[justchilly]

And their trades are typically scheduled in advance and public. Their job and fiduciary duty is to maximize shareholder value, and they make decisions so that happens. If that means allocating $ and rewarding people that will attain that goal, then what should be considered illegal?

[coliveira]

There is an obvious conflict of interest between the long term stability of the business and the actions necessary for the huge stock/options grants become profitable in the next few quarters. For example, when mergers and acquisitions should be approved, layoffs be announced, dividends increased, etc.

[Gibbon1]

All the real money is in quid pro quo's.