Fortune offers four tell-tale signs that Lloyd Blankfein (Lloyd Blankfein news) will be ousted as Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) CEO and chairman:

• "The start of a probe: Federal, Congressional, or all of the above." Well a criminal probe of the firm is underway; it doesn't get much more serious. A congressional probe and of course an SEC (SEC news) probe are also active.
• A "statement of confidence" from the board or a big investor. Goldman Sachs' top PR guy has maintained that the board fully supports Blankfein. Warren Buffett has also weighed in with enthusiastic support in a high-profile forum.
• "Denials of leaving, thinking of leaving, or knowing the definition of the word 'leave'." On Good Morning America, Blankfein said he had not started thinking about stepping down. For the most part, he's been mum on this issue.
• And the "full beard, and other signs of disregard for accepted social conventions." When Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) CEO was spotted with a scraggly beard, people suggested that in his mind, perhaps subconsciously, a change was accepted.

So is Blankfein destined to depart? He's at least halfway gone, if you buy the Fortune indicators. But he's also a fighter. It's a really tough call. The board has its hands full. That's for sure. I think a new chairman would be much more likely. 

For more:
- here's the Fortune article

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