Stop Corrupt Trading Act

The **Stop Corrupt Trading Act** amends federal criminal law to make it illegal to buy, sell, acquire, or exchange official nonpublic government information for financial benefit. It creates federal criminal penalties for violators and authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to pursue civil lawsuits and monetary fines.

* **The President and Vice President:** Identified as "covered persons." * **Businesses connected to the President or Vice President:** Known as "covered entities," these include any business, firm, or corporation that is directly or indirectly controlled by the President, Vice President, or their immediate family members, or is at least 5% owned by the President or Vice President. * **The General Public and Businesses:** The law prohibits *any* person or entity from acquiring, buying, selling, or trading official nonpublic information for financial gain. * **Department of Justice:** The Attorney General is given the authority to enforce civil remedies in federal district court.

* **Prohibition on Information Trading:** It would be illegal for top federal officials, their related businesses, or any individual to trade nonpublic government information for money or other financial benefits. * **Definition of Nonpublic Information:** Covers information obtained through official duties that the person knows (or should reasonably know) is not public. This includes confidential data, information exempt from public release (such as under the Freedom of Information Act), or statements/communications shared via unequal technical means (like private application programming interfaces). * **Criminal Penalties:** * *Presidents, Vice Presidents, and their covered entities:* Face fines up to double the value of the transaction, up to 5 years in prison, or both. * *All other individuals:* Face criminal fines of up to double the value of the transaction. * *Forfeiture:* Anyone convicted must forfeit to the federal government any property or proceeds derived from the violation. * **Civil Enforcement:** * The Attorney General can file civil suits based on a preponderance of the evidence, regardless of whether criminal charges were filed. * Penalties include forced surrender of all profits ("disgorgement"), court orders stopping the behavior, and shared (joint and several) liability for covered entities and business partners who knowingly participate.

* **Fines to the Treasury:** All criminal fines collected under this law must be deposited into the U.S. Treasury. * **Civil Fines:** Civil penalties can reach up to $250,000 per violation, or up to three times the financial gain made (or payment offered), whichever amount is greater. * **Profit Surrender:** Violators are required to give back all profits or items of value obtained from the prohibited transaction. * **Funding:** The bill summary does not specify any new government appropriations, spending, or tax changes to carry out enforcement.

* **Statute of Limitations:** Civil actions brought by the Attorney General must be started within 6 years of the violation. * **Prison Limits:** While top officials and their businesses can face up to 5 years in prison, prison time is not specified for other general individuals (who face criminal fines up to double the transaction value). * **Specific Exemptions:** The summary does not outline explicit exceptions or exemptions to these prohibitions.

This bill makes trading or selling confidential government information for financial profit a federal crime. It creates strict criminal penalties—including up to 5 years in prison for the President or Vice President and their related businesses—and permits the Attorney General to sue violators for major civil fines and forced surrender of profits.