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.
New cybersecurity requirements fast approaching for New York financial firms
Many financial firms have mere days to notify New York about whether they have complied with the state’s strict cybersecurity regulations, and to gear up for new requirements rolling out May 1 and beyond.
States require companies to report greenhouse gas emissions as federal regulators step back
Some companies doing business in California and New York may soon be required to report the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of their operations to state authorities, even as the federal rule for disclosing such emissions is on life support.
DOJ disbands crypto investigation unit, another sign of the Trump administration’s support of digital currency
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) disbanded its crypto investigation unit on Monday, marking another step from President Donald Trump to support the crypto industry and lighten the regulatory burden of potential crypto crime investigations that had started under the Biden administration.
U.K. says company boards need to worry more about cybersecurity risks
The U.K. government wants directors and boards of directors to become more actively involved in cybersecurity risks facing public and private companies, as the world faces “alarming” threats from criminal gangs and malicious nation-states.
California Attorney General Bonta warns businesses that FCPA still in full force
The federal government may have paused enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), but that’s not the case in California, where bribes to foreign officials will be prosecuted, Attorney General Rob Bonta warned.
FTC case against insulin price gouging halted after commissioners fired by Trump
A Federal Trade Commission case against insulin price gouging has come to a screeching halt after two Democratic commissioners were fired by President Donald Trump.
Trump’s pivot on crypto leads SEC to seek settlement with Gemini
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s pivot in favor of crypto took another step as the agency indicated it wants to resolve a long-standing lawsuit against the crypto exchange Gemini.
OFAC, FinCEN tighten screws on Sinaloa Cartel’s money laundering network
The Trump administration has taken two actions to attack money laundering rings operating in Mexico, highlighting the U.S. government’s focus on curbing the fentanyl trade and the illegal profits it generates.
Dismissed Democrats on Federal Trade Commission sue Trump administration
Two former Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission–Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter–filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the remaining commissioners, claiming their recent termination was without cause and that the courts should rule their dismissals as “unlawful and ineffective.”
DOJ fines MORSE Corp $4.6M for lax cyber controls amid crack down on federal contractors
Yet another government contractor has been slapped with a fine by the Department of Justice for applying lax cybersecurity defenses on sensitive government data.
Treasury reversal of OFAC sanctions against Tornado Cash signals eroding AML scrutiny
The U.S. Treasury Department lifted its sanctions against cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash on Friday after a federal appeals court ruled in November the penalty levied by the agency’s Office of Foreign Assets Control was an overreach.
RTX and Raytheon: A case study in juggling four compliance monitors
In October 2024, aerospace and defense company Raytheon and parent company RTX reached a $950 million settlement with U.S. government agencies to resolve multiple federal law violations. More significant than the criminal penalties were the four compliance monitorships that came with the agreements.
FinCEN drops BOI requirement for U.S. companies, persons
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued a final interim rule that eliminates beneficial ownership information reporting obligations for U.S.-based companies and persons.
When it comes to trust, make sure to verify
The increasing efforts to fight modern slavery across the globe are getting a boost from EU rules that require companies to track and report on the issue. But compliance executives can’t lean on easy databases and automated solutions, experts increasingly say, that supply chain companies may ignore or lie to.
The future of DEI isn’t about ‘diversity’
With White House directives ending DEI programs across the U.S. government, many companies are now facing the question of how to meet their diversity goals without upsetting the political climate. The answer has been to give up the name but not the spirit of DEI.
Compliance should be a business partner, not a blocker
Compliance has long been viewed by some as the “Department of No.” What typically happens is a new product or service is being launched, and compliance is brought in at the end of the process. Inevitably, the compliance team finds aspects of the new product or service that violates a ...
Democratic FTC commissioners blast Trump's 'illegal' firings
President Donald Trump fired two Democratic commissioners serving on the Federal Trade Commission, the regulatory agency overseeing antitrust and consumer protection laws and which has been traditionally independent and staffed by members of both political parties.
Photo gallery: Ethics & Compliance Summit
Compliance Week’s Ethics and Compliance Summit, held March 19-20 in Boston, Mass., gathered legal, compliance, and risk professionals to share best practices and engage in discussions on timely topics, regulatory developments, and effective strategies to foster an ethical culture.
Small wins can have big results
When talking about ethics programs at various companies, there are plenty of examples of firms that do right and those that do wrong. But building up a struggling program is a whole other challenge.
Trump picks Fed vice chair of supervision, aims to roll back 2023 bank protections
Federal Reserve Board member Michelle Bowman has been nominated as the board’s vice chair for supervision, a position that oversees regulation of the nation’s largest banks.
CCO who was ‘sole person controlling’ investment firm charged with recidivist concentration violations
An investment company and its founder, president, and chief compliance officer flagrantly kept violating mutual fund rules for multiple years after settling with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC said in a complaint against the company.
Expert: Treasury’s move to ‘narrow’ BOI requirements would gut AML law
The U.S. Treasury’s effort to dramatically narrow the focus of the Corporate Transparency Act through “emergency” rulemaking would gut the law’s anti-money laundering efforts, a transparency expert said.
SEC postpones compliance date for amendments to investment company names rule
Investment companies will have six additional months to comply with an update to the Securities and Exchange Commission rule aimed at making investment fund names more accurate.
Robinhood pays $30M in fines, restitution for faulty AML program, customer disclosures
Robinhood will pay nearly $30 million in penalties for violating Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules with shortcomings in its anti-money launderingprogram, as well as supervisory and disclosure violations.
Firm, two execs fined, including ex-CCO, for misappropriating $220K, SEC alleges
Two executives at New York-based Momentum Advisors, including the firm’s chief compliance officer, allegedly misappropriated more than $220,000, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
Learn to identify, redirect unethical behavior at summit
A panel at Compliance Week’s Ethics and Compliance Summit will use interactive exercises, real-world case studies, and DOJ guidance to “equip participants with actionable tools to navigate high-pressure environments and build stronger, more human-centered compliance cultures.”
Two senators want to know: What’s the legal basis for suspending enforcement of the CTA?
Two senators behind the Corporate Transparency Act have demanded that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent justify his suspension of one of the law’s anti-money laundering requirements.
Why are CFOs struggling to stay compliant?
CFOs are tasked with overseeing an organization’s entire financial processes, not least ensuring that financial operations remain compliant with the multitude of global regulations. It’s a heavy burden to carry that might be alleviated slightly with the help of artificial intelligence, writes Markus Hornburg, head of compliance at Basware.
Investment scammers, other fraudsters scored billions from consumers in 2024, FTC reports
The public reported a 25 percent increase in losses–totaling more than $12.5 billion in 2024–to investment scams, tech rip-offs, and general fraud, according to an analysis by the Federal Trade Commission.
Regs name TD Bank’s compliance monitor; so far, bank has spent $138M improving AML program
TD Bank leadership called its response to anti-money laundering program lapses its “top priority” as federal regulators named their choice of a compliance monitor to oversee a top-to-bottom rebuild of its AML program.
Judge to hear arguments for and against CFPB cuts before agency potentially ‘choked out of existence’
The future of the CFPB–and the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle it–hang in the balance as a federal judge pushed consideration of a request by a federal employees’ union to preserve the agency.
As DOJ pivots away from white-collar enforcement, is FCPA still relevant?
While executives and boards will never conclude that bribery is a legitimate way of doing business, understandably many have questions about how to direct their FCPA compliance program efforts and resources, write Iris Bennett and Claire Rajan, partners at law firm Steptoe.
Compliance Week acquired by Verdian Insights as CW expands membership efforts
When I think of CW, I think about helping you do your job better. Sometimes, that means events where you share and learn from peers. Other times, it means publishing stories or case studies that spotlight truths you need to know, while looking around the bend at what’s next, too.
New era dawns on crypto industry with SEC dismissal of Coinbase case
The Securities and Exchange Commission dismissed its lead case against the cryptocurrency industry, a lawsuit against crypto exchange Coinbase, signaling an about-face in the agency’s enforcement approach toward digital assets under President Donald Trump.