CFTC Orders London-Based Swap Dealer to Pay $3.25 Million for Swap-Data Reporting, Conflicts of Interest, Mid-Market Mark, and Supervision Failures

Washington, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today simultaneously filed and settled charges against ED&F Man Capital Markets, Ltd. (ED&F Man), a London-based provisionally registered swap dealer, for failing to comply with certain swap dealer requirements to report accurate swaps data to a swaps data repository (SDR), failing to disclose a conflict of interest to swaps counterparties, failing to disclose mid-market marks to counterparties, and for related supervision failures.

The order imposes a $3,250,000 civil monetary penalty on ED&F Man and orders it to cease and desist from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, as charged.

“The CFTC will not hesitate to bring cases against swap dealers that violate substantive customer protection regulations and fail to have adequate supervisory controls in place,” said CFTC Acting Director of Enforcement Vincent McGonagle. “Swap dealer registrants must ensure they make complete and accurate disclosures to counterparties and accurately report swap valuation data to SDRs, and they must also diligently perform their supervisory duties.”

Case Background

Specifically, the order finds that between February 2014 and July 2021, ED&F Man failed to report certain swaps data to an SDR accurately for hundreds of thousands of swaps. The order also finds that, from February 2014 through January 2018, ED&F Man failed to disclose to its U.S. swaps counterparties that proprietary traders, trading on behalf of an affiliate, had access to counterparties’ trade information. Further, from February 2014 to April 2021, ED&F Man failed to disclose mid-market marks to some of its counterparties as required for numerous metals and FX swaps. The order also finds that ED&F Man failed to maintain an adequate supervisory system and to perform its supervisory obligations diligently with respect to swaps data reporting, conflict of interest disclosures, and providing mid-market marks. 

The CFTC thanks and acknowledges the assistance of the National Futures Association with this matter.

The Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are Kevin Samuel, Glenn Chernigoff, Erica Bodin, Kathleen Banar, and Rick Glaser. Pamela Geraghty from the Market Participants Division assisted with this matter.