The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) began the month of June 2021 by announcing awards of approximately $13 million and $10 million to two whistleblowers whose whistleblower tips led to successful SEC enforcement actions and related actions. In addition to the initial tips, the whistleblowers also provided the SEC and another federal agency with substantial assistance by submitted information and documents, participating in interviews, and identifying key individuals who engaged in the misconduct at issue.
According to Emily Pasquinelli, the Acting Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower, the “whistleblowers’ information and assistance led to multiple successful enforcement actions related to a complex and fraudulent scheme involving multiple individuals and tens of millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.”
In total, the SEC has awarded over $928 million to 166 individuals since the whistleblower program became effective in August 2011. All awards are paid out of an investor protection fund established by Congress that is financed entirely through monetary sanctions paid to the SEC by securities law violators. No money has been taken or withheld from harmed investors to pay whistleblower awards.
Congress established the whistleblower program to incentivize whistleblowers with specific, timely, and credible information about federal securities law violations to report to the SEC. A whistleblower may receive an award if they voluntarily provide the SEC with qualifying information, leading to successful enforcement. The award can range from 10 percent to 30 percent of the money collected due to the enforcement action.
Individuals who have information regarding fraud or other violations of federal securities laws should contact law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free consultation to review your legal rights on how to file a whistleblower tip to the SEC and preserve eligibility to receive a whistleblower award.