U.K. regulator fines Morgan Stanley $6.8M for off-channel comms
By 
Aaron Nicodemus2023-08-23T17:36:00
The U.K.’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) fined Morgan Stanley 5.4 million pounds (U.S. $6.8 million) for allegedly failing to record and retain electronic communications by its wholesale energy traders over two years.
The penalty against Morgan Stanley & Co. International (MSIP), announced Wednesday, is Ofgem’s first fine levied against a firm for use of off-channel communications via WhatsApp for discussing energy market transactions, the regulator said.
From January 2018 to March 2020, Morgan Stanley failed to record and retain electronic communications related to trading wholesale energy products, Ofgem said.
Related articles
-
PremiumSurvey: Social media remains vexing issue for financial firms
A recent survey by surveillance technology firm SteelEye found most financial institutions do not monitor their employees’ use of social media or factor in market risks exacerbated by social media posts.
-
News BriefBroker-dealers, IAs, credit raters caught in SEC off-channel comms sweep
A dozen financial services firms were penalized by the Securities and Exchange Commission as the agency continues its enforcement sweep of recordkeeping violations regarding employee use of off-channel communications for business purposes.
-
PremiumDiscover ‘paying the price’ for not investing in compliance
Discover Financial Services is “paying the price” for underinvesting in compliance over the past several years and has been ramping up spending and hiring to catch up, two senior executives said in a call with analysts.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
News BriefJudge reinstates fired CPSC commissioners in latest battle over government cuts
In May, three commissioners for the Consumer Product Safety Commission were abruptly fired by President Donald Trump and sued for their jobs shortly after. A federal judge has ruled that the commissioners should be reinstated, although it’s unclear whether that ruling may itself be reversed.
-
PremiumUK’s Failure to Prevent Fraud law may expose firms to unlimited fines and prosecution, says Moody’s compliance risk expert
Fraud now accounts for around 40% of all crime in the U.K., posing a major problem for banks and consumers. Ted Datta, head of industry practice for financial crime compliance at Moody’s, warns that the risk is growing fast.
-
ArticleCrypto firms brace for tighter UK oversight as FCA plots integration with financial markets
Trying to put rules in place to oversee an industry that has grown largely outside of regulation is not without serious challenges. But the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) latest consultation aims to attract industry views about how some key aspects of crypto trading should be regulated ahead of planned ...