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Do you have information about a Ponzi scheme? You could be eligible for a whistleblower award from the SEC for your knowledge and information.   Ponzi schemes are infamous for promising high returns in a short time. Like most financial crimes, the scheme’s operators take investor funds and leave the investor with little to nothing. From the original scheme from Charles Ponzi to Bernie Madoff’s massive fraud, any Ponzi scheme uses the same basic framework:  Solicit and take money from investors  Use cash for whatever they like  Solicit new money from new investors   Use new funds to pay previous investors Do you have information about a Ponzi scheme? You could be eligible for a whistleblower award from the SEC for your knowledge and information.

Ponzi schemes are infamous for promising high returns in a short time. Like most financial crimes, the scheme’s operators take investor funds and leave the investor with little to nothing. From the original scheme from Charles Ponzi to Bernie Madoff’s massive fraud, any Ponzi scheme uses the same basic framework:  Continue reading

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New York-based investment advisors Two Sigma Investments LP and Two Sigma Advisers LP have settled SEC charges and repaid funds after a researcher made unauthorized changes to the firm’s investment models used to make investment decisions. Known collectively as “Two Sigma,” the firm paid $90 million in civil penalties to settle the SEC claims, then voluntarily repaid $165 million to affected funds and client accounts. The firm failed to handle vulnerabilities in its investment models and address multiple supervisory and compliance breakdowns. Separately, two employees warned the firm repeatedly about the possibility of unauthorized changes to the models, and how any changes could have severe negative impacts on the firm and the firm's customers. Unfortunately, Two Sigma did not act upon their information immediately, and an employee tampered with the investment models without authorization. Additionally, Two Sigma violated Whistleblower protection rules in exit contracts for departing employees.New York-based investment advisors Two Sigma Investments LP and Two Sigma Advisers LP have settled SEC charges and repaid funds after a researcher made unauthorized changes to the firm’s investment models used to make investment decisions. Known collectively as “Two Sigma,” the firm paid $90 million in civil penalties to settle the SEC claims, then voluntarily repaid $165 million to affected funds and client accounts. Continue reading

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The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced an award of nearly $4 million to two whistleblowers who notified the agency of a company's misconduct. Both individuals provided sufficient original information to lead to a successful enforcement action. Whistleblower #1 initially notified the CFTC of this misconduct and supplied key information. The CFTC opened its investigation based on the information submitted by Whistleblower #1. Whistleblower #2 also provided additional information which included the admission that the misconduct was ongoing and continuing. While Whistleblower #2 also provided “substantial assistance,” they also “unreasonably delayed” giving information to the CFTC. This led to a reduction of the award amount, which was not disclosed. Three additional whistleblowers were denied an award and did not seek reconsideration by the CTFC's Claims Review Staff (CRS.) Claimant #3’s information was already in the record with no original information submitted.The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced an award of nearly $4 million to two whistleblowers who notified the agency of a company’s misconduct.

Both individuals provided sufficient original information to lead to a successful enforcement action. Whistleblower #1 initially notified the CFTC of this misconduct and supplied key information. Continue reading

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The SEC recently reached a $3 million collective settlement with seven public companies charged with violating whistleblower protection Rule 21F-17(a). This rule prohibits any actions by companies that impede an individual from communicating directly with the SEC staff about a possible securities law violation they observe. The companies cited were: Acadia Healthcare Company Inc., $1.3 million k.a. Brands Holding Corp., $399,000 AppFolio, Inc., $692,000 IDEX Corp., $75,000 LSB Industries, Inc., $156,000 Smart for Life, Inc., $19,500The SEC recently reached a $3 million collective settlement with seven public companies charged with violating whistleblower protection Rule 21F-17(a). This rule prohibits any actions by companies that impede an individual from communicating directly with the SEC staff about a possible securities law violation they observe. Continue reading

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The SEC recently announced that it has awarded money to two whistleblowers for their information that led to an SEC enforcement action against a company as well as a related action against the same company by another federal agency. Both individuals voluntarily provided critical information that led to the successful enforcement actions. In the first case, Claimant #1 brought the misconduct to the SEC’s attention, but did not have anything more to offer outside of the initially supplied information. The supplied information was generalized, contained errors, and the individual didn’t fully understand the schemes. Furthermore, the individual did report the misconduct to their supervisor but did not notify the SEC for more than two years afterward. The SEC awarded this whistleblower a bounty of $4 million.The SEC recently announced that it has awarded money to two whistleblowers for their information that led to an SEC enforcement action against a company as well as a related action against the same company by another federal agency. Both individuals voluntarily provided critical information that led to the successful enforcement actions. Continue reading

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The SEC recently awarded two whistleblowers a total of $98M for original information they submitted that led to the opening of an investigation and a successful enforcement action involving misconduct. The first whistleblower received the lion’s share of the bounty, which totaled over $87 million. For the second whistleblower, the award totaled over $16 million. Both awards were percentages of the financial sanctions collected in the case, which both included SEC actions as well as another enforcement action by a different federal agency.The SEC recently awarded two whistleblowers a total of $98M for original information they submitted that led to the opening of an investigation and a successful enforcement action involving misconduct.

The first whistleblower received the lion’s share of the bounty, which totaled over $87 million. For the second whistleblower, the award totaled over $16 million. Both awards were percentages of the financial sanctions collected in the case, which both included SEC actions as well as another enforcement action by a different federal agency. Continue reading

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On August 8, 2024, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) announced a whistleblower award of over $1 million dollars. While the Commodity Exchange Act ensures confidentiality protections for CFTC whistleblowers, this award highlights the CFTC’s commitment to regulating digital assets. The heavily redacted CFTC order states that the whistleblower received the award because the whistleblower voluntarily provided the information, through form TCR, and their information led to a successful enforcement action. This action uncovered improper trading previously unknown to the CFTC, underscoring the growing importance of whistleblower tips in detecting misconduct. CFTC Director of Enforcement Ian McGinley noted, "During the last fiscal year, digital asset cases accounted for almost 50% of the CFTC's docket, with a majority of whistleblower tips that year related to digital assets."On August 8, 2024, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a whistleblower award of over $1 million dollars. While the Commodity Exchange Act ensures confidentiality protections for CFTC whistleblowers, this award highlights the CFTC’s commitment to regulating digital assets.

The heavily redacted CFTC order states that the whistleblower received the award because the whistleblower voluntarily provided the information, through form TCR, and their information led to a successful enforcement action. Continue reading

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Billionaire investor and founder of Hayman Capital Management, Kyle Bass, succeeded in obtaining a reversal of the SEC's denial of his bid to receive a whistleblower bounty for exposing fraud at United Development Funding (UDF), a Dallas-based land developer.  Bass filed a whistleblower tip regarding UDF to the SEC after one of his analysts found proof that it was a Ponzi scheme. In a surprising move, the SEC overturned its prior denial and awarded Bass $400,000 for providing information that helped the agency secure civil penalties against certain UDF executives.  Notably, this is the first time the SEC has reversed a denial of a whistleblower award.Billionaire investor and founder of Hayman Capital Management, Kyle Bass, succeeded in obtaining a reversal of the SEC’s denial of his bid to receive a whistleblower bounty for exposing fraud at United Development Funding (UDF), a Dallas-based land developer. Bass filed a whistleblower tip regarding UDF to the SEC after one of his analysts found proof that it was a Ponzi scheme. Continue reading

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