IWA represents international whistleblowers who report commodities laws violations and seek an award under the CFTC whistleblower program.
If you have information regarding a violation of the Commody Exchange Act, there is no better ally than the International Whistleblower Advocates. Our advocates include former SEC Commissioner Allison Lee, and former SEC Enforcement Attorney Andrew Feller
What is the CFTC Whistleblower Program?
Established in 2010 under Dodd-Frank, the CFTC Whistleblower Program offers monetary awards to anyone, regardless of nationality, whose tip leads to a successful enforcement action exceeding $1 million in sanctions.
IWA team has been instrumental in the development of the CFTC Whistleblower Program, where we worked directly with Congressional office that oversee and administer the program to ensure it continues to thrive and support commodities fraud whistleblowers.
We have over 100 years of combined experience drafting the laws and representing whistleblowers in high-profile commodities and securities whistleblower cases where fraud, manipulation, or other violations were brought to light.
If you have inside information about a violation of the CEA and seek legal representation or assistance in filling for an award, get in touch with IWA today for a free and confidential consultation. In most cases, we do not get paid unless we help you obtain an award.
Our CFTC Whistleblower Practice
IWA represents whistleblowers who have inside information regarding a violation of the CEA, which may include commodities fraud and manipulation, deceptive or misleading investment scams, insider trading, and regulatory violations, among other misconduct.
Common manipulation includes spoofing, wash trading, and corner, but also frauds such as commodity pool fraud, Ponzi schemes, forex fraud, binary options fraud, precious metals fraud, and frauds involving digital assets or cryptocurrencies.
These are just a few examples among thousands that present themselves every year. If you believe you have strong and credible evidence of a violation, you have the right to file Form TCR (tip, complaint or referral) to the CFTC and may be eligible for an award and protection against retaliation if it occurs.
Given the complexity of properly filing a TCR and seeing the investigation through, it’s strongly advised that you seek a commodities fraud whistleblower attorney.
Our Service to You If you contact IWA, we can help you with the following:
Case Evaluation: An attorney evaluates whether your information qualifies as “original information,” whether the potential violations are likely to result in sanctions exceeding $1 million, and whether you face any eligibility disqualifiers. They can also identify if your claim might be stronger under a different program (SEC, FinCEN, IRS).
Presenting Information to the Commission: An attorney can help create a winning strategy, ensuring the information presented resonates with enforcement staff. For example, they can highlight the most evidence, connect conduct to specific CEA violations, and quantify potential harm. A well-organized submission can move your tip to the top of the pile.
Anonymous Filing: an attorney is not required to file a TCR anonymously but you will need to provide contact information. However, if you want to remain anonymous, a commodities fraud attorney can serve as your intermediary with the CFTC, shielding your identity while ensuring communication flows properly. They handle the specific certification requirements for anonymous submissions.
Protection Against Retaliation: it is illegal for the fraudster to harass, demote, terminate, or punish a whistleblower for submitting a tip. An attorney can advise on anti-retaliation protections under the CEA, help document any adverse employment actions, and pursue retaliation claims if your employer retaliates against you.
Navigating Investigations: often the Commission comes back with requests for more information. As the CFTC investigates, the attorneys manage communications, respond to requests for additional information, and ensure you don’t inadvertently harm your claim or expose yourself legally.
Award Application or Appeal: it’s easy to miss deadlines, submit improper applications, or accept lower percentages without understanding why. When sanctions are collected, an attorney can ensure award applications are written properly and advocate for the highest percentage possible of the 10-30% range. They can also appeal unfavorable determinations by the Commission.
Related Actions: you may not realize related actions exist or know how to claim awards from them. It’s important to know that in some cases, whistleblowers may be able to file tips to other agencies, such as the DOJ, SEC, FinCEN or the IRS, bringing related actions and potentially qualifying you for additional awards.
Having been instrumental in drafting the laws, our team has intimate knowledge of the CFTC Whistleblower Program and can represent you throughout the entire process to ensure the absolute best outcomes.
Ready to Submit a Tip?
If you have information about commodities or futures trading violations, reach out for a free and confidential consultation. We work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we secure an award.
With former enforcement attorneys and seasoned whistleblower advocates on our team, we bring firsthand regulatory experience to even the most sophisticated commodities fraud matters—no matter the complexity or scale of the violation or scheme.
Decades at the SEC and CFTC — Our co-chairs bring over 30 years of combined experience as securities and commodities enforcement attorneys, including senior roles at the SEC. That insider perspective means we understand exactly what regulators look for—and how to position your tip for maximum impact.
We Know the Playbook — Having worked within the government’s whistleblower programs, we understand the procedural nuances, evidentiary standards, and market dynamics that determine whether a case moves forward. That knowledge works directly in your favor.
Recognized Voices in Financial Regulation — Our attorneys are established authorities in securities and commodities law, with longstanding relationships across the regulatory landscape. We use that credibility to advocate effectively and help clients secure the awards they deserve
There are many rules and procedures and having us on your side will ensure that you’re in the best position to obtain a substantial award and potentially more. Get in touch if you’d like to speak with our international commodities fraud attorneys.
Overview of the CFTC Whistleblower Program
The CFTC Whistleblower Program was created by the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010. It provides monetary awards to insiders who come forward with information about a potential violation of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA). It also offers protection against retaliation, such as firing, demotion, pay cuts, harassment, and other forms of constructive discharge.
Key Elements of the CFTC Whistleblower Program:
Whistleblower Awards: CFTC awards are available to whistleblowers who provide original information about a violation or fraud. This award ranges between 10% to 30% of the monetary sanctions when they exceed $1 million. The percentage a whistleblower receives depends on many factors, which one of our attorneys can help you assess during the CFTC whistleblower award application process.
Anti-Retaliation Protection: The CEA prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who report potential violations. Whistleblowers who experience retaliation may be entitled to reinstatement, back pay, and compensation for litigation costs and attorneys’ fees.
Anonymous Reporting: whistleblowers can submit a TCR anonymously with or without the help of an attorney. The CFTC will treat a whistleblowers identity as confidential and ensure it’s shielded from the public. Whistleblowers should strongly consider hiring an attorney to add an extra layer of protection and help guide you through the complex process of whistleblowing.
Wide Coverage of Violations: The program covers violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, including market manipulation (spoofing, wash trading), commodity pool fraud, forex and retail commodity fraud, and increasingly, cryptocurrency fraud involving digital assets classified as commodities.
Related Actions: Whistleblowers may also receive awards based on sanctions collected in related actions brought by other authorities—such as the DOJ, SEC, or state regulators—when those actions are based on the same original information provided to the CFTC.
Key Eligibility Requirements
First and most importantly, the enforcement action must result in monetary sanctions exceeding $1 million. Second, whistleblowers must voluntarily submit original information — meaning information derived from independent knowledge or analysis not already known to the CFTC. The submission must occur before the CFTC contacts you about the matter. Individuals or groups can qualify based on their contribution; but entities do not.
Contact Us Today
Most CFTC whistleblower attorneys—such as IWA—represent clients on a contingency basis. This means we don’t get paid unless we win your case and an award is collected.
Our attorneys will fight tooth and nail to ensure that you get the best representation and outcome that you deserve for doing what’s right.
Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about your rights and legal options!
