The SEC announced that it filed 734 enforcement actions in the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2012, one shy of last year’s record of 735. The enforcement actions represent 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 in penalties and disgorgement. This is an 11% increase over the amount ordered last year. In the past two years, the SEC has obtained orders for $5.9 billion in penalties and disgorgement.