He’s broke. Never. He wants a deal. No, he doesn’t. He says they have nada on him but he’s pissed off with the Gs. These snippets form part of the grapevine yarns flowing from Dubai where Gupta kingpin Salim Essa has been holed up since 2017. Whether genuine tidbits shared with trusted associates or PR driven by delusion or desperation, Essa is in one fine bind as he navigates life in self-imposed exile, now with the added trouble of the US government blacklisting.