The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened a criminal inquiry into suspicious trades placed ahead of the $23 billion acquisition of H.J. Heinz, a person briefed on the matter said on Tuesday.
The F.B.I.’s involvement adds to the scrutiny surrounding the deal and further highlights the temptation that major takeovers present to traders.
Last week, a day after the deal was announced, the Securities and Exchange Commission promptly froze a Swiss account linked to possible insider trading in the Heinz takeover.
Like the S.E.C., the F.B.I. is examining a series of well-timed options trades made just before Berkshire Hathaway and the investment firm 3G Capital announced that they had agreed to buy Heinz. News of the deal sent the company’s shares, and the value of the options contracts, soaring.
“The F.B.I. is consulting with the S.E.C. to see if a crime was committed,” an F.B.I. spokesman said. He added that the bureau’s New York office, a main player behind the government’s recent insider trading crackdown, was handling discussions with the S.E.C.
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