What misconduct can someone report to the CFTC and be paid as a whistleblower?

Whistleblowers can report any violation of the Commodity Exchange Act to the CFTC. The Commodity Exchange Act and related regulations cover the interstate sale of commodities and the U.S. derivatives market, including futures, options, and swaps.

Common violations of the Commodity Exchange Act include commodities fraud, misappropriation of customer funds, Ponzi schemes, and market manipulation. They also include a host of illegal trading practices such as making fictitious trades, “wash trading,” and unauthorized swap transactions.

The CFTC regularly enforces the Commodity Exchange Act against conduct that affects the pricing of benchmark interest rates, foreign exchange rates, cryptocurrency, precious metals, petrochemicals, agricultural crops, or other frequently traded commodities. 

A person whose report of misconduct leads to a successful CFTC enforcement action may be eligible for a monetary award from the CFTC.

To learn more about the CFTC whistleblower program and other similar programs, go to www.mololamken.com and follow us on LinkedIn. “Brilliant lawyers with courtroom savvy” — Benchmark Litigation. Copyright MoloLamken LLP 2025.