An SEC whistleblower is anyone — an employee, a former employee, an investor, or an outside analyst — who voluntarily reports original information about a securities law violation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Whistleblowers who provide information leading to an SEC enforcement action of $1 million or more can receive an award of 10% to 30% of the money collected, and federal law protects them from being fired, demoted, or harassed for reporting. Silver Law Group and the Law Firm of David R. Chase represent SEC whistleblowers nationwide on a contingency-fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover an award for you. Our team includes a former SEC Enforcement Attorney, and we've helped a client recover an SEC award of nearly $20 million.
How Do SEC Whistleblower Awards Work?- Award range: 10% to 30% of the monetary sanctions the SEC collects in a successful enforcement action.
- Minimum threshold: the SEC action must result in sanctions of more than $1 million.
- What counts: violations of federal securities laws — including the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. State-only securities violations are not covered.
- Anonymity: you can submit your tip to the SEC anonymously if you're represented by an attorney.
- No cost to you: we work on contingency, so there's no upfront fee — we're only paid if you receive an award.
What Types of Securities Fraud Can You Report?- Insider trading
- Ponzi schemes and other investment fraud
- Accounting fraud and false financial statements
- Market manipulation
- Cryptocurrency fraud
- Hedge fund fraud and excessive or undisclosed fees
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations
- Private placement fraud
- Investment Adviser Fraud
- Hedge Fund Fraud
- Federal Securities Violations
See the full list of securities violations that qualify →
Are You Protected From Retaliation for Reporting?Yes. The Dodd-Frank Act prohibits your employer from firing, demoting, suspending, harassing, or otherwise retaliating against you for reporting securities violations to the SEC.
- If you're retaliated against, you have a private right of action against your employer.
- Available remedies include reinstatement, double back pay with interest, and reimbursement of litigation costs and attorney's fees.
- Filing deadline: generally six years from the retaliatory act, or three years from when you knew or should have known the facts material to the claim (whichever is later) — but never more than ten years after the violation.
Why Work With Silver Law Group & the Law Firm of David R. Chase- A former SEC Enforcement Attorney on your team. David Chase spent nearly four years as Senior Counsel in the SEC's Division of Enforcement, giving our team direct insight into how the SEC evaluates a tip.
- Real results. We've helped a client recover an SEC whistleblower award of nearly $20 million.
- No cost unless we win. We represent whistleblowers on a contingency-fee basis.
- Recognized by peers. AV Preeminent rated (Martindale-Hubbell), listed in Super Lawyers and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
- National practice, offices in New York and Florida. We represent whistleblowers across the country, not just where our offices are located.
Frequently Asked Questions Can Anyone Be an SEC Whistleblower and Receive an Award?Yes. You don't need to be an employee of the company you're reporting. Employees, former employees, investors, and outside analysts can all qualify, as long as your information is voluntary, original, and leads to a successful SEC enforcement action of at least $1 million.
Can I Be Fired for Reporting a Violation to the SEC?No — and if you are, you have legal recourse. The Dodd-Frank Act makes it illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for reporting to the SEC, and you can sue for reinstatement, double back pay, and attorney's fees if they do.
Will My Employer Find Out I Filed an SEC Whistleblower Claim?Not if you don't want them to. You can submit your information to the SEC anonymously as long as you're represented by an attorney, who submits the tip on your behalf.
What Will I Actually Receive if the SEC Acts on My Information?If your information leads to a successful SEC enforcement action with sanctions over $1 million, you're eligible for an award of 10% to 30% of the amount collected.
How Are SEC Whistleblower Attorneys Paid?On contingency. We don't charge any upfront fee — we're only paid a percentage if you receive an SEC award.
I Lost Money to Securities Fraud — Am I a Whistleblower or Just a Victim?You can be both. If you were defrauded and you report what happened to the SEC with information they don't already have, you may be eligible for a whistleblower award in addition to any separate recovery as a victim.
What Other Agencies Have Whistleblower Programs Besides the SEC?The CFTC (commodities and derivatives fraud), the IRS (tax fraud), and the DOJ (False Claims Act matters) all run similar whistleblower award programs. Ask us if your information might qualify under more than one.
Talk to an SEC Whistleblower Attorney TodayIf you have information about securities fraud, an initial consultation is free and confidential.
Call (800) 975-4345 or contact us online.
- New York: 229 W 36th St, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018 — (212) 377-5227
- Florida: 11780 W Sample Rd, Coral Springs, FL 33065 — (954) 755-4799
Silver Law Group & The Law Firm of David Chase Home
Your Privacy Choices