I met a programmer online who I paid to custom build a program for me that connects to my online trading account and trades a proprietary strategy that I use automatically 24 hrs a day. We worked together on it for 9 months and I have a nearly finished version of it. It works well, but needs a few minor changes. He informs me recently that he will be marketing this software himself and refuses to provide me with the source code only the executable. He is not only taking my proprietary strategy for trading, but will not provide me with the code so I can have someone else make additional changes. My request is this: Is there someone that can get the source code for me with what I have so that I can finish the project?

We have no contract or anything like that, but I do have copies of every single email and instant message between us detailing the original agreement and the progression since then over the last 9 months, if you want some kind of proof that it belongs to me. Please let me know if you can help!

There is no way to reverse engineer VB programs to VB code. Since the code is the programmer's work it is understandable that he won't give it up unless he's paid. So pay the guy for it.

Unfortunately you had no contracts with him, the code is his. You may have determined the original strategy but he did all the work.

Perhaps this will be a learning experiance for you, always get a contract, that or always have the money to pay people off.