FinCEN mulling beneficial ownership reporting changes amid criticism
The reporting requirements of the beneficial ownership information registry being developed by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will likely be revised following harsh criticism from lawmakers and businesses.
William Hill fined record $23.7M for social responsibility, AML failures
The U.K. Gambling Commission announced three units of British bookmaking service William Hill Group will pay a record fine of £19.2 million (U.S. $23.7 million) for failures regarding social responsibility and anti-money laundering.
Ex-Binance CCO accused of aiding and abetting CFTC rule violations
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission charged Binance and its founder with operating an illegal digital assets exchange, while former Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim faces charges of aiding and abetting the alleged misconduct.
Ex-OneCoin compliance head charged over alleged fraud role
The former head of legal and compliance at OneCoin was indicted on separate charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering for her role in the $4 billion cryptocurrency fraud scheme.
Fed details Custodia Bank membership rejection over risk deficiencies
The Federal Reserve Board further expounded on the risk management deficiencies it found at Custodia Bank as part of the digital-first bank’s application to become a member of the Federal Reserve System.
Report alleges Block’s Cash App facilitates fraud, disregards AML laws
Investment research firm Hindenburg Research accused financial technology payment company Block of facilitating money laundering, fraud, and scams on its platform.
Danske Bank to name audit exec new chief compliance officer
Danske Bank will appoint Chief Audit Executive Dorthe Tolborg to serve as its chief compliance officer after current CCO Satnam Lehal announced he would depart the bank in early 2024.
CPE Webcast: Immersive Learning: A Revolutionary Way To Train Your Compliance Team
Get a taste of Compliance Week Training’s new instructor-led courses that provide the experience of a financial crime risk event unfolding in real time. Review scenarios used in the course, which simulates a real-life crisis you need to evaluate and resolve with your peers.
Ex-Goldman banker sentenced to 10 years for 1MDB fraud role
Former Goldman Sachs Managing Director Roger Ng was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the 1MDB fraud scandal.
SEC fines broker-dealer $100K over SARs reporting failures
Cambria Capital agreed to pay $100,000, hire an independent anti-money laundering consultant, and be censured for failing to file suspicious activity reports on certain transactions over a two-year period, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
South Africa, Nigeria added to FATF’s AML/CFT watchlist
The Financial Action Task Force placed Nigeria and South Africa on its list of countries requiring increased monitoring because of deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.
Report: FCA probing Barclays over AML controls
Barclays Bank is reportedly being investigated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority for failures regarding its anti-money laundering procedures and controls.
Anchorage Digital revamps BSA/AML compliance post-OCC consent order
Anchorage Digital unveiled moves to bolster its Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering compliance staff less than a year removed from being called out by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for deficiencies in the area.
TI 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index shows ‘scant progress’
Around the world, countries attempting to address their corruption issues are not making much progress, while countries failing to address corruption are worsening the problem, according to Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index.
Fed cites AML weaknesses in denying Custodia Bank membership application
The Federal Reserve Board denied the application of Custodia Bank for membership in the Federal Reserve System, citing weaknesses in the digital-first bank’s anti-money laundering protocols as part of its decision.
In Touch Games fined $7.6M for AML failures by U.K. Gambling Commission
U.K. online gaming company In Touch Games was fined £6.1 million (U.S. $7.6 million) by the country’s Gambling Commission for a series of anti-money laundering failures—its third such penalty since 2019.
Banks fooled in DOJ Russian yacht sanctions evasion case
The Department of Justice’s charges against a U.K. businessman and his Russian partner for evading U.S. sanctions against a Russian oligarch provide insight into how the use of shell companies, third parties, and other methods can thwart the compliance efforts of financial institutions.
Deutsche Bank refreshes compliance leadership with new group CCO
Deutsche Bank named Laura Padovani to be its next group chief compliance officer and head of compliance, effective April 1. She will replace Pascal Tagné, who will become the bank’s head of compliance for the Asia Pacific region.
Crypto exchange Bitzlato shut down, labeled ‘money laundering concern’
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network designated Bitzlato, a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange, as a “primary money laundering concern” in the first use of a law that targets entities that facilitate illicit Russian financial transactions.
Danske Bank CCO to depart in 2024
Satnam Lehal, chief compliance officer of Danske Bank, announced he will leave the bank in early 2024 after playing a pivotal role in helping steer it through the aftermath of one of the world’s largest money laundering scandals.
FinCEN projects $22.7B for beneficial ownership reporting Year 1 costs
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network estimated it will cost reporting companies a total of $22.7 billion to comply with the requirements of the agency’s beneficial ownership registry in its first year.
FCA orders GT Bank to pay $9.4M for ‘reckless’ AML weaknesses
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority fined Guaranty Trust Bank approximately £7.67 million (U.S. $9.4 million) for weaknesses in its anti-money laundering systems and controls that spanned a five-year period.
FCA fines Al Rayan Bank nearly $5M for AML failings
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority fined Al Rayan Bank more than £4 million (U.S. $4.9 million) for its lack of adequate anti-money laundering controls.
FINRA focuses on financial crime in annual exam report
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s annual report on examinations and risk monitoring indicated a new emphasis for the regulator on combating financial crime, particularly cybercrime.
Coinbase to pay $100M after NYDFS probe into compliance lapses
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase agreed to pay $100 million as part of a settlement with the New York State Department of Financial Services for compliance failures that opened the door for criminals to carry out illegal activity through the platform.
FinCEN report identifies financial trends of Russian oligarchs
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network published an analysis of financial trends involving Russian oligarchs and how U.S. financial institutions have aided in the identification of more than $30 billion worth of sanctioned Russians’ assets.
Lessons in preventing AML failures
Anybody working in financial services will know enormous effort is made to ensure their institution is on the right side of the law. Why, then, do such failures continue to exist? And crucially, what can be done to prevent their recurrence?
AML 2023 preview: Regs not backing down on beneficial ownership, tech needs
Keeping up with increasingly demanding anti-money laundering expectations in 2023 will likely mean doing more with less and figuring out where and when is the best place to use technology to aid compliance, experts say.
CHS Hedging AML controls criticized in $6.5M CFTC action
CHS Hedging, a Minnesota-based futures commission merchant, was fined $6.5 million by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission for AML program gaps and other risk management and recordkeeping failures regarding a ranch owner customer committing fraud.
Deutsche Bank efforts to meet BaFin order reflective of EU’s AML struggles
Deutsche Bank said it is about “two-thirds” of the way toward meeting Germany’s financial regulator’s demands for tighter controls to combat money laundering and terrorist financing—an area of weakness many banks across the European Union are confronting.
FinCEN proposes restricted access to beneficial ownership registry
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released a notice of proposed rulemaking that outlines what agencies and entities should be allowed to access the beneficial ownership registry that is in the works.
SEC accuses J.H. Darbie of violating AML rules
New York-based brokerage firm J.H. Darbie & Co. was charged with violations of anti-money laundering provisions of federal securities laws by the Securities and Exchange Commission for failing to report suspicious activity regarding penny stock transactions.
Bankman-Fried fraud charges detail FTX’s lack of internal controls, risk management protocols
A flurry of criminal and civil fraud charges laid against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried have pulled back the veil on the cryptocurrency exchange’s complete lack of internal controls and toothless risk management procedures.
Compliance implications of Danske Bank’s $2B Estonia money laundering settlement
Danske Bank reached final resolutions with U.S. and Danish authorities to settle allegations regarding widespread anti-money laundering deficiencies at its former Estonia branch.
Santander UK fined $132M for poor AML controls
The U.K. arm of Santander was fined approximately £107.8 million (U.S. $132 million) by the Financial Conduct Authority for “serious and persistent” gaps in its anti-money laundering controls.
Rabobank probed by Dutch prosecutors over potential AML violations
Rabobank, the second largest bank in the Netherlands, is being investigated by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service for potential violations of the country’s anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism law.
Top ethics and compliance failures of 2022
Businesses not taking AML requirements seriously, years of noncompliant off-channel communications catching up to financial services titans, and a manufacturing firm that shared revenue with terrorists comprise CW’s list of the biggest ethics and compliance fails of 2022.
e-Book: Effective beneficial ownership searches leverage technology
Determining the ultimate beneficial owner of individuals and companies your firm does business with can be a tricky thing.
Danish financial regulator refers Jyske Bank to police for AML violations
The Danish Financial Supervisory Authority reported Jyske Bank to Danish police for allegedly violating the country’s anti-money laundering law regarding its customer due diligence measures.
Experts: AML efforts dealt blow by CJEU beneficial ownership ruling
Determining the true owner of a company might become more difficult after Europe’s top court ruled automatic access to registers of beneficial ownership conflicted with the right to privacy.
South Africa edges toward FATF watchlist
South Africa could be designated by the Financial Action Task Force as a jurisdiction with anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism risks subject to increased monitoring should a November review not meet the organization’s standards.
Danske Bank projects $2.1B settlement for Estonia money laundering probes
Danske Bank expects to pay a total of 15.5 billion Danish kroner (U.S. $2.1 billion) to U.S. and Danish authorities to settle allegations it overlooked more than $200 billion in dirty money laundered through its former Estonia branch.
Automation can improve AML compliance but won’t replace human touch
While automation has the potential to transform anti-money laundering compliance, it will not replace the human practitioners relied upon to get investigations to the finish line, experts discussed at the ACAMS annual conference in Las Vegas.
Former JPMorgan compliance exec settles with bank over SOX whistleblower suit
Shaquala Williams, a compliance executive who sued JPMorgan Chase after she said she was fired for blowing the whistle on deficiencies in the bank’s anti-money laundering compliance program, agreed to settle her case.
ICICI Bank cited by OCC for BSA/AML compliance failures
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ordered the New York branch of ICICI Bank to implement sweeping changes to its anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act compliance programs but will not fine the bank if the improvements are completed.
FATF classifies Myanmar as high risk for money laundering, terrorist financing
The Financial Action Task Force designated Myanmar as a high-risk jurisdiction with “significant strategic deficiencies” regarding its anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, and financing of proliferation prevention efforts.
Australia’s Star casino fined record $62M over money laundering scandal
The Star Entertainment Group, operator of Australia’s second largest casino, was penalized a record AUD$100 million (U.S. $62 million) by the country’s casino regulator for failures to prevent money laundering at its Sydney location.
Gatehouse Bank fined $1.77M for inadequate customer due diligence
Gatehouse Bank was fined £1.58 million (U.S. $1.77 million) by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority for failing to address “significant weakness” in AML checks the bank conducted on customers who posed a higher risk of committing financial crime.
U.S., U.K. improve anti-corruption coordination with data access agreement
A new agreement will allow law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom and United States to gain better access to data held by tech and telecommunications firms from the other’s country as part of evidence gathering for complex white-collar crimes.
Bittrex to pay $29M for BSA violations in landmark FinCEN, OFAC case
Virtual currency trading platform Bittrex agreed to pay more than $29 million for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and other foreign asset restrictions by regularly allowing transactions with customers in Iran, Syria, and other U.S.-sanctioned nations.