All articles by Adrianne Appel
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ArticleFINRA fines First Trust $10M for allegedly giving too-generous gifts to brokers
First Trust Portfolios has been fined $10 million by FINRA for allegedly providing excessive meals, gifts, and other incentives to broker-dealers.
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ArticleCompliance officers accused of helping criminals run $346 million international payment fraud network
Four U.S. citizens were arrested in California Wednesday in connection with a massive, $346 million international credit card fraud scheme based in Germany, in which compliance officers were allegedly complicit, according to the DOJ.
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ArticleOCC proposes dropping its ‘recovery plan’ requirements for big banks
Less than a year after a new rule required more of the U.S.’s biggest banks to draft “recovery” plans in case of failure, the rule is on its way out.
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ArticleNavigate SEC cautiously during shutdown, experts advise
The U.S. government shutdown has brought most operations at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to a screeching halt, but that doesn’t mean compliance teams should be taking a breather, experts advised.
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ArticleSenate Democrats question Vought on comments about closing CFPB in months
Senate Democrats warned OMB Director Russell Vought Tuesday that it would be illegal for the Trump administration to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, citing a recent court decision barring actions that could severely harm the agency.
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ArticleCalifornia climate rules cause uncertainty as CARB delays draft guidance
California has delayed the release of draft greenhouse gas reporting rules for businesses until early 2026, the California Air Resources Board said.
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ArticleNine states collaborating on data privacy enforcement across state lines
Nine states are collaborating to write and enforce comprehensive data privacy laws, in an effort to protect consumers across jurisdictions and due to the absence of a broad, federal privacy law.
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ArticleOCC drops $10M fine against former Wells Fargo risk officer fingered in “fake accounts” scandal
A former Wells Fargo risk officer previously ordered to pay $10 million by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for her alleged role in the bank’s “fake accounts” scandal is completely off the hook, according to an OCC consent order issued Tuesday.
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ArticleNYDFS to firms: apply cybersecurity rules to third-parties
The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) wants financial firms to step up their game when it comes to third parties and cybersecurity.
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ArticleNY auto insurers on the hook for $19M for cybersecurity violations
Eight auto insurers failed to meet the requirements of New York’s cybersecurity regulations during widespread online attacks in 2021 and will pay $19 million under consent orders with the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).
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News BriefSmartmatic faces DOJ charges amid allegations of election contract bribes
Three executives of a multinational voting machine company in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump since 2020 have been indicted in Florida by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly paying $1 million in bribes to the Philippines top election official.
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News BriefNasdaq: A majority of financial firms plan to use AI in compliance this year
About 36 percent of financial firms are using artificial intelligence in compliance, and most firms intend to ramp up their reliance on AI in compliance in the next 12 months, according to a new survey by Nasdaq.
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ArticleFormer startup CEO gets 7 years in prison for $175M fraud against JPMorgan Chase
Charlie Javice, a former CEO who duped JPMorgan Chase into purchasing her start up company for $175 million, has been ordered to forfeit more than $22 million by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and to spend 7 years in jail.
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ArticleGeorgia Tech to pay $875,000 for allegations brought by compliance officers
Georgia Tech Research Corp. (GTRC) has agreed to pay $875,000 to settle allegations first raised by two compliance officers that its cybersecurity protocols violated acceptable standards for defense contractors, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
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ArticleTractor Supply Company hit with $1.35M fine for alleged California privacy violations
Tractor Supply Company has agreed to get into compliance with California’s consumer privacy law and to pay a $1.35 million fine—the largest yet by California—to settle allegations it violated the privacy rights of customers and job applicants.
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ArticleDOJ is ramping up, not ramping down, health care fraud enforcement
While the Trump administration may have shifted away from pursuing small, white-collar, financial crimes, its focus on health care fraud cases is as hot as ever.
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ArticleFinCEN seeks to lighten the regulatory load on casinos
Regulatory relief from anti-money laundering rules is in the cards for casinos, insurance companies and other non-bank financial institutions, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) said Monday.
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ArticleBoard chair of Puerto Rico bank helped its collapse by siphoning millions
The board chair of a failed Puerto Rican bank played a key role in its $92 million collapse by robbing it of more than $13.6 million, the Department of Justice said Monday. Juan Francisco Ramirez, board chair of Nodus International Bank, pleaded guilty to stealing the millions, agreed to forfeiture ...
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ArticleProsecutions of bribery, health fraud and market tampering are DOJ top priorities
Serious bribery, health care fraud and crimes that threaten U.S. investors are top enforcement priorities of the Trump Department of Justice, (DOJ), according to the acting head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
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ArticleMore than 100 ‘anticompetitive’ federal regulations poised for the chopping block
About 125 federal regulations deemed anticompetitive by President Trump are poised for possible elimination, following recommendations delivered Wednesday to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).


