French investigators target anticompetitive practices in largest accounting firms
Major accountancy firms in France are under investigation for anti-competitive practices. The French competition watchdog embarked on a series of “unannounced inspections” and removed documents relating to audit and reporting on Jan. 13.
SEC closes FCPA probe into Calavo Growers
The Securities and Exchange Commission has closed its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation into Calavo Growers, three months after the Department of Justice closed its FCPA investigation into the produce and agriculture company.
SFO head to step down as speculation grows over future of agency
Nick Ephgrave, director of the U.K.’s main anti-corruption enforcement agency, the Serious Fraud Office, will retire at the end of March—about halfway through his appointed five-year term. Experts say he leaves the agency in a lot better position than he joined it in September 2023.
U.K. government scraps long-awaited audit reforms to prioritize growth
Long-awaited reforms to the U.K. audit regime have been “scrapped” from the government’s legislative plans. The decision has led to an outburst of disappointment and frustration from audit bodies and pension funds that argued the reforms would increase trust in companies and support growth.
FTC files contempt against credit card processor Cliq for alleged ongoing compliance failures
The Federal Trade Commission asked a court to hold the payment processor Cliq in contempt for allegedly “flagrantly” violating a 2015 order that the company monitor transactions for illegal charges and activity.
CFPB, DOJ withdraw guidance to lenders considering borrowers’ immigration status
Two months after the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a rule change to narrow anti-discrimination requirements for lenders, it has reversed previous guidance on noncitizen customers looking to borrow.
EU vows to reform financial single market rules to unlock growth and boost investment
Financial markets thrive on consistent rules across the widest markets. This is the thinking behind the European Commission’s package of measures intended to simplify and streamline the zone’s single market for financial services.
Q&A with FINRA’s Greg Ruppert on the organization’s use of Artificial Intelligence
Greg Ruppert, Chief Regulatory Operations Officer at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), recently shared insights with Compliance Week regarding the self-regulatory organization’s use of Artificial Intelligence in monitoring trends in the market, spotting threats, and keeping its members informed.
EU financial firms must prepare now for new rules on critical third-party arrangements
European banks and financial institutions must prepare now for stringent new rules on third-party suppliers.
FINRA annual regulatory report offers AI guidance, points to significant risks
Financial firms seeking guidance on AI, the threat of cyberattacks, market manipulation, or fraud targeting senior clients can turn to annual guidance issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Former Credit Suisse compliance officer charged with money laundering
A compliance officer is facing charges for laundering $7 million in a complex legal case in Switzerland. Swiss prosecutors have charged Credit Suisse, and one of its former employees, with failing to maintain adequate controls.
CFPB humility pledge reshapes exam process, as agency faces uncertain future
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Supervision Division introduced a new “humility pledge” last month that examiners will read aloud at the start of each oversight engagement. It’s another shift in how the organization handles itself under the Trump administration.
SEC exam priorities for 2026 signal heightened focus on firmwide compliance
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Examinations released its 2026 examination priorities, which give companies a roadmap of areas of heightened risk and regulatory focus for next year.
San Francisco firm pays $11.4M for alleged Russia-related sanctions violations
A San Francisco-based private equity firm has agreed to pay $11.4 million to settle allegations it violated U.S. sanctions rules by handling investments for a sanctioned Russian oligarch.
U.K. asset managers to focus on investor engagement outcomes under new reporting guidance
Asset managers reporting under the U.K.’s updated Stewardship Code starting Jan 1 should focus on engagement outcomes and evidence of impact. New guidance from the U.K. financial regulator offers case studies and checklists to support compliance.
FDIC eases leverage rules for banks, citing lower risk burdens
The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued a final rule to change the leverage capital requirements for both large and community banks. The agency said the modification will ”reduce disincentives a banking organization may have to engage in lower-risk activities.”
CFPB shutdown appears imminent, enforcement transferred to DOJ
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is reportedly transferring its enforcement caseload to the DOJ, one of multiple indicators telegraphing its eminent shutdown.
Rapid regulatory change requires investment in compliance processes in financial services firms
Geopolitical instability and a general focus on increasing growth and productivity by governments worldwide are causing a slew of regulatory changes in the financial services sector. But most firms are failing to identify potential compliance changes early enough to make meaningful decisions.
U.S. Treasury faces new pressure over unreleased Epstein bank records
The release of thousands of emails written by Jeffrey Epstein has sparked a political storm. One Democratic Senator is ramping up pressure for the U.S. Treasury to also disclose the deceased financier’s bank records.
CFPB proposes changes to equal credit opportunity act rules
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a rule change that would narrow anti-discrimination requirements for the financial industry. This comes as the Trump administration attempts to shutter the agency may finally come to pass.
DOJ dismisses indictment against Cassava advisor amid legal flaws
The DOJ dropped a June 2024 indictment against a Cassava Sciences advisor, closing a case tied to an alleged short-selling scheme and related government probes. The case was criticized for fundamental flaws in evidence and legal procedures.
U.K. proposed changes to AML supervision
The U.K.’s financial services regulator will take a more central role as part of the government’s plans to simplify—and improve—efforts to clamp down on money laundering and terrorist financing.
Who is leading the fight against confidence scams, and who should?
Internet-enabled scams are drawing national attention, with authorities treating them as organized transnational crimes. The FBI says confidence schemes now make up a significant share of online fraud, prompting questions about how the private sector is responding.
Former Capula CCO alleges misconduct and retaliation at the hedge fund firm
The former U.S. chief compliance officer of hedge fund firm Capula Investment Management has blown the whistle against his former employer, alleging he was terminated for raising concerns about improper expensing practices.
FinCEN flags $9 billion in Iranian shadow-banking activity, citing SARs filings from U.S. banks
Approximately $9 billion of potential shadow-banking flows tied to Iranian networks in 2024, according to a new analysis from FinCEN. The report highlights how illicit funds are making their way through financial institutions as they meet the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
CFPB ends probe into Meta’s financial advertising practices
Meta says it is no longer under investigation by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the latest instance of the agency scaling back enforcement under President Donald Trump.
Navigate 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.
Role for compliance as FCA urges U.K. asset managers to take up tokenization tech
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has opened a consultation on its plans to support “tokenization” – the digital representation of assets on distributed ledger technology (DLT). It is calling for firms to respond to the consultation before November 21.
CFPB scraps bad-actor registry, citing cost-benefit issues
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shut down a registry of non-bank financial firms that broke consumer laws. The agency cites the costs being ”not justified by the speculative and unquantified benefits to consumers.”
Assessing the impact of the DOJ’s monitorship policy six months in
It has been nearly six months now since the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division released its memorandum on the selection of compliance monitors. This article provides a critical analysis of the monitorships that received early terminations, those that remain in place, and the broader compliance lessons they impart.
Binance’s Changpeng Zhao receives presidential pardon from Trump
The founder of crypto exchange Binance, Changpeng Zhao, received a pardon from President Donald Trump. This pardon comes almost two years after Zhao signed a plea agreement and was sentenced to a four-month prison sentence.
Q&A with Olga Kozak-Anlar of Robinhood Markets
Compliance Week Editor-in-Chief Aaron Nicodemus recently interviewed Olga Kozak-Anlar, Compliance AI Lead at Robinhood Markets Incorporated, about her role at Robinhood and the company’s use of AI.
Canada to launch new federal office targeting financial crime and fraud
Canada is creating a new federal office to lead efforts against financial crime. The initiative marks the government’s most significant move yet to modernize its approach to fraud and money laundering.
Soaring costs of car loan compensation in U.K. highlight global risks from poor sales practices
U.K. motor finance companies are preparing to pay billions in compensation after a Supreme Court ruling found they sold unfair car loans over many years, failing to disclose key information and denying consumers the chance to compare deals or negotiate.
U.S. targets southeast Asian “pig butchering”, human trafficking, forced labor empire
This week, U.S. authorities took coordinated action against Cambodian multinational conglomerate Prince Holding Group and its 37-year-old founder Chen Zhi, who is accused of running forced-labor camps in Cambodia where captives were forced to conduct pig butchering scams that defrauded U.S. and global victims out of billions of dollars.
AMLA: What difference will the agency make in the EU’s fight against moneylaundering?
Europe’s massive financial sector has become a magnet for illicit money flowing through its banks and markets. A new EU agency will be taking the problem head-on to fight against money laundering.
Nasdaq: 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.
U.K. FCA establishes framework for unlisted companies to trade shares on a ‘buyer-beware’ basis
Private companies that are keen to trade their shares but do not wish to become listed have gained another way to trade their shares. The U.K. government completed its initial review and published rules for the system in June.
CFPB Ends Oversight of Washington Federal and Planet Home Lending
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) terminated two consent orders with mortgage lenders in September as the agency’s enforcement power shrinks under Trump-era cuts.
U.K. enforcement appetite over off-channel comms grows as U.S. wanes
The U.K’.s financial regulator has given a strong indication that financial firms’ use of unauthorized devices and apps is under scrutiny and that policies around off-channel communications need to be tightened up.
FinCEN 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.
Australian banks’ record fines for compliance failures highlight role of culture in compliance
Two of the biggest banks in Australia are under fire for major compliance and cultural failings. ANZ and National Australia Bank are facing intense scrutiny over misconduct ranging from mistreating customers to underpaying staff.
Bank of America Securities avoids prosecution over market manipulation case
The DOJ announced Thursday that it has declined to prosecute Bank of America Securities over lapses related to a spoofing scheme conducted by two former employees that went on for almost seven years.
Trump wants SEC to toss quarterly reporting requirement
President Donald Trump is pushing for a shake-up in corporate reporting rules, calling on companies to file earnings with the SEC only twice a year instead of every quarter.
U.K. delays audit reforms even as regulator piles on financial pressure
Delays to the U.K.’s Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill and creation of the ARGA regulator have sparked criticism. On Sept. 8, 66 MPs sent a letter to the Prime Minister urging reforms be returned to the Parliamentary agenda.
Hong Kong securities regulator hits repeat offender Deutsche Bank with $3M fine
Deutsche Bank has agreed to pay a $3 million fine and has returned $5 million in fee overcharges to customers as part of a resolution with Hong Kong’s financial services regulator.
Digital wallets should speed up compliance, but companies must focus on trust and security
The EU has one, the U.K. is getting one, many U.S. states are working with Google and Apple to provide one, and now industry sectors are developing their own digital wallet.
DOJ, SEC charge owner of Pennsylvania companies of running $770M Ponzi scheme
The majority owner of a Pennsylvania investment firm faces 100 years of prison time and huge fines for allegedly running a $770 million Ponzi scheme centered on an ATM company he also owned.
Cross-border compliance: Lessons from the UAE for a globalized financial system
Financial ecosystems are no longer confined within national boundaries. Money, technology, and risks flow seamlessly across jurisdictions, creating unprecedented challenges for compliance officers. From sanctions and anti-money laundering (AML) obligations to the rise of virtual assets, the compliance function must now navigate a complex, cross-border landscape where regulators, institutions, and ...
Chinese money-laundering networks moved $312B in dirty money through the U.S.
Suspicious activity reports filed by U.S. financial institutions show that Mexican drug cartels and human traffickers are laundering dirty funds through Chinese money laundering networks (CMLNs) operating in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).