FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SEC Charges Three Friends and Business Associates of Former Chairman of Home Diagnostics, Inc., in Insider Trading Scheme
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against three friends and business associates of the former Chairman of the Board at Home Diagnostics Inc., George H. Holley, for trading on the basis of inside information about an impending acquisition of the company that was illegally tipped to them by Holley.
In Complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Trenton, New Jersey, the SEC alleges that, in 2010, Holley, who co-founded Home Diagnostics, provided his friends John Campani and John Mullin, and employee Alan Posner, with confidential information about the impending acquisition of Home Diagnostics by Nipro Corporation. Campani, Mullin, and Posner each purchased Home Diagnostics stock on the basis of Holley’s tips for combined profits of more than $105,000. The SEC previously had charged Holley and other tippees with insider trading based on the same material nonpublic information (SEC v. George H. Holley, et al., No. 3:11-cv-00205-MLC-DEA (D.N.J.)).
The SEC’s complaints charge Campani, Mullin, and Posner with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, the general antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, and Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14e-3 thereunder, the tender offer fraud provisions. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC’s Complaint against him, Campani, Mullin, and Posner each has consented to the entry of a final judgment that permanently enjoins him from future violations of Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5 and 14e-3 thereunder. In addition, the judgment against Campani will require him to pay $26,700 in disgorgement plus prejudgment interest in the amount of $2,387, and a civil penalty of $13,350; the judgment against Mullin will require him to pay disgorgement of $10,450 plus prejudgment interest in the amount of $896, and a civil penalty of $5,225; and the judgment against Posner will require him to pay disgorgement of $67,910 plus prejudgment interest in the amount of $5,820, and a civil penalty of $33,955. The settlements are subject to approval by the Court.
Campani, Mullin, and Posner cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey in its criminal prosecution of Holley. Holley ultimately pleaded guilty to insider trading. The SEC’s civil action against Holley is continuing.
The SEC thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and FINRA, for their cooperation and assistance in this matter.
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