On October 1, the SEC announced that it is issuing a whistleblower award of over $14 million to a whistleblower who provided information that resulted in the recovery of investor funds.  The significant whistleblower award comes after many critics have questioned the success of the SEC’s whistleblower award program which, to date, has only issued two much smaller awards since the program’s inception in 2011.  The first award payment was issued in August 2012 for approximately $50,000.  The second award, paid to three whistleblowers for information that stopped a sham hedge fund, has paid out approximately $25,000 with an expected total payout of $125,000.  For more information and to read our Securities Litigation blog, please click here.  First Award Payment.  Second Award Payment.