Former Merck employee Zachary Zwerko was charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud by passing insider information about potential acquisitions and mergers in the pharmaceutical industry. The government alleged that Zwerko, who worked as a senior finance analyst in Merck’s financial evaluation and analysis group, passed non-public information regarding Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Ardea Biosciences, and ViroPharma to a trader at an unnamed bank from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, Zwerko pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and three counts of securities fraud. He was sentenced to 37 months in prison and was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, a special assessment of $400, and forfeiture in the amount of $644,314.