Key Takeaways
- • A hedge fund defendant in a spoofing case argues that the loss of an expert witness does not undermine the viability of the underlying market manipulation allegations, according to Law360 reporting on recent litigation strategy.
- • Cohen Milstein is actively litigating multiple spoofing cases, including securities fraud claims against market makers Canaccord Genuity, Citadel Securities, and others for alleged manipulation of company stocks, as well as separate actions against UBS Securities involving similar tactics.
- • The spoofing litigation framework focuses on defendants' repeated market manipulation tactics involving the placement and cancellation of orders designed to create false impressions of market demand or supply.
- • Expert witness availability and testimony quality are central to securities litigation strategy, but the defendant's position suggests substantive evidence of market manipulation may exist independent of individual expert declarations.
Summary
Cohen Milstein, a securities litigation firm with substantial experience in market manipulation cases, is currently prosecuting multiple spoofing-related securities actions. These include claims against major market makers Canaccord Genuity LLC, Citadel Securities LLC, G1 Execution Services LLC, GTS Securities LLC, Instinet LLC, Lime Trading Corp., Susquehanna International Group LLP, and Virtu Americas LLC for alleged repeated manipulation of company stock through spoofing tactics. Additionally, Cohen Milstein is leading separate litigation against UBS Securities involving similar market manipulation allegations.
Spoofing cases in the securities context typically involve the placement of large orders with the intent to create a false impression of market demand or supply, followed by cancellation before execution. These tactics are designed to move prices in a direction favorable to the spoofer's actual trading position. The litigation framework requires evidence demonstrating intentionality and knowledge of the deceptive nature of the conduct.
The hedge fund's argument regarding expert witness loss reflects broader evidentiary realities in complex securities litigation. Even when expert declarations become unavailable, the underlying documentary evidence—including trading records, communications, algorithmic patterns, and market impact analysis—may provide sufficient basis for plaintiff claims to proceed. This positioning suggests confidence in the factual foundation of spoofing allegations independent of expert testimony alone.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.