On January 30, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two information technology specialists at a Bend, Oregon-based health insurance company with insider trading on confidential information about the acquisition of their employer.

The SEC alleges that Daniel Vance of Bend and Blake Wellington of Hillsboro, Oregon, learned that their employer Clear One Health Plans was involved in advanced merger negotiations with competitor PacificSource Health Plans. Rather than keep the information confidential, Wellington and Vance improperly used the information to personally profit by purchasing Clear One shares. Clear One's share price jumped by more than 150 percent after the companies announced the merger on Dec. 30, 2009.

According to the SEC's complaint filed in federal court in Oregon, Daniel Vance gained access to the confidential deal information on Dec. 16, 2009, when he was asked by Clear One's CEO to help resolve an e-mail issue. Vance saw confidential merger documents being sent to the CEO of PacificSource. Vance then informed Blake Wellington, who was his supervisor. The very next day, Wellington purchased 3,700 Clear One shares and Vance purchased 1,200 Clear One shares. Clear One's share price jumped by more than 150 percent after the companies announced the merger on Dec. 30, 2009. Wellington and Vance immediately began selling their stock, reaping more than $70,000 in profits.

The complaint alleges that, by their conduct, Wellington and Vance violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The defendants' signed consents - which are subject to approval by the court - provide that each defendant is permanently enjoined against future violations of the statute and rule each is alleged to have violated. The consents further provide that Blake Wellington will pay full disgorgement of his trading profits totaling $55,891.50 plus prejudgment interest of $5,644.04 and a penalty of $55,891.50, and Daniel Vance will pay full disgorgement of his trading profits totaling 17,509.75 plus prejudgment interest of $1,768.18 and a penalty of $17,509.75. Wellington and Vance neither admitted nor denied the allegations.

The SEC thanks the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for its assistance in this matter. [SEC v. Blake R. Wellington and Daniel J. Vance, Civil Action No. 6:13-cv-00172 (U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon)] (LR-22606)

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