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 ...
Ex-Capula CCO refiles whistleblower retaliation lawsuit
The former U.S. chief compliance officer of London-based hedge fund Capula Investment Management, who alleged he was fired for escalating “significant regulatory compliance issues” to senior management, refiled his lawsuit in state court after his original complaint was dismissed in federal court on jurisdictional grounds.
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.
The dos and don’ts of responding to a World Bank integrity audit
The World Bank Group has updated its “Integrity Compliance Guidelines” for the first time in 15 years, and at a time when sanctions cases are on the rise. These developments combined should prompt companies to reassess their anti-corruption compliance practices.
Long-running corruption scandal adds €25.8M fine to billions already paid globally
The Netherlands Public Prosecution Office has fined a company linked to a U.S.-sanctioned Israeli businessman €25.8 million ($29.9 million) for bribing officials in the Congo. The case began in 2018 and relates to bribes paid in 2010-2011, demonstrating the slow and complex process often involved in such investigations.
BoA settles class-action related to its dealings with Jeffrey Epstein
Bank of America has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging know-your-customer and other failings in its dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
SEC’s Uyeda: ‘Enforcement is the wrong way’ to handle off-channel communications
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Mark Uyeda told an audience of investment advisers that the SEC will no longer prioritize stand-alone enforcement actions for violations of the SEC’s rules on off-channel communications.
GSA’s draft AI Clause turns governance into a contractual mandate
A sweeping proposed federal procurement clause would push AI oversight out of policy decks and into compliance operations, vendor management, and real-time control testing.
Employment law in the age of AI: Compliance considerations
Employment law in the age of AI is evolving faster than many companies can keep pace. As more states enact AI laws and as more case law piles on, chief compliance officers and in-house counsel must ensure that compliance policies and procedures evolve as AI legal and compliance risks evolve.
Adobe agrees to $150M settlement over alleged cancellation fee violations
Adobe agreed to a $150 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over accusations that it concealed software termination fees and made it difficult for customers to cancel.
OFAC temporarily lifts sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments
The U.S. Treasury Department issued a new Russia-related general license allowing certain transactions tied to Russian oil shipments already en route to India. This move comes after oil prices spiked as the U.S war on Iran continues.
Compliance must future-proof AI projects to meet evolving regulations
AI implementations are surging, but many new systems are being abandoned after companies have invested in expensive projects. Now evolving AI regulation is adding to the list of reasons why new systems may fail. Compliance must watch emerging regulatory developments and ensure that any new AI tools are capable of ...
SEC enforcement priorities revert back to basics
Recent pronouncements made by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission leadership, alongside the recent overhaul of the SEC Enforcement Manual, collectively signal a back-to-basics enforcement approach that appears beneficial for companies in their dealings with the agency.
International agents take down major site where criminals traded stolen corporate info
A major online site used by cybercriminals to buy and sell information stolen from corporations and individuals worldwide has been shut down by an international enforcement action, the Department of Justice announced.
Does attorney-client privilege extend to exchanges with AI platforms? U.S. courts offer mixed messages
Federal court judges in New York and Michigan have offered split rulings on whether AI prompts seeking information from AI platforms are subject to the attorney-client privilege.
Broker-dealer Canaccord pays $80M to FinCEN, admits to willful BSA violations
Financial services company Canaccord has been hit with an $80 million penalty by the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FInCEN)–the largest FinCEN penalty against a broker-dealer in its history.
Sanctions enforcement set to increase, but gaps and inconsistency create compliance risks
Geopolitical volatility is causing rapidly changing sanctions regimes, but diverging rules in different jurisdictions create enforcement gaps that are exploited by sanctioned individuals and entities – and the routes used to evade sanctions are constantly developing.
FTC’s two commissioners vote to order Walmart to pay $100M to settle gig driver allegations
Walmart has agreed to pay $100 million to settle allegations that it deceived delivery drivers about their pay and tips, the Federal Trade Commission announced.
Former telemedicine company owner gets 7 years for role in $136M kickback scheme
A former co-owner of two telemedicine companies who helped orchestrate $136 million in Medicare fraud was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the nationwide bribery and kickback scheme involving orthotic braces, doctors, and false claims.
When AI acts: The compliance challenge of agentic systems
Artificial intelligence is no longer limited to generating insights or supporting analysis. With every passing day, AI systems are being designed to initiate actions, trigger workflows, and influence outcomes with minimal human intervention.
False Claims Act enforcement themes for 2026
The U.S. Department of Justice touted a record $6.8 billion in False Claims Act (FCA) recoveries in fiscal year 2025, much of that total stems from prior years’ cases and does not necessarily reflect the administration’s current enforcement direction.
A snapshot of the state of financial crime in the United States
Financial crime in the U.S. isn’t just evolving; it is accelerating faster than most institutions can adapt.
Federal jury convicts former coal executive in Egypt-linked coal FCPA case
A former vice president of an American coal company was convicted by a federal jury for his part in an international bribery and money laundering scheme. The conviction represents an anomoly in the Trump administration’s handling of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) cases launched under former President Joe Biden.
New York governor’s veto narrows scope of New York LLC Transparency Act
Certain non-U.S. LLCs that were formed under the law of a foreign country and authorized to do business in New York State must prepare now to ensure compliance with new beneficial ownership information disclosure requirements, or potentially face hefty penalties.
EY compliance partner leaves after independence failings prompt regulatory investigation
Four senior partners at Big Four accountancy firm Ernst & Young, including a leader in the firm’s compliance function, have left the company because of spiralling repercussions from a costly compliance failure.
Florida boarding school pays $1.7M for enrolling kids of drug cartel parents
A Florida school has agreed to pay more than $1.7 million for enrolling children whose parents had been sanctioned by the U.S. for their ties to Mexican drug cartels, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Thursday.
FinCEN launches whistleblower portal, seeking tips on BSA and sanctions violations
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has launched a whistleblower webpage to solicit tips on fraud, money-laundering, as well as violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and U.S. sanctions.
Disney pays $2.75M to California for alleged privacy violations
Disney has agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle allegations by California that its streaming service sold the personal information of subscribers without their permission.
OFAC creates online portal for self-disclosing sanctions violations
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has created an online voluntary self-disclosure system to encourage more people to self-report possible sanctions violations.
FTC warns brokers to stop selling U.S. military member data to foreign adversaries
Thirteen data brokers have been warned by the Federal Trade Commission to come into compliance with a 2024 law prohibiting the selling of the personal data of U.S. residents to foreign adversaries.
Flops and successes: Experts at Compliance Week AI event share lessons learned with AI rollouts
A strength of artificial intelligence (AI) is its ability to detect patterns and trends in data. Organizations that deploy AI tools for that purpose have a good chance of success, especially if they employ the right guardrails.
When AI Is Forced on Compliance: The ECCP as your Guide
When a company rapidly adopts AI, compliance officers can be blindsided, tasked with governance almost immediately. Luckily, there is a guide from the U.S. Department of Justice to help.
OpenAI’s Nicole Diaz: AI is “the new frontier of product liability”
At Compliance Week’s recent Artificial Intelligence and Compliance event, one message came through clearly: Companies are moving quickly to adopt AI, while compliance programs are still trying to catch up.
FINRA executive explains regulator’s use of AI at Compliance Week event
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has welcomed artificial intelligence (AI) with open arms—and also caution.
EU investigation into Grok may expose problems with DSA rather than compliance failings
The European Commission has launched a formal investigation against Elon Musk’s X under the Digital Services Act over fears that its AI tool Grok may be producing and disseminating illegal material.
Former ADM execs inflated operating profits, SEC alleges
Three former executives at Archer-Daniels-Midland intentionally misled investors by inflating the performance of the company’s Nutrition unit, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has alleged.
Experts warn of increased global AML risks as criminals seek to launder Venezuelan money
The U.S. action to remove President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and reopen access to the country’s oil reserves will have a significant impact on geopolitics and organized crime activities – creating new challenges for global compliance teams.
National Fraud Enforcement Division: A dangerous escalation of compliance risk
Chief compliance officers and general counsel, beware: The Trump administration’s merging of its whole-of-government enforcement approach with its political agenda forewarns of escalating compliance risk on a national scale.
CW AI event: Boards eager for AI adoption, but governance lags
A “massive” surge in corporate leadership in adopting artitifical intelligence (AI) has been coupled with gaps in AI guardrails, according to a former Google executive speaking at a Compliance Week event on AI use in compliance.
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.
Oil and gas executives mull the real costs of Venezuelan oil
U.S. oil and gas companies strong-armed into participating in the nationalization of Venezuela’s oil industry decades ago now face government pressure of the opposite kind: Invest billions into rebuilding a dilapidated oil and gas infrastructure for a high-risk country that still owes billions in unsettled debts.
CW survey: Compliance teams struggling with AI implementation and trust issues
As companies push employees to use Artificial Intelligence tools to boost efficiency, many organizations are encountering challenges in implementing the technology. A new Compliance Week and konaAI survey found that the most common obstacles were practical and operational issues tied to existing compliance infrastructure.
CW survey: Compliance is adopting AI tools, but governance and controls lag
More than 83 percent of respondents to a new Compliance Week and konaAI survey report using artificial intelligence (AI) but only about 25 percent say their organizations have implemented a strong governance framework.
U.S. sees steep drop in penalties in 2025, while fines elsewhere increase
Firms worldwide got a break in 2025 on penalties for anti-money laundering (AML) failures, a new report has found.
FTC puts GM’s puts connected vehicle data practices under compliance spotlight
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission finalized its order against General Motors and its OnStar subsidiary over the improper usage of geolocation and driving behavior data of drivers.
Kaiser plans pay $556M to settle Medicare upcoding allegations
Kaiser Health affiliates have agreed to pay more than $556 million to settle allegations originally made by whistleblowers that they ignored compliance department warnings and unlawfully reworked diagnoses for Medicare patients in order to receive higher payments from the federal government.
Venezuela military intervention highlights critical resources as a new compliance hotspot
President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela has sent a message across the world that he regards resources as critical to U.S. national security and will act to secure them. In Venezuela, this primarily means crude oil reserves. However, oil is not the only valuable resource in the U.S. sights.
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.
SEC drops all charges against former Rio Tinto CFO related to coal valuation
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its case against Rio Tinto’s former chief financial officer, who has battled charges for eight years.