The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has obtained more than US$630 million in civil monetary penalties, restitution and disgorgement during its latest fiscal year, ended Sept. 30.

During the fiscal year, the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement filed 40 new actions, including 13 against hedge funds/pool operators/trading advisors and two cases charging attempted manipulation and/or manipulation in the energy markets involving a former gasoline trader.

The CFTC’s enforcement division filed 335 cases and the CFTC was awarded in excess of US$2.5 billion in civil monetary penalties, restitution, and disgorgement since 2002, it says. In that time, it has charged 42 companies and 31 individuals in the energy sector for manipulation, attempted manipulation, false reporting and wash trading violations, and it has been awarded US$445 million in civil monetary penalties from a number of the companies and individuals charged in those energy prosecutions.

The CFTC also notes that even though its investigations are typically confidential it took the unusual step of publicly disclosing the existence of several ongoing investigations of market misconduct in light of the unprecedented market conditions during the year, including: complaints of misconduct in the silver market, an investigation of the February/March price run-up in the cotton futures markets and an investigation into practices surrounding the purchase, transportation, storage, and trading of crude oil and related derivative contracts.