Florida is home to many firms whose business is regulated by federal securities law. And since the financial industry is alive and well in the Sunshine State, so are opportunities to make a dishonest profit at the expense of others in the market. In fact, because Florida has a large population of older people, it has special consumer protection laws aimed at that demographic.
People who are aware of securities law violations in Florida or anywhere else in the United States have a way to come forward. Since 2010, federal law has provided a whistleblower program at the Securities and Exchange Commission. If they provide original information that leads to a significant financial penalty against the wrongdoer, they can earn a monetary award of 10% to 30% of that amount. But it pays to know the rules, because whistleblowers’ conduct can determine whether they receive that money and how much they receive.
Risk and RewardThe SEC whistleblower program was created as part of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, which followed an economic collapse blamed on malfeasance in the market. The idea behind the whistleblower program was to give insiders in the financial industry a reason to come forward with non-public information that the SEC might not otherwise receive.
In recognition of the risk that those whistleblowers take, the SEC keeps whistleblowers’ identities confidential by default. The Commission will disclose those identities to another government agency if passing the case along, but the other agency is still bound by confidentiality. It will also disclose names in response to lawful court orders. The program also provides a way to keep your name out of the SEC’s hands by submitting anonymously, routing all communications through an SEC whistleblower attorney.
That’s necessary because to collect an award, you must cooperate as needed with the SEC’s investigation. Cooperating also makes it more likely that you will collect an award at the high end of the scale. Other factors that work in your favor include the importance of your information, how promptly you reported it, and your cooperation with any internal investigation at work.
Experienced CounselIf you’re interested in maximizing your chances of a high whistleblower award, you should get help from an experienced Florida SEC whistleblower attorney. Even if you don’t need an attorney for anonymity, they can help you present your information in a way that is most likely to be attractive to the SEC, help you follow all the rules and cooperate with the Commission, and make sure you don’t miss your chance to apply for the award at the end of the case.
The Law Firm of David R. Chase and Silver Law has extensive experience helping clients before the SEC. David Chase is a former Miami SEC enforcement attorney who understands how the agency builds its cases. Scott Silver was an early proponent of the whistleblower program, writing an acclaimed outline that he makes available free of charge. And they offer free consultations so that you can talk to them about your rights and your options with no risk. To set one up, call 1-800-975-4345 or send a message online.