SEC issues $2 million whistleblower award

Securities SEC Whistleblower Enforcement Investigations

On May 4, the SEC announced a nearly $2 million award to a whistleblower in an enforcement action. According to the SEC’s press release, the whistleblower’s “information and assistance helped the agency bring a successful enforcement action and allowed investors to recover much of their money.” The formal order also states that the whistleblower, among other things, provided new information regarding an investigation into ongoing fraud, which informed the SEC’s need to “expeditiously seek a temporary restraining order and asset freeze to prevent further investor loss.” The whistleblower also suffered hardships. 

As of May 4, the SEC has awarded 82 individuals a total of approximately $450 million in whistleblower awards since its first award in 2012.