Whistleblower Protection Law Blog - Page 2 of 24

CFTC Strengthens Anti-Retaliation Protections for Whistleblowers and Improves CFTC Whistleblower Award Program

On May 22, 2017, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) unanimously approved amendments to its whistleblower rules that strengthen anti-retaliation protections for whistleblowers, prohibit “gag clauses” in employment agreements, and improve the CFTC Whistleblower Award Program. James McDonald, the Director of the CFTC Division of Enforcement, said the CFTC’s “approval of these rules today will … Continued

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SEC Whistleblower Attorneys Release eBook SEC Whistleblower Program: Tips from SEC Whistleblower Attorneys to Maximize an SEC Whistleblower Award

Zuckerman Law, one of the nation’s leading law firms representing whistleblowers in whistleblower rewards and whistleblower retaliation claims, has released a free eBook about the SEC’s Whistleblower Program. The SEC Whistleblower Program: Tips from SEC Whistleblower Attorneys to Maximize an SEC Whistleblower Award, which is available for download here, offers practical tips for whistleblowers and … Continued

Whistleblower Attorney Dallas Hammer Interviewed by Bloomberg About Dodd-Frank Protected Whistleblowing

Bloomberg Law Securities Law Daily interviewed whistleblower attorney Dallas Hammer about the scope of protected whistleblower under the Dodd-Frank Act for an article titled High Court Petitioned on Whistle-Blower Retaliation Issue. The article reports that Digital Realty Trust is requesting Supreme Court review of a Ninth Circuit decision holding that the Dodd-Frank Act protects internal whistleblowing. The Ninth Circuit’s decision is … Continued

Whistleblower Lawyer Will Speak at PLI Seminar on Corporate Whistleblowing

Whistleblower lawyer Jason Zuckerman will speak at the PLI Institute seminar on Corporate Whistleblowing in 2017 on June 28, 2017 in New York. To register, click here. Zuckerman is privileged to join a panel on legal developments in the Whistleblower Space with Christopher Ehrman, Renee Phillips, and Teri M. Wigger. The panel will address key … Continued

Whistleblower Attorney Chairing CLE on Whistleblower Rights of Private Sector Employees

Washington DC Whistleblower attorney Jason Zuckerman is chairing a DC Bar CLE on the whistleblower rights of private sector employees on May 16, 2017 from 5:30 pm to 8:45 pm. To register, click here. Don’t miss this chance to catch up on recent developments under whistleblower reward and whistleblower protection laws, including developments under the … Continued

OSC Urges Ninth Circuit to Adopt Suitable Exhaustion Requirement

In an amicus brief filed with the Ninth Circuit, the Office of Special Counsel urges reversal of a MSPB decision that imposes an onerous administrative exhaustion requirement on IRA appellants seeking relief at the Board under the Whistleblower Protection Act. In Johnen v. Department of the Army, the Board held that to satisfy the exhaustion … Continued

Ponzi Scheme SEC Whistleblower Attorneys

SEC Cracking Down on Ponzi Schemes On April 14, 2017, a federal judge granted a bid by the SEC to force former head fund manager Francisco Illarramendi to pay nearly $27 million for his role in a Ponzi scheme. According to the court’s order, Illarramendi was the mastermind behind an elaborate five-year scheme to … Continued

Whistleblowers with axes to grind are protected

“Wrongdoing is no less wrong because it was brought to light by an employee with an axe to grind[,]” argues the U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) in a recent amicus brief in a Whistleblower Protection Act case. Last week, the OSC filed an amicus brief about whether a federal employee must have “pure” motives when … Continued

EB-5 Visa Scandal Underscores the Critical Role Whistleblowers Play in Exposing EB-5 Fraud

$50M EB-5 Visa Scandal On April 5, 2017, federal authorities raided a business run by a California attorney and her father that is suspected of orchestrating a $50 million EB-5 visa scheme. According to the court filings, the father-daughter company, California Investment Immigration Fund, LLC (CIIF), raised money from more than 100 Chinese investors for … Continued

SEC Scrutinizes “Fake News” Stock Promotion Schemes

SEC Enforcement Action Targeting Stock Promotion Schemes On April 10, 2017, the SEC announced enforcement actions against 27 individuals and entities for improper stock promotion schemes. According to the press release, the SEC uncovered scenarios in which public companies hired communication firms to generate publicity for their stocks, and the firms subsequently hired writers to … Continued

Sarbanes-Oxley Protects Disclosures About Inadequate Information Security Controls

SOX Whistleblower Defeats Motion to Dismiss On March 30, 2017, a Florida district court denied Tyco International Management Company’s (Tyco) motion to dismiss a Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) retaliation claim brought by its former Manager of Financial Reporting, Carolina Thomas. According to the order, Thomas raised concerns to Tyco’s management about: (1) the falsity and inadequacy of … Continued

OSHA Orders Wells Fargo to Pay $5.4M to Whistleblower

Wells Fargo Whistleblower Prevails at OSHA In what appears to be the largest DOL damages award in a Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower retaliation case, today OSHA issued an order requiring Wells Fargo to pay $5.4M to a bank manager who was abruptly dismissed from his position after he reported separate incidents of suspected bank, mail and wire … Continued