Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, who is a dance party DJ by the stage name DJ D-Sol, was the opening act for an electronic dance party in the Hamptons that is under investigation for allegedly attracting thousands of attendees who may have violated New York’s social distancing requirements.
A spokesman for Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed to CBS MoneyWatch that the New York State Department of Health is investigating the charity event, as well as the organizer of the party, the venue that hosted it, and city officials who signed it.
A Cuomo executive order prohibits nonessential gatherings of more than 50 people. It was signed in March to help stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 150,000 Americans.
On Tuesday, New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker sent a letter to the supervisor for the city of Southampton, where the party was held, notifying him that the event was under investigation.
In the letter, Zucker said he was “very disturbed” by a series of reports about the party, which was supposed to be a “drive-in” concert, but which ultimately involved “thousands of close people” outside of their cars.
Cuomo, in a tweet, shared a video of the party and criticized him for “egregious violations of social estrangement.” Cuomo said he was “horrified”.
In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, a Goldman Sachs spokesperson said of CEO Solomon: “David agreed to participate in a charity event in which the organizers worked closely with the local government and established strict health protocols. He acted early and left earlier. the show ended. The vast majority of the audience seemed to follow the rules, but are concerned that some will violate the rules and put themselves in danger. “
A spokesperson for one of the party’s organizers, In the Know Experiences, said the company would send a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, but that it did not arrive on Tuesday afternoon. A Buzzfeed story about the concert quoted several partygoers who said they felt safe and that the party organizer seemed to have followed the guidelines of social distancing.
He made $ 25 million in his daily job last year
Goldman Sachs paid Solomon nearly $ 25 million in 2019, according to a document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Solomon became CEO of Goldman in October 2018, taking over as Lloyd Blankfein. Former Goldman CEO at the start of the pandemic called for a faster process reopening of the economy.
Some Goldman watchers have speculated that Solomon outperformed other CEO candidates because both his hobby and personality seemed to have the potential to soften the image of the Wall Street bank, which was famous for being called a “vampire squid” during the financial crisis. . a writer for Rolling Stone.
But in the COVID-19 era, a hobby like DJing big parties, if not done virtually, is the kind of chore that can quickly get you into trouble.
Solomon was the opening act for the party on Saturday night, which was called Safe & Sound and promised to “set the bar” for dance parties in the coronavirus era.
Tickets started at $ 225 a head
The tickets, which started at $ 225 per person, gave attendees a socially distant parking spot. Partygoers were told to wear a mask in the bathroom, their temperature was measured, and they were supposed to stay close to their cars.
A special $ 25,000 VIP package included a private RV for approximately 10 guests. About 2,000 people showed up for the party, including people from high society and financial professionals, according to Bloomberg News.
Event organizers said the proceeds would be donated to various charities, including No Kid Hungry, Southampton Fresh Air Home, and Children’s Medical Fund of New York.
The videos of the event, which were posted on social media, including the one that was retweeted by Cuomo, seemed to show many people outside their cars and very close to the stage. Solomon continued at 8:00 p.m. and acted for an hour. He was followed by Chainsmokers, a popular two-person DJ group from Germany.
In the letter to city officials, the New York health commissioner said he wanted to know if the party was properly authorized and if the city monitored and enforced social distancing guidelines.
“I don’t know how the city of Southampton could have issued a permit for such an event, how they believed it was legal and not an obvious threat to public health,” Zucker wrote in the letter.
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