In the wake of the Iran war, there was repeated massive speculation about the price of oil – now an investigation is underway for insider trading.Image: keystone
May 8, 2026, 7:03 amMay 8, 2026, 7:03 am
The US Department of Justice is investigating a series of suspicious transactions in the oil market that occurred shortly before announcements by President Donald Trump and other government officials, according to media reports. There are at least four transactions in which traders bet more than 2.6 billion US dollars (around 2.2 billion euros) on falling oil prices during the Iran war, reported the US broadcasters ABC News and NBC News, citing people familiar with the matter.
It was said that the bets were placed shortly before new announcements from Trump or Iranian government officials. The federal agency responsible for raw materials transactions, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is also involved in the investigation.
Four transactions worth billions
According to ABC News, traders bet more than $500 million on falling oil prices in March, shortly before the US president announced the postponement of threatened attacks on Iran’s power grid. There were three additional transactions in April that are now being investigated:
- On April 7, traders bet $960 million on falling oil prices, shortly before Trump announced a temporary ceasefire.
- On April 17, speculators bet $760 million on falling oil prices, 20 minutes before Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
- On April 21, unknown individuals placed $430 million on falling oil prices, 15 minutes before Trump announced an extended ceasefire.
A source told NBC News that the investigation is still in its early stages and there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. In addition to the current investigations, the investigators also want to examine suspicious activities on speculation platforms in a separate procedure that are also related to the Iran war. (leo/sda/dpa)