Tabloid Paid BP Chief's Gay Lover

There is growing sympathy in London's financial community for Lord Browne, the CEO of energy giant BP who resigned Monday after being caught lying to a court about how he met his gay lover. The Guardian reports that the British tabloid, Mail on Sunday, paid Browne's lover Jeff Chevalier, about $80,000 for details about their relationship.

Browne had sought an injunction to prevent publication of the story, but the attempt backfired when his lie about how he met the 27-year-old "rent boy"  was exposed. Fund manager Stephen Thornber tells the Guardian Browne was "one of the most intelligent hard-working and able managers in the City over recent years." (More BP stories.)