Steven Cohen was always a mystery man on Wall Street, regularly described as a reclusive trader hidden away in Greenwich, madly generating billions. He was rarely seen in public, not much of a presence on the social scene. But that has all changed. He has never been as visible as he is now.

Cohen and his wife Alex were seen at a high-profile Metropolitan Museum of Art's event. This week, he is scheduled to speak at a hedge fund conference in Las Vegas.

He sat recently for an interview with Vanity Fair, only the second media interview he has done in 30 years. At a conference last month, he allowed himself to be interviewed in front of an audience by Paul Tudor Jones. And of course, he's vying to be a big stake of the New York Mets, a very public endeavor.

So what's going on? He's no doubt received some savvy public relations advice. Cohen would have to have been blind not to feel the government's vise tightening over the past year--a very uncomfortable spot. He needs to do what he can to change the public perception, from a man shrouded in intrigue and mystery, hidden in a complex black box to a beloved philanthropist and a successful entrepreneur.

Public perception may not matter to prosecutors, but it does matter in so many other ways. In general, it's a lot harder to convict a man respected by all. Look for him to make even more appearances.

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