The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency warned banks and financial institutions about elevated operational risks caused by geopolitical tensions and a heightened compliance risk environment complicated by regulatory changes, policy initiatives, and difficulties in hiring qualified professionals.
Sanctions
Posted inRisk Management
‘Have contingency plans’: TPRM expert on confronting Russia risk exposure
Melanie Gallagher, head of third-party risk management at financial software company Intuit, offered best practices for navigating sanctions compliance risks at CW’s TPRM Summit in Chicago.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
DAG Monaco: Sanctions should be ‘at the forefront’ of compliance approach
Businesses with a multinational footprint or international suppliers should be prioritizing abiding by U.S. sanctions in their compliance efforts, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at an industry event.
Posted inAnti-Bribery
Strain in your supply chain no excuse for compliance shortcuts
With the Russia-Ukraine war’s ever-expanding sanctions landscape, supply chain strain and risk of enforcement are sharply increasing. Speakers at a recent event hosted by Drexel University’s Kline School of Law offered best practices.
Posted inAML
Treasury considering rule to address AML ‘loopholes’ in private investment
The Treasury Department is considering rulemaking that would seek to mitigate the growing risk sanctioned Russian oligarchs and politicians will attempt to use “hedge funds, private equity firms, and investment advisers to hide their assets.”
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
Banco Popular to pay $255K for violating Venezuela sanctions
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico has agreed to pay more than $255,000 as part of a settlement with the Office of Foreign Assets Control to resolve its civil liability for 337 transactions processed in violation of U.S. sanctions.
Posted inInternal Controls
Best practices, common pitfalls in working in high-risk countries
A panel of compliance professionals discussed the increasingly relevant topic of working in high-risk countries, sharing their experiences and lessons learned at Compliance Week’s National Conference in Washington, D.C.
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
New sanctions add ban on U.S. accounting, management consulting work in Russia
The Treasury Department unveiled a host of new sanctions against Russian and Belarusian individuals and banks, in addition to a ban on U.S.-based accounting, management consulting, and trust and corporate formation services to any person located in the Russian Federation.
Posted inEurope
EU energy firms weighing bypassing Russian sanctions to secure gas
Russia’s squeeze on European energy companies to pay for gas in rubles might be about to pay off as some of the continent’s largest suppliers appear to be working out sanctions-compliant solutions to secure gas flows.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
Treasury sanctions first virtual currency mixer
The Department of the Treasury announced first-of-their-kind sanctions against virtual currency mixer Blender.io for its alleged role in a significant virtual currency heist carried out by a North Korean state-sponsored cyber hacking group.
