SEC Settles Fraud Case Regarding Restrictive Language With KBR, Inc.

Whistleblowers with knowledge of possible securities fraud are able to report this fraud confidentially under the relatively new whistleblower provisions of the 2010 Dodd Frank Act. If an employee opts to report the information directly to the government, he or she is thereafter protected from retaliatory maneuvers by the employer […]

SEC Announces Whistleblower Reward for Former Company Officer

Implemented by the 2010 Dodd Frank Act, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) maintains a growing whistleblower program. Much like the False Claims Act, the SEC’s program is designed to offer confidential consideration of fraud claims, as well as incentives for successful prosecutions of costly and wasteful securities fraud. In […]

Securities Ratings Firm Standard & Poor’s Settles Fraud Charges for $58 Million

In a victory for the Securities and Exchange Commission, the securities ratings firm Standard & Poor’s has agreed to settle claims it fraudulently certified certain mortgage-backed securities as good investments, as well as claims the firm used a certain methodology to calculate risk with regard to commercial mortgage-based securities when, […]

SEC Announces $50 Million Whistleblower Award

In light of the 2008 financial crisis – which was propelled primarily by corporate misconduct and serious Wall Street delinquency – the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act was created in order to not only police investor transgressions but to incentivize those with knowledge of possible securities fraud to come forward and report […]

The Dodd-Frank Act and FCPA Whistleblowers

The federal government uses the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) as a means to prosecute and punish those individuals who violate securities laws or bribe foreign officials. For instance, when someone bribes a foreign government to expand business abroad, falsifies financial records or disregards internal control guidelines under securities laws, […]