<p>A former research analyst who was extradited from Hong Kong to New York earlier this year admitting Thursday to passing secret tips about a $1.2 billion acquisition by International Business Machines Corp. ahead of the deal.</p><p>Prosecutors alleged Trent Martin, 34 years old, learned from a lawyer working on the transaction of IBM's plans to acquire software-analytics firm SPSS Inc. before the deal was announced in 2009. The lawyer considered Mr. Martin a close friend and didn't expect him to share the information with anyone, prosecutors said. The unidentified lawyer wasn't accused of wrongdoing.</p><p>The allegations relate to a criminal case first unveiled in November involving allegations of insider trading by two law-school classmates. Mr. Martin, an Australian citizen, was arrested in Hong Kong in December and agreed to waive extradition to the U.S. to face the charges.</p><p>"I know that my actions were wrong and in violation of the law. . . . . .</p><p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2013/09/12/former-analyst-pleads-guilty-to-insider-trading-in-ibm-deal/">Keep reading...</a></p>