Morgan Stanley Sues Former FrontPoint Partners Portfolio Manager Joseph F. “Chip” Skowron III for Losses Allegedly Caused by Skowron’s Insider Trading and Subsequent Cover-Up

In April 2011, Joseph F. “Chip” Skowron III, a former portfolio manager at hedge fund manager FrontPoint Partners, LLC (FrontPoint) pleaded guilty to criminal insider trading and obstruction of justice charges arising out of his trading in Human Genome Sciences, Inc. and his subsequent efforts to cover up that trading.  Morgan Stanley, which owned FrontPoint at the time of Skowron’s trading, paid $33 million to settle the SEC’s enforcement action against Skowron and FrontPoint’s funds.  Morgan Stanley has now commenced a civil suit against Skowron to recover that amount, along with the millions of dollars in compensation it paid Skowron and other substantial expenses and damages it claims it incurred as a result of Skowron’s admitted criminal conduct.  It asserts five separate causes of action against Skowron.  This article summarizes the allegations, claims and relief requested in Morgan Stanley’s complaint.  See also “Former Portfolio Manager of Hedge Fund Manager FrontPoint Partners, Joseph F. ‘Chip’ Skowron, Is Charged with Civil and Criminal Insider Trading Arising Out of Trading in Human Genome Sciences Stock,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 4, No. 13 (Apr. 21, 2011); and “SEC and DOJ Commence, Respectively, Civil and Criminal Insider Trading Actions Against a Doctor Who Allegedly Tipped Off a Hedge Fund Manager to Impending Negative Information About a Drug Trial,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 3, No. 44 (Nov. 12, 2010).

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