The SEC alleges that the six traders purchased a total of approximately 2,000 highly speculative out-of-the-money call options for Life Time Fitness shares and sold those options for profits of approximately $866,209 shortly after a newspaper reported that Life Time Fitness was in advanced merger discussions with two private equity firms. According to the SEC’s complaint, Bonvissuto and Kourtis shared a portion of their profits with Beshey, who gave approximately $10,000 in cash to Fleming. The SEC also alleges that Carlucci and Mansur paid cash kickbacks to Kourtis, and that Weller gave Kourtis at least 10 pounds of marijuana as a kickback.
