SEC Says Its Enforcement Program Is Real Good (Like Super Real Good, or Maybe Even Like Super-Duper Real Good)

The SEC announced that it has filed 734 enforcement actions in the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2012. The actions included an increasing number of cases involving highly complex products, transactions, and practices, including those related to the financial crisis, trading platforms and market structure, and insider trading by market professionals. The SEC also announced that it obtained orders in fiscal year 2012 requiring the payment of more than 3 billion dollars in penalties and disgorgement for the benefit of harmed investors. The release lists various insider trading cases and other enforcement matters.

The release also discusses a number of structural changes in the SEC's Enforcement Division which the SEC believes contribute to the SEC's success.

View release in full here (links externally to SEC website).