SEC enforcement

The fifth largest accounting firm had problems with at least 15 audit clients.

The Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a court order against three individuals who allegedly defrauded more than 230 investors.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board finalized slightly fewer enforcement actions against accountants in 2017, slipping from 79 in 2016 to 75 last year, according to a new report.

Michael F. Maloney, the chief accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, is leaving the SEC in February.

The commission has given over $162 million to 47 different recipients.

Stephanie Avakian and Steven Peikin will helm the agency’s largest unit together.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it had awarded more than $5.5 million to a whistleblower.

In its annual report to Congress, the SEC acknowledged that fiscal year 2016 was historic for fraud tipsters.

The SEC announced that Virginia-based technology company NeuStar Inc. agreed to pay a penalty of $180,000 to settle charges involving its severance agreements.