Fact Check: Did Martha Stewart compare her crimes to allegations of Donald Trump's insider trading?

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Renowned businesswoman Martha Stewart served a five-month prison sentence at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia in 2004 after she was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to federal investigators, according to the Independent.

Notably, the charges stemmed from accusations of insider trading. However, Stewart was not convicted of insider trading during the trial.

Recently, a rumor circulated online claiming that Martha Stewart compared her past criminal convictions to allegations of President Donald Trump's second administration engaging in insider trading. But is there any truth to this? Let's find out below.

Fact: Martha Stewart compared her crimes to allegations of Donald Trump's insider trading

In April 2025, a rumor circulated online claiming that Martha Stewart was the author of a quote comparing her past criminal convictions to allegations of Donald Trump's second administration engaging in insider trading.

A writer named James O'Brien posted a photo of Stewart posing in front of a brick wall and holding a glass of white wine on Threads.

The post had a quote that read, "Hi, I'm Martha Stewart, and I'm here to remind you that if a successful woman takes advantage of an investment tip, the press destroys her, and the court throws her a** in prison."

It continued, "But if a six-time-bankrupt felon with sieg-heiling supporters and a hard-on for Russian tyranny does it, the press elevates him to Crazy Wizard of Our Times, and nothing else f*****g happens. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk."

The rumor slowly made its way to other social media platforms such as  Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

False: The viral post is a satire

The claims made in the online rumor are false, as James O'Brien confirmed that he created the quote as satire and Martha Stewart did not say any such thing, according to Snopes.

A Threads user asked O'Brien, "Was this written by you, James? It is getting quoted all over the internet as being a quote by Martha Stewart. Wish it was, but what is the true source?"

O'Brien responded, "A work of satire dashed off from my keyboard in a morning of frustration and it's been living a life of its own. Hopefully, the numerous disclaimers that it is satirical are seen as well. But we can stand by its truth, if we like."

Martha Stewart's past charges and convictions

The New York Times reported in June 2003 that a federal grand jury indicted Martha Stewart on charges of securities fraud, making false statements, and obstruction of justice for her handling of a stock trade.

During the same time, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit and charged Stewart and her stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic, with "committing securities fraud by engaging in illegal insider trading."

In March 2004, after a brief trial, a jury convicted Stewart, finding her guilty of conspiracy, obstruction, and two counts of lying to federal investigators. Her sentencing included five months in prison, five months of home confinement, and two years of supervised probation, per People.

In 2006, Stewart settled with the SEC and agreed to pay $195,000 in fines and penalties.

As per the agreement, she was barred from leading a public company for five years.