Category Archives: The Legal Round-Up

What is it about non-public information that is so difficult to understand?  This week alone – April 1- April 8, we had a heck of a run: Adam Smith, formerly an analyst and trader with Galleon (and no relation to … Continue reading →

Rex Shelby, a former Enron broadband executive was sentenced to two years of probation for his role in exaggerating the performance of the broadband unit.  The charges had been brought in 2003, so the wheels of justice do grind slowly.  … Continue reading →

Hank Morris, who served as a political adviser to Alan G. Hevesi, the former New York state comptroller, entered a guilty plea to a single felony charge for his role in the scheme to funnel pension fund management to firms … Continue reading →

Dr. Yves Benhamou was a paid adviser to Human Genome Science (HGSI), the developer of the hepatitis C drug, Albuferon.  However, the good doc from France was also a paid adviser to six hedge funds.  There’s a French recipe for … Continue reading →

Here’s the tally of fines for the past year for illegal marketing of drugs: AstraZeneca                       $520 million                                                                    Seroquel Pfizer                                   $2.3 billion          ($1.3 billion criminal)                      Bextra Eli Lilly                                 $1.9 billion          ($515 million criminal)                    Zyprexa Bristol-Myers Squibb        $515 million                                                                        Abilify Johnson … Continue reading →

Former Intel executive Rajiv Goel, entered a guilty plea to two counts of conspiracy and securities fraud, admitting that he passed inside information along to his friend of 25 years, Raj Rajaratnam, the former hedge of Galleon Group hedge fund.  … Continue reading →

The National Law Journal, in an article by attorneys William V. Roppolo and Marcus R. Cohen, reports that there have been more FCPA prosecutions concluded in the last 4 years than in the previous 28.  Prosecutors are able to put … Continue reading →

Jeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of Enron, had a partial victory on the appeal of his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court. But, the Court’s reproduction of jurors’ comments about him had to sting despite the victory.   Mr. Skilling was … Continue reading →

With Detroit’s mayor now sentenced and Ted Stevens not re-elected, we were breathing a sigh of relief on government officials.  However, this week saw the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, Larry Langford, indicted for his alleged receipt of gifts and cash in … Continue reading →

Governor Sarah Palin was cleared by the Alaska Personnel Board of any ethical violations or abuse of power in her decision to fire the state’s public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan.  A previous legislative investigation concluded that Governor Palin had abused … Continue reading →

In deliberations that lasted about one-half day, a DC jury convicted Sentaor Ted Stevens of all 7 felony counts related to his failure to report expensive gifts, including everything from a barbecue to a steam room.  Senator Stevens needs to go.  … Continue reading →

Three, count ’em, three, U.S. Attorneys (Brooklyn, Manhattan, and New Jersey)are investigating Lehman Brothers.  Subpoenas are flying for e-mails that might contradict the public statements Lehman executives made in the days and weeks prior to its financial collapse and bankruptcy … Continue reading →

Be sure to note that The Barometer was on top of this government ethics issue on July 31, 2008, a full month before Governor Palin was tapped for the vice president’s slot on the Republican ticket.  The report by independent … Continue reading →