> if hedge funds would buy something that would allow access to private data

Extremely unlikely. The risk/reward if found out is too lopsided. Conviction for insider trading has you pay a penalty and transform your fund into a family office -- Raj Rajaratnam going to prison for a decade is a unique exception not the rule.

Conviction for insider trading in combination with wire fraud, espionage, and all the other exploit-related charges will send everyone involved to prison for 10-20 years, pretty much guaranteed. What use is a bigger hedge fund if you have that sword of Damocles hanging over you?