Topic
enforcement
30 stories
SEC's FY2026 enforcement tally: 348 actions, $1.1B ordered, and a chairman downplaying the numbers
The SEC reported 348 enforcement actions and $1.095 billion in ordered monetary relief for fiscal 2026, as Chairman Paul Atkins played down case counts and the agency leaned into AI-driven blockchain analysis.
Texas Trader and His Firm Hit With $13 Million Default Judgment in CFTC Commodities Fraud Case
A federal court entered a default judgment ordering Walter Dunning Larrick III and Cambridge Financial Advisors to pay more than $13 million over a commodities fraud that misappropriated over $3 million from participants.
Court Hits Louisiana Forex Operator With $9.2 Million Penalty in Ponzi-Style Fraud
A federal court ordered Louisiana forex operator Michael DePetrillo and two companies to pay a $9.2 million penalty for a Ponzi-like scheme that misappropriated more than $3 million from retail traders.
Court Orders EminiFX and Founder Eddy Alexandre to Pay $288 Million Over Crypto Ponzi Scheme
A federal court ordered EminiFX and its founder Eddy Alexandre to pay more than $288 million over a crypto and forex Ponzi scheme that took in over $262 million from tens of thousands of investors in eight months.
SEC Charges Meyer Global Management and CEO Over Pre-IPO Fraud Tied to SpaceX Stakes
The SEC sued private fund adviser Meyer Global Management and CEO Owen E.H. Meyer, alleging they defrauded retail investors in funds holding pre-IPO stakes in SpaceX and other companies.
SEC Charges Two Over $8.7M Fraud That Targeted Veterans
The SEC charged Christopher Dinelli and Jacob "Kobe" Frankel with raising over $8.7 million from 35 investors — many of them veterans — via a fund that claimed 153% returns while losing money on options trades.
Court Orders $31 Million-Plus in Fundsz Crypto Fraud Case as CFTC Closes Out 2023 Action
A federal court ordered four defendants tied to the Fundsz crypto and precious-metals scheme to pay and forfeit funds, with two facing a $31.5 million judgment for lying about profits and a "proprietary algorithm.
SEC charges four entities over $15M in fake "AI trading" crypto scams that forged SEC registration
The SEC charged four offshore-linked entities behind two "AI trading" crypto scams that faked SEC registration and stole at least $15.3 million from hundreds of retail investors, many in the U.S.
CFTC Sues Cash FX Group Over Alleged $950M Forex Ponzi That Promised 15% Weekly Returns
The CFTC sued Cash FX Group, its CEO Huascar Jose Lopez Castillo, and three others on September 25, 2026, alleging a $950 million forex Ponzi scheme that promised up to 15% weekly returns and left participants down at least $406 million.
SEC fines OTC Link $575,000 over years of ignored cybersecurity rule warnings
The SEC censured broker-dealer OTC Link LLC and fined it $575,000 for failing to establish and enforce cybersecurity policies required under Regulation SCI over nearly nine years, despite repeated examiner warnings.
CFTC Wins $6M Default Judgment Against Florida Man Over Options Fraud
A federal court entered a default judgment ordering Michael Frederick Staryk to pay more than $6 million over a commodity options fraud scheme that took money from at least 26 U.S. retail clients.
CFTC Says It Paid Out Over $150M to Whistleblowers in Three Months
The CFTC said it granted 10 whistleblower awards totaling more than $150 million between July and September 2026, without naming the tipsters or the cases behind them.
CFTC Sets 30% Default for Whistleblower Awards Under $5 Million, Matching SEC
The CFTC finalized a rule creating a 30% presumption for whistleblower awards of $5 million or less, aligning its program with the SEC's approach.
CFTC Wins $547K in Consent Orders Against Two Salesmen in Commodity Pool Fraud Case
A federal court ordered Steven Likos and Archie Rice to pay a combined $547,261 and banned both from trading over their roles soliciting customers for two commodity pools tied to Traders Domain FX.
SEC Charges Two Bay Area Fund Executives Over $80M Ponzi-Like Scheme
The SEC charged two former Pacific Private Money Group executives with running a Ponzi-like scheme that raised over $80 million from roughly 190 mostly retired investors, with recoverable assets now estimated below $17 million.
SEC charges 38 shell 'advisers' that used its own filing system as a credibility prop
The SEC charged 38 entities on August 27 with filing false Forms ADV — fake Colorado addresses, dead phone numbers and auditors that appear in no accountancy registry — to pose as U.S. investment advisers.
CFTC ends its FTX cases against Ellison and Wang: bans yes, money no
The CFTC has closed its fraud cases against Caroline Ellison and Gary Wang with backdated trading and registration bans and no monetary penalties, citing their cooperation and an $11.02 billion criminal forfeiture order.
SEC charges New York operator over $74M "pre-IPO" fund scheme built on hidden markups
The SEC sued New York's Andrew Spaventa and three of his firms on Friday, alleging eleven "pre-IPO" funds raised $74 million from 800 retail investors while charging undisclosed markups averaging 46%.
SEC charges three Toms River men over $47 million affinity fraud aimed at Orthodox Jewish investors
The SEC says Leor Moshe raised about $47 million from more than 87 investors for a business-lending fund that mostly wasn't, with two unregistered recruiters bringing in $23 million of it.
CFTC sues Goliath Ventures and its CEO over alleged $397 million crypto Ponzi scheme
The CFTC filed a civil complaint in Florida federal court alleging Goliath Ventures and CEO Christopher Delgado ran a Ponzi scheme that took at least $397 million from roughly 1,600 customers.
SEC charges Adit Ventures and CEO Eric Munson over pre-IPO funds
The SEC on August 10 charged New York adviser Adit Ventures Management, CEO Eric Munson and three affiliated general partners with misappropriating client assets and taking millions in undisclosed fees on pre-IPO deals.
SEC charges pre-IPO fund adviser Adit Ventures and its CEO with fraud; defendants settle without admitting
The SEC says Adit Ventures Management, CEO Eric Munson and three affiliated general partners defrauded investors in SpaceX and Klarna pre-IPO share funds; all settled without admitting the allegations.
SEC builds a dedicated accounting-fraud unit — with no headcount, no budget, and no mention of digital assets
The SEC created a Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit inside its Enforcement Division on August 5, 2026, led by Timothy Zimmerman, with no headcount, budget or effective date disclosed.
CFTC fines UBS's brokerage arm $8M over FX wire monitoring gaps, including a fix that broke
The CFTC fined UBS Financial Services $8 million over four and a half years of gaps in monitoring foreign-currency wires, including a 2021 system replacement the firm then misconfigured.
Russia moves BitRiver founder into pre-trial detention over undelivered mining rigs
A Moscow court moved BitRiver founder Igor Runets from house arrest into pre-trial detention over an unfulfilled 2023 mining-equipment contract with an En+ subsidiary, with investigators alleging 1 billion rubles in damages.
SEC's No. 2 Enforcement Official Sam Waldon to Depart July 31
The SEC said Sam Waldon, its Principal Deputy Director of Enforcement, will leave the agency on July 31 after 14 years; Osman Nawaz, who rejoined last month, will replace him.
CFTC Sues North Carolina Trader Over Alleged $14M Ponzi-Style Commodity Pool
The CFTC filed a fraud complaint on July 7, 2026 against North Carolina trader Trevor L. Vernon and his firm Argent Capital Management, alleging a $14 million Ponzi-like commodity pool that faked profits from 2022 to 2026.
SEC's Atkins declares the end of 'regulation by enforcement' — but the post is a slogan, not a docket
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said the agency has ended the "regulation by enforcement" era and refocused on investor-protection cases — a statement of posture, posted with no case numbers or specifics attached.
SEC wins $5.5M default judgment against fake crypto platform NanoBit
A federal judge in Brooklyn entered a $5.5 million default judgment against NanoBit and five co-defendants over a fake crypto trading platform that the SEC says defrauded 18 investors of roughly $1 million.
CFTC hits two offshore firms with $2.5M over illegal leveraged retail trades
The CFTC on June 29 ordered offshore firms Netrios LP Ltd. and Red Acre Ltd. to pay $2.5 million combined for illegally offering leveraged or margined retail commodity transactions to U.S. customers off-exchange.