Enforcement Actions

The CFTC Division of Enforcement investigates and prosecutes alleged violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations. The CFTC takes enforcement actions against individuals and firms registered with the Commission, those who are engaged in commodity futures and option trading on designated domestic exchanges, and those who improperly market futures and options contracts.

View Dispositions
View Opinions and Adjudicatory Orders

Enforcement Advisory: Updated Advisory on Self Reporting and Full Cooperation

Enforcement Advisory: Cooperation Factors in Enforcement Division Sanction Recommendations for Individuals

Enforcement Advisory: Cooperation Factors in Enforcement Division Sanction Recommendations for Companies

Enforcement Advisory: Advisory on Self Reporting and Cooperation for CEA Violations Involving Foreign Corrupt Practices

See CFTC Press Release 7518-17 (January 19, 2017) and
Speech of James McDonald, Director of the Division of Enforcement Commodity Futures Trading Commission Regarding Perspectives on Enforcement: Self-Reporting and Cooperation at the CFTC (September 25, 2017)

Date ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
CFTC FINDS COMEX FLOOR BROKERS HENRY CHANDLER AND ERNEST PENNY COMMITTED FRAUD IN EXECUTING GOLD OPTIONS TRADES, AND FIVE OTHER FLOOR BROKERS ENGAGED IN NONCOMPETITIVE TRADING, AMONG OTHER VIOLATIONS OF THE FEDERAL COMMODITIES LAWS; CFTC Accepts Offers of Settlement from Henry Chandler, Robert Ferraioli, Michael Hammer, Ernest Penny, Tacho Sandoval, William Wosnack, and Stephen Seelenfreund
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADER CHARGED WITH $1.5 MILLION FRAUD; U.S. GOVERNMENT AND UTAH ATTORNEY GENERAL ALLEGE FRAUD AND THEFT BY DECEPTION; Federal Court Freezes Assets and Bars the Destruction of Books and Records
CFTC SUES IDAHO MAN FOR FRAUDULENTLY PROMOTING HIS COMMODITY TRADING SYSTEM; CFTC Alleges John Stenberg Made False Claims Concerning Profits Generated by His Commodity Trading System
NEW YORK FLOOR BROKER SETTLES CFTC ACTION CHARGING RECORDKEEPING VIOLATIONS; CFTC Order Requires Daniel Lipton to Pay A Civil Monetary Penalty and Restricts His Registration for Two Years
FLORIDA COURT FINDS TWO FLORIDA RESIDENTS AND THEIR FIRM COMMITTED COMMODITIES FRAUD; Defendants Matrix Trading Group, Inc., David Wedeen, and Christopher Smithers Are Ordered to Pay Restitution to Victims and Are Permanently Banned from All Commodity-Related Activity in CFTC Action
MICHIGAN COMMODITY TRADER SETTLES CFTC COMPLAINT CHARGING COMMODITY POOL FRAUD; Consent Order Finds that John F. O'Herron and O'Herron Asset Management, Inc. Fraudulently Diverted Approximately $1.4 Million of Investor Funds for Their Own Use
WASHINGTON STATE COMMODITY TRADING FIRM CHARGED WITH FRAUD IN THE SOLICITATION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY (FOREX) FUTURES ACCOUNTS; Defendant Sterling forex Lost $1.8 Million in Customer Investments
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES, INC. SETTLES CFTC RECORDKEEPING CHARGES; CFTC Orders Prudential Securities, Inc. to Pay $65,000 Civil Monetary Penalty
FLORIDA RESIDENT BARRED FROM COMMODITY TRADING IN GOVERNMENT ACTION; Defendants in CFTC Case Used Approximately $1 Million of Customer Funds to Pay Personal Expenses
CFTC SETTLES ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST FLOOR BROKER CHARGED WITH UNLAWFULLY TRADING COFFEE FUTURES; John Joyce Is Suspended For Three Months and Ordered to Pay $25,000 Penalty