Bob Moffat verdient keine Haftstrafe

Robert Moffat has apparently asked to begin his six-month prison term for insider trading on November 5 rather than on next June 30. Although it means missing the holidays with his family, advancing the date also means a sooner end to his ordeal.

To me, though, it remains unclear what criminal act Moffat is supposed to have committed. That he betrayed his wife by having an affair with Danielle Chiesi is despicable, and I think he now knows it. That he betrayed IBM by leaking its confidential information to his lover is only somewhat less despicable, and I feel sure that he now knows that, too.

But it seems to me that those are private grievances. If the government has no role in prosecuting his betrayal of his wife, why does it have a role in prosecuting his betrayal of IBM? Let the injured parties sue for themselves, if they wish to.