Why was martha stuart in prison a few years ago?

just curious

insider trading...

Insider trading.

insider trading, and lying about it

Double homicide.

Insider trading.

I person who works for the company she had a lot of stock
in told her to sell because the company was in trouble.

This is illegal - you can not buy or sell stock with
any information that is not accessable to the public.

trying to cover up her insider trading by lying to investigators.

Martha Stewart was found guilty of conspiracy, making false statements and obstruction of justice.

She wasn't in on charges of insider trading, she had no fiduciary interest in the company and so couldn't be charged with that. She was in on charges she lied to the FBI about a phone call from her broker.
Unlike Libby, the Presidents pet, she wasn't going to have her sentence 'commuted' , she actually lost a whole lot more than the $43,000 she made on the questioned deal (selling her stock on her brokers recommendation). Do you think the fact that shes a Democrat had something to do with it?
Stewart was found guilty of conspiracy, making false statements and obstruction of justice. The charges carry up to 20 years in prison at sentencing June 17, but she certainly got much less than that under federal sentencing guidelines.

Insider trading, you would think she had enough money already. Oh well, the rich get richer and then you go to a cushy jail/prison and make gifts for your fellow inmates.

The answerers ahead of me have it, except one.

The only thing I would add is that Martha coud have kept herself out of trouble by simply "rolling over" for the investigators. When they came asking questions, all she had to do was say "Yep, Sam called me up and told me that his stock was about to tank." I suppose selling under those conditions would still have been illegal, but I'll bet anything she would not have gone to prison.

The reason I bring it up is that I've always wondered; under the assumption that she had no previous understanding with this guy to warn her (illegally) of possible trouble, could her loyalty to him be viewed as honorable? Her willingness to go to prison rather than rat on a friend?

I have a hard time deciding. No one should be breaking laws. But I admire integrity.

insider trading, lying

She used the wrong fork at a White house state dinner.

She was being investigated for insider trading but she was convicted of "obstructing justice" and "lying to investigators". She was convicted of 4 counts. Odd but she was not convicted of insider trading which is what she was being investigated for in the first place.