Record-Setting Submissions: CFTC Whistleblower Program 2020 Annual Report Documents Increasing Popularity of Program

Every year, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is required to report to Congress about the CFTC Whistleblower Reward Program, created by the Dodd-Frank Act, which pays awards to eligible whistleblowers who voluntarily provide the Commission with original information, about matters within the CFTC’s jurisdiction, that leads to the recovery of more than $1 million in monetary sanctions.  This week, the CFTC released its 2020 Annual Report covering the fiscal year...

CFTC Whistleblower Hot Streak Continues with $9 Million Award

This week, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a new whistleblower award of approximately $9 million, one of the five largest awards ever paid by the agency. It is the latest in a wave of awards—four over the last three months, all over $1 million—demonstrating the CFTC’s strong commitment to its whistleblowers. These awards make good on CFTC Enforcement Director James McDonald’s pronouncement last May that “Whistleblowers have become...

CFTC Whistleblower Program Annual Report Shows Program Open for Business, yet Challenges Persist

Fifteen million dollars is how much the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Whistleblower Program paid whistleblowers in FY 2019 according to the agency’s annual report to Congress.  This amount includes: $7 million to one individual whistleblower; Over $2 million to a non-insider whistleblower who provided independent analysis of market data; and, Close to $1.5 million to a whistleblower who first reported internally. In the last two cases, awards...

CFTC Whistleblower Program

What potential whistleblowers need to know about reporting fraud or misconduct to the CFTC. The CFTC Whistleblower Reward Program The Whistleblower Program of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) encourages those with knowledge of violations of U.S. Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to share this information with the CFTC. Under the CFTC Whistleblower Program, eligible whistleblowers are entitled to an award of between 10 percent and 30 percent of the monetary...

CFTC Whistleblower Program has a Banner Year, but Challenges Remain

Seventy-five million dollars. That’s how much the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC’s) Whistleblower Program paid five whistleblowers - including $30 million to one, the CFTC’s largest award to date-according to the agency’s annual report to Congress for 2018. Also, for the first time, the CFTC awarded a whistleblower living in a foreign country. Without a doubt, 2018 was a banner year for the program. The CFTC’s Whistleblower Program...

CFTC Makes First Whistleblower Award Under Trump, But Reduces Award Because of Whistleblower Delay and Culpability

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team Last Thursday (May 29), the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a whistleblower award of roughly $700,000.1  According to the agency’s press release promoting the award, the whistleblower “prompted the CFTC to open the investigation,” and “provided substantial assistance and helped the Commission conserve resources during the investigation.” Under the CFTC Whistleblower Program, individuals who report commodities violations to the agency may receive up...

CFTC Promotes Whistleblower Chief Brian Young to Acting Head of Enforcement

Last week (January 22), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Acting Chair Caroline Pham announced a slew of leadership changes at the commodities regulator.  Key among them was elevating current head of the CFTC Whistleblower Office Brian Young to Acting Director of the CFTC's Division of Enforcement. It is a big move for Young who has been with the agency for less than a year.  He joined last February after long-time...

CFTC Makes $4 Million Whistleblower Award

On November 12, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a $4 million award to two whistleblowers under the CFTC Whistleblower Program.  With this award, the agency has now issued roughly $390 million in whistleblower awards since its first award under the program in 2014.  These awards have been associated with more than $3.2 billion in monetary sanctions. The award follows a flurry of whistleblower awards the CFTC issued in...

CFTC Makes Four Whistleblower Awards — Relatively Small But Notable

On Monday (September 23), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced four whistleblower awards under the CFTCs Whistleblower Program. They are the latest in a string of awards — all relatively modest — the commodities regulator has made since the Spring. This includes awards made on August 30 ($4 million); August 8 ($1M); June 17 ($8M); June 3 ($4.5M); and March 14 ($1.25M). The awards this week are also relatively small, collectively totaling only about $4.5 million....

CFTC Makes $4 Million Whistleblower Award

Today, (August 30), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a $4 million whistleblower award "to an insider whistleblower who provided information that led the Division of Enforcement to open an investigation into ongoing misconduct." This follows a relatively modest spate of awards this year, including awards on August 8 ($1M), June 17 ($8M), June 3 ($4.5M), March 14 ($1.25M). Despite the small number of awards, the CFTC continues to trumpet the...