Market Manipulation. Search

Market manipulation case library

This library records 2,428 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
2,428
Total penalties
$14.3bn
Median penalty
$200k
Agencies
5
Techniques
47

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 725 Ponzi schemes 602 Unregistered distributions 158 Paid stock promotion 129 Price manipulation 125 Pump and dump 125 Spoofing 118 Wash trading 107 Rule 105 offering shorts 84 Boiler rooms 78 Undisclosed control blocks 59 Reverse merger schemes 59 The naked short selling debate 55 Benchmark submission rigging 49 Matched orders 36 Churning 25 Layering 21 Free riding and parking 18 Marking the close 15 Fake press releases 15 Mismarking 15 Front running 14 Newsletter scalping 14 Cash versus derivatives schemes 13 Hack to trade 13 Sham tender offers 13 Chat group pumps 11 FX fixing 11 Social media ramps 10 EDGAR filing fraud 10 Paid crypto market making 8 Custodianship shell hijacking 6 False rumours 5 Shell factories 5 Hijacked-account ramping 4 Settlement price manipulation 4 Banging the close 3 Short and distort 3 Marking the open 2 Engineered short squeeze 2 Rug pulls 1 Insider listing trading 1 Oracle manipulation 1 Exchange wash trading 1 Float locking 1 Dilution death spirals 1 Options expiry pinning 1

By agency

ASIC 112 CFTC 344 FCA 47 OSC 69 SEC 1856

By year filed

2026 89 2025 114 2024 189 2023 208 2022 176 2021 154 2020 186 2019 192 2018 239 2017 218 2016 198 2015 217 2014 136 2013 102 2012 1 2011 4 2009 1 2007 1 2005 1 2004 2

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. Bruce Garelick, Michael Shvartsman, Rocket One Capital LLC, and Gerald Shvartsman (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-06-30 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Damon R. Durante (undisclosed control blocks, 2023) SEC 2023-06-30 Undisclosed Control Blocks — unknown
SEC v. Jordan Meadow and Steven Teixeira (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-06-30 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Juan Roman (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-06-30 Insider Trading $97.8k judgment
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (insider trading, 2023) CFTC 2023-06-29 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Ashutosh Bhardwaj (insider trading, 2023) SEC 2023-06-29 Insider Trading $9k settled
SEC v. Wilson Baston (A/K/A Chanon Gordon) (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-06-28 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Vuuzle Media Corp., Vuuzle Media Corp. Limited, Ronald Shane Flynn, and Richard Marchitto (boiler rooms, 2023) SEC 2023-06-27 Boiler Rooms — judgment
SEC v. Royal Bengal Logistics, Inc. and Sanjay Singh (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-06-26 Ponzi Schemes — filed
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (wash trading, 2023) CFTC 2023-06-20 Wash Trading — unknown
OSC v. April Vuong and Hao Quach (ponzi schemes, 2023) OSC 2023-06-19 Ponzi Schemes — dismissed
SEC v. Infinity Q Capital Management, LLC (mismarking, 2023) SEC 2023-06-16 Mismarking — settled
SEC v. Hal D. Mintz and Sabby Management LLC (naked short selling debate, 2023) SEC 2023-06-14 Naked Short Selling Debate — filed
SEC v. Josh S. Verne (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-06-14 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
Former CFO of Big Un Limited charged with insider trading (ASIC, 2023) ASIC 2023-06-13 Insider Trading — filed
CFTC v. unnamed respondents (cash vs derivatives schemes, 2023) CFTC 2023-06-12 Cash Vs Derivatives Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Chimene Van Gundy and others (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-31 Ponzi Schemes — judgment
SEC v. Francis Sabo (social media ramps, 2023) SEC 2023-05-26 Social Media Ramps — settled
SEC v. Eleazar Kauderer, GPL Ventures LLC, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-05-24 Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
SEC v. Integrated National Resources, Inc. dba WeedGenics, Rolf Max Hirschmann aka "Max Bergmann," and Patrick Earl Williams (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-23 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
ASIC bans former fund manager for naked short selling (2023) ASIC 2023-05-22 Naked Short Selling Debate — unknown
SEC v. Thomas Carter Ronk (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-05-22 Paid Stock Promotion — judgment
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 $75k settled
SEC v. LiveWire Ergogenics, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions $50k settled
SEC v. Principal Solar, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions $40k settled
SEC v. SFLMaven Corp. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions $25k settled
SEC v. Verde Bio Holdings, Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-05-16 Unregistered Distributions $90k settled
Vaughan Bowen indicted on insider trading charges (ASIC, 2023) ASIC 2023-05-12 Insider Trading — filed
CFTC v. HSBC Bank USA (spoofing, 2023) CFTC 2023-05-12 Spoofing $45m judgment
SEC v. Discala et al. (price manipulation, 2023) SEC 2023-05-12 Price Manipulation — 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 $72.8k 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
Former Courtenay House contractor sentenced (ASIC, 2023) ASIC 2023-05-08 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
SEC v. Cedric Dewayne Griffin (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-05-04 Ponzi Schemes — unknown
ASIC v. Gabriel Govinda (price manipulation, 2023) ASIC 2023-05-03 Price Manipulation , Pump And Dump +1 — 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 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. Michael J. French, et al. (ponzi schemes, 2023) SEC 2023-04-04 Ponzi Schemes — filed
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 $126k settled
SEC v. Jake Joseph Paul (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion $75.1k settled
SEC v. Lindsay Dee Lohan (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion $30k settled
SEC v. Michele Anne Mason (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion $2.9k settled
SEC v. Miles Parks McCollum (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion $30k settled
SEC v. Shaffer Chimere Smith (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-22 Paid Stock Promotion $36k settled
Former Tesla Motors Australia director sentenced for insider trading (ASIC, 2023) ASIC 2023-03-20 Insider Trading — unknown
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
SEC v. Moynes, et al. (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-03-09 Paid Stock Promotion — 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
ASIC brings criminal charges against third individual in relation to Courtenay House (2023) ASIC 2023-02-22 Ponzi Schemes — filed
SEC v. Candlestick Capital Management LP (rule 105 offering shorts, 2023) SEC 2023-02-21 Rule 105 Offering Shorts $810k settled
SEC v. HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC (rule 105 offering shorts, 2023) SEC 2023-02-21 Rule 105 Offering Shorts $104k settled
SEC v. Paul Anthony Pierce (paid stock promotion, 2023) SEC 2023-02-17 Paid Stock Promotion $1.2m settled
OSC v. Aaron Wolfe (insider trading, 2023) OSC 2023-02-17 Insider Trading — unknown
SEC v. Candlestick Capital Management LP et al. (rule 105 offering shorts, 2023) SEC 2023-02-17 Rule 105 Offering Shorts $810k settled
SEC v. HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC et al. (rule 105 offering shorts, 2023) SEC 2023-02-17 Rule 105 Offering Shorts $104k 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
Former CEO of Big Un Limited charged with insider trading (ASIC, 2023) ASIC 2023-02-14 Insider Trading — 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
ASIC v. Don George Evans (price manipulation, 2023) ASIC 2023-02-07 Price Manipulation — 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 $27.8k 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. Nexo Capital Inc. (unregistered distributions, 2023) SEC 2023-01-19 Unregistered Distributions $22.5m settled
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. Melville Peter ten Cate (sham tender offers, 2023) SEC 2023-01-03 Sham Tender Offers $500k judgment