On August 20, 2026, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Jesus Luis Morell, a senior executive at the HEICO Corporation, with three counts of securities fraud in connection with insider trading. At the time, Morell, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reportedly served as President of two significant HEICO subsidiaries and as a member of the Board of Directors for a third subsidiary. The indictment alleges that Morell made significant profits by purchasing HEICO securities while in possession of material, non-public information (“MNPI”) he received during the course of his employment. On August 27, 2026, he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
According to the indictment, on two separate occasions in 2022 and 2025, Morell purchased HEICO Class A common stock in advance of public quarterly earnings releases after receiving MNPI concerning HEICO’s actual or forecasted earnings—notwithstanding his annual certifications acknowledging and agreeing to abide by HEICO’s insider trading policies. According to federal prosecutors, the policies prohibited Morell from misusing or disclosing HEICO’s confidential information for personal gain and from trading in HEICO stock or options while in possession of MNPI. He also reportedly made the stock purchases during a quarterly “blackout” period that prohibited HEICO employees from purchasing securities before the public disclosure of quarterly financial results. Following the public release of quarterly earnings information, HEICO’s share price rose, and Morell allegedly sold all purchased shares for an illegal profit of more than $1.8 million.
USAO SDNY Press Release | Unsealed Indictment | Docket MInute Entry – Plea