Romney “bundler” could face insider trading charges

A billionaire fundraising “bundler” of presidential candidate Mitt Romney could face a criminal investigation into insider share dealing after selling over $200 million of shares just days before Societe Generale’s rogue-trader losses were reported.Robert Day, a member of the French bank’s board, disposed of a million shares on January 9 and 10, plus a further 500,000 on January 18, according to official disclosures to Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), France’s market regulator.

The $8 billion losses at the bank were not disclosed to the public or investors until January 24, despite reports that Societe Generale bosses were aware of the crisis several days earlier.

A file lodged with public prosecutor Francois Foulon also demands an inquiry into alleged insider trading and fraud.[…]

But a spokesman for Mr Day, a major cash backer of Mr Bush who is now helping Mitt Romney’s White House bid, said last night that it was coincidence that he unloaded the stock just before it plunged. “He received no inside information before the sales were made,” he added.

He said Mr Day had no idea the bank was in trouble until a board meeting on January 20, two days after the last of his share sales.

He added: “Mr Day still holds 1.9million shares in Societe Generale.” source

This marks the second fundraising kerfluffle for the Romney campaign. Last August, Romney’s national finance committee co-chairman, Alan B. Fabian was charged in a 23 count indictment. Money laundering, mail fraud, perjury and obstruction of justice were charged. According to reports, Fabian ran a scheme that netted him millions of dollars which were used to purchase beach front property and travel. Although similar to the Norman Hsu-Hillary Clinton scandal, Romney refused to return funds donated by others through Fabian, returning only Fabian’s $2,300 campaign donation.

Source: conservablogs.com via nukegingrich

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Tags: France | ROMNEY | SELLING | billionaire | bundler | CANDIDATE | charges | criminal | days | dealing | fundraising | Insider | investigation | january | losses | mitt | Politics | presidential | Reports | rogue-trader | societe | trading

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