A purported financial trader's claims that he has been dreaming of another worldwide recession have apparently spurred the BBC to investigate his personal credentials.
In an interview on Monday, Alessio Rastani suggested to a BBC interviewer that he had been eagerly awaiting the onset of another major recession.
"Personally, I have been dreaming of this moment for three years," Rastani told the BBC.
"I have a confession, which is, I go to bed every night, I dream of another recession. I dream of another moment like this."
Rastani went on to say that he believed this type of event held great potential for making money, provided that an individual was aware of the tactics necessary to cash in when the markets fall as he predicts.
"Anybody can actually make money, it's an opportunity," said Rastani.
"When the market crashes, when the euro and the big stock markets crash, if you know what to do, if you have the right plan to set up, you can make a lot of money from this."
A statement posted to the BBC website on Tuesday said that the broadcaster had since conducted "detailed investigations" and found no indication that Rastani was perpetrating a hoax.
"He is an independent market trader and one of a range of voices we've had on air to talk about the recession," the statement said.
There were rumours swirling online that Rastani was connected to the Yes Men -- a group that is known for pulling pranks of the media.
The Yes Men posted a cryptic statement on their website Tuesday commending Rastani for his "masterful performance" on the BBC, but the group ultimately claimed that he was not connected to them.
The BBC website included a link to a website called leadingtrader.com, which has a bio with Rastani's name on it. The associated domain name was registered in February of last year through a company in the United States.
