If you’re not sure whether your company would do the right thing and report itself for committing an FCPA violation, then it’s best to take matters into your own hands with the SEC whistleblower program. The good news is that the SEC lets you report FCPA violations anonymously if you enlist the help of a lawyer. In addition, the SEC will pay whistleblowers up to 30% of any fine they recover as a bounty for reporting the violation. The average whistleblower reward paid by the SEC is almost $5 million. This means you could become a millionaire for doing the right thing.
Another benefit of reporting to the SEC is that whistleblowers who report FCPA violations to the SEC get additional protections against retaliation from their employers. This means that if your company retaliates against you for speaking to the SEC, you can sue them for damages. However, in most cases, these protections only apply to workers in the United States. Employees from abroad can claim whistleblower awards but are usually not entitled to legal protection against retaliation. An FCPA lawyer can also provide protection by advising you on how best to report and where to report.