• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

2

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

3

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

1

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

2

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

3

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
Finance

Here’s How Much the SEC Pays Whistleblowers

By
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 15, 2016, 4:51 PM ET
Politicon
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Edward Snowden on monitor speaks to panelist (L-R) Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno and actor David Neal during Politicon at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 10, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)Photograph by Frederick M. Brown — Getty Images

Forget Powerball. If you’ve witnessed something fishy at the office, the U.S. government might pay you a lot of money for telling them about it.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday that it awarded $700,000 to a “company outsider” whose tips helped the agency win a securities violation case. Regulators began offering financial rewards for whistleblowers for the first time in 2011 under a provision passed as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010.

Since then, the SEC has paid 23 whistleblowers a cumulative sum of $55 million, the agency added in its announcement. Most of that money was doled out recently: The SEC awarded $37 million to eight whistleblowers in its 2015 fiscal year (ended in Sept.) alone, according to the Commission’s annual report.

So far, the largest check the SEC has written to a whistleblower exceeded $30 million.

Not every corporate informant can expect to get paid for tattling, though. Whistleblowers only receive rewards when their information helps the SEC collect at least $1 million in fines, and are eligible for 10 to 30% of the total penalties levied against the violator.

Still, the financial rewards have incentivized many more people to come forward with tips in an attempt to help the SEC crack down on fraud and other wrongdoing. Whistleblower tips increased 30% in the past three years to nearly 4,000 in 2015, the SEC said in its report.

While the SEC rejects many would-be whistleblowers’ requests for awards (of the 150 claims it ruled on last year, it paid out eight), it has rewarded several people for reporting possible Ponzi scheme activity, as well as false marketing claims.

To be compensated as a whistleblower, a person need not have even worked for the company on which they submit information. Insiders have been more likely to get paid, though: Nearly half of the whistleblowers the SEC has rewarded so far were current or former employees of the company they accused of misconduct.

About the Author
By Jen Wieczner
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

SpaceX valuation now at over $2 trillion as stock climbs to $165 a share: Live updates from the IPO debut
InvestingSpaceX
SpaceX valuation now at over $2 trillion as stock climbs to $165 a share: Live updates from the IPO debut
By Catherina GioinoJune 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Roche and Nestlé fear talent crunch as Switzerland puts population cap to the polls
EuropeSwitzerland
Roche and Nestlé fear talent crunch as Switzerland puts population cap to the polls
By Sam ForsdickJune 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for June 12, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for June 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for June 12, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for June 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks June 12, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on June 12, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago
Current price of gold as of June 12, 2026
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of June 12, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 12, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
2 days ago
When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
Investing
When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
By Jim EdwardsJune 12, 2026
6 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
1 day ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.