On 14 February 2025, the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced the appointment of Brian Young as its Director of Enforcement. Young had been serving in an acting capacity since 22 January 2025 and was previously the Director of the Whistleblower Office.
Brain Young is a federal prosecutor with nearly 20 years of service at the United States Department of Justice, where he handled some of the most high-profile financial crime cases. He previously served as the Acting Director of Litigation for the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division, overseeing criminal prosecutions under the Sherman Act as well as civil antitrust litigation. Before that, he was the Chief of the Litigation Unit in the Fraud Section of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division.
Before joining the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 2024, Young spent nearly two decades at the United States Department of Justice. His most recent role was as the Acting Director of Litigation for the Antitrust Division. Prior to that, he served as Chief of the Litigation Unit in the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division.
Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham stated: “Brian exemplifies the best of what we stand for at the CFTC. He is a fearless leader that will build an even more impressive enforcement program that will stay true to the CFTC’s mission to protect the American public from fraudsters and scammers. I am confident that under Brian’s leadership, the CFTC will expand and scale our resources to help more victims than ever before and ensure the integrity of our markets in the name of justice. Brian has hit the ground running and I look forward to seeing his continued impact to strengthen the Division of Enforcement and deliver results.”
Brian Young, in response to his appointment, expressed his dedication to the role, stating: “I want to thank Acting Chairman Pham for her confidence in me and for her commitment to continuing the CFTC’s aggressive efforts to protect our global commodity markets from fraud, manipulation, and other abusive practices As former Director of the Whistleblower Officer, I worked closely with the talented and dedicated staff of the Division of Enforcement, and I look forward to working with this highly motivated group to help bring justice for victims, protect those who cannot protect themselves, and root out misconduct and wrongdoing.”
(Source: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9053-25)
