Ex-Goldman analyst charged with insider trading, allegedly tipped off friends

By: Ariel Z.

A former analyst at Goldman Sachs was charged with leaking insider information about mergers and acquisitions to his friends – who then allegedly used the tips to make stock purchases that netted them nearly $500,000, federal prosecutors in Manhattan said Thursday.

Anthony Viggiano, 26, of Baldwin, LI, worked as an associate at Goldman’s asset and wealth management division after a stint at Blackstone, according to Bloomberg News.

He and three others have been charged with securities fraud.

The indictment does not specify which firms employed Viggiano, but sources familiar with the investigation told Bloomberg News that he worked at Goldman from February of last year until July of this year.

Prior to working for Goldman, Viggiano quit his job at investment banking giant Blackstone after the company learned he had been trading without pre-clearance, according to Bloomberg News.

A Goldman Sachs spokesperson told: “The allegations in the indictment are egregious.”

“The firm has zero tolerance for this kind of behavior, which violates our standard of conduct and our business principles,” the spokesperson said.

“We continue to fully cooperate with the government on this matter.”

A Blackstone spokesperson told: “We make crystal clear to every employee through our extensive compliance and training procedures that we have absolutely zero tolerance for the behavior alleged, and we are fully cooperating with the authorities.”

“Viggiano was a junior analyst in a non-investment, finance function who was briefly employed for less than seven months and left two years ago,” the Blackstone spokesperson said.

According to the indictment, Viggiano used “material nonpublic information” he learned by virtue of his positions at Blackstone and Goldman to enrich himself and his friends.

Viggiano allegedly provided tips to Stephen Forlano, 27, a college buddy living in Tampa, according to the indictment.

Forlano, an analyst at a real estate firm, allegedly made stock purchases which netted him $114,000 based on confidential information he received from Viggiano, according to the indictment.

Viggiano also fed insider tips to Christopher Salamone, 35, of Long Beach, LI, according to the indictment.

The two “grew up on the same block” and “have known one another for 20 years,” according to the indictment.

Salamone’s mother and Viggiano’s father are said to be dating, the indictment alleges.

Salomone has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with investigators, according to the Justice Department.

According to court filings, Salamone allegedly pocketed around $322,000 from stock purchases made based on insider information he received from Viggiano.

Nathan Bleckley, a 26-year-old US Army captain who is also a college friend of Viggiano’s, is also alleged to have netted $25,000 after making stock trades based on illegal tips, according to court filings.

Viggiano, Salamone, Bleckley, and Forlano were not immediately available for comment.

If convicted, they face up to 20 years in federal prison.