U.S. SEC Agrees to Pay $150,000 to Settle FOIA Lawsuit Over Ethereum Investigation Records, Will Submit Remaining Documents

Odaily news The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to pay $150,000 to resolve a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit concerning its records on the Ethereum investigation. According to a joint case status report filed on July 22, the SEC and the plaintiff, History Associates Inc., have reached a settlement and have requested the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to dismiss the case.

Under the agreement, the SEC will continue to provide the remaining relevant documents and pay a fixed amount to cover the plaintiff's legal fees. The lawsuit was filed by History Associates in June 2024. This agency, commissioned by Coinbase, demanded the SEC disclose materials related to its regulatory investigation of Ethereum, including investigation files on Zachary Coburn and Enigma MPC, as well as records of regulatory discussions regarding Ethereum's transition from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-stake (PoS).

Previously, this lawsuit prompted the SEC to deliver thousands of documents. The court also ordered the SEC to prioritize providing internal communications sent, received, or reviewed by then-Chairman Gary Gensler regarding Ethereum's migration from PoW to PoS.

During the case, the SEC sparked controversy for deleting some of Gensler's text message records. The SEC's Office of Inspector General previously disclosed that the agency accidentally deleted Gensler's text messages from October 2022 to September 2023. Subsequent documents revealed that the SEC also wiped data from 21 senior officials' phones.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that the incident highlights transparency issues within government agencies during the crypto regulatory process and noted that the relevant lawsuits aim to promote public access to the basis for regulatory decisions. With the SEC completing the submission of the remaining documents, this lawsuit, which has lasted for over two years, will officially come to an end. (CoinDesk)