ASIC informed that Mr Jin Xi Li, 54, of Caloundra, Queensland, appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court today charged with 88 insider trading related offences.
Mr Li was charged under section 1043A of the Corporations Act following an ASIC investigation into trading in Contracts for Difference (CFD) and the ordinary shares of PanAust Limited (PanAust | ASX:PNA) prior to an announcement made by PanAust on 30 March 2015. The announcement concerned the receipt of a takeover bid from Guangdong Rising H.K (Holding) Limited.
ASIC alleges Mr Li was in possession of inside information regarding GRAM’s takeover bid for PanAust when he:
- acquired PNA CFDs on 32 occasions between 19 March 2015 and 26 March 2015;
- procured others to acquire PNA CFDs on 55 occasions between 23 March 2015 and 27 March 2015; and
- communicated inside information to another person around 20 March 2015, when he knew, or ought reasonably to have known that person would or would be likely to acquire financial products in PanAust.
Mr Li was released on bail on condition and the matter adjourned to 15 December 2017 before the Brisbane Magistrates Court for further mention.
Each of the charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting the matter.
ASIC’s investigation into trading in PanAust follows the identification of suspicious trading by the Market’s Surveillance Team.
A CFD is a financial product and is an agreement between an investor and a CFD issuer which allows a trader to speculate on future price movements in a financial product, such as shares. The value of a CFD roughly corresponds to the value of the underlying financial product, in this case, shares of PanAust traded on the ASX.