SEC giving $30M, biggest whistleblower award yet

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Securities and Exchange Commission is giving its biggest award yet, about $30 million, to a whistleblower who provided key information that led to an enforcement action in a fraud case.

The agency announced the award Monday. It was the SEC's 14th whistleblower award under a program adopted in 2011 and the fourth award to a whistleblower living in a foreign country. The nature of the enforcement action and the identity of the whistleblower weren't disclosed.

Under the program, tipsters who report corporate fraud or other misconduct are eligible if they give the SEC information that leads to an enforcement action resulting in more than $1 million in penalties. They can receive from 10 to 30 percent of the money the SEC recovers from a company or person.