Celebrity Justice
Cuban's a Trader -- Busted for Pulling a Martha

Posted Nov 17th 2008 12:32PM by TMZ Staff

Mark CubanMark Cuban might be knitting a poncho in the near future -- because the Dallas Mavericks owner was just charged with insider trading.

The SEC claims Cuban dumped 100% of the stock he owned in a company called Mamma.com, after he learned the company was going to execute a financial transaction that usually reduces the company's stock value.

According to the complaint, the CEO of Mamma.com gave Cuban a heads up, and Cuban allegedly responded, "Well, now I'm screwed. I can't sell."

The SEC also claims Cuban called his broker shortly after and said, "Sell what you can tonight and just get me out the next day." Cuban avoided a loss of $750,000 by selling his 600,000 shares.

On his website, Cuban said, "I am disappointed that the Commission chose to bring this case based upon its Enforcement staff's win-at-any-cost ambitions. The staff's process was result-oriented, facts be damned. The government's claims are false and they will be proven to be so."

Filed under: Celebrity Justice


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1. he's a billioinare and now in trouble for dumping 700K. like he's never taken a hit before. 700k is a drop in the bucket.
not smart

i like him tho. hope he buys the cubs

Posted at 12:48PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Switch

2. I don't believe a word of this, I read it on CNN and I believe Cuban is innocent!

Posted at 1:00PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Chello

3. There is a special place in hell for these greedy, gluttonous people. No amount of money is ever enough, pure evil drives these subhumans.

Posted at 1:05PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Burn MF

4. What an arrogant prick Cuban is.

Posted at 1:07PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Allen

5. He detest losing! That being said, I doubt that Cuban will be prosecuted. He will merely have to pay the monies that he would have lost, had he not sold!

Posted at 1:27PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Dallas

6. this is a civil complaint, not a criminal complaint
he will be prosecuted , and he will cut a deal , pay a huge fine and walk............................why is he not being charged criminally if Martha Stewart was charged criminally?

i guess she was chsrged with lying to a grand jury, investigation basically, when they asked her about it she denied, it,
guess he should admit it, and not piss them off

Posted at 1:34PM on Nov 17th 2008 by mack

7. I'm from Dallas and this guy is a prick!!! I'm not surprised in the least.

Posted at 1:43PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Amy

8. where was the SEC when the banks and insurance companies were going down the tubes, don't they have to file if stock warrants are or not being exercised. If they weren't exercised why, and why isn't that insider trading you have information that the general public doesn't have? what a joke the organization is biggest scammer of all was Joe kennedy, head of the SEC!!

Posted at 1:52PM on Nov 17th 2008 by True grit

9. Believe me, if it's remotely true the charges will stick and he'll be made an example of by the prosecutors. There is an insatiable need to punish the famous when possible.

Posted at 1:59PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Poncho Mark

10. This past spring I saw him one day prior to losing the finals at the Target near by house, he was pushing the cart with kid in tow while the blonde wife was going aisle to aisle getting what they needed, he was also on the cell phone conducting "personal business" am sure it was more inside trading, He looked to me as a person who is full of himself, btw he didn't look like the friendly type.

Posted at 2:09PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Lola

11. He's a joke. Pure luck his Internet dot bomb got scooped up by Yahoo -- ask them what they think of the acquisition now. He is a great example of the old addage: "sometimes it's better to be lucky than good."

Posted at 2:20PM on Nov 17th 2008 by dana white

12. Did anyone see him recently on Don't Forget The Lyrics???

Posted at 2:35PM on Nov 17th 2008 by \\\\\\\\\\\\

13. GREAT! I hope he goes to jail! Nobdy tells me when to dump my stock and I have lost 100k in the last month...he is pathetic...make him and everyone else like him pay their price in JAIL! Deal with it like every other American has to deal with it! JAIL!!!!

Posted at 3:44PM on Nov 17th 2008 by Brenda

14. Oh BOO HOO. These ultrarich guys have the inside track all the time.
They should all be nailed by the Feds.
It's always the little guy who suffers when his little investments are screwed.
Mr. Big gets a heads up just in time.
They should all be sitting in jail together
I have no sympathy.

Posted at 3:45PM on Nov 17th 2008 by soridiculous

15. Ha! It must have been a slam dunk case if the SEC is doing anything about it. Unfortunately, the SEC and FINRA don't do anything except for the high profile sexy cases.

Posted at 3:48PM on Nov 17th 2008 by slime

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