Journalist Jesse Barron Secures Book Deal for Story on Hedge Fund Manager's Lawsuit

Los Angeles-based journalist Jesse Barron, a writer for the New York Times Magazine, has secured a book deal with Penguin imprint Riverhead following a bidding process, sources told Page Six Hollywood. The book, titled “Transference,” is based on a 2023 news story first reported by the New York Post.

The story involves hedge fund manager Michael Pollack, who filed a lawsuit in 2023 alleging that his female psychologist manipulated him into an affair. Pollack claimed the psychologist led him to believe he was trapped in his marriage and then seduced him, with the relationship lasting a decade.

According to court documents, Pollack paid the psychologist $50,000 for three years of therapy and an additional $250,000 referred to as “mistress money” after the relationship became intimate. Pollack described the situation as “erotic transference” and stated he was a survivor of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, which occurred while visiting his wife's family.

He alleged the psychologist exploited his PTSD from the attack by fostering emotional dependence and idolization. The psychologist has denied the allegations in court papers, and the case remains ongoing.

contacted Pollack through his lawyer after the 2023 New York Post story and wrote a piece on the case for Granta magazine. Barron previously wrote a 2017 Esquire article titled “The Girl from Plainville,” about a Massachusetts woman tried for homicide related to her boyfriend's suicide.

That article was adapted into a 2022 Hulu series starring Elle Fanning and Chloë Sevigny, with Barron serving as a consulting producer. Page Six Hollywood has contacted Riverhead for comment on the book deal.