Rogue trader Zimmerman surfaces in Mexico City

By Peggy Zahniser

Former Vancouver mayoral candidate Darrell Zimmerman, 37, appeared at a press conference in Mexico City Monday morning and denied all knowledge of the 100-million dollar Vancouver Olympic Games deficit. Zimmerman, who was convicted for attempting to rig the Chicago Board of Trade to the tune of 12 billion dollars in 1992 called rumors that he had siphoned off 55 million dollars from the Olympic budget “absurd.”

“The idea that my band Darrell Zimmerman’s Amazing Vancouver Jazz Forum is a front for some kind of elaborate swindle is completely ridiculous,” said Zimmermann. “My lawyers will be out after anyone who perpetuates this outrageous libel.”

Rumors were detonated after Zimmerman met a Canadian male, reputedly former mayor Larry Campbell, several times in the course of the summer. Campbell, a colorful drug legalization campaigner, first opposed the 2010 Vancouver winter games before becoming a vocal supporter. Completing the triad of Vancouver public servants in Mexico this summer was Sam Sullivan, Campbell’s successor in the mayor’s office who according to sources close to City Hall went to Acapulco for a long weekend at the end of August. Neither Campbell nor Sullivan could be reached for comment.

Zimmermann, after whom the so-called “Zimmerman rule” on the Chicago Board of Trade was named, has been living the last three years in Mexico City with actress Gabriela Reynosa. He has been playing regularly for small crowds with his band the Amazing Vancouver Jazz Forum featuring Jamal Jefferson and Evil E in the legendary Jazzorca club, owned by German Bringas, a prominent Mexico City musician.

Members of Evil E’s entourage have commented that Zimmerman has bought a large villa in Acapulco’s Punto Diamante district, valued over 45 million dollars with pool, tennis court and outdoor jacuzzi.

“He invites us up to this big old place in Punto Diamante, it’s like party paradise, chicks, drugs, music, I couldn’t even begin to tell you what goes on there,” said a Mexico City free jazz musician who requested anonymity.

But not everybody is Mexico City’s free jazz scene is happy with Zimmerman’s larger-than-life lifestyle.

“There is no way anybody could make that kind of money playing free jazz in Mexico,” commented Jazzorca regular, drummer Gabriel Lauber. “Free jazz is a spiritual thing, it’s about unleashing energies, drugs and sex are just a corollary, with Darrell they are becoming the whole story. He’s selling his soul, if he ever had one.”

Meanwhile in Vancouver the preparations for the 2010 Winter Games drag on in an atmosphere of increasing financial insecurity and complete lack of transparency. Cost overruns are hitting the roof and nobody seems to know where all the money went. Did Zimmerman pull off the heist of lifetime? We will probably never know. He is certainly not telling.

“Don’t look at me, I was against these stupid games from the beginning,” said Zimmerman, as he checked his Rolex. “Now if you will excuse me I have a flight to catch.”