SEC issues whistleblower awards totaling nearly $4 million

Securities SEC Whistleblower Enforcement Investigations

On August 2, the SEC announced whistleblower awards to four individuals totaling nearly $4 million for information provided in two separate enforcement actions. According to the first redacted order, the SEC awarded a whistleblower nearly $2 million for voluntarily providing original information to the Commission, which initiated an investigation. The whistleblower also provided ongoing assistance, participated in interviews, and identified key witnesses, which led to a successful enforcement action. In the same enforcement action, the SEC awarded over $150,000 to another whistleblower, whose information helped SEC staff expand its investigation. In the second redacted order, the SEC awarded approximately $1.1 million to an individual for reporting misconduct internally and notifying the SEC of the violations, in addition to more than $500,000 to another whistleblower for providing important, but not sufficiently timely, information.

The SEC has awarded approximately $946 million to 190 individuals since issuing its first award in 2012.