SEC’s $279 million whistleblower award is largest ever

Securities SEC Enforcement Whistleblower Investigations

On May 5, the SEC announced the Commission’s largest-ever award—nearly $279 million—awarded to a whistleblower for providing information and assistance leading to the successful enforcement of SEC and related actions. The SEC noted that this award is more than double the previous record-holding $114 award issued in October 2020. According to the redacted order, the whistleblower voluntarily provided original information, which caused enforcement staff to expand the scope of the investigation and saved the SEC significant time and resources. The whistleblower also provided substantial ongoing assistance, including providing multiple written submissions, communications, and interviews, the SEC said, finding also that the whistleblower satisfied the requirements under Rules 21-F-3(b)(1) for related actions awards as the related successful enforcement actions were partly based on the same information provided to the Commission. However, in the same order, the SEC affirmed denial of two other claimants’ award claims after determining, among other things, that the individuals did not submit information leading to the successful enforcement of the covered action.