Lafarge has been found guilty of financing terrorism and violating international sanctions by a French court, while several of its former executives have been handed jail sentences in a case that has put corporate ethics firmly under the spotlight.
Regulatory Enforcement
First case of its kind, DOJ hits IBM with false claims for diversity practices
In the first case of its kind, IBM has agreed to pay the federal government $17 million to settle allegations the company violated the False Claims Act by applying diversity hiring policies in federal contracts.
U.K. audit regulator launches new supervisory model, but wider audit reform questions remain
The U.K. audit regulator has announced a major “evolution” of its audit supervisory model, promising to introduce a more proportionate, effective, and integrated framework.
SEC enforcements dropped in 2025
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursued fewer enforcement actions in 2025—an intentional outcome, the commission said.
CFTC sues states to assert exclusive jurisdiction over prediction markets
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois last week over the jurisdiction of prediction markets, which have gained popularity in the past year.
FinCEN proposes overhaul AML rules, would end 2024 risk assessment requirements
A rule overhaul proposed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is designed to reduce compliance burden and would free up banks from tracking all but the most egregious illicit financial activities.
CMA holds companies responsible for false claims, fake reviews ‘throughout supply chain’
Companies face large fines if they spread false marketing claims or fake reviews about their products and services—as well as those by suppliers—under a toughened competition regime in the U.K. aimed at enhancing consumer protection.
FTC warns VISA and other processors that company policies may lead to debanking
Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Stripe have received letters from the Federal Trade Commission, warning the companies to end any policies or terms of service that may result in the “debanking” of customers.
Former bank CEO pleads guilty in Venezuela-linked fraud and sanctions violations
A former bank chief executive has pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court to charges tied to a multimillion-dollar fraud and sanctions evasion scheme linked to Venezuela. This follows the U.S. removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from the country, and has opened up the country for trading oil and other natural resources.
DOJ makes good on corporate-friendly enforcement policy with Balt resolution
The ink was barely dry on the U.S. Department of Justice’s new corporate enforcement policy (CEP) when the agency announced it would not prosecute Balt SAS for alleged bribery violations.
