6 More Plead Guilty in Trading Conspiracy

Four former floor brokers and two former executives of a New York brokerage pleaded guilty Thursday to engaging in an illegal trading conspiracy in the first criminal case arising out of unlawful buying and selling on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. For the six defendants, it was the second trip to the Manhattan federal courthouse in two days in an effort to enter guilty pleas under an agreement with federal prosecutors. This time they went through with it, despite the prospect that the judge might give them tougher sentences than they bargained for. Oakford’s former chief executive William Killeen, 39, and its former chief financial officer Thomas Bock, 46, said their now-defunct brokerage allowed floor brokers to set up accounts there from 1993 to 1998 to help conceal the unlawful trading. “Those floor brokers had a profit-sharing agreement with Oakford,” Killeen said. A guilty plea was also entered on behalf of the brokerage. In addition, Killeen and Bock pleaded guilty to cheating on their taxes. The defendants could face prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 months. In all, 13 people have now pleaded guilty in the case.

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