Stephen George, a 54-year-old man from Parkland, Florida, has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after being caught in a serious insider trading scheme that earned him over $1.6 million. George once held powerful jobs like Vice President and Controller at a well-known Florida company that makes a popular fitness drink sold in stores across the country. This company’s stock is traded publicly on the NASDAQ, meaning regular people can buy and sell its shares.
From late 2018 until April 2023, George worked in the company’s Finance Department. In his position, he had access to secret financial reports that the public wasn’t allowed to see. On his very last day at work, April 7, 2023, George prepared a financial document that showed the company had made more money than expected during the first quarter of the year. He knew this information was important and could make the stock price shoot up when it became public. Instead of keeping it private, George emailed the report to his personal accounts.
Just three days later, starting on April 10, 2023, George began secretly buying the company’s stock and special contracts known as call options, which let investors profit when a stock price rises. Between April 10 and May 8, 2023, he bought 20,000 shares of stock and 300 call options — all based on information he wasn’t supposed to use for trading.
Illegal Trading Leads to Big Profits
On May 9, 2023, after the stock market closed, the company announced that it had made record-breaking revenue and sales in the first quarter, beating everyone’s expectations. As a result, the stock price rose sharply the next day. George immediately sold all 20,000 shares and the 300 call options he had bought, raking in over $1.6 million in profits almost overnight.
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But his big payday didn’t last long. Authorities quickly spotted the suspicious trading activity, and an investigation was launched. In February 2025, George pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. This is a serious crime that happens when someone uses secret information to cheat in the stock market, giving them an unfair advantage over regular investors.
For his crime, a federal court sentenced George to 13 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. On top of that, he must return more than $200,000 as restitution and give up the $1.6 million he made through illegal trading.
Investigation and Legal Action
The FBI’s Miami Field Office led the investigation into George’s activities, with help from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Their teamwork helped bring the case to light and ensure that justice was served.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, handled the prosecution. Thanks to the efforts of these agencies, George was held accountable for breaking the law and unfairly profiting from secret company information.
This case serves as a reminder that even high-ranking corporate officials must follow the rules and that using insider information for personal gain comes with serious consequences.
