Former Oppenheimer broker pleads guilty to insider trading

David Hobson exploited inside information provided by his friend, who worked at a pharmaceutical company.
OCT 26, 2016
A former Oppenheimer & Co. investment adviser in Providence, R.I. has pled guilty to an insider trading scheme involving a pharmaceutical company. David Hobson, 47, admitted that he exploited inside information provided by his friend and client, Michael Maciocio, to reap illegal profits, Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in an Oct. 25 statement. He pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of securities fraud. “With Maciocio's earlier guilty plea, both participants in this illegal insider trading scheme have now admitted to their crimes,” U.S. Attorney Bharara said. From May 2008 to April 2014, they participated in a scheme to commit insider trading tied to acquisitions that were being considered by the pharma company, according to the statement. The company was not identified in the statement but Law 360 identified the firm as Pfizer Inc. Mr. Maciocio learned about the impending transactions through his role as a master planner in the company's active pharmaceutical ingredient supply chain group. He then traded on his own behalf and tipped off Mr. Hobson, who was Mr. Maciocio's investment adviser and broker for many years, to makes trades for them both, according to the statement. Mr. Hobson also used the inside information to trade in client accounts at two brokerage firms where he worked. He was employed by Oppenheimer and RBC Capital Markets at the time of the insider trading, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc.'s BrokerCheck. Mr. Maciocio, 46, pled guilty on May 20 to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of securities fraud, according to the statement.

Latest News

Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Nine-month electronic trading freeze and share lending program at the center of dismissed claim.

RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone
RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone

Meanwhile, Rossby Financial's leadership buildout rolls on with a new COO appointment as Balefire Wealth welcomes a distinguished retirement specialist to its national network.

Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500
Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500

With a smaller group of companies driving stock market performance, advisors must work more intentionally to manage concentration risks within client portfolios.

Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker
Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker

Professional athletes are often targets of scam artists and are particularly vulnerable to fraud.

Schwab touts AI as its biggest growth lever at investor day
Schwab touts AI as its biggest growth lever at investor day

The brokerage giant tells Wall Street it will use artificial intelligence to reach clients it has never been able to serve — and turn the technology's perceived threat into a competitive edge.

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management

SPONSORED Durability over scale: What actually defines a great advisory firm

Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline