Federal prosecutors say Justin Jennings used confidential corporate information from his romantic partner’s work laptop to trade before major company announcements. The SEC filed a parallel civil case against Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC.
MORRIS COUNTY, NJ – A Rockaway Township man has been indicted in federal court in Newark on charges that he made more than $2.7 million in illegal trading profits by using confidential corporate information from his romantic partner’s employer-issued laptop, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Justin Jennings, 27, of Rockaway Township, was charged by indictment with one count of securities fraud scheme, eight counts of securities fraud for insider trading, and two counts of transacting in criminal proceeds. Federal prosecutors said the alleged trading took place between February 2022 and October 2024 and involved securities of eight publicly traded companies before major corporate announcements.
According to prosecutors, Jennings was in a relationship with an account executive at a public relations firm entrusted with material nonpublic information. Prosecutors allege Jennings accessed confidential information, including draft press releases, from her employer-issued laptop without her knowledge or permission and used it to place trades before public announcements.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil complaint the same day against Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company the SEC says Jennings owned and controlled. The SEC alleges Jennings used his personal brokerage account and an account in Vortex’s name to trade ahead of significant corporate disclosures and generate about $2.7 million in illicit profits.
The SEC complaint seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement with prejudgment interest and civil penalties. Prosecutors said the criminal case was investigated by the FBI. The SEC said it received assistance from FINRA, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Jennings faces a maximum of 25 years in prison on the securities fraud scheme count, 20 years on each insider trading count and 10 years on each count of transacting in criminal proceeds. Those are statutory maximums, and any sentence would be determined by a judge.
The charges are accusations. Jennings is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.