SEC Awards Over $500,000 to Two Whistleblowers

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced an award of over $500,000 to two whistleblowers whose tips revealed an ongoing fraud and resulted in multiple SEC actions and a related action from another government agency.  Both whistleblowers provided substantial, ongoing assistance that conserved the agencies’ time and resources. 

“This case demonstrates once again the value of the whistleblower program in helping to protect investors, and the Commission’s continued commitment to rewarding individuals who provide high-quality tips,” said Jane Norberg, Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower.  “The timely reporting of credible information by these whistleblowers provided the Commission the opportunity to quickly investigate and address misconduct that was actively harming investors.”

The Commission has awarded approximately $753 million to 140 individuals since issuing its first award in 2012.  All payments are made out of an investor protection fund established by Congress that is financed entirely through monetary sanctions paid to the Commission by securities law violators.  No money has been taken or withheld from harmed investors to pay whistleblower awards.  Whistleblowers may be eligible for an award when they voluntarily provide the Commission with original, timely, and credible information that leads to a successful enforcement action.  Whistleblower awards can range from 10 percent to 30 percent of the money collected when the monetary sanctions exceed $1 million.

As set forth in the Dodd-Frank Act, the Commission protects the confidentiality of whistleblowers and does not disclose any information that could reveal a whistleblower’s identity.

For more information about the whistleblower program and how to report a tip, visit www.sec.gov/whistleblower.