6.) Insider Dealing Flashcards
Define insider dealing
The deliberate exploitation of info by dealing in securities or their derivatives, having obtained the info by virtue of some privileged ratio ship or position
In terms of punishments, what’s the difference between the CJA and the FSMA
The CJA provides for CRIMINAL sanctions such as jail and/or fines, but with a proof beyond reasonable doubt standard
The FSMA provides for ADMINISTRATIVE sanctions, e.g. Fines with a civil burden of proof (I.e. On the balance of probabilities)
Note that section 118 of the FSMA sought to provide administrative sanctions and the wider scope to cover all forms of market abuse, such as market manipulation and distortion not covered by legislation previously
Describe the case the Guinness share-trading fraud, or the Guinness affair
The Guinness share-trading fraud was a famous British scandal of the 1980s.
It involved an attempt to massively manipulate the stock market, in order to inflate the price of Guinness shares, thereby assisting a £2.7 billion takeover bid for the Scottish drinks company distillers, which a bigger Guinness share price would have made easier
The defendants were to buy shares in Guinness, and help other investors do the same
The defendants would guarantee (without limit) the price of the shares for investors, meaning that investors would be paid if the value of their Guinness shares dropped
This created an unfair advantage in what should have been a fair marketplace
The scandal was discovered after testimony as part of a plea bargain by the US stock trader Ivan Boesky
Ernest Saunders, Gerald Ronson, Jack Lyons and Anthony Parnes, the so-called Guinness four, were charged, paid heavy fines, and with the exception of Lyons, who was suffering from ill health, served prison sentences late reduced on appeal
Describe the purpose of section 52 of the CJA (criminal justice act 1993), and how the act defines insider dealing
Section 52 of the CJA creates the offence of insider dealing, whereby an individual who has info is guilty of insider dealing if they deal in securities that are price affected securities in relation to the info.
The acquisition or disposal in question has to occur on a regulated market, or the person dealing relies on a professional intermediary or is acting as a professional intermediary themself
An individual who has info as an insider is also guilty of insider dealing if:
X They encourage another person to deal in securities that are (whether or not the other knows it) price affected securities in relation to the info, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the dealing would take place on a regulated market, or the person dealing relies on a professional intermediary or is themself acting as a redoes signal intermediary
OR
X They disclose the info, other than in the proper performance of his employment, office or profession, to another person
Note that in relation to the second bullet point above, no info actually has to pass, nor does the recipient need to know that the securities they’re being encouraged to buy are price-affected securities
Also note that for an offence to be committed, the securities/shares must be traded on a regulated market
As set out in the criminal justice act 1993, what does inside information mean
Information which:
A) Relates to either particular:
X Securities
X Issuer of securities
X Issuers of securities
B) Is specific or precise
C) Has not been made public
D) If it were made public would likely have a significant effect on the price of the securities
When is a person perceived to have information as an insider
A person has info as an insider if and only if:
A) It is, and they know that it is, inside information
B) They have it and know that they have it, from an inside source
When is a person perceived to have information from an inside source
A) They have it through:
X Being a director, employee or shareholder of an issuer of securities
X Having access to the information by virtue of his employment, office or profession
B) The direct or indirect source of his info is such a person
What is the scope of insider dealing
An individual must either
X Been within the UK at the time when they were alleged to have committed the act constituting or forming part of the insider dealing
X The dealing occurred in a UK regulated market,
X Dealing was through a professional intermediary who was within the UK
The same scope applies regarding their location where they disclosed the information and encouraged the dealing, or the recipient of the info was within the UK when they received the information or encouragement to deal
In respect of the dealing and encouragement offences of insider dealing, how may a defence exist
X The individual didn’t at the time expect the dealing to result in a profit or avoid a loss
X The accused shows that he would have acted in the same way, even if he hadn’t had the information, e.g. the individual was forced to sell through economic necessity
X A further defence exists where it can be shown on reasonable grounds that the individual believed that the info has been disclosed enough to ensure that none of those taking part in the dealing would be prejudiced by not having the information
NOTE that a conviction for insider dealing can only be obtained in the criminal courts if a case is proven ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’, a demanding test
In respect of disclosure of inside information (in relation to insider dealing), how may a defence exist
X That they didn’t expect any person to deal because of the disclosure
X That although they expected dealing would occur they didn’t expect that the dealing would result in a profit attributable to the fact that the information was price sensitive
NOTE that a conviction for insider dealing can only be obtained in the criminal courts if a case is proven ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’, a demanding test
What is the penalty for insider dealing (crown court and magistrates)
On summary conviction, I.e. in a magistrates court, the penalty for insider dealing is:
A fine not exceeding the statutory maximum of £5,000, or
X A maximum of six months in prison, or
X Both of the above
On conviction on indictment (crown court with a jury), the penalty is:
X An unlimited fine, or
X A maximum of 7 years in prison, or
X Both of the above
Describe the law set up in Jersey to combat insider dealing
Company securities (insider dealing) (Jersey) 1988
Maximum penalties are:
7 years in prison
Unlimited fine
An amendment to the legislation prohibits statements obtained during an investigation being used in proceedings against a person
What are the maximum penalties set out in the Company securities (insider dealing) (Jersey) 1988, the law set up in Jersey to combat insider dealing
Maximum penalties are:
7 years in prison
Unlimited fine
An amendment to the legislation prohibits statements obtained during an investigation being used in proceedings against a person
Describe why Jersey needs to have the Company securities (insider dealing) (Jersey) 1988, the law set up in Jersey to combat insider dealing, despite it not having a financial market (stock market)
The main purpose of Jersey insider dealing and market manipulation legislation is to enable the JFSC to be able to respond to requests for assistance from other securities regulators that investigate these offences.
The JFSC must be able to respond to such requests in order to maintain international reputation and ensure that the business conducted in the island doesn’t facilitate the committing of these offences
Jersey is vulnerable to abuse by those committing these offences as offenders may try to hide behind corporate vehicles and trusts, or just bank the proceeds of crime in Jersey
Insider dealing is a kind of market abuse - name 2 other kinds of market abuse
Making false or misleading statements
Behaving in a false or misleading manner