Watson raises NZ citizenship in latest bid to snuff insider trading charge

Eric Watson is now claiming the US courts don’t have grounds to hear the charge because of his NZ roots and Spanish residency. (Image: BusinessDesk/Getty)

Denise McNabb

Mon, 11 Aug 2025

After failing to get an insider trading case against him dismissed in June, Eric Watson is now claiming the United States courts don’t have grounds to hear the charge because of his New Zealand roots and Spanish residency.The embattled NZ businessman told the US District Court for the Southern District of New York that because he was an NZ citizen and long-time Spanish resident with no presence in the US, the court lacked personal jurisdiction to hear the charges against him.Personal jurisdiction is where a judge can make decisions affect...

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