SEC Charges Former Analyst and Three Others for Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against four men, Anthony Viggiano, Christopher Salamone, Stephen A. Forlano, and Nathan Bleckley, for insider trading in advance of numerous merger and acquisition transactions. According to the SEC’s complaint, Viggiano, who was employed by a major investment firm and an international investment bank, allegedly obtained material nonpublic information about eight strategic partnerships and mergers and tipped his friend Salamone about at least six of them. Salamone then traded in advance of the six transactions and shared the proceeds with Viggiano. Forlano, a close college friend of Viggiano, made approximately $113,000 in illegal profits after trading in advance of three transactions and Bleckley, a close college friend of Forlano, made illegal gains of almost $25,000 from trading ahead of two transactions. The SEC is seeking injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. The U.S. Attorney's Office is also filing criminal charges against Viggiano, Forlano, and Salamone.