Riddle us this, finance experts: why would you go to all the trouble of (allegedly) forging a bunch of documents in order to get a $74 million loan and then repay the loan all quick-like once it became clear that Johnny Law was onto you? So much effort for a bunch of money you apparently didn't need so badly anyway!

Hassan Nemazee, the former national finance chair of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and a half-million-dollar fundraiser for Barack Obama, was stopped by the Feds at the Newark airport on Sunday after investigators began to suspect he'd forged evidence to secure a big loan from Citigroup. How awful would that be, to get all packed and ready for a nice Roman vacation and instead get interviewed at the airport by a pack of federal goons with tedious money questions?

Monday, Nemazee repaid the $74 million loan in question. Tuesday, he appeared in federal court and spent the night in lockup. Today, he will be released and left to roam his lonely Park Avenue apartment with an electronic ankle bracelet on. This is a punishment worse than Gitmo.

Also what is up with Democratic money-men and their proclivity for financial shenanigans? Embarrassing.

Major donor to President Obama's campaign, Hassan Nemazee, held in bank loan scam [New York Daily News]

Top Clinton Fundraiser Charged With Defrauding Citigroup [TPM Muckraker]