CFTC Welcomes Christopher Ehrman As Director of Whistleblower Office

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) yesterday announced that it had appointed Chistopher Ehrman as Director of its recently established Whistleblower Office.

This particular department was founded by the Dodd-Frank Act, aimed at strengthening the regulatory structure and angling it toward consumer protection. The department operates a program through which the Commission may reward individuals who voluntarily provide original information about violations of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Gary Gensler, Chairman of the CFTC welcomes Mr. Ehrman to his new post: “I am pleased that Chris is joining us as the new head of our Whistleblower Office.”

“Chris, who comes to us after many years of experience in the SEC’s Enforcement Division, takes on an important role at the Commission to oversee our Whistleblower program and engage with people who report misconduct in the futures and swaps markets” he concluded.

Mr. Ehrman arrives at the CFTC with a substantial background in Regulation and compliance, having previously served in a variety of other roles within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

He most recently served as an Assistant Director in the Office of Market Intelligence (OMI) in the Division of Enforcement. In this role, he oversaw the processing, review and assignment of all tips, complaints and referrals received by the SEC, and undertook a wide variety of speaking engagements relative to securities regulation and the work of the OMI.

Mr. Ehrman also served as the Co-National Coordinator for the Microcap Fraud Working Group, a cross-divisional specialized group charged with creating novel ways to detect, disrupt and prosecute fraud relating to securities quoted on the OTC Market.

During his tenure at the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, Mr. Ehrman held various senior roles including Branch Chief, Senior Counsel, and Staff Attorney, and prior to joining the Federal Government spent six years in private legal practice covering securities-related matters.

Mr. Ehrman, a graduate of Miami University and the University of Kentucky College of Law, made a statement on his appointment: “I am excited about this wonderful opportunity at the CFTC.”

“As our financial markets grow increasingly complex, it is vital to have a process in place to ensure that people with important information about potential violations of the Commodity Exchange Act, risks to the marketplace, and risks to its participants can come forward with that information. The Whistleblower Office is committed to providing people with the support they need to come forward, be heard and be protected” he concluded.