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 SUES MINNEAPOLIS-BASED NRG ENERGY, INC., CHARGING NRG WITH FALSELY REPORTING NATURAL GAS TRADES
SOUTH FLORIDA FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRADING FIRMS CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING CUSTOMERS, COURT FREEZES DEFENDANTS' ASSETS; Worldwide Forex, Inc., Global Atlantic Management, Inc., and A Principal Allegedly Told Customers that the Possibility of War with Iraq Would Result in Significant Profits
FRAUD CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST FLORIDA FOREIGN CURRENCY FIRMS AND EMPLOYEES; CFTC Alleges that Sterling Trading Group, Inc., Universal FX, Inc., and Employees Joseph Arsenault and Andrew Stern Defrauded Customers and Defendant Graystone Browne Financial, Inc. Charged with Offering Illegal Option Contracts
FLORIDA BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES CHARGED WITH FRAUD; CFTC Alleges that Next Financial Services Unlimited, Inc., New World Trading, LLC, and Employees Aaron Ettinger and Robert LaRocca Fraudulently Solicited Customers to Trade Illegal, Off-Exchange Foreign Currency Option Contracts; Federal Court Enters Order Freezing Defendants' Assets
CFTC CHARGES FLORIDA OPTIONS FIRM FIRST AMERICAN INVESTMENT SERVICES, INC., WITH DEFRAUDING CUSTOMERS OF OVER $12 MILLION; First American President Steve Knowles and Employees Michael Savitsky, Adam Mills, Greg Allotta, and James Eulo Allegedly Lied When Pitching Commodity Options to Customers
FEDERAL COURT ORDERS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOREIGN CURRENCY SALESMEN TO REPAY CUSTOMERS MORE THAN $870,000
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ORDERED TO PAY MORE THAN $800,000 IN COMMODITY FRAUD ACTION; Defendants Paris DeLesseppes and John E. Lassen Ordered to Repay Over $333,000 to Investors and Pay Civil Monetary Penalties Totaling $480,000
CFTC CHARGES PANAMANIAN CORPORATION WITH SALE OF ILLEGAL OFF-EXCHANGE FOREIGN CURRENCY FUTURES CONTRACTS TO CUSTOMERS; CFTC Alleges that Axess Trade Co., Inc. Illegally Solicits Customers Through the Internet to Trade Foreign Currency Futures Contracts
FEDERAL COURT ORDERS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES AND OTHERS TO PAY MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN RESTITUTION AND PENALTIES IN FOREIGN CURRENCY FUTURES FRAUD ACTION; Federal Court Finds All Defendants Liable for Fraud and Illegal Sale of Foreign Currency Futures Contracts
CFTC CHARGES SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, BUSINESSMAN & WEBSITE OPERATOR JAMES WEATHERFORD WITH FRAUD IN SOLICITING CUSTOMERS TO TRADE S&P 500 E-MINI FUTURES CONTRACTS