Market Manipulation. Search

Market manipulation case library

This library records 2,117 market manipulation enforcement actions brought by financial regulators, each with the agency, the date, the alleged technique, the monetary relief ordered and a link to the regulator's own filing. The whole dataset is downloadable as JSON.

Actions
2,117
Total penalties
$15.4bn
Median penalty
$258k
Agencies
2
Techniques
36

Browse by facet

Every facet below is a real page with its own URL, so it works without JavaScript and can be linked, bookmarked and cited.

By technique

Insider trading 608 Ponzi schemes 532 Paid stock promotion 219 Unregistered distributions 136 Pump and dump 121 Undisclosed control blocks 119 Spoofing 114 Wash trading 90 Price manipulation 72 Boiler rooms 71 Reverse merger schemes 66 The naked short selling debate 41 Benchmark submission rigging 32 Matched orders 24 Churning 19 Free riding and parking 18 Fake press releases 16 Layering 15 Newsletter scalping 15 Marking the close 10 Cash versus derivatives schemes 10 Front running 9 Shell factories 8 Chat group pumps 6 False rumours 5 Custodianship shell hijacking 5 Settlement price manipulation 4 Exchange wash trading 3 Banging the close 3 FX fixing 3 Engineered short squeeze 2 Marking the open 1 Rug pulls 1 Insider listing trading 1 Oracle manipulation 1 Float locking 1

By agency

CFTC 349 SEC 1768

By year filed

2026 85 2025 103 2024 182 2023 202 2022 174 2021 142 2020 178 2019 181 2018 221 2017 210 2016 179 2015 205 2014 27 2013 28

Ranked lists: largest penalties · largest spoofing penalties · longest sentences · most-charged individuals · biggest crypto cases · most active courts

All actions, newest first

Action Agency Filed Technique Penalty Status
SEC v. BitClave PTE Ltd. (unregistered distributions, 2020) SEC 2020-05-28 Unregistered Distributions $400k settled
SEC v. Ares Management LLC (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-05-26 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Paul Ewer (boiler rooms, 2020) SEC 2020-05-22 Boiler Rooms — unknown
SEC v. Robert Gilbert (boiler rooms, 2020) SEC 2020-05-22 Boiler Rooms — judgment
CFTC v. Danish Man (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-05-18 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Turbo Global Partners, Inc. and Robert W. Singerman (boiler rooms, 2020) SEC 2020-05-14 Boiler Rooms — filed
SEC v. Clinton Maurice Tucker II (boiler rooms, 2020) SEC 2020-05-11 Boiler Rooms — filed
CFTC v. Trader and His Firm (wash trading, 2020) CFTC 2020-05-07 Wash Trading $150k judgment
SEC v. Damon Elliott, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-05-06 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Zhuobin Hong, et al. (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-05-05 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. American Bondholders Foundation, LLC and Jonna Bianco (unregistered distributions, 2020) SEC 2020-04-30 Unregistered Distributions $65k settled
SEC v. Wei Duan (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-04-30 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Aequitas Management, LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-04-24 Ponzi Schemes $625k judgment
SEC v. Biltmore International Corporation (naked short selling debate, 2020) SEC 2020-04-24 Naked Short Selling Debate , Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Jeffrey G. Klein (boiler rooms, 2020) SEC 2020-04-24 Boiler Rooms — unknown
SEC v. Barry R. Bekkedam (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-04-22 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Amir Waldman, et al. (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-04-17 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Brian Robert Sodi, CPA (newsletter scalping, 2020) SEC 2020-04-17 Newsletter Scalping , Unregistered Distributions — judgment
SEC v. Bryan Cohen and George Nikas (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-03-30 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Benjamin Kirkland (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-03-27 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. David M. Mahan (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-03-26 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Kendricks, et al., Hamed A. Ettu (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-03-23 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Scott O. Hirsch and Kenneth L. Friedman (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-03-19 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Denis Georgiyevich Sotnikov, et al. (spoofing, 2020) SEC 2020-03-16 Spoofing — filed
SEC v. Stacey Beane, Justin Deckert and Travis Laska (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-13 Ponzi Schemes $30k judgment
SEC v. BMA Securities, LLC (naked short selling debate, 2020) SEC 2020-03-12 Naked Short Selling Debate — settled
SEC v. David G. Dreslin, CPA (reverse merger schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-12 Reverse Merger Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Barry Honig, et al. (pump and dump, 2020) SEC 2020-03-11 Pump And Dump — judgment
SEC v. Todays Growth Consultant Inc. and Kenneth D. Courtright, III (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-06 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Tomer Feingold and Dov Malnik (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-03-06 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Brook Church-Koegel, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-03-05 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Bradley Davis (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-02-28 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Shawn Severson (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-02-28 Paid Stock Promotion $3.5k settled
SEC v. Steven Seagal (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-02-27 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Charles F. Kerwin (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-02-24 Insider Trading $47.4k settled
SEC v. Kit Mun Chan, Lau Kean Chong, Chong Poui Fan, Binji Lu, and Youn Chien Wong (matched orders, 2020) SEC 2020-02-21 Matched Orders — judgment
CFTC v. Investment Firm and VP (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-02-20 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Jon L. Aronson and Elliet N. Aronson (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-02-20 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Richard Lee, et al. (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-02-20 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. EquiAlt LLC et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-02-18 Ponzi Schemes — filed
CFTC v. Colorado Resident (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-02-14 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Marc A. Celello, Esq. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-02-13 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Charlie Jinan Chen and Shui Foon Mok (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-02-05 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Cannell Capital, LLC (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-02-04 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Bill Tsai (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-01-31 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. DFRF Enterprises LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-31 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Michael Douglas Billings and MDB Group, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-31 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Edward E. Matthes (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-28 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. David Aubel and Robert Raffa (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-01-27 Paid Stock Promotion $150k judgment
SEC v. Jeffrey P. Carpoff and Paulette Carpoff (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-24 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Benjamin L. Bunker, Esq. (pump and dump, 2020) SEC 2020-01-23 Pump And Dump , Reverse Merger Schemes +1 — unknown
CFTC v. Australian Company (spoofing, 2020) CFTC 2020-01-21 Spoofing $462k judgment
SEC v. Guy Scott Griffithe, Robert William Russell, Renewable Technologies Solution, Inc., Green Acres Pharms, LLC, and others (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-21 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Drake et al., Messier et al., Brooks (boiler rooms, 2020) SEC 2020-01-16 Boiler Rooms — judgment
SEC v. Lidingo Holdings, LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2020) SEC 2020-01-14 Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
CFTC v. South Korean Company (spoofing, 2020) CFTC 2020-01-13 Spoofing $700k judgment
SEC v. Robert O. Carr and Katherine M. Hanratty (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-01-13 Insider Trading $251k judgment
CFTC v. US Coin Bullion LLC and its Owners (ponzi schemes, 2020) CFTC 2020-01-10 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Bajic et al., Ciapala et al. (unregistered distributions, 2020) SEC 2020-01-10 Unregistered Distributions — filed
SEC v. John James Sheehan, Jr. (unregistered distributions, 2020) SEC 2020-01-10 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Donald G. Blakstad (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-01-08 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Edward Espinal and Cash Flow Partners, LLC (ponzi schemes, 2020) SEC 2020-01-07 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Luke Christopher Zouvas, Esq. (pump and dump, 2020) SEC 2020-01-07 Pump And Dump — judgment
SEC v. Ulrik Debo (custodianship shell hijacking, 2020) SEC 2020-01-03 Custodianship Shell Hijacking , Pump And Dump +1 — filed
SEC v. James V. Mazzo, et al. (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-01-02 Insider Trading $56k judgment
SEC v. Pinto-Thomaz, et al. (insider trading, 2020) SEC 2020-01-02 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Amir Waldman, et al. (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-12-23 Insider Trading — judgment
CFTC v. Executive at Global Investment Bank (price manipulation, 2019) CFTC 2019-12-20 Price Manipulation — filed
SEC v. S. Paul Kelley, et al. (reverse merger schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-20 Reverse Merger Schemes , Unregistered Distributions — unknown
SEC v. Songjiang Wang (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-12-20 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Janardhan Nellore et al. (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-12-18 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Robert A. Karmann (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-18 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Sam A. Antar (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-18 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. John Special, Defendant, and Michael Murphy, Relief Defendant, John Kenneth Davidson (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-12-12 Insider Trading $1.5m judgment
CFTC v. New Mexico Resident (ponzi schemes, 2019) CFTC 2019-12-10 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Christopher Collins, et al. (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-12-10 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Jeffrey O. Friedland, Global Corporate Strategies LLC., and Intiva Pharma, LLC (paid stock promotion, 2019) SEC 2019-12-09 Paid Stock Promotion $2m judgment
SEC v. Lester Burroughs (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-12-05 Ponzi Schemes — filed
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (spoofing, 2019) CFTC 2019-11-25 Spoofing — unknown
SEC v. Brett Pittsenbargar, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-11-25 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Kevin B. Merrill, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-11-25 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Bandimere and others (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-11-22 Ponzi Schemes , Unregistered Distributions $130k settled
SEC v. Richard Lee, et al. (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-11-21 Insider Trading $130k judgment
SEC v. Ruless Pierre a/k/a Rules Pierre (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-11-21 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Burkholz, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-11-20 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. James S. Kimmel (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-11-19 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Sebastian Pinto-Thomaz (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-11-12 Insider Trading — judgment
CFTC v. Mitsubishi Corporation RtM Japan Ltd. (spoofing, 2019) CFTC 2019-11-07 Spoofing $500k judgment
CFTC v. Proprietary Trading Firm (spoofing, 2019) CFTC 2019-11-07 Spoofing $24.4m judgment
SEC v. David N. Osegueda, et al. (pump and dump, 2019) SEC 2019-11-06 Pump And Dump — judgment
SEC v. Richard Eden, et al. and Dale Pearlman (undisclosed control blocks, 2019) SEC 2019-11-04 Undisclosed Control Blocks $125k settled
SEC v. Bovorn Rungruangnavarat (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-10-31 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. DFRF Enterprises LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-10-29 Ponzi Schemes $1m judgment
SEC v. Benjamin Taylor, Darina Windsor and Joseph Abdul Noor El-Khouri (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-10-22 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Bryan Cohen and George Nikas (insider trading, 2019) SEC 2019-10-22 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Joseph Bayliss and Ronald Roach (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-10-22 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Michael J. Starkweather and Andiamo Corporation, William White (matched orders, 2019) SEC 2019-10-17 Matched Orders , Paid Stock Promotion — filed
CFTC v. Nevada Company and its Owner (ponzi schemes, 2019) CFTC 2019-10-16 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (ponzi schemes, 2019) CFTC 2019-10-15 Ponzi Schemes $12.6m judgment
SEC v. Eric J. "EJ" Dalius et al. (ponzi schemes, 2019) SEC 2019-10-15 Ponzi Schemes , Undisclosed Control Blocks — unknown