U.S. Congressional Legislation: Whistleblowers

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (.pdf) contains various provisions that offer incentives and strengthen protections for whistleblowers.

Under the law, whistleblowers are directed to report fraud cases directly to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). For original information that results in more than $1 million in sanctions, the whistleblower can receive from 10 to 30 percent of the amount obtained by the SEC or CFTC. The award amount depends on how vital the information was in pursuing the case and the degree of assistance provided by the whistleblower. Awards will not be given to a whistleblower who was convicted of a crime related to the fraud he or she reported.