FOLLOW US

Legal Industry February 21, 2021 3 mins read

SEC is “Dead Wrong” about Ripple, says former SEC Chair Mary Jo White

Legal Industry ı By Rochdi Rais

0 Comments

Mary Jo White former SEC chair

In December, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency company Ripple. The lawsuit resulted in massive losses to Ripple and the company’s digital token XRP plunged from $0.64 per token to $0.22 in January.

The SEC alleged Ripple’s board of executives of selling unlicensed XRP. Accordingly, cryptocurrency exchanges restricted trading in XRP — forcing the CEO of Ripple Brad Garlinghouse to consider relocating his business to Japan. 

Nevertheless, Ripple has been seeking the help of former SEC chair Mary Jo White to defend themselves. White had headed the SEC for 4 years and is currently working as Ripple’s attorney.

In an interview with Fortune, White accused the Securities and Exchange Commission of being “dead wrong” about Ripple. She added that the SEC made a blender after alleging the cryptocurrency company of selling unlicensed securities.  

 “There’s no way to sugarcoat it. They’re dead wrong legally and factually,” White said.

According to White, the timing of the lawsuit is alarming. The SEC file coincided with the agency’s former chair Jay Clayton’s departure. White Argued that the SEC had spent years investigating Ripple and that figuring out a case after this long time is telling.

 “As a former U.S. attorney and SEC chair, you know that when it takes that long to figure out a case you probably shouldn’t be bringing it. It’s not something I would do walking out the door,” she said.

The SEC alleged Ripple CEOs of illegally selling XRP

The SEC lawsuit argued that senior executives including Chris Larsen and CEO Brad Garlinghouse profited from selling XRP for their personal benefit. The U.S. agency added that Ripple’s goal has been to lure investors into buying XRP as a speculative investment.

However, White responded that the argument is misleading and that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s failure to develop a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency has pushed it to “fit a round peg in a square hole.” White wanted to prove her point — saying that the Securities and Exchange Commission also declared that Ethereum is not a security.

In conclusion, the SEC lawsuit against Ripple doesn’t seem like it will be resolved soon. White suggested that a summary judgment from a federal court should happen in October to be able to solve the case.

White hinted that the Securities and Exchange Commission chair Gary Gensler is likely to take a personal interest in the Ripple vs SEC lawsuit.

 “You have scarce resources [as chair], and you have to pick your spots. The crypto-landscape is a critical one, and there’s a crying need for clarity,” she said.

 

Previous Article

Texas Lacks Clean Drinking Water as the State faces Freezing Conditions

Read More
2772 Posts

Rochdi Rais

Rochdi Rais is the Head of Growth and financial and legal writer at USA Herald. He has been writing and editing financial, legal and U.S. news for years with over +4000 articles published during his career.

Discussion

No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!

Don’t Miss It
America September 24, 2026
Nolan Wells Autopsy: ‘No Fluid or Debris’ in Airways
By – Michallie Harrison
America September 24, 2026
AI Bots Are Calling Customer Service: When the Customer Is a Robot
By – Jackie Allen
America September 24, 2026
Minnesota Firearm Permit Lawsuit Challenges 30-Day Waiting Period
By – Rachel Moore
America September 24, 2026
People to Acquire MGM Bid Collapses as Diller Pulls Offer
By – Rachel Moore
America September 24, 2026
Island $6.4B Valuation Reflects Bet on AI-Human Workplace Fusion
By – Rachel Moore
America September 24, 2026
Walmart $16M Expired Formula Sales Settlement…

Expiration dates exist for a reason — they’re the quiet…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 24, 2026
Delaware Department Insurance Agent Theft Case…

Insurance agents occupy a unique position of trust — clients…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 24, 2026
Abacus $400 Million Securitization Marks Largest…

Some financial products are built to move fast; others are…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 24, 2026
Daiichi Life Buys Shares in Apple,…

When an institutional investor decides where to park hundreds of…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 24, 2026
Starbucks Closing 250 Stores Across North…

What Starbucks Workers Need to Know Starbucks is closing roughly…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 24, 2026
California’s $11 Billion Undocumented Immigrant Benefits…

By Samuel López | USA Herald SACRAMENTO – California is…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 24, 2026
California’s $11 Billion Undocumented Immigrant Benefits…

By Samuel López | USA Herald SACRAMENTO – California is…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 24, 2026
New York Sues Polymarket Over Alleged…

What’s Riding on the Bet New York says Polymarket’s sports…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 24, 2026
Florida Pension Fund Sues New York…

What’s Behind the Records Fight Florida’s pension fund and another…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 24, 2026
Federal Panel Deadlocks Over ABA’s Power…

What Law Students Need to Know The dispute now centers…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 24, 2026
Gary Glitter: the Band, Crimes, Convictions…

 Gary Glitter, the former British glam-rock star whose real name…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 24, 2026
Chinese AI Agents Steal Over 600,…

Inside the AI Attack Autonomous Chinese AI agents have compromised…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 23, 2026
Roblox widow alleges $6 million scam,…

The Roblox widow says a former companion took $6 million…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 23, 2026
Bessent Threatens Global Shutdown of Iranian…

What Readers Need to Know Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
Physical AI Increases Strain on Network…

Network planning has traditionally focused on a familiar problem: ensuring…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 22, 2026
Network Traffic Challenges May be Reshaped…

Network traffic has traditionally moved in one dominant direction: from…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 22, 2026
Brook LeBlanc’s Husband Hunt has People…

Online Dating standards, social media scrutiny and technology converge The…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 22, 2026
Nolan Wells: No Indictments, Cause of…

PASCAGOULA, Miss. — A Mississippi grand jury unanimously declined to…

By – Michallie Harrison
America September 23, 2026
UPG Files for Chapter 11 as…

Steel distributor UPG Enterprises has turned to bankruptcy court as…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 23, 2026
From ‘Star Wars’ to UAPs: How…

Signals Behind the Strategy The United States has now publicly…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
Iran Threatens New Weapons As Congressman…

A Tennessee congressman is floating a very different explanation for…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
9th Circuit Vacates State Order to…

By Samuel López | USA Herald The Ninth Circuit has…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
Watchdog Groups and San Francisco Sue…

Legal Action at a Glance Multiple watchdog organizations filed a…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
Hayden Panettiere’s Cause of Death Confirms…

What the Toxicology Findings Tell Us Hayden Panettiere’s death has…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
Hayden Panettiere’s Cause of Death Confirms…

What the Toxicology Findings Tell Us Hayden Panettiere’s death has…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
Clavicular Charged With Rape In Massachusetts…

What Matters Now Braden Peters, known online as Clavicular, faces…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 22, 2026
VP JD Vance and Dr. Oz…

Insurance Impact at a Glance CMS says it canceled 315,000…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 19, 2026
Iranian Government Holds Rally as War…

The Iranian Government organized its allegedly largest rally since the…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 19, 2026
Businesses Face Rising ADA Lawsuits Over…

Key Takeaways Website-accessibility litigation is surging, with 432 new digital…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 18, 2026
Cher Wins Procedural Victory As Conservatorship…

Key Takeaways Cher secured a procedural victory in her renewed…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 21, 2026
Gilbert Goons Defendant Arrested Again for…

A Gilbert Goons defendant awaiting trial in the 2023 death…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 20, 2026
Caleb Williams Injury Ends Bears QB’s…

Some plays end with a first down. This one ended…

By – Rachel Moore
America September 20, 2026
Saquon Barkley Injury Sidelines Eagles Star…

Football fortunes can flip on a single play — and…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 20, 2026
Meta Connect 2026: AI Glasses, Mixed…

Meta Connect 2026 is set to bring CEO Mark Zuckerberg…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 19, 2026
Kelsey Mitchell Breaks WNBA Scoring Record…

Kelsey Mitchell made WNBA history Friday night, scoring 33 points…

By – Jackie Allen
And More September 14, 2026
Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun Celebrate…

Sydney Sweeney celebrated her 29th birthday with a public declaration…

By – Jackie Allen

No posts found.

No posts found.

Signup for the USA Herald
exclusive Newsletter