'Tipper X' Hangs Over Galleon

``Mr. Hardin, or "Tipper X" as he is referred to in the SEC complaint, was tipped off on July 2, 2007, to a Blackstone Group Inc. takeover of Hilton Hotels Corp., according to the SEC complaint. After receiving the tip, the SEC says, Tipper X then tipped Gautham Shankar, a trader involved in the alleged "Octopussy" ring, about the takeover. Tipper X "traded profitably" on the tip, according to the SEC complaint, while Mr. Shankar bought 25,000 shares of Hilton and made a profit of $156,000, the complaint says. Mr. Shankar pleaded guilty to insider-trading charges and is cooperating with the government's investigation as well. A lawyer for Mr. Shankar didn't return calls for comment.''