Anonymity

March 26, 2019

The SEC made two whistleblower awards to anonymous whistleblowers in an undisclosed enforcement actions based on information provided by the whistleblowers that assisted the agency.  One whistleblower received an award of $37 million and the other received an award of $13 million. No further details were provided by the SEC, which protects the confidentiality of whistleblowers and does not disclose information that could reveal a whistleblower’s identity.  SEC

December 18, 2018

The New York Department of Financial Services has imposed a $15 million fine on Barclays Bank PLC based on efforts by the bank and its CEO, Jess Staley, to identify an anonymous whistleblower within the organization, in contravention of the bank's whistleblower policies.  NY

July 16, 2018

The CFTC has announced its first whistleblower award to a foreign whistleblower. The award totals over $70K, but the investigation that resulted in the award is yet-to-be revealed. This is the second award made under the CFTC’s new whistleblower rules, after the largest award in CFTC history, paid on July 12, 2018. CFTC

July 12, 2018

The CFTC announced an award of approximately $30 million to a whistleblower who voluntarily provided key original information that led to a successful enforcement action. The award is the largest award made by the CFTC’s Whistleblower Program to date and is the fifth award made by the program. Previously, the highest award amount paid to a CFTC whistleblower was in March 2016 of more than $10 million (see CFTC Press Release 7351-16, CFTC Announces Whistleblower Award of More Than $10 Million). CFTC

July 27, 2017

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced a whistleblower award of more than $1.7 million to a company insider who provided the agency with critical information to help stop a fraud that would have otherwise been difficult to detect.  Millions of dollars were returned to harmed investors as a result of the SEC’s ensuing investigation and enforcement action.  ''When whistleblowers tip the SEC, it not only can bring wrongdoers to justice but also relief to investors,'' said Jane Norberg, Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower.  ''This whistleblower's valuable information enabled us to stop further investor harm and ultimately return money to victims.''  Approximately $158 million has now been awarded to 46 whistleblowers who voluntarily provided the SEC with original and useful information that led to a successful enforcement action. SEC

July 27, 2017

The SEC made a whistleblower award of more than $1.7 million to an undisclosed company insider who provided the agency with critical information to help stop a fraud that would have otherwise been difficult to detect.  The SEC reports that roughly $158 million has now been awarded to 46 whistleblowers who voluntarily provided the SEC with original and useful information that led to a successful enforcement action.  SEC

July 25, 2017

The SEC made a whistleblower award of nearly $2.5 million to an undisclosed employee of a domestic government agency whose whistleblower tip helped launch an SEC investigation and whose continued assistance enabled the SEC to address a company's misconduct.  SEC