Nancy Pelosi Faces Renewed Insider Trading Accusations Amid Visa Stock Sale Controversy. Pelosis always seem to know when to buy, sell.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is once again under scrutiny for alleged insider trading after her husband, Paul Pelosi, sold 2,000 shares of Visa stock worth over $500,000 in early July, just weeks before the Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against the company on September 24.

The lawsuit, accusing Visa of monopolizing the debit card market, led to a dip in its stock value, prompting critics, including former President Donald Trump, to call for an investigation into the well-timed trade. Trump, speaking to reporters on July 30, claimed Pelosi "became rich by having insider information," fueling a long-standing debate about congressional stock trading.

The sale, disclosed via a Periodic Transaction Report as required by the 2012 STOCK Act, has reignited accusations that Pelosi's family benefits from non-public legislative knowledge, though no formal charges have been filed.

Pelosi, whose net worth with her husband is estimated at $261 million, has consistently denied involvement in her husband's trades, with her spokesperson, Ian Krager, stating she "does not own any stocks" and has "no prior knowledge or subsequent involvement in any transactions." The Visa sale follows a pattern of high-profile trades by Paul Pelosi, including a $1.2 million purchase of Nvidia stock in July and a $600,000–$1.25 million call option on Palo Alto Networks in February, both of which coincided with significant legislative or policy developments. Critics point to a 2022 Nvidia trade, sold at a $700,000 loss before the CHIPS and Science Act's passage, and a subsequent reinvestment that netted millions, as evidence of strategic timing. However, former SEC enforcement attorney Ron Geffner cautioned against snap judgments, noting to the New York Post that context, such as whether trades were part of broader portfolio adjustments, is critical.

The controversy has amplified calls for stricter laws on congressional stock trading, with Sen. Josh Hawley's HONEST Act, which bans lawmakers and their spouses from trading stocks, passing the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 30. Pelosi, who once defended lawmakers' rights to trade in a "free market economy" in 2021, has since expressed support for such bans, stating on CNN's *The Lead* that they bolster public confidence, though she dismissed Trump's accusations as "ridiculous" and projection. Critics like Christopher Josephs of the "Nancy Pelosi Stock Tracker" X account argue that the couple's trades, which yielded a 54% portfolio return in 2024-outpacing the S&P 500's 25%-suggest an unfair advantage, even if legal under current laws. The HONEST Act, if passed, would require divestment by the next congressional term, but similar bills have stalled in the past.

The lack of prosecutions under the STOCK Act, despite high-profile cases like former Rep. Chris Collins' 2017 insider trading conviction, underscores enforcement challenges. Pelosi's defenders argue that no concrete evidence proves she shared non-public information, and her husband's venture capital background explains his market success. However, public frustration persists, with X posts from accounts like @PelosiTracker_ highlighting trades to pressure Congress for reform. As the debate intensifies, the Pelosis' financial moves remain a lightning rod for broader concerns about congressional ethics, with no immediate resolution in sight as the HONEST Act awaits a Senate floor vote.