D. E. Shaw fined $10M for impeding potential whistleblowers
By 
Aly McDevitt2023-09-29T18:30:00
New York-based investment adviser D. E. Shaw & Co. will pay a $10 million penalty to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the company raised impediments to whistleblowing by employees.
From at least 2011 through 2019, the firm required new employees to sign agreements prohibiting the disclosure of confidential corporate information to third parties unless authorized, without an exception for potential SEC whistleblowers, the agency said in a press release Friday.
Further, from at least 2011 through 2023, the firm required departing employees to sign releases affirming they had not filed any complaints with any government agency in order for them to receive deferred compensation and/or other benefits.
THIS IS MEMBERS-ONLY CONTENT
You are not logged in and do not have access to members-only content.
If you are already a registered user or a member, SIGN IN now.
Related articles
-
News BriefSEC penalizes seven firms $3M total for impeding whistleblower protections
Seven public companies will pay a total of $3 million in fines for requiring employees to sign agreements containing provisions that impeded their ability to report misconduct to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
-
News BriefSEC fines Nationwide Planning, affiliates combined $240K over impeding whistleblowers
Broker-dealer Nationwide Planning Associates and two affiliated investment advisers impeded potential whistleblowers from reporting misconduct to the Securities and Exchange Commission and have agreed to settle the charges for a combined $240,000.
-
News BriefCFPB warns against censoring whistleblowers via broad NDAs
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is warning companies against intimidating potential whistleblowers by forcing them to sign broad nondisclosure agreements to deter misconduct from coming to light.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
News BriefFTC sues Uber over deceptive subscriptions, a rare move for consumers by Trump officials
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging the ride-hailing company signed customers up for its Uber One subscription without consent, then made it hard for them to cancel. The move marks the U.S. government’s latest broadside against big tech companies, and the first major action from ...
-
News BriefCFPB pullback signals further shift toward industry-friendly regulation
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to unravel amid pressure from Trump administration officials to shutter the agency. Not only has the agency informed its employees that it will no longer be a watchdog for the financial services industry, it has also laid off employees despite court orders blocking ...
-
News BriefTrump’s CFPB, dismissing Comerica case, continues to cut down Biden-era lawsuits
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dropped yet another consumer protection lawsuit against a bank or fintech provider since Donald Trump was sworn in as president in January. This time, it was with Comerica Bank.