Rolling Stones' publicist dies

The former publicist for The Rolling Stones has passed away.

Paul Wasserman was 73 and died of respiratory failure, publicist and friend Joan Myers said.

Wasserman's other clients included The Who, Paul Simon and Tom Petty.

Music critic Robert Hilburn told BBC News: "He was the most important rock publicist in town. He was a brilliant media strategist who helped usher rock and roll into an era of new respectability. Rock and roll was this rowdy kind of thing, and he was somehow able to make the mainstream press more interested."

Wasserman's career ended in 2000, when he was jailed for swindling some of his closest non-celebrity friends by falsely claiming to be selling shares in investment schemes that he said were backed by stars like U2.

Wasserman pleaded guilty to grand theft and was sentenced to six months in jail, placed on five years' probation and ordered to pay nearly £42,000 ($87,000) in restitution.