SEC issues $3.6M award to whistleblower

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday it has issued a $3.6 million award to a whistleblower whose information and help led to a successful enforcement action.

Earlier this week, it also awarded about $22 million to two whistleblowers in another case.

In the case of the $3.6 million award, the information the whistleblower brought enabled the agency to open a new investigation into wrongdoing, according to a statement by Emily Pasquinelli, acting chief of the SEC’s office of the whistleblower.

In the case earlier this week, on Monday the SEC said it had awarded $18 million to one whistleblower and a $4 million award to a second whistleblower for offering information and help it said was crucial in a  successful enforcement action brought against a financial services firm.

The agency said in its statement the larger award was in recognition that the first whistleblower was the initial source of the investigation, while the second whistleblower submitted information much later, after the investigation was already underway.

The SEC does not identify whistleblowers or the companies involved.

The SEC said it has awarded about $842 million to 157 individuals since issuing its first award in 2012.