Padilla, Alexandre --- "Insider trading: what is seen and what is not seen" [ 2013] ELECD 555 ; in Bainbridge, M. Stephen (ed), "Research Handbook on Insider Trading" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013) 251

Book Title: Research Handbook on Insider Trading

Editor(s): Bainbridge, M. Stephen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9780857931849

Section: Chapter 14

Section Title: Insider trading: what is seen and what is not seen

Author(s): Padilla, Alexandre

Number of pages: 15

Abstract/Description:

After handing an eleven year jail sentence to Raj Rajaratnam, Federal District Court Judge Richard J. Holwell commented that “insider trading is an assault on the free markets,” adding that “his crimes reflect a virus in our business culture that needs to be eradicated.” More recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that the FBI was building cases on 120 people for illegal insider trading. In addition, the FBI released a new public-service announcement against insider trading featuring Michael Douglas. Douglas, of course, famously portrayed Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone’s movie, Wall Street, which character was largely inspired by Ivan Boesky, one of the (in)famous convicted insider traders of the late 1980s. In this public-service announcement, Douglas introduces himself as the actor who played Gordon Gekko. Douglas adds that, while the movie and his character were fictional, the problem is real and he encourages contacting the local FBI office to report insider trading.