Oliver Curtis found guilty

The Sydney banker now faces a maximum five-year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit insider trading.

Oliver Curtis remained stony faced in court upon hearing the guilty verdict. Picture: John Grainger.

Sydney banker Oliver Curtis has been found guilty of one charge of conspiracy to commit insider trading and now faces a maximum five-year prison sentence.

Following a three-week trial, Mr Curtis was found guilty of the charge after the jury found he conspired with former best friend, John Hartman, to make $1.5 million in insider trades.

He was found to have agreed to receive stockmarket tips from Hartman while his friend was working as an equities deadlier at Orion Asset Management between 2006-07.

Curtis’s wife, Sydney “PR queen” Roxy Jacenko was present at the decision, as was Mr Curtis’s father, Nick, a founder of mining company Lynas.

Mr Curtis, 30, now faces a maximum five-year jail term, with sentencing to take place on June 17. He meanwhile remains free on bail.

The jury was dismissed immediately after it reached the verdict.

Curtis remained stony faced upon hearing the guilty verdict, while Ms Roxy Jacenko began crying on hearing the verdict. Nick Curtis had his eyes closed and flinched upon hearing guilty.

The trial heard that Curtis purchased a BlackBerry device for Hartman in May 2007 so the two could exchange tips, with Curtis allegedly telling Hartman at one point “there was no easier money in the world being made than this”.

Curtis allegedly paid Hartman his share of the profits through the purchase of a $20,000 Ducati and a $60,000 Mini Coupe, along with free rental accommodation in a luxury $3000 a week apartment on Bondi beach, and several cash payments.

The trials of Curtis and Hartman have captured the attention of Sydney, with the pair both coming from prominent families well known on Sydney’s north shore and the eastern suburbs, and being best friends since their school days at the prestigious St Ignatius, Riverview.

Hartman, a former equities trader at Orion Asset Management, has already served 15 months in prison for his role in the alleged insider trading.

Mr Hartman turned star witness for the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, having already testified against his former best friend at a committal hearing, alleging the pair made millions through tip-offs sent over a secure BlackBerry messaging system.

Mr Hartman, now 30, has since turned his life around, taking an investment role with mining magnate Andrew Forrest in Mr Forrest’s charitable investments and personal business.