SEC Brings Insider-Trading Suit Against Former Heartland Payment CEO

Regulator’s civil complaint says former executive Robert Carr gave corporate details to romantic partner

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the former CEO of financial-technology company Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. with insider trading on Tuesday, saying in a complaint that he gave a romantic partner details about his company’s planned sale to a larger rival before they became public.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Connecticut, the SEC accused the former executive, Robert Carr, and his partner, Katherine Hanratty, of buying around $900,000 worth of Heartland stock in late 2015 based on confidential information...