Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition Reportedly Being Investigated for Insider Trading

gamerant.com:

The dust has finally settled on Microsoft's record-breaking buyout of Activision Blizzard, and as expected more than a few investigations are being conducted regarding the finer details of the deal. The latest investigation now relates to some Activision Blizzard investors possibly being involved in insider trading.

Early last month, the US Federal Trade Commission began investigating the Microsoft Activision Blizzard buyout. This was owing to the fact that if the FTC suspected that the acquisition could harm the possibility of fair competition, it could have blocked the deal from taking place. Thankfully for Microsoft, this has not been the case thus far, as even after the acquisition took place, the company would sit in third place in the video game industry value hierarchy behind Sony and Tencent.

Activision Blizzard Blames Microsoft for Failing to Meet Diversity Requirements

Now it seems as though three Activision Blizzard investors are being investigated for insider trading relating to Microsoft's Activision Blizzard buyout. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Barry Diller, Alexander von Furstenberg, and David Geffen have now come under the microscope after investing $108 million in Activision Blizzard only a few days before Microsoft's buyout. The investors allegedly have ties to Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, and if it turns out the investors were privy to the buyout before it took place, there may be serious legal implications for them.

Diller informed the Wall Street Journal the investment was merely a lucky bet and that it was just a coincidence that it took place before the proposed Microsoft acquisition. There is currently no evidence to prove the possibility of insider trading, however, the