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.
Q&A: Ex-DOJ official on policy changes, new CCO expectations
Scott Hulsey, partner at Barnes & Thornburg, former federal prosecutor, and a former chief compliance officer, discusses with Compliance Week how CCOs should respond to the Department of Justice’s recent policy changes regarding corporate crime.
CPE Webcast: Best practices for ABAC compliance in 2023
In today’s hyper-connected and media-driven world, corruption can be a serious challenge for organizations to manage.
J&J unit to pay $9.75M to settle kickback suit
A Johnson & Johnson medical device subsidiary admitted to providing thousands of dollars in equipment as kickbacks to an orthopedic surgeon as part of a $9.75 million settlement reached with the Department of Justice.
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.
Good faith not good enough in navigating global supply chain laws
Differences in the level of duty of vigilance among supply chain legislation in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany mean best efforts to root out and stop slave labor and other worker exploitation are not enough, according to experts.
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.
DOJ urges voluntary self-disclosure in corporate enforcement policy updates
The Department of Justice unveiled new incentives to encourage companies to voluntarily report violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including steep discounts in monetary fines against businesses that self-disclose misconduct.
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.
U.S. bribery risk landscape in 2023: TRACE Matrix, Corruption Risk Forecast
Analyzing the results of two recent reports offers an understanding of the U.S. landscape around anti-bribery efforts entering 2023 and where elevated risks might lie.
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.
Ten things I’d like to see happen in 2023 (2022 in review)
Expect big developments for the compliance profession in 2022 to continue to take center stage in the year ahead, including CCO certifications, climate-related disclosures, and more.
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.
DOJ declines to prosecute Safran over alleged FCPA violations
The U.S. Department of Justice informed French aircraft equipment manufacturer Safran that the company would not face prosecution regarding alleged bribes paid by employees at two subsidiaries to a China-based consultant.
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.
Joining the dots between ESG and corruption
A report from Transparency International UK sets out the case for why business integrity and corruption should be considered as core issues in the context of impact environmental, social, and governance investing.
Honeywell to pay $203M over bribery claims in Brazil, Algeria
Honeywell International agreed to pay $202.7 million to settle charges it paid bribes to obtain contracts with government entities in Brazil and Algeria in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
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.
DOJ, SEC extend Ericsson compliance monitorship one year
Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson agreed with U.S. authorities on a one-year extension of its independent compliance monitorship after a second breach of its obligations under a deferred prosecution agreement earlier this year.
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.
Pressure on business or individual? CCOs torn on DOJ certifications
The Department of Justice’s new CCO certification requirement drew mixed reviews from respondents to our “Inside the Mind of the CCO” survey, with many questioning whether the policy might backfire on the compliance profession.
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.
Ex-Weber Shandwick CFO imprisoned 4-plus years for embezzlement
The former chief financial officer and chief operating officer of public relations firm Weber Shandwick was sentenced to more than four years in prison and ordered to pay more than $26 million for a nearly decade-long embezzling scheme.
TPRM Summit: Experts discuss FCPA lessons learned from ABB settlement
A panel on regulatory trends at CW’s virtual TPRM and Oversight Summit discussed lessons for compliance departments seeking to learn how to guard themselves against bad actors within their own firms contained in ABB’s recent $327 million bribery settlement.
Glencore to pay $180M in DRC corruption case
Commodity trading and mining company Glencore agreed to pay $180 million to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to settle claims arising from alleged corrupt practices that took place for more than a decade.
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.
ABB avoids DOJ monitor, to pay $327M over South African bribes
ABB agreed to pay $327 million in penalties to settle coordinated charges it paid bribes to win South African energy contracts. The company entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
DOJ official hints at policy changes for off-channel communications, clawbacks
The Department of Justice is considering issuing new guidance regarding companies’ record-keeping obligations for employees’ use of personal cell phones to conduct corporate business, as well as executive compensation clawback policies.
FCA fines Julius Baer subsidiary $21.5M for bribery scheme
Julius Baer International will pay more than £18 million (U.S. $21.5 million) to settle charges laid by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority for paying bribes to generate business with a Russian oil company.
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.
Ex-BP trader’s failed whistleblower claim to raise U.K. reporting bar?
A U.K. employment tribunal’s ruling that a former BP employee was not entitled to whistleblower protection has shone a spotlight on the legal issues workers must consider ahead of speaking up.
Regulatory independence vital in U.K.’s fight against fraud
To do their jobs properly, regulators must be able to act independently and without government intervention. Rather than seeking to tighten its grip on regulators, the U.K. government should be safeguarding their independence as a matter of urgent priority.
Elizabeth Holmes sentenced to 11-plus years in prison
Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison Friday after being convicted of fraud earlier this year for her actions as head of the defunct blood-testing company.
How to build an effective code of conduct
Literature and survey results regarding codes of conduct and ethics reveal the elements of strong (and weak) examples.
Glencore Energy’s $324M fine for bribery comes with warning to others
Glencore Energy UK was ordered to pay nearly £281 million (U.S. $314 million) in fines and costs after an investigation by the U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) found it paid $29 million in bribes to gain preferential access to oil in Africa to boost profits.
Insurance broker Gallagher latest target of DOJ Ecuador probe
Insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher is under investigation by the Department of Justice related to its business in Ecuador.