SEC issues $279 million whistleblower award — biggest in agency history

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday announced an award of nearly $279 million to a whistleblower whose information helped the agency with enforcement. It’s the highest amount in the whistleblower program’s history, the agency said, more than doubling a $114 million payment made in October 2020. Gurbir Grewal, the SEC’s enforcement director, said whistleblower tips have aided enforcement actions resulting in bad actors disgorging more than $4 billion in ill-gotten gains and interest. The SEC did not name a company in its press release. The agency does not disclose information about whistleblowers’ identities….