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                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(a)


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated January 16, 2001 relating to the
financial statements which appear in the Salomon Smith Barney Holdings Inc.'s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000. We also consent
to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration
Statement.



/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


New York, New York
September 10, 2001