Dutch oil firm accused of manipulating the market

The U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission reportedly has filed charges against Optiver Holdings and three of its employees: Chris Dawson, head trader; Bastiaan van Kempen, chief executive; and Randal Meijer, head of trading, the U.K. newspaper The Telegraph reported.

Optiver's two subsidiaries in Amsterdam and Chicago also are being charged.

Following an eight-month investigation, the CFTC has accused Optiver and the three men who work for the firm of twisting the market in their favor and making $1 million in less than two weeks.

Optiver is being accused of manipulation in 19 separate incidents. The CFTC, however, recently released a report that suggests speculators are not the main source of increasing oil and natural gas prices.