Between 200 and 500 investors are understood to have been on the call, and as they realized their lines were not muted many began to heckle Mr. Lenahan. Some traders began making what one banker on the call described as chimp sounds, while another cried out 'dive, dive'. A third man said 'short Ireland' before adding 'why not short Citi too?'

As the call descended into chaos, with one participant heard to say, ¨this is the worst conference call ever,¨ Citigroup officials shut the line down.