In a December 2006 interview, Cramer described activities used by hedge fund managers to manipulate stock prices—some of debatable legality and others illegal. He described how he could push stocks higher or lower with as little as $5 million in capital when he was running his hedge fund. Cramer said, "A lot of times when I wasshortat my hedge fund ... When I was positioned short—meaning I needed it down—I would create a level of activity beforehand that could drive thefutures." He also encouraged hedge funds to engage in this type of activity because it is "a very quick way to make money."[58]
Cramer stated that everything he did was legal, but that illegal activity is common in the hedge fund industry as well. He also stated that some hedge fund managers spread false rumors to drive a stock down: "What's important when you are in that hedge-fund mode is to not do anything remotely truthful because the truth is so against your view, that it's important to create a new truth, to develop a fiction."[59]Cramer described a variety of tactics that hedge fund managers use to affect a stock's price. Cramer said that one strategy to keep a stock price down is to spread false rumors to reporters he described as "the Pisanis of the world", in reference to CNBC correspondentBob Pisani, whom Cramer insinuated was able to be manipulated, saying "You have to use these guys." He also discussed giving information to "the bozo reporter fromThe Wall Street Journal" to get an article published.[60][61]Cramer said this practice, although illegal, is easy to do "because theSECdoesn't understand it."[62]During the interview, Cramer referred to himself as a "banking-class hero".[63]
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