Question

Write your thoughts on this discussion.

The case I chose on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission site was SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. RAJESHWAR R. GANNAMANENI, DEEPTHI GANDRA, and LINGA R. GANNAMANENI. This particular case involves an inside trading circle directed by Rajeshwar Gannamaneni (defendant) who was a former information technologist contractor at an investment bank. As the Senior Software Consultant between the years of 2013 to 2016, Gannamaneni used his position at the Investment Bank to access highly sensitive and confidential information regarding “…mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, and other significant corporate events of the Investment Bank’s clients. Gannamaneni then unlawfully traded on that information and/or shared it with his father and wife who unlawfully traded on it, collectively realizing illicit profits of approximately $600,000” (Litigation Releases, 2018). Collectively, the defendants violated the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. According to our text, the Security and Exchange Commission essential task is to investigate complaints or other violations of the securities act. Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Security and Exchange Commission can prosecute individuals or companies to the fullest extent of the law (Business Law and the Legal Environment, retrieved 2018). According to Litigation Releases (retrieved 2018), The Security and Exchange Commission filed two claims for relief against the defendants which include: “Fraud in the Connection with the Purchase and the Sale of Securities Violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 Thereunder (Against all Defendants)” and “Fraud in Connection with a Tender Offer Violations of Sections 14(e) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14e-3 Thereunder (Against Defendants Gannamaneni and Linga)” According to our text, the Security and Exchange Commission essential task is to investigate complaints or other violations of the securities act. Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Security and Exchange Commission can prosecute individuals or companies to the fullest extent of the law (Business Law and the Legal Environment, retrieved 2018). As I mentioned, the securities laws forbid fraudulent behaviors connected “… with the offer, purchase, or sale of securities. These provisions are the basis for many types of disciplinary actions, including actions against fraudulent insider trading” (The Laws That Govern the Securities Industry, 2013). Insider trading is illegal when an individual or company trades a security based on nonpublic information. The SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. RAJESHWAR R. GANNAMANENI, DEEPTHI GANDRA, and LINGA R. GANNAMANENI case was filed on December 6th, 2018 in the United States southern district court of New York and currently pending. The plaintiffs are currently requesting an order to temporary freeze all United States assets held by the defendants.

Answer 1

In my opinion, the case filed by the plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission against the defendants Rajeshwar and Linga is justified and acceptable in the court of law. Insider trading is purely illegal and any profits generated as a result of insider trading are illegitimate and unlawful. The defendants must be penalized by the court of law against the illegal insider trading committed and proper punishyas decided by the court must be handed over to them including freezing of all United States assets held by the defendants. Since Rajeshwar was involved in passing insider information to his wife and his father and they made profits of $600,000 through that insider information, hence it would be considered as fraud on Rajeshwar's part and is illegal in nature.