BANKING

British Investigators Talk to Barings Trader: Jailed Barings bank trader Nicholas Leeson began talking to British fraud investigators, hoping to convince them that he deserves prison in Britain rather than Singapore, where he fears harsh treatment if convicted. The daylong session was held at Hoechst prison with two London police officers and an officer from the Serious Fraud Office, which investigates complex financial crimes in Britain. Leeson has been held in Frankfurt since March 2, when he was arrested at the airport while attempting to reach Britain, his homeland. His gambles on Asian futures markets while working in Singapore led to massive losses that broke Barings bank. Leeson is charged with forgery and fraud in Singapore. Leeson’s lawyer, Stephen Pollard, said after the session that he would give no details of the interviews with investigators until they had ended, perhaps by Friday. Leeson was in “good spirits and form,” Pollard said, refusing further comment.