by Lev Bromberg, George Gilligan, and Ian Ramsay

Insider trading, a form of misconduct criminalized in many countries, was again in the headlines recently with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “Operation Perfect Hedge”, an investigation relating to hedge funds which uncovered interweaving webs of trading networks spanning several industries. Indeed, the operation at one point provided the U.S. authorities with a perfect record of 85 convictions for insider traders. The convictions of those involved – including Galleon founder Raj Rajaratnam and former S.A.C Capital Advisors portfolio manager Mathew Martoma – resulted in record prison sentences and monetary fines for insider trading. But how do these significant insider trading penalties compare with those imposed in other countries?

Our recent article, ‘The Extent and Intensity of Insider Trading Enforcement – an International Comparison’, presents the results of a detailed comparative empirical study of sanctions imposed for insider trading in Australia, Canada (Ontario), Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States over a seven year period to 2015. Continue reading →