SEC awards $6M to five whistleblowers

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday it has awarded $6 million to five whistleblowers who provided information and help in a single covered action.

There were two groups of whistleblowers, the agency said in its statement. The first group provided the SEC with key documents that led the staff to require additional documents from the respondent, while the second provided the staff with valuable firsthand accounts of the misconduct at issue, it said. 

Both groups also provided ongoing assistance during the staff’s investigation, it said.

The SEC said it has awarded about $1.2 billion to 268 individuals since it issued its first award in 2012.