GOOGLE AI
Gabriel Gershowitz, a former counsel at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, pleaded guilty and is currently a cooperating witness in a massive insider-trading investigation involving nearly 30 mergers-and-acquisitions deals
The case, unsealed in May 2026, involves charges against 30 individuals for allegedly stealing and trading on confidential information from major law firms.
Key Details of the Case
- Guilty Plea & Cooperation: Gershowitz secretly pleaded guilty in February 2025 to charges related to the scheme. He is one of nine defendants who had already pleaded guilty and are assisting federal authorities in Boston.
- The Scheme: Prosecutors allege an “insider trading ring” used tips from M&A lawyers at firms like Willkie Farr, Goodwin Procter, Latham & Watkins, and Sidley Austin to generate tens of millions in illegal profits over a decade.
- Central Figures: While Gershowitz is a key cooperator, the scheme was allegedly orchestrated by Nicolo Nourafchan, a former corporate attorney at several top firms, and Robert Yadgarov, a New York personal injury lawyer.
- Deals Involved: The ring traded on information regarding roughly 30 pending mergers, including the 2019 packaging combination involving Ardagh SA and Amazon’s 2022 proposed (and later abandoned) acquisition of iRobot.
- Potential Sentencing: In exchange for his ongoing cooperation, prosecutors have recommended a sentence of two years in prison for Gershowitz.
