HSBC, Scotiabank latest caught in regs’ off-channel comms sting
By 
Aaron Nicodemus2023-05-11T19:28:00
The Bank of Nova Scotia and HSBC were fined $22.5 million and $15 million, respectively, by U.S. regulators on Thursday for admitted recordkeeping failures regarding employee use of off-channel communications to conduct company business.
The Bank of Nova Scotia (also known as Scotiabank) and its affiliate, Scotia Capital USA, were fined a collective $15 million by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and an additional $7.5 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for longstanding failures to properly maintain, preserve, or produce records and for failing to provide proper oversight of employees use of off-channel communications on personal cell phones and messaging platforms, including WhatsApp.
HSBC Securities was fined $15 million by the SEC for similar compliance failures.
Related articles
-
PremiumSEC, CFTC call for self-reporting to reduce off-channel comms backlash
The Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission have indicated they will be more forgiving to financial services firms that voluntarily self-report recordkeeping violations and take remedial actions before being asked to do so.
-
News BriefWells Fargo fined $200M in latest SEC, CFTC off-channel comms sweep
The Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission continued their crackdown on financial firms’ recordkeeping failures regarding employee use of off-channel communications with $555 million in total fines levied against nine institutions and their affiliates.
-
News BriefBNP Paribas nearing settlements with SEC, CFTC over off-channel comms
BNP Paribas disclosed it reached proposed settlements with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission regarding alleged use of off-channel communications for business by employees.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
ArticleLarge wound care practice pays $45M, agrees to monitoring
One of the largest wound care practices in the nation and its founder have agreed to pay $45 million and be subjected to third-party monitoring, to settle allegations that the business intentionally overbilled Medicare by priming its electronic medical records system to do so.
-
News BriefSEC dismisses SolarWinds case tied to 2020 cyberattack
The dismissal of charges against SolarWinds for alleged cybersecurity lapses related to a 2020 Russian cyberattack in 2020 are the latest in a continuing pattern of leniency for corporations by the Trump administration.
-
PremiumPart Two: FCPA cases closed by DOJ, SEC since January
Since the start of the Trump Administration, the Department of Justice has been winding down a number of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations with little public attention. This second article further explores how and why these FCPA matters have been closed.