SEC Whistleblowers
Our attorneys have prepared complex whistleblower tips to the SEC and counseled whistleblowers through the process. If your tip concerns a mutual fund, hedge fund, or other pooled investment vehicle, contact our whistleblower attorneys.
What is the SEC Whistleblower Program?
The SEC Whistleblower Program, established under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, aims to encourage individuals with knowledge of securities law violations to come forward and report their observations.
It offers financial incentives and protection to individuals who provide original information concerning relevant misconduct. If the information leads to successful enforcement actions resulting in monetary sanctions exceeding $1 million, whistleblowers may be eligible for an award ranging from 10% to 30% of the total monetary sanctions collected by the SEC.
Under the program, whistleblowers are protected from retaliation by their employers. Whistleblowers may also submit their tip anonymously, so that not even the SEC knows their identity.
What is a whistleblower?
Not all information qualifies as a tip under the SEC Whistleblower Program. The following are basic requirements.
A whistleblower can be an employee, former employee, or even an outsider who possesses credible information about misconduct.
The credible information must be original, meaning it was not previously known to the SEC.
The information must concern misconduct within an organization that is subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC.
SEC whistleblower tips can cover a variety of topics including insider trading, Ponzi schemes, market manipulation, and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Why choose Engstrom Lee?
Unique expertise: We specialize in representing whistleblowers with tips about mutual funds, hedge funds, and other pooled investment vehicles, which often contain layers of fees that can be difficult to understand. Our attorneys have deep expertise related to mutual funds and other pooled investment vehicles.
Enhancing your tip: The SEC receives thousands of tips each year and can pursue only a few. Our attorneys can improve the quality of the tips submitted by our SEC whistleblower clients by building off of your tip and investigating both public and non-public financial reporting.
How can I learn more?
If you have original information that you think could qualify under the SEC Whistleblower Program and would like to learn how we can help, please fill out the below form.
An attorney may reach out to you directly to learn more about your tip. It doesn’t cost anything to speak to one of our attorneys and you’re under no obligation to take legal action after talking to someone about your rights.