Banking regs issue guidance on risks posed by bank-fintech relationships
Three federal banking regulators issued guidance on the risks posed by the use of third-party financial technology firms to deliver bank deposit products and services to customers.
Risk visibility striking fear in companies onboarding new customers
A lack of risk visibility is causing companies to reject customers–and potentially lose money–over fears they might be in danger of violating rules around anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations.
FINRA appoints senior vice presidents of enforcement
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority announced the appointments of Tina Gubb, effective Monday, and Julie Glynn, effective Sept. 1, as senior vice presidents of enforcement.
Green Dot fined $44M by Fed over compliance deficiencies, deceptive practices
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors fined financial technology and bank holding company Green Dot $44 million for numerous unfair and deceptive practices and a deficient consumer compliance risk management program.
Survey tackles aligning cross-generational views of ethics in the workplace
Companies may need to examine employees by age group to find out how likely some workers might be to ditch compliance to complete tasks.
Banking regs join FinCEN in proposing AML/CFT risk assessment rule
Four federal banking regulators have joined the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require financial institutions to conduct more thorough risk assessments on their anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism programs.
FCA: Most banks don’t subject U.K. politicians to excessive risk checks
The U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority asked banks and financial institutions “to do more” to ensure that U.K lawmakers and their families are not treated unfairly.
Off-channel comms ‘hottest’ SEC mock exam topic, survey finds
Nearly three-quarters of compliance professionals at investment firms have made testing for off-channel and electronic communications surveillance a top priority in mock exams, according to a new poll, with more than half calling it the “hottest” topic of discussion.
Experts: Further reforms needed beyond revamped London Stock Exchange rules
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority is revamping the London Stock Exchange rules, but more changes may be needed to achieve growth and attract initial public offers, experts said.
FinCEN updates red flags to watch for in thwarting West Bank settler violence
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network updated an alert first issued in February warning financial institutions of Israeli extremists fomenting violence in the West Bank.
FRC dings MacIntyre Hudson $156K over public interest entity violations
The U.K.’s Financial Reporting Council fined audit firm MacIntyre Hudson (MHA) and two employees for breaching the agency’s requirements.
FINRA fines UBS unit $850K for failing to properly monitor customer transactions
UBS Financial Services, a subsidiary of the Swiss banking giant UBS, has been fined $850,000 for failing to properly monitor transactions between its broker-dealers and third parties.
OCC, Fed fine Citi $136M for repeated risk management, data governance failures
Citigroup will pay $135.6 million in fines levied by two banking regulators for repeated failures to remediate deficiencies in risk management, data governance, and internal controls.
Ex-Paxful co-founder pleads guilty to violating BSA/AML regulations
The co-founder and former chief technology officer of crypto peer-to-peer network Paxful faces charges related to violating the anti-money laundering requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.
De-risking trend threatens global financial markets, Treasury official warns
As the United States and other Western countries turn the screws on criminals, hackers, terrorist organizations, and sanctions evaders attempting to access global financial markets, financial institutions could respond by reducing their connections to risky sectors, according to Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson.
CFPB orders Fifth Third Bank to pay $20M over fake accounts, forced auto coverage
Ohio-based Fifth Third Bank will pay $20 million in penalties to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for allegedly opening fake bank accounts and wrongfully repossessing customers’ vehicles.
OCC proposes recovery plan rule for banks with $100B or more in assets
The Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency proposed a rule that would extend requirements for recovery plans to all banks with at least $100 billion in assets.
Silvergate Bank to pay $63M to Fed, California over BSA/AML deficiencies
Crypto-friendly Silvergate Bank will pay a total of $63 million penalties to California and the Federal Reserve Board to settle charges that its anti-money laundering program failed to properly monitor more than $1 trillion worth of customer transactions.
Banks must bolster awareness of fintech partner risks, experts advise at Fordham
During a panel at Compliance Week’s Financial Crimes and Regulatory Compliance Summit, held June 10-11 in New York, experts discussed nuances in bank-financial technology partnerships, offering best practices for how banks should protect themselves.
SCOTUS overturns Chevron doctrine, putting thousands of regulations in limbo
The Supreme Court of the United States overturned a long-held precedent in which courts deferred to federal agencies in interpreting complex or ambiguous regulations–a decision that could make thousands of federal regulations more vulnerable to legal challenges.
Bank of England report: ’Need to improve’ private equity risk management
A Bank of England report warned of private equity risk management deficiencies as interest rates remain stagnant, with international coordination important.
FinCEN proposes additional risk assessments for AML/CFT programs
Financial institutions would be required to conduct more thorough risk assessments on their anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism programs under a new rule proposed by the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
SCOTUS decision upends in-house tribunals in SEC fraud cases
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s practice of using in-house tribunals overseen by an administrative judge to adjudicate securities fraud cases is unconstitutional.
Mondo TV reaches $538K settlement with OFAC over N. Korea sanctions violations
Italy-based Mondo TV agreed to pay $538,000 to settle charges with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control over 18 apparent violations of North Korea sanctions regulations.
Banking regs find flaws in resolution plans for BoA, JPM, Goldman Sachs, Citi
Two federal banking regulators found deficiencies with the sale of derivatives in the resolution plans of Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase, while the regulators disagreed on the severity of an issue with Citigroup’s plan.
OFAC sanctions drug cartel over China procurement; FinCEN issues advisory
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and Secretary Janet Yellen announced sanctions Thursday against the top leaders of La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel over the illicit trafficking of synthetic opioid fentanyl in the United States.
CFPB proposes $3.95M fine against Freedom Mortgage over repeated data errors
Freedom Mortgage Corp. would have to pay a $3.95 million fine and carry out regular auditing and testing of its loan data under a proposed order by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
OCC emphasizes compliance’s role in FI’s operational resiliency
Compliance departments at financial institutions must become more involved in ensuring their firm’s operational resiliency to address emerging risks, the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said in its semi-annual risk perspective.
CFTC awards whistleblower $8M despite involvement in misconduct
A whistleblower received an $8 million award from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for uncovering fraud—even though the agency deemed the whistleblower was culpable in the misconduct.
Credit Suisse unit inks deal with OCC over BSA/AML obligations
The New York branch of Swiss bank Credit Suisse reached a deal with the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) over compliance with its Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering obligations.
SEC, CFTC actively probe off-channel comms violations, top officials say
Two senior officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission described how both agencies are committed to rooting out off-channel communications among registered entities for the long term.
Evolve Bank ordered by Fed to address AML, sanctions lapses
The Federal Reserve Board ordered an Arkansas bank that partnered with numerous financial technology companies to correct deficiencies in its anti-money laundering, sanctions, risk management, and consumer compliance programs.
Biden nominates CFTC’s Goldsmith Romero to head FDIC
President Joe Biden selected a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as his preferred choice to lead the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in the aftermath of its toxic workplace culture scandal.
Anson Funds, affiliate to pay $2.25M for fund disclosure violations
Registered investment adviser Anson Funds Management and exempt reporting adviser Anson Advisers will combine to pay more than $2 million for allegedly misleading investors about their short fund strategy and related recordkeeping violations.
BIS’s Axelrod makes plea to financial services: ‘We want to work with you’
Matthew Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the Bureau of Industry and Security, addressed efforts to reach financial services firms, working with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and more during his fireside chat at CW’s Financial Crimes Summit.
CFTC’s Pham critical of agency stances on CCO liability, self-disclosure credit
Caroline Pham, a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said compliance officers have a lot to worry about if they or their firms are subject to CFTC enforcement during her fireside chat at CW’s Financial Crimes Summit.
Panelists break down robust sanctions landscape at TPRM Summit
Sanctions compliance officers face myriad challenges as complex geopolitical situations heighten risks worldwide, experts discussed during Compliance Week’s Third-Party Risk Management & Oversight Summit.
Photo gallery: Compliance Week Financial Crimes and Regulatory Compliance Summit
The Compliance Week Financial Crimes and Regulatory Compliance Summit took place June 10-11 at Fordham Law School in Manhattan, New York. Check out some of the sights from the summit in our photo gallery.
FinCEN BSA data: Fraud, money laundering top suspicious activities
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network published its latest collection of Bank Secrecy Act data, including number and type of suspicious activity reports.
OCC’s Hsu encourages banks to apply guardrails to AI use
Warning of an “eventual reckoning” on artificial intelligence use by financial institutions, the acting head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said the industry should learn lessons on how similar disruptive technologies evolved from being helpful to dangerous.
‘Why us?’ SEC lists reasons it conducts examinations of broker-dealers
A risk alert from the Securities and Exchange Commission listed top reasons why a registered broker-dealer might be the subject of an examination.
EU agencies examine efforts to identify and monitor examples of greenwashing
The European Securities and Markets Authority, European Banking Authority, and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority issued reports on greenwashing in the financial sector, describing how they plan to call out examples of false or misleading sustainability claims.
Reignited calls to tighten up AML in London, crown dependencies
Despite repeated interventions, fines, and negative publicity, money laundering is rife in U.K. financial services firms, according to Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell.
Court overturns SEC private fund adviser rule, calls out agency overreach
A federal appeals court struck down the Securities and Exchange Commission’s private fund adviser rule, agreeing with industry advocates that the agency overstepped its authority.
Epoch Times CFO charged in $67M money laundering scheme
The chief financial officer of the Epoch Times was charged with laundering at least $67 million in illegally obtained funds to bolster the fortunes of the newspaper and himself.
CFPB to require nonbanks to register outside enforcement orders
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau passed a new rule requiring nonbank financial companies to register consumer protection orders filed against them by other federal agencies, courts, or states.
Big Tech data for finance: Will FCA plans set trend?
Plans in the United Kingdom to share Big Tech data with financial services firms could prompt other industry regulators to follow suit or result in “unintended consequences” that see Meta, Google, and others growing market share.
Podcast: SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce on regulatory demands, CCO input
Compliance Week’s Aaron Nicodemus sat down for an exclusive chat with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce covering the flood of new regulation emanating from the agency, stresses on compliance at smaller firms, CCO liability, and more.
FINRA dings Bank of America unit over notification lapses
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fined a Bank of America subsidiary $90,080 for filing untimely or inaccurate notifications related to security distributions and failing to adopt an adequate supervisory system.
BaFin relaxes growth restrictions on N26 following AML improvements
German financial regulatory authority BaFin lifted growth restrictions on N26, after the digital bank made improvements to its anti-money laundering program.