What Issues Should I Consider Before Filing an SEC Whistleblower Complaint?

Issues to Consider Before Filing an SEC Whistleblower Complaint

Every client’s potential matter is unique and requires analysis of the specific violation that the whistleblower has uncovered. When we assess potential Dodd-Frank whistleblower rewards claims, we typically focus on these issues before filing an SEC whistleblower complaint:

What type of securities law violation are you seeking to report? Some examples include:
- Accounting fraud;
- Fraudulent investment scheme, such as a Ponzi scheme or EB-5 investment fraud;
- Material misstatement or omission in a company’s public filings or financial statements;
- Insider trading;
- Manipulation of a security; and
- Bribery of, or improper payments to, foreign officials (FCPA violations)
What is a brief description of the violation?
What type of entity does the violation relate to, e.g., a publicly-traded company in the US?
Do you believe the violation is material, e.g., would the violation require a publicly-traded company to restate previously issued financial statements?
Is the violation ongoing?
Do you have evidence of the violation? If so, please describe the evidence and how you obtained it.
Are you aware of any evidence (not in your possession) that would demonstrate the violation? In particular, is there evidence showing that senior company officials are aware of the violation or have admitted to the violation?
When and how did you first learn of the violation?
Have you raised concerns about the violation to your supervisor, compliance office, whistleblower hotline, etc.? If so, who did you report to and when did you take this action?
Have you suffered any retaliation for raising concerns about the violation?
Have you had any prior communications with the SEC (or any other agency or organization) concerning this matter?
Do you want to report anonymously to the SEC through an attorney?

In responding to these questions, you should not share any privileged information, i.e., information you received from an in-house or outside counsel.

Since 2012, the SEC has issued nearly $1 billion in awards to whistleblowers, which includes awards to our clients totaling millions of dollars. The top SEC whistleblower attorneys can provide critical guidance to whistleblowers throughout this process to protect their identities and increase the likelihood that they not only obtain, but maximize, their awards.

If you have original information that you would like to report to the SEC Office of the Whistleblower, contact the Director of our SEC Whistleblower Practice at [email protected] or call our leading SEC whistleblower lawyers at (202) 930-5901 or (202) 262-8959. All inquiries are confidential.

In conjunction with our courageous clients, our SEC whistleblower lawyers have helped the SEC halt multi-million dollar investment schemes, expose violations at large publicly traded companies, and return funds to defrauded investors.

Recently the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners published a profile of SEC whistleblower lawyer Matt Stock’s success working with whistleblowers to fight fraud:

SEC Whistleblower Resources

Below are links to resources on our website about the SEC whistleblower program and protections for SEC whistleblowers. If you have questions about your SEC whistleblower claim, contact the SEC whistleblower attorneys at Zuckerman Law for a free, confidential consultation about your case by calling 202-262-8959.

Click below to hear SEC whistleblower lawyer Matt Stock’s tips for SEC whistleblowers:

Guide to the SEC Whistleblower Program

To learn more about the SEC Whistleblower Program, download Zuckerman Law’s eBook: Tips from SEC Whistleblower Attorneys to Maximize an SEC Whistleblower Award: