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. Sam A. Antar (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-19 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Brian Raymond Callahan et al. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-17 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Green Stream Holdings, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. LiveWire Ergogenics, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Principal Solar, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. SFLMaven Corp. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Verde Bio Holdings, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions — settled
CFTC v. HSBC Bank USA (spoofing, 2023) CFTC 2023-05-12 Spoofing $45m judgment
SEC v. Alexander J. Dillon (undisclosed control blocks, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Undisclosed Control Blocks — judgment
SEC v. Cosmin I. Panait (undisclosed control blocks, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Undisclosed Control Blocks — judgment
SEC v. Discala et al. (price manipulation, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Price Manipulation — judgment
SEC v. Joshua David Nicholas, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
SEC v. Joshua Sason, et al. (Corrected) (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Unregistered Distributions — dismissed
SEC v. Todd Dobberfuhl (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Insider Trading — settled
CFTC v. Commodity Pool Operator Tyche Asset Management LLC and its Controlling Principal (ponzi schemes, 2023) CFTC 2023-05-11 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Charles T. Lawrence, Jr., et al. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-11 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Cedric Dewayne Griffin (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-04 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Brett M. Bartlett and others (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-03 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Carlos Eduardo Reyes Alvarez (wash trading, 2023) SEC 2023-05-01 Wash Trading — judgment
SEC v. Neil Bergquist; Up and Global SEZC; Coinme, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-04-28 Paid Stock Promotion , Unregistered Distributions $150k settled
CFTC v. Precious Metals Dealers and Their Owner (boiler rooms, 2023) CFTC 2023-04-25 Boiler Rooms — filed
SEC v. Betterment LLC (wash trading, 2023) SEC 2023-04-18 Wash Trading $9m settled
SEC v. No Respondents (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-04-18 Insider Trading — judgment
CFTC v. New York Resident (ponzi schemes, 2023) CFTC 2023-04-11 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Matthew Nicosia, William Reininger, Fabrizio Di Carlo, and Ronald Touchard (boiler rooms, 2023) SEC 2023-04-10 Boiler Rooms — judgment
SEC v. Darren L. Ofsink (reverse merger schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-04-04 Reverse Merger Schemes , Unregistered Distributions — judgment
SEC v. Michael J. French, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-04-04 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Michael T. Morris (price manipulation, 2023) SEC 2023-04-04 Price Manipulation — judgment
SEC v. Chatham Asset Management, LLC and Anthony Melchiorre (benchmark submission rigging, 2023) SEC 2023-04-03 Benchmark Submission Rigging $600k settled
SEC v. DiScala et al. (reverse merger schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-04-03 Reverse Merger Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Carnovale, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-31 Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
SEC v. Sean Wygovsky and Christopher Matthaei (front running, 2023) SEC 2023-03-31 Front Running , Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. William Andrew Stack, Esq. (undisclosed control blocks, 2023) SEC 2023-03-31 Undisclosed Control Blocks , Unregistered Distributions $333k judgment
SEC v. Surage Kamal Roshan Perera and Janues Capital Incorporated (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-03-29 Ponzi Schemes — filed
CFTC v. Chinese National (insider trading, 2023) CFTC 2023-03-28 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Aaron Cain McKnight, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-03-27 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Justin Sun et al. (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-24 Paid Stock Promotion , Unregistered Distributions +1 — settled
SEC v. Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Jake Joseph Paul (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Lindsay Dee Lohan (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Michele Anne Mason (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Miles Parks McCollum (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Shaffer Chimere Smith (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Brian Robert Sodi, et al. (newsletter scalping, 2023) SEC 2023-03-14 Newsletter Scalping , Pump And Dump — judgment
SEC v. Mahmoud Ali Abdelkader (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-03-09 Insider Trading $81.6k judgment
CFTC v. Coquest Inc. (insider trading, 2023) CFTC 2023-03-08 Insider Trading $2.5m settled
SEC v. Terren S. Peizer and Acuitas Group Holdings, LLC (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-03-08 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. BKCoin Management, LLC, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-03-06 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Adam S. Kaplan and Daniel E. Kaplan (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-03-03 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Cambria Capital, LLC (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-03-02 Unregistered Distributions $100k settled
SEC v. Stephen Keith Woodard, Sr. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-03-01 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Shawn E. Good (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-02-27 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Energy & Environmental Investments, LLC and others (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-02-24 Ponzi Schemes $1m judgment
CFTC v. Several People and Companies (ponzi schemes, 2023) CFTC 2023-02-23 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. James Andrew Stiles, Jr. & Edward Gray Stiles, Jr. (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-02-23 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Kevin A. Van de Grift and Gil Friedman (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-02-23 Insider Trading — filed
SEC v. Paul Anthony Pierce (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-02-17 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
CFTC v. California-based Company and Its CEO (ponzi schemes, 2023) CFTC 2023-02-16 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Milan Patel (false rumors, 2023) SEC 2023-02-16 False Rumors — filed
CFTC v. Three Puerto Rico Residents and Their Companies (ponzi schemes, 2023) CFTC 2023-02-13 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Olga Kuprina (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-02-08 Insider Trading , Spoofing — filed
SEC v. Randy Herschaft (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-01-30 Insider Trading $35.2k settled
SEC v. Donna Matuizek (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-01-27 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Austin D. Ellison-Meade (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-01-24 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Charlie Abujudeh (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-01-23 Paid Stock Promotion $414k judgment
SEC v. David S.Y. Chang (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-01-23 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Caroline Ellison and Zixiao "Gary" Wang (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-01-19 Paid Stock Promotion — settled
SEC v. Nexo Capital Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-01-19 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Samuel Bankman-Fried (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-01-19 Paid Stock Promotion — filed
SEC v. Covington & Burling LLP (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-01-12 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Yossi Engel (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-01-12 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
CFTC v. Avraham Eisenberg (oracle manipulation, 2023) CFTC 2023-01-10 Oracle Manipulation — filed
SEC v. Lawrence Billimek and Alan Williams (front running, 2022) SEC 2022-12-20 Front Running — unknown
SEC v. Honeywell International Inc. (Corrected) (wash trading, 2022) SEC 2022-12-19 Wash Trading — unknown
CFTC v. Commodity Pool Operators and Their Co-Chief Investment Officer (price manipulation, 2022) CFTC 2022-12-15 Price Manipulation — filed
CFTC v. Minnesota Registrant (spoofing, 2022) CFTC 2022-12-12 Spoofing $550k judgment
SEC v. In Ovations Holdings, Inc. and Mark Goldberg (fake press releases, 2022) SEC 2022-12-09 Fake Press Releases , Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
SEC v. Vincent Issier (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-12-06 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Joseph R. Earle Jr, Barry D. Reagh, William Clayton, Francis T. Dudley, Steven E. Bryant, Upper Street Marketing, Inc. and Project Growth International, Inc. (boiler rooms, 2022) SEC 2022-12-05 Boiler Rooms , Pump And Dump — unknown
SEC v. PFP Entrust Corp. (unregistered distributions, 2022) SEC 2022-12-05 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Bruce Conway et al. (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-12-02 Insider Trading — unknown
CFTC v. Jeremy Spence (ponzi schemes, 2022) CFTC 2022-12-01 Ponzi Schemes $2.8m judgment
SEC v. Yinghang "James" Yang and Yuanbiao Chen (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-11-30 Insider Trading $246k judgment
SEC v. Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. (matched orders, 2022) SEC 2022-11-21 Matched Orders — settled
SEC v. Tang and Jason Jianxun, CPA (reverse merger schemes, 2022) SEC 2022-11-17 Reverse Merger Schemes — dismissed
SEC v. Charles Rustin Holzer, Fernando Motta Moraes (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-11-16 Insider Trading — judgment
SEC v. Adrian J. Kawuba, Civ. Action (ponzi schemes, 2022) SEC 2022-11-14 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Brian Wong (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-11-10 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. PIC Renegade Properties, LLC (unregistered distributions, 2022) SEC 2022-11-09 Unregistered Distributions — settled
SEC v. Douver Torres Braga, Joff Paradise, and Keleionalani Akana Taylor, Jonathan Tetreault (ponzi schemes, 2022) SEC 2022-11-04 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Geraci and Paul (boiler rooms, 2022) SEC 2022-11-04 Boiler Rooms — unknown
SEC v. Michael E. Mueller (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-11-04 Insider Trading — settled
SEC v. Scott David Mahoney (paid stock promotion, 2022) SEC 2022-11-04 Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
SEC v. Jeremy K. Rounsville (wash trading, 2022) SEC 2022-11-03 Wash Trading $207k settled
SEC v. John C. Ahearn (undisclosed control blocks, 2022) SEC 2022-11-03 Undisclosed Control Blocks — judgment
SEC v. Syed Arham Arbab, Tomas Javier Jimenez, Blake Douglas McKinney, Mushfiqur Rahman, John Ryan Shows, and William Carl Spagnoli (ponzi schemes, 2022) SEC 2022-11-01 Ponzi Schemes — settled
SEC v. Mark Alan Lisser a/k/a Mark Alan a/k/a Mark Allen (boiler rooms, 2022) SEC 2022-10-27 Boiler Rooms — judgment
SEC v. Scott A. Woodward, CPA (insider trading, 2022) SEC 2022-10-25 Insider Trading — settled
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (cash vs derivatives schemes, 2022) CFTC 2022-10-20 Cash Vs Derivatives Schemes , Exchange Wash Trading +4 $41m judgment
SEC v. NewAge, Inc. (paid stock promotion, 2022) SEC 2022-10-19 Paid Stock Promotion — settled