CFTC Hands Out $500,000 Award to Two Whistleblowers

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced awards totaling approximately $500,000 to two whistleblowers. The whistleblowers separately provided significant information and substantial assistance that helped the Division of Enforcement expand the scope of an existing investigation and lead the Division to other key evidence supporting the enforcement action.

"These awards further show the importance of whistleblower tips to our entire enforcement program, including high-priority areas,"said CFTC Acting Director of Enforcement Vincent McGonagle."Information from whistleblowers has helped the Commission not only start investigations, but also bring them to a successful conclusion."

"These awards show how a whistleblower's information can advance the Commission's enforcement efforts, even if the CFTC does not ultimately charge the specific violations the whistleblower has reported,"added Whistleblower Office Director Christopher Ehrman."As long as the information significantly contributes to a successful investigation, the whistleblower may be eligible for an award."

Since issuing its first award in 2014, the CFTC has granted whistleblower awards amounting to approximately $300 million. Those awards are associated with enforcement actions that have resulted in monetary sanctions totaling more than $3 billion.