CME Group Fines Saudi Trader for Brent Futures Violations

The CME Group has sanctioned Mohamed Abdelaziz Ali Abdelaziz, a Saudi Arabia–based proprietary trading firm trader, for violations of New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) rules related to prearranged trading and the use of unauthorized trading identifiers.

According to a CME notice, a NYMEX Business Conduct Committee Panel found that between April 17 and April 19, 2024, Abdelaziz prearranged multiple round-turn transactions in the April 2025 and May 2025 Brent Crude Oil Last Day Financial futures market. These trades were executed between Abdelaziz's personal account and his employer's account, with the panel concluding the activity aimed to transfer equity to his personal account.

The investigation also revealed that Abdelaziz entered orders using a unique operator ID that was not his own, a practice that violated NYMEX Rules 432.G and 576.

Under a settlement offer, in which Abdelaziz neither admitted nor denied the violations, the panel ordered him to pay a $40,000 fine and $2,620 in restitution. Additionally, Abdelaziz will be suspended for one year from direct access to any CME Group trading floor and from both direct and indirect access to any CME Group–controlled derivatives market or swap execution facility. The suspension takes effect on October 16, 2025, and will last for one year following full payment of the penalties.

CME Group's disciplinary actions are part of broader efforts to uphold market integrity and prevent misconduct in derivatives trading, particularly in energy futures markets that attract high-volume trading activity.