Apple, Google face compliance crossroads as states push digital safeguards
A new law in Texas will go into effect next January that requires Apple and Google to verify the age of their app store users. This marks another piece of legislation from the state level intended to protect children, and the second such law specifically from Texas to limit children’s ...
SEC drops Binance lawsuit as Trump admin continues reshaping crypto enforcement
The Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its case against cryptocurrency exchange Binance, just the latest in a string of dismissals that highlight the SEC’s change of course under the crypto-friendly Trump administration.
COSO’s draft corporate governance framework provides roadmap to compliant business practices
Corporate governance is, all too often, handed down from generation to generation. Like a well-worn jacket, it works great—until it doesn’t. Typically, it is a crisis that forces companies to reassess their corporate governance framework, as gaps are filled and poor policies rewritten. But it doesn’t have to be that ...
Compliance Week’s Inside the Mind of the CCO reveals stubborn gender pay gap
Despite years of attention, male compliance professionals remain more highly compensated than women, according to the sixth annual Compliance Week Inside the Mind of the CCO survey.
Under intense reg scrutiny, compliance teams report implementing off-channel comms policies
Three of four respondents to Compliance Week’s Inside the Mind of the CCO survey said their employers have policies and procedures in place that govern employee use of unauthorized communications on their cell phones.
For the first time, a majority of compliance teams using AI: Inside the Mind of the CCO
For the first time, more compliance teams than not used artificial intelligence (AI) to assist them in their work, according to Compliance Week’s 2024 “Inside the Mind of the CCO” survey.
DOJ says BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street pressed ESG goals to lower U.S. coal output
The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have bolstered a conservative legal effort to dismantle environmental, social, and governance-based investment strategies from three large asset managers by claiming they illegally conspired to artificially raise energy prices.
Consumer electronic supply chain at risk, FCC says in proposing new rules
Thousands of computers and other consumer electronic devices imported into the U.S. that were certified as safe by foreign laboratories have been identified as having links to the Chinese government or military, Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, said Thursday in announcing an order to close the security ...
CPSC firings spark legal fight as Trump continues ousting independent officials
Three former commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission who were fired by President Donald Trump earlier this month have filed a lawsuit against the government over their dismissal. The move joins many more court battles over Trump’s sudden slashing of government agencies, which some courts have deemed illegal, blocking ...
Unicoin defrauded investors through future crypto token scam, SEC alleges
The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged cryptocurrency company Unicoin, three top executives, and its general counsel with defrauding investors of $110 million by selling them bogus “rights certificates” in a future cryptocurrency coin.
FTC orders GoDaddy to upgrade cybersecurity defenses following three breaches
The Federal Trade Commission has ordered web hosting company GoDaddy to implement a “robust” information security program following at least three data breaches that the agency said were aided by lax cybersecurity measures.
Not just for the rich: SEC may make closed-end funds available to retail investors
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins indicated he favors changing the agency’s requirement that only the wealthy can invest in so-called “closed-end” private equity funds and hedge funds.
Atkins: SEC has too many vacancies following job losses under Trump
The Securities and Exchange Commission has too many vacancies following efforts by the Trump Administration to reduce the overall size of the federal government, SEC Chair Paul Atkins told Congress Tuesday.
FTC shuts down student loan firms over deceptive debt relief practices
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took action against a pair of student loan debt relief companies for allegedly deceiving borrowers. The move came despite the Trump administration’s broader efforts to roll back enforcement actions against businesses since taking office.
DOJ shutters FBI unit that investigated Trump and 2020 election interference
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has shuttered a special Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unit that focused on public corruption and whose legwork led to the special counsel investigation of President Donald Trump for trying to overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump administration launches pressure campaign against EU Digital Services Act
The Trump administration is preparing to ask the European Union to alter or water down its rules on content moderation on social media, claiming that they hurt the competitiveness of American technology companies.
States like New York, Pennsylvania stepping up to fill regulatory void left by federal agencies
As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau steps back from its core mission of protecting American consumers, states like New York and Pennsylvania are stepping up to fill the regulatory void.
CFPB pulls data broker rule in win for industry, setback for consumer advocates
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has pulled back a draft privacy rule that would have required businesses to take more steps before selling consumers’ financial and personal data.
With “stroke of a pen,” CFPB withdraws controversial guidance docs issued under Dems
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has rescinded 39 guidance documents that had provided insight into the regulator’s thinking on a host of topics, including enforcement practices and how companies should handle customer complaints.
New DOJ policy means heat is off corporate crime and on drug kingpins
The Department of Justice is moving the enforcement of all but the most heinous white-collar crimes onto the back burner and putting investigations of drug kingpins, illegal immigration, and sanctions evasions up front, Matthew Galeotti, head of the DOJ’s Criminal Division, said Monday.
FTC pushes back timeline for ‘Click to Cancel’ Rule, raising compliance questions
The Federal Trade Commission was set to begin enforcement of the “click to cancel” rule on May 14, but a new announcement from the agency pushed that date to July 14. As is the case with many of the regulatory decisions by the Trump administration, it’s unclear whether the agency ...
Trump EO seeks to undo federal consent orders against businesses over lending, hiring bias
Businesses under consent decrees for violating federal anti-discrimination laws, including fairness in lending and hiring laws, may be off the hook under a sweeping executive order (EO) issued by President Donald Trump last month. The EO, aimed at furthering his agenda of dismantling protections against discrimination, says all agencies “shall ...
CFPB drops Google Payment oversight, latest enforcement pullback under Trump
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continued advancing President Donald Trump’s pullback of corporate oversight last week, as it halted supervision of Alphabet’s Google Payment subsidiary. The move followed similar efforts by the Trump administration to weaken government enforcement efforts, particularly concerning digital currencies.
SEC wants to resolve long-running case against crypto firm Ripple Labs for $50M
The Securities and Exchange Commission has offered to settle its long-running lawsuit against cryptocurrency firm Ripple Labs for $50 million, the latest in a series of pullbacks by the agency on ongoing crypto lawsuits.
SEC drops Morgan Stanley cash sweep case: Sign of the times?
A decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission to close an investigation into the cash sweep program at Morgan Stanley may affect decision-making at other financial institutions under similar scrutiny.
FTC rule forces fee transparency in ticketing and lodging industries
Ticketing and short-term lodging businesses will be prohibited from hiding “convenience” and other fees from consumers under a rule by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), set to take effect next week.
Despite supporting Trump, Big Tech antitrust lawsuits gain steam
In a world where it seems like it’s Donald Trump against the rest of the world, antitrust lawsuits against tech titans may be the only area where regulators around the world agree: it’s time to break up Big Tech.
Buy now, pay later firms catch a break as CFPB backs off enforcement
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) signaled a softer regulatory approach last month, easing its investigation of financial firms following the U.S. government’s broader efforts under President Donald Trump to scale back regulatory enforcement on businesses. The agency reaffirmed this pivot as it will ease scrutiny of “Buy Now, ...
FinCEN proposes bar on Cambodian company due to alleged money laundering
A Cambodian financial company, the Huione Group, has laundered billions of dollars for international criminals and those linked to North Korea, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The agency proposes that the company should be severed from having access to the U.S. financial ...
UBS to pay $511 million fine over Credit Suisse tax case, exposing compliance gaps
A significant settlement in a U.S. tax fraud case against Credit Suisse contains numerous compliance lessons related to beneficial ownership and due diligence in mergers and acquisitions.
Not satisfied with gutting federal laws, Trump turns towards states
In support of President Donald Trump’s deregulation agenda, U.S. Department of Justice sued four states in its ongoing attempt to derail state efforts to force energy companies to pay for damage they caused to the environment.
In continuing re-evaluation of FCPA cases, DOJ ends Albemarle FCPA reporting
The Department of Justice has ended another FCPA-related compliance action more than a year early. This scaling back of regulatory enforcement by the federal government has been a growing trend since the start of the Trump administration.
When starting on data analysis projects, start small and find allies
Compliance has long been reluctant to tap the power of its organization’s data. Some of that hesitancy is institutional, either through inertia or outright hostility. Data is often kept in siloes, overseen by different administrators, stored in different systems.
NYDFS to continue crypto enforcement, Superintendent Harris says
The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), led by Superintendent Adrienne Harris, doesn’t intend to let up on cryptocurrency enforcement, even in the face of pullback from the federal government.
Ethics education is key, says Tom Hardin AKA “Tipper X”
Tom Hardin AKA “Tipper X” went from a young trader with his whole career ahead of him to an inside trader who got caught, acted as a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant for two years, and pleaded guilty to a felony.
Under intense pressure, former DOJ Polite says it’s compliance’s time to shine
Like never before in modern American history, ethics and compliance are under attack.
A lot of us are misusing AI at work, and it’s putting our companies’ data, reputations at risk
Almost half of employees in a new global survey admitted to improperly using AI at work, underscoring the risks companies face by the fast-growing technology. And that’s despite many of their efforts to slow its use.
Networking is key for women in compliance
Compliance can be a highly fulfilling job but one that is tough and sometimes lonely, too. But participants at the Women in Compliance Brunch & Learn session at Compliance Week’s 20th anniversary national conference agreed community was the solution, though it can come in different ways.
Trickle of CFPB lawsuit dismissals poised to become a flood
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has quickly become one of the most active agencies advancing the Trump administration’s pullback on prosecuting corporations, as it dropped yet another consumer protection lawsuit against a financial services company Wednesday.
FTC sues Uber over deceptive subscriptions, a rare move for consumers by Trump officials
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging the ride-hailing company signed customers up for its Uber One subscription without consent, then made it hard for them to cancel. The move marks the U.S. government’s latest broadside against big tech companies, and the first major action from ...
CFPB pullback signals further shift toward industry-friendly regulation
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to unravel amid pressure from Trump administration officials to shutter the agency. Not only has the agency informed its employees that it will no longer be a watchdog for the financial services industry, it has also laid off employees despite court orders blocking ...
Is Google headed for a breakup? Second federal judge calls it a monopoly
A federal judge has ruled that Google “willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts” in the advertising technology industry, the latest antitrust setback in what could become a string of losses for tech companies.
Glencore compliance monitorships ended early by DOJ
The U.S. Department of Justice ended two compliance monitorships on Glencore International more than a year early, monitorships imposed in 2022 after the company was convicted of paying bribes and manipulating commodities markets.
Senate Democrats urge DOJ to revive crypto crime unit amid growing enforcement concerns
A small band of Senate Democrats is calling on the Trump administration to reinstate the cryptocurrency investigations unit at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Trump is making it harder for whistleblowers. That’s a problem for corporate America
As U.S. President Donald Trump takes a wrecking ball to the norms, rules, and laws that have governed the United States for decades, whistleblowing as we know it – a way to right wrongs, call out misconduct and hold people accountable – may be under threat.
Trump’s CFPB, dismissing Comerica case, continues to cut down Biden-era lawsuits
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dropped yet another consumer protection lawsuit against a bank or fintech provider since Donald Trump was sworn in as president in January. This time, it was with Comerica Bank.
Trump family buys into crypto as regulators consider soft touch on the industry
Any doubts that the new administration will take a light touch to upcoming cryptocurrency regulation vanished with President Donald Trump’s launch of his own stablecoin and his family’s growing investments in crypto businesses.
Banks reported more than $1 B in suspicious activity–much of it fentanyl linked
Banks alerted authorities to $1.4 billion in suspicious transactions in 2024, a big assist in the nation’s fight against crime and fentanyl trafficking, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
Cash App parent to pay $40 million for alleged BSA/AML violations in New York
Block Inc., maker of the popular Cash App, has been hit with a $40 million fine by New York for its alleged failure to report suspicious activity. The move marks the latest in a string of recent state and federal enforcement actions against the company.
Trump attempts to block state climate laws with executive order
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order slamming state-led efforts to address climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related laws.