Warren Buffett privately traded in stocks that Berkshire Hathaway was buying and selling

Warren Buffett privately traded in stocks that Berkshire Hathaway was buying and selling, per ProPublica.


Warren Buffett is alleged to have engaged in stock trading within his personal account that mirrored the transactions conducted by his conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, as reported by ProPublica on Thursday. The nonprofit news outlet, drawing on leaked confidential IRS data, claimed that the "Oracle of Omaha" traded shares in his private account in the same quarter or the quarter preceding Berkshire's actions in the same stocks. These stocks included those of Wells Fargo, Johnson & Johnson, and Walmart, with examples provided from 2009 and 2012.

As of the time of this statement, Berkshire has not responded to CNBC's request for comment during regular business hours.

Although the 93-year-old investor has acknowledged the existence of a personal account separate from Berkshire's $300 billion equity portfolio, details regarding the holdings and size of his personal account remain largely undisclosed. Buffett, in the past, has publicly expressed his intention to avoid investments that could create conflicts with Berkshire.

During the company's annual meeting in 2016, Buffett stated, "I try to stay away from anything that could conflict with Berkshire."