The SEC has awarded over $260,000 to three individuals who jointly submitted a tip alerting the agency to a well-concealed fraud targeting retail investors that led to a successful enforcement action. The whistleblowers were, themselves, harmed investors.
Whistleblowers
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
SEC sees slight decrease in number of whistleblower tips fielded
The Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to Congress, indicated it fielded 5,212 whistleblower tips in fiscal year 2019, down 1 percent from the record of 5,282 in FY2018.
Posted inWhistleblowers
Sutter Health pays $30M in lawsuit
Healthcare services provider Sutter Health will pay $30.5 million in a lawsuit filed by a former compliance officer alleging fraud and kickbacks, though Sutter did not admit laibility and points out there was no finding that Sutter violated anti-kickback laws.
Posted inWhistleblowers
CFTC payouts to whistleblowers and tips received drop in FY2019
The CFTC made a handful of big payouts to whistleblowers in fiscal year 2019, but denied awards on 129 applications in the same timeframe.
Posted inEthics & Culture
Six steps to encourage employees to speak up
This edition of the Ask Amii mailbag offers tips on how to ensure your employees feel safe blowing the whistle, suggestions for encouraging collaboration, and advice for data managers on how to manage data ethically and responsibly in a segmented firm.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
Mattel ousts CFO after accounting probe reveals weaknesses
Following an investigation spurred by a whistleblower letter, Mattel announced it has uncovered material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting and is now working to remediate the issues.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
EY accused in U.K. gold-laundering scheme
Big Four audit firm EY has been accused of covering up evidence of smuggling by an organized crime gang that was laundering British drug money through gold dealings, according to an investigation by the BBC.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
Unethical practices at Infosys? SEC opens probe
The SEC has launched an investigation into Infosys based on an anonymous letter the agency received from several Infosys employees alleging CEO Salil Parekh forced them to engage in “disturbing unethical practices.”
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
Senators call out SEC over PCAOB whistleblower report
A letter sent by two senators addressed to SEC Chairman Jay Clayton critiques the regulator’s oversight of the PCAOB as showing “questionable judgment and an alarming lack of transparency.”
Posted inRegulatory Policy
Fourth time a charm? Senate again passes whistleblower protection bill
The U.S. Senate has once again passed an act to allow employees who believe they are the victim of retaliation to file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor and to be reinstated to their former status if the Secretary finds in their favor.
