Christy Goldsmith Romero

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Christy Goldsmith Romero Occupation Commissioner Employer CFTC Location Washington, DC LinkedIn Profile Website www.cftc.gov Christy Goldsmith Romero is an American financial regulator, legal scholar, and federal prosecutor who served as a commissioner at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from 2022 to 2025. Renowned for her expertise in market oversight, financial enforcement, and governance, Goldsmith Romero was also nominated in 2024 to serve as chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), following a lengthy tenure in senior federal roles spanning the Treasury Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Background Goldsmith Romero’s career reflects more than twenty years in federal policy and enforcement, serving under four U.S. presidents across banking, derivatives regulation, risk management, and financial crime investigations. She wa a presidential appointee between 2012 and 2025 and was twice unanimously confirmed by the Senate. She has testified before Congress 14 times. Before joining the CFTC in March 2022, she spent a decade as special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), leading federal law enforcement and audit actions that encompassed oversight of hundreds of banks, the automotive industry, derivatives, swap dealers, and insurance sector institutions. As SIGTARP, Goldsmith Romero directed investigative teams that recovered over $11 billion for taxpayers and prosecuted more than 165 individuals for crimes that stemmed from the 2008 financial crisis intervention. She was known for aggressive enforcement on banks and for pursuing charges in high-profile fraud and money-laundering cases. Goldsmith Romero also led investigations on executive compensation and compliance in federal bailout programs, testifying frequently before Congress about the integrity and efficacy of federal market interventions. Prior to SIGTARP, Goldsmith Romero worked for six years at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), initially in its enforcement division and later as counsel to chairs Christopher Cox and Mary Schapiro. During the global financial crisis, she played a key role in the SEC’s executive and legal response, acting as liaison between agency leadership and congressional committees, as well as coordinating enforcement strategies in response to the collapse of major financial institutions. Goldsmith Romero was part of a historic class of CFTC commissioners that included four women nominees. Upon joining the CFTC, Goldsmith Romero sponsored the commission’s Technology Advisory Committee, focusing its agenda on responsible innovation, cybersecurity, and the impact of AI, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and digital assets on market resilience. She led the drafting of the CFTC’s first proposed cyber regulations for banks and brokers, strengthening the commission’s oversight capacity in an increasingly complex financial technology environment. In addition, Goldmith Romero changed the CFTC’s practice of settling all cases without requiring defendants to admit their misconduct. She also called for stricter penalties for recidivism and violations of anti-money laundering laws. She proposed creating a National Financial Fraud Registry, and advocated that Congress define “retail customer” for derivatives markets. Her work as a CFTC commissioner was marked by efforts to modernize U.S. marketplace regulations and to expand surveillance against price manipulation and emerging cyber threats. On February 26, 2025, the CFTC announced that Commissioner Romero would step down from the commission upon the confirmation of Brian Quintenz as her successor and retire from federal service. However, she stepped down from the commission as Quintenz's nomination turned into a stalemate. After retiring from federal service in 2025, Goldsmith Romero joined Georgetown University Law Center as a distinguished visitor, teaching topics such as corporations, financial regulation, digital assets, and the future of finance. Background: Key Organizations and Roles U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission – commissioner (2022-2025) U.S. Treasury Department, SIGTARP – special inspector general (2012-2022) U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission – senior counsel and enforcement attorney (2003-2009) Private law practice – commercial litigator, various firms (pre-2003) Georgetown University Law Center – distinguished visitor Education Goldsmith Romero earned a Bachelor of Science in business from Old Dominion University and a Juris Doctor degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. She has held adjunct professorships at the University of Virginia Law School and Georgetown, teaching classes in securities regulation and oversight of digital assets. Risk Management Throughout her regulatory career, Goldsmith Romero consistently expanded her agencies’ oversight of risk management, cyber resilience, and compliance. At the CFTC, she prioritized supervision of price discovery, exchange integrity, and cyber-threat preparedness, advocating for regulations to safeguard food and energy markets from manipulation. At SIGTARP, she designed new systems for identifying unreported fraud and worked with law enforcement to prosecute financial crimes and improve integrity in federal rescue programs. Controversies Goldsmith Romero’s reputation for strict enforcement and oversight has led to a range of public responses throughout her career. At SIGTARP, her aggressive approach was praised for recovering billions in taxpayer funds but also drew criticism from industry professionals facing steep penalties and prison sentences. Her nomination to chair the FDIC followed that agency’s misconduct scandal, prompting questions about her own management style during prior enforcement actions and highlighting the political dimensions of regulatory appointments. During her CFTC tenure, she called for a National Financial Fraud Registry and stricter penalties for repeat violations and anti-money laundering failures, spurring industry debate over balancing innovation and consumer protection. References

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