify in the broadening case.

– Associated Press

MILLION DOLLAR MAKEOVER

Little did Dan Manthey know that using his Merrill Lynch Visa Signature Rewards card to buy gasoline at a Holiday Stationstore in Minnesota would make him a millionaire. “Just filling up my little Ranger pick-up truck,” said Mr. Manthey, a 55-year-old retired firefighter from St. Paul and a Merrill Lynch customer for seven years. Buying $30-worth of gas entered him in the Merrill Lynch Million Dollar Sweepstakes, whence he emerged as the winner of a makeover by fashion consultant Jenny Gering and a home makeover by interior designer Michael Payne of HGTV’s “Designing for the Sexes” fame. A hairstyle by Sally Hershberger and cooking classes with Jacques Pepin may be shared by Shari Kraft, Mr. Manthey’s companion of 28 years, as may the remaining prizes that include a 2005 Porsche Boxster S, 25 hours on a private jet, and $250,000 in cash. Mr. Manthey’s Merrill Lynch financial adviser will surely have some ideas on how to invest the latter.

– Special to the Sun

PROPERTY WHISPERS

The Sun has learned that MetLife has retained a broker to sell its 2.8 million-square-foot tower, 200 Park Avenue, and its former headquarters, the $1.36-million One Madison Avenue. According to the trade, the Park Avenue building, former headquarters of Pan Am, could fetch close to $2 billion, while the project sale price of One Madison Avenue could exceed $800 million.

PERFORMANCE Investors cautiously bid stocks higher Tuesday, pleased by growth in retail sales but wary about Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s congressional testimony starting today.The Dow Jones industrials and Standard & Poor’s 500 index reached new 2005 highs.

Wall Street welcomed the Commerce Department’s report that overall retail sales fell 0.3% in January, less than the 0.5% economists expected. Taking sluggish auto sales out of the equation, retail sales rose 0.6%, also better than expected.

– Associated Press