Data Security Google engineer charged with insider trading using confidential data May 29, 2026 Share By SC Staff As noted by CyberScoop, a Google security engineer has been arrested and charged with insider trading for allegedly using confidential company information to place bets on a prediction marketplace. The charges highlight the risks associated with employees misusing nonpublic data for personal financial gain. Michele Spagnuolo, 36, a Google security engineer since 2014, is accused of leveraging internal access to Google's "Year in Search" data to make profitable trades on the Polymarket platform. He allegedly placed bets on search trends, netting over $1.2 million. The Justice Department charged Spagnuolo with violating the Commodity Exchange Act, wire fraud, and money laundering, carrying a potential 50-year sentence. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed a civil complaint seeking penalties and bans. Google stated that while Spagnuolo accessed marketing material using a standard tool, using confidential information for betting violates company policy. The company has placed him on leave. Spagnuolo reportedly took steps to conceal his activities, including using a cryptocurrency swapping service and changing his username after speculation arose online. Source: CyberScoop SC Staff Related Data Security Prison communication service Pay Tel exposed hundreds of thousands of driver’s licenses SC Staff May 29, 2026 Cybersecurity firm UpGuard discovered an unprotected Microsoft Azure server managed by Pay Tel containing at least 300,000 driver's license scans and other government-issued identification documents. Encryption Apple releases quantum-resistant code and verification tools SC Staff May 27, 2026 The release includes implementations of ML-KEM and ML-DSA, two quantum-secure algorithms, along with the formal verification libraries and tools Apple developed. Data Security UK Visa Portal exposes passport and selfie photos of applicants SC Staff May 27, 2026 An anonymous source alerted TechCrunch to a security lapse on the UK Visa Portal website, stating that at least 100,000 documents, including passports and selfies, are exposed. Related Events Cybercast Beyond the Hype: The Cybersecurity Trends CISOs are Keeping an Eye on in 2026 On-Demand Event Cybercast Beyond the data perimeter: Why next-generation DSPM is the foundation for modern data security On-Demand Event Virtual Conference Securing the Future of Finance: Strategies to Counter Modern Cyber Threats On-Demand Event Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe Related Terms Block Cipher Checksum Cipher Ciphertext Cryptographic Hash Functions Data Aggregation Data Encryption Standard (DES) Decryption Digital Signature Digital Signature Standard (DSS) You can skip this ad in 5 seconds