The early days. AIG was founded (as American Asiatic Underwriters) in Shanghai in 1919 by Cornelius V. Starr. He was the uncle of Kenneth Starr, the prosecutor/persecutor of the Clintons.
Oddly, C.V. Starr had joined the army in 1918, but was allowed to go on a private world tour and start businesses in Asia. In Shanghai, Cornelius also ran an English-language newspaper which lost money for many years. He said that he resisted both Japanese and Chinese offers of subsidy. After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese took over the newspaper and used it as a propaganda sheet.
The 1990s: When wheeler-dealer Victor Kozeny (the "Pirate of Prague," now an international fugitive) tried to take over the oil fields in the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan, he had financial backing from AIG. His partner was former AIG executive David Pinkerton. After the effort fell apart, AIG tried to sue Kozeny.
Just thought you might want to learn a few things about the company you now own. More to come -- much more.
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