The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has announced a nearly $3 million whistleblower award to an individual who provided information that led to a CFTC investigation and successful enforcement action. The award was calculated on the basis of an undisclosed percentage (between the statutory 10% and 30%) of the monetary sanctions collected in the covered action
According to the CFTC order, the whistleblower voluntarily provided original information about potential violations of the Commodity Exchange Act, although he or she was not under any legal obligation to report the information. The whistleblower’s information was previously unknown to the CFTC; it was credible and timely, and led to an investigation.
Since the inception of the CFTC’s whistleblower program in 2010, the agency has awarded approximately $123 million to whistleblowers whose information has resulted in monetary sanctions of more than $1 billion.