Activision Blizzard: 3 businessmen close to Bobby Kotik accused of insider trading

Inside Question The most surprising news, according to GamesIndustry.biz published on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 Question Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that three businessmen close to Robert Kotik had been accused of adding several stakes to Activision Blizzard shortly before the Microsoft takeover.

Bobby Kotik’s Shadow Still Lies Over Activision Blizzard

There was news recently: Three people close to Bobby Kotik bought 4.12 million shares of Activision Blizzard for a total of $108 million, just four days before Microsoft made the official announcement of the company on January 18.

The three businessmen are more or less related to the current CEO of Activision Blizzard, having worked with him at some point in their careers. This :

• Barry Dealer, co-founder of Fox Broadcasting Company and also a member of the board of directors of Coca-Cola, before resigning with Robert Kotick,
• Producer David Geffen, best known for founding the Asylum Records label, is one of Barry Dealer’s close friends.
• Alexander von Furstenberg is the son of famous and lesser-known Belgian fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, who was also the wife of Barry Dealer. Alexander von Furstenberg is thus described as the son-in-law of a bartender.

The three men were investigated not only by the US Department of Justice, but also by the Securities and Exchange Commission to determine whether a transaction violated insider trading laws. In particular, justice is trying to find out if Robert Kotik provided sensitive information to these three men so that they could take advantage of Activision Blizzard’s massive gains.

Seller Barry reportedly spoke to the Wall Street Journal previously and said it was ‘just a coincidence’ before adding that the three businessmen were ‘acting without any knowledge’ and added that it was ‘just a coincidence’. coincidence” with the seller. He noted that his son-in-law, Alexander von Furstenberg, had already purchased a stake in Activision and that their goal was to “take Activision private or acquired now.”