Former FC Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué is fined by Spain’s markets regulator for alleged insider trading connected to share purchases ahead of a takeover announcement. Multiple reports say Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) imposes penalties on Piqué and a local businessman, Jose Elias, following what the regulator describes as “very serious offences” under Spanish stock market rules. The CNMV statement says Piqué buys shares in a health and safety company two days before it is publicly revealed as a takeover target. The regulator characterizes the conduct as a “very serious offence” and sets a fine amount reported as €200,000 (with one outlet also reporting the equivalent as about $236,000). The reports indicate this is tied to timing between the share purchase and the later disclosure of the company’s takeover status. The coverage does not add further details on any criminal case or appeal process. The news accounts focus on the regulator’s findings and the penalties issued by the CNMV.