SEC Reassigns Top Litigator Jorge Tenreiro Amid Crypto Enforcement Shift

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly reassigned its top litigator, Jorge Tenreiro, who previously led the agency’s crypto unit, to the IT department. According to The Wall Street Journal, Tenreiro, who oversaw the SEC's Division of Enforcement's legal actions and investigations, was moved to the SEC’s computer systems management office in early February.

Additionally, Natasha Guinan, a senior lawyer involved in drafting the controversial 2022 crypto accounting rule (Staff Accounting Bulletin 121), was also reassigned, though her new role is unclear.

This news follows a report by The New York Times indicating that the SEC is scaling back its 50-person crypto enforcement team, which includes reassignment of some senior lawyers, potentially including Tenreiro.

Tenreiro, who joined the SEC in 2013, played a key role in the enforcement actions against crypto firms such as Coinbase, Ripple, and Tron under former SEC Chair Gary Gensler. He was promoted to lead the SEC’s overall litigation efforts late last year, just weeks before the change in administration. The role is typically not subject to political appointments, so the reassignment comes as a surprise.

The move comes after President Donald Trump's promise to curtail the SEC’s crypto enforcement, with a January executive order creating a crypto working group to establish a legal framework for the industry. Amid this, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, known for her pro-crypto stance, has been tasked with leading a task force focused on developing a regulatory framework for digital assets.