On July 19, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that a whistleblower was awarded more than $17 million for information and assistance provided to the SEC and another enforcement authority. According to the SEC, the claimant provided information that led the SEC to open an investigation that ultimately led to a successful enforcement action. The SEC also shared the provided information with another enforcement authority that similarly brought a successful enforcement action. In calculating the whistleblower award, the SEC credited the fact that the claimant provided detailed information and documents to SEC staff early in their investigation, and offered ongoing assistance, which included speaking to SEC enforcement staff on several occasions.
Since the whistleblower program began in 2012, the SEC has awarded approximately $1.3 billion to 278 individuals. In the SEC’s current fiscal year, it has already distributed over $180 million in whistleblower awards.