BRAEDEN ANDERSON

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We provide authoritative analysis on securities and commodities regulation, SEC and FINRA enforcement, and legal developments affecting crypto, digital assets, fintech, and financial services, authored by Braeden Anderson.

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K. Braeden Anderson 11/19/24 K. Braeden Anderson 11/19/24

SEC Charges BIT Mining with FCPA Violations in Connection with Bribery Scheme to Influence Members of Japanese Parliament

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced a significant enforcement action involving BIT Mining Ltd., formerly known as 500.com Limited, for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The company has agreed to pay a $4 million civil penalty to resolve charges stemming from a bribery scheme that took place from 2017 to 2019. The scheme aimed to influence Japanese government officials, including members of Japan’s parliament, in an effort to establish an integrated resort and casino in the country.

SEC Charges North Carolina Resident with Insider Trading in Biopharmaceutical Company

In a recent enforcement action, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Matthew Groom, a North Carolina resident, with insider trading involving the Massachusetts-based biopharmaceutical company, Spero Therapeutics, Inc. According to the SEC’s complaint, Groom used confidential information obtained during his role as an IT consultant for Spero to avoid substantial financial losses ahead of a significant corporate announcement.

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Braeden Anderson

K. Braeden Anderson serves as a Partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, where he leads the firm’s Blockchain & Digital Assets and Securities Enforcement & Investigations practices. He also chairs Mackrell International’s Blockchain & Digital Assets Group and its Securities Enforcement & Investigations Group.

Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America (2025) for Financial Services Regulation Law and Securities Regulation, Mr. Anderson has built a national reputation as a securities regulatory and enforcement attorney operating at the intersection of traditional finance and emerging technologies. His practice focuses on advising financial institutions, fintech companies, investment advisers (including robo-advisors), broker-dealers, trading platforms, and digital asset companies in complex regulatory, enforcement, and compliance matters before the SEC, CFTC, FINRA, DOJ, and state regulators.

Within the digital asset and blockchain space, Mr. Anderson regularly counsels clients on issues involving market structure, tokenization, robo-advisor and broker-dealer registration, custody frameworks, AML and KYC obligations, and secondary trading considerations for regulated assets. His work spans both established financial institutions and early-stage ventures, helping clients operate within rapidly evolving regulatory environments with precision and strategic clarity.

Mr. Anderson also represents professional athletes and sports organizations in connection with regulatory and investigative matters requiring careful handling and discretion.

Prior to joining Gesmer, Mr. Anderson founded a Washington, D.C.-based law firm. He previously served as Assistant General Counsel at Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD), where he advised on significant regulatory and enforcement matters. Earlier in his career, he practiced at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Sidley Austin LLP in New York and Washington, D.C., representing clients in matters involving major federal enforcement authorities and providing regulatory advice on complex financial matters.

Mr. Anderson is an active contributor to the national conversation on securities and digital asset regulation. He publishes a widely followed weekly newsletter that has reached millions of legal and financial professionals and produces video content on YouTube for an audience of over 160,000 subscribers. He is also the editor of this legal publication, Anderson Insights, where he provides in-depth analysis for regulators, in-house counsel, and compliance professionals.

Mr. Anderson is also the creator of The Long Game with Braeden Anderson, a new digital series on YouTube exploring the intersection of golf, discipline, and high-performance thinking, featuring match-play conversations with legal executives and business leaders.

He was recently recognized as the most-read fintech thought leader in the United States in Mondaq’s Spring 2025 Thought Leadership Awards.