Reeling from a $2 billion accounting scandal, Wirecard has turned to its would-be chief compliance officer as its interim CEO. It’s the first smart move the company has made in a while, writes Martin Woods.
Europe
Ireland’s GDPR report shows it’s yet to hold Big Tech accountable
The Irish Data Protection Commission review of its GDPR investigations has come under fire for ignoring Big Tech and lacking information pertinent to inquiries into firms like Apple, Facebook, Google, and more.
FRC to probe EY, PwC audits of London Capital & Finance
The U.K. Financial Reporting Council has commenced three investigations into the audits of collapsed investment firm London Capital & Finance, including audits carried out by Big Four firms EY and PwC.
EC report: More harmonization needed in GDPR efforts
The European Commission believes the General Data Protection Regulation is an “overall success” but points to harmonization among member states as an area for improvement.
Lessons from Wirecard: Ignore unchallenged allegations at your peril
When a company does not rebut serious allegations of wrongdoing with litigation, the only response is to demand answers from the firm or take your business elsewhere, writes financial crime expert Martin Woods.
Swiss AG latest investigating Glencore for corruption
Glencore is under criminal investigation by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland over corruption allegations, adding to the growing list of scrutiny the multinational commodity trading and mining company is facing.
French court upholds Google’s $57M GDPR fine
The top administrative court in France shot down Google’s appeal of a €50 million (U.S. $57 million) fine the tech giant received last year for violations of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
FCA fines Commerzbank London $47.4M for AML failures
Commerzbank London will pay a £37.8 million (U.S. $47.4 million) penalty in a settlement with the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority for anti-money laundering systems and controls failures.
FRC sanctions KPMG for audit failings of Foresight 4 VCT
The U.K. Financial Reporting Council imposed non-financial sanctions on KPMG related to audit failures concerning the financial statements of investment firm Foresight 4 VCT for fiscal years ending 2013, 2014, and 2015.
FCA fines Lloyds $80M for mistreating mortgage customers
A group of prominent U.K. banks—Lloyds chief among them—is facing a £64 million (U.S. $80 million) fine for unfair treatment of mortgage customers from 2011-2015.


