SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement | Live Webinar

SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement: Navigating Regulatory Storms | Live Webinar

Thursday, May 29, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (ET) | On-Demand 24 hrs later

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) drastically reduced its accounting and auditing enforcement activity in fiscal year 2024, the final year of Gary Gensler’s administration, ending two consecutive years of annual increases. In contrast to other SEC priorities under Chair Gensler, such as cryptocurrency and off-channel communications, accounting and auditing enforcement activity generally declined.

Compared to four-year period (FY 2017–FY 2020) under Jay Clayton, who was the SEC Chair during the first Trump administration, the SEC accounting and auditing enforcement activity under the Gensler period (FY 2021–FY 2024) declined in terms of total number of actions initiated or settled. The average total settlement amount per year during the Gensler period also declined to $647 million, down from $796 million imposed during the Clayton period.

As we look at the new SEC priorities during the second Trump administration, these trends highlight the dynamic nature of enforcement and the influence of changing leadership and priorities on overall activity.

Key Topics:

• Understand the overall decline in SEC accounting and auditing enforcement actions and how these changes reflect shifting regulatory priorities.

• Explore the steady focus on auditors and audit firms despite a general decrease in enforcement activity, identifying implications for compliance strategies.

• Learn how changes in enforcement priorities impact monetary penalties and the percentage of respondents fined, preparing for future regulatory developments.