Justin Jennings, a 27-year-old former professional soccer player from Rockaway Township, New Jersey, was indicted in June 2026 on federal insider trading charges after prosecutors alleged he secretly accessed his girlfriend’s work laptop for more than two years to steal confidential deal information and used it to make roughly $2.7 million in illegal stock trades. The SEC filed a parallel civil suit against Jennings and his company, Vortex Strategies LLC, the same day.1U.S. Department of Justice. Morris County Man Who Misappropriated Confidential Documents From Girlfriend’s Employer2U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC v. Justin Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC, Litigation Release No. 26570
How He Allegedly Got the Information
Jennings’ girlfriend worked as an account executive at Joele Frank, a Wall Street strategic communications and investor relations firm. Between February 2022 and October 2024, prosecutors say, Jennings accessed a confidential database on her employer-issued laptop without her knowledge or authorization. When she stepped away, he reportedly opened draft press releases and internal memos about upcoming mergers, acquisitions, and earnings announcements involving the firm’s clients.1U.S. Department of Justice. Morris County Man Who Misappropriated Confidential Documents From Girlfriend’s Employer Investigators reportedly recovered screenshots of draft corporate announcements from his iCloud account.2U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC v. Justin Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC, Litigation Release No. 26570
Joele Frank has said there are no allegations against the firm or any current or former employee. Jennings’ girlfriend has not been accused of wrongdoing.3New York Post. Ex-Pro Soccer Player Raked In $2.7M Trading on Secrets Pilfered From Girlfriend’s Laptop, Feds Allege
The Trades and Where the Money Went
Using that material nonpublic information, Jennings allegedly traded securities of eight publicly traded companies ahead of major corporate disclosures. Two of them were Apollo Global Management and Discover Financial Services, according to Bloomberg Law.4Bloomberg Law. Ex-Soccer Player Stole PR Firm Girlfriend’s Deal Tips, US Says He placed trades through a personal brokerage account and through an account held by Vortex Strategies LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company he owned and controlled.2U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC v. Justin Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC, Litigation Release No. 26570 Profits were funneled into the company under memos labeled “capital contribution” and “profit dist.,” prosecutors allege.3New York Post. Ex-Pro Soccer Player Raked In $2.7M Trading on Secrets Pilfered From Girlfriend’s Laptop, Feds Allege
Before the alleged scheme, Jennings had played professional soccer in Latvia’s second division, retiring in late 2021, and later worked in property management and freelance coding. He had no formal background in finance.3New York Post. Ex-Pro Soccer Player Raked In $2.7M Trading on Secrets Pilfered From Girlfriend’s Laptop, Feds Allege
The Charges and Possible Penalties
The indictment, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey on June 23, 2026, charges Jennings with one count of engaging in a securities fraud scheme, eight counts of securities fraud for insider trading, and two counts of transacting in criminal proceeds.1U.S. Department of Justice. Morris County Man Who Misappropriated Confidential Documents From Girlfriend’s Employer The scheme count carries up to 25 years in prison. Each insider trading count carries up to 20 years, and each transacting count up to 10.5NJ.com. An NJ Man Allegedly Stole Secrets From His Girlfriend’s Laptop to Make Millions in Illegal Stock Trades
On the civil side, the SEC charged Jennings and Vortex Strategies with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5. The agency is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement of profits with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties.2U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC v. Justin Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC, Litigation Release No. 26570
Where the Case Stands
Jennings has denied the allegations. He is represented by Robert G. Stahl and Laura K. Gasiorowski of Mountainside, New Jersey.1U.S. Department of Justice. Morris County Man Who Misappropriated Confidential Documents From Girlfriend’s Employer The criminal case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the SEC’s civil action is proceeding in the same court under case number 2:26-cv-07525.2U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC v. Justin Jennings and Vortex Strategies LLC, Litigation Release No. 26570