The point of insider trading laws is to punish small-time defectors from the conspiracy of silence that corporations cultivate. In that way, the executive class may make information public at times of their choosing, so as to maximize their own gains. If the typical defendant were a wealthy politically-connected WASP senior VP, the crime would quickly cease to exist.

I think it makes sense. The minor guy doesn't know how to avoid getting in trouble like the bigger guys probably do.

I was really surprised to see this was getting so much attention when the amount of money he made was only $75,000.

Google a thing called "Fallacy of relative privation." Large crimes do not excuse smaller ones.

I believe the GP is making reference to the Equifax executive that sold a lot of stock right before the announcement of the data breach.

We don't disagree.

Funny though, small crimes always seem to be used to distract and deflect from the fact that no on ever gets punished for the large ones.

I don't think that is what OP was saying at all.

Getting hacked, even if you were negligent, is not yet really a crime.

Insider trading is.

It should be.