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 CHARGES FORMER HEAD OF NATURAL GAS TRADING DESK AT AEP ENERGY SERVICES, INC. WITH ATTEMPTED MANIPULATION AND FALSE REPORTING; Joseph P. Foley Allegedly Directed the Submission of Thousands of False Reports About Natural Gas Trades to Skew Natural Gas Indexes
CFTC ASSISTS IN SUCCESSFUL CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF STUART MICHAEL HELFFRICH, Convicted of Wire Fraud and Fraudulent Conversion of his Customers' Commodity Futures Positions
CFTC Fines Foreign Futures and Options Broker Credit Lyonnais Rouse Limited for Entering Illegal, Prearranged Futures Trades on U.S. Markets
CFTC FREEZES OVER $1.5 MILLION OF HEDGE FUND'S ASSETS IN FRAUD CASE; CFTC Charges Stuart Pippin, Individually And Doing Business As Pippin Investments, With Fraud For Issuing False Trading Results To Pool Participants
CFTC SUES FORMER BROOKLYN RESIDENT DAWN MUSOROFITI FOR COMMODITIES FRAUD; CFTC Alleges That Musorofiti Defrauded Customers By Promising Large Profits Without Risk and Pretending to Be a New York Mercantile Exchange Broker
HAWAIIAN RESIDENT BARRY SCHOTZ ORDERED TO PAY $4.5 MILLION IN SETTLEMENT OF CFTC FRAUD ACTION; Court Also Enjoins Los Angeles-Area Resident Randolph Gale in Same Commodity Pool Fraud Scheme
CFTC Revokes Registration of Palomino Capital Management, A Commodity Pool Operator in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
CFTC BRINGS FRAUD CHARGES AGAINST FLORIDA FATHER AND SON, JACK AND CHRIS SMITHERS; CFTC Alleges That Jack and Chris Smithers, and Their Company, Prosperity Consultants, Inc., Fraudulently Solicited Customers to Trade Commodity Futures Contracts; Chris Smithers Also Charged With Breach of Prior Injunction
CFTC SUSPENDS AND RESTRICTS REGISTRATION OF CHICAGO MERCANTILE EXCHANGE TRADER DEAN KAULENTIS; Cattle Trader's Registration Suspended for Six Weeks and Then Restricted for Three Years
CFTC CHARGES FLORIDA FOREIGN CURRENCY FIRM PRESIDENTIAL FX, INC. AND TWO EMPLOYEES WITH FRAUD; CFTC Alleges That Firm and Employee Joseph Marchiano Fraudulently Solicited Customers to Trade Foreign Currency Options; Adam León is Charged as a Controlling Person of Presidential