SEC Charges Fake Filer With Manipulating Fitbit Stock

The Securities and Exchange Commission today filed fraud charges against a Virginia-based mechanical engineer accused of scheming to manipulate the price of Fitbit stock by making a phony regulatory filing.

According to the SEC’s complaint, Robert W. Murray purchased Fitbit call options just minutes before a fake tender offer that he orchestrated was filed on the SEC’s EDGAR system purporting that a company named ABM Capital LTD sought to acquire Fitbit’s outstanding shares at a substantial premium.  Fitbit’s stock price temporarily spiked when the tender offer became publicly available on Nov. 10, 2016, and Murray sold all of his options for a profit of approximately $3,100. 

The SEC alleges that Murray created an email account under the name of someone he found on the internet, and the email account was used to gain access to the EDGAR system.  Murray then allegedly listed that person as the CFO of ABM Capital and used a business address associated with that person in the fake filing.  The SEC also alleges that Murray attempted to conceal his identity and actual location at the time of the filing after conducting research into prior SEC cases that highlighted the IP addresses the false filers used to submit forms on EDGAR.  According to the SEC’s complaint, it appeared as though the system was being accessed from a different state by using an IP address registered to a company located in Napa, California. 

“As alleged in our complaint, Murray used deceptive techniques in a concerted effort to evade detection, but we were able to connect the dots quickly and hold him accountable,” said Stephanie Avakian, Acting Director of the SEC Enforcement Division.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York today announced criminal charges against Murray.

The SEC’s complaint charges Murray with violating antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, including Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rules 10b-5 and 14e-8. 

The SEC’s continuing investigation is being conducted by David W. Snyder, Assunta Vivolo, Kelly L. Gibson, and Patrick A. McCluskey in the Market Abuse Unit in Philadelphia.  The case is being supervised by unit co-chiefs Robert A. Cohen and Joseph G. Sansone.  The litigation will be led by Julia C. Green and Christopher R. Kelly of the Philadelphia office.  The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.