51.   He has long been described as a friend and former associate of Raul Salinas.

52.   He is a former associate of the junk-bond financier Michael Milken.

53.   He served as deputy chief of staff to Barak, the Labor leader, and some former military associates believe the two would still work best as a team.

54.   His former associates followed him in anticipation of continuing the open and communicative working relationship that they used to have with him.

55.   His strength was in the vision, former associates say, not the details.

56.   In fact, former associates of Kahn suggested that the real reason for his departure was more complicated.

57.   In March, the same grand jury that indicted the governor indicted two former Symington associates, George Leckie and John Yeoman.

58.   In interviews Friday, several former associates described Norton as a person who was willing to compromise to seek consensus.

59.   Indeed, though Ms. Cornwell says otherwise, some former associates say financial success brought out the worst in her.

60.   Meanwhile, investigators have interviewed hundreds of relatives, former criminal associates and victims, anyone connected to the fugitives.