Experts warn U.K. money laundering cases to ‘significantly increase’
The U.K. has an ongoing problem with money laundering, but recent changes to economic crime law and corporate registration requirements could bring more cases to court, according to consultancy KPMG.
Strengthening BSA/AML defenses: Critical role of ERTs in modern day compliance
Enforcement actions in the first half of of 2024 by the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network highlight the importance of proactive measures in Bank Secrecy Act compliance rather than just being compliant.
Fed's new capital requirement latest fallout from 2023 banking failures
The Federal Reserve Board will require more than 30 of country’s largest banks to maintain a minimum percentage of capital in reserve, a percentage which the Fed calculated based on their complexity and whether they are considered a global systemically important bank.
Ian Sherr joins Compliance Week as its new editor-in-chief
New Compliance Week Editor-In-Chief Ian Sherr shares his thoughts on where compliance is headed as businesses meet the realities of not just following the rules, but staying ahead of the pace of regulatory change at a global scale.
Raymond James to pay $1.9M over failing to supervise mutual fund transactions
Raymond James & Associates and its subsidiary agreed to pay more than $1.9 million to settle allegations levied by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority that it didn’t have an effective system to handle customer complaints, along with millions of direct mutual fund transactions not reasonably being supervised.
Bank of America unit reaches $3M settlement with FINRA over surveillance lapses
A subsidiary of Bank of America agreed to pay $3 million and take remedial measures to resolve allegations that its surveillance system didn’t detect manipulative trading, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority said.
Nordea Bank to pay $35M to resolve NYDFS probe into AML shortcomings
Finland-based Nordea Bank will pay $35 million to resolve an investigation by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) into “significant compliance failures” in its anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act program.
Banks avoid penalties in OCC deals, agree to shore up AML/BSA, board oversight
Among the enforcement actions issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in August, two banks were separately penalized for deficiencies in anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act compliance and board oversight.
FINRA orders Cantor Fitzgerald to pay $151K over supervision lapses
Cantor Fitzgerald agreed to pay more than $151,000 and be censured as part of a settlement with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority over alleged supervisory failures in respect to over-the-counter securities.
American Portfolios agrees to $225K settlement with FINRA over AML failings
Broker-dealer American Portfolios will pay a $225,000 fine to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) over alleged deficiencies in its anti-money laundering program.
How are you keeping up? The adoption of AI in compliance
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the business landscape, and this is especially true for anyone working in compliance. But while AI offers immense potential to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and mitigate risks, it also introduces a new set of challenges that compliance professionals must navigate.
SEC orders Equiniti to pay $850K over alleged lax cybersecurity
Equiniti Trust Company has agreed to pay $850,000 to the Securities and Exchange Commission to settle allegations that its failed security measures allowed millions in client funds to be stolen in two cyber incidents.
Federal judge overturns FTC’s ban on noncompete clauses
A federal judge struck down the ban on noncompete clauses by the Federal Trade Commission that was set to take effect in September.
FCA fines PwC $19.5M for failing to report fraud at London Capital & Finance
PricewaterhouseCoopers agreed to pay 15 million pounds (U.S. $19.5 million) for failing to report suspicions of fraud taking place at investment firm London Capital & Finance before it collapsed, the Financial Conduct Authority announced.
No more fake product reviews allowed under FTC rule
A new rule by the Federal Trade Commission will crack down on fake product reviews, whether written by humans or artificial intelligence.
U.K. forced labor ruling raises bar for supply chain monitoring
Companies will need to tighten up how they monitor their supply chains after a recent U.K. ruling determined that corporates could be open to money laundering charges if they fail to act in cases where they believe there is a risk of forced labor.
All hands on deck needed to get ESG disclosures right, report finds
Multiple emerging environmental, social, and governance and disclosure standards pose legal and operational risks to many companies, but also opportunities to improve reporting and get ahead of requirements, a new report found.
Examining potential uses for GenAI in banking, financial services
The American Bankers Association sent a letter to the Treasury Department asking questions on the ethical application of generative AI in banking and finance, with an IBM report published the same day describing potential future uses of GenAI tools in finance.
Experts warn FCA review prompts firms to declassify or retain PEPs
The U.K Financial Conduct Authority published findings showing that financial services firms are implementing its guidance on politically exposed persons related to anti-money laundering inconsistently, with experts warning firms of reputational damage arising from potential enforcement.
Q&A: Paxful CCO on ramping up compliance after BSA failures
Manfred Bekeris, chief compliance officer at cypto peer-to-peer network Paxful, sat down with Compliance Week to talk about joining the company shortly before its former chief operating officer and co-founder pled guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act.
DOJ lawsuit alleges TikTok ignored order to enhance COPPA compliance
TikTok is in hot water with the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission over widespread failures to comply with a 2019 consent order to enhance compliance with children’s privacy laws.
SolarWinds partial dismissal casts doubt on SEC Cybersecurity Rule
A partial dismissal of charges levied by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Solarwinds has cast doubt about the breadth of the SEC's Cybersecurity Rule.
Many dating apps a matchmaker for cybercriminals, study finds
Location-based dating apps are not doing enough to protect user privacy, with exact location and other personal data being exploited by stalkers and bad actors, a recent analysis found.
Wells Fargo discloses AML, sanctions programs under investigation
Wells Fargo disclosed in a public filing its anti-money laundering and sanctions programs are under investigation, adding to the already long list of compliance issues plaguing the bank.
AI can help reel in ‘unsustainable’ breach costs, IBM report finds
The global average cost of a data breach jumped to an all-time high for the second year in a row, but companies can reel in the ballooning drag on profits by adopting artificial intelligence, according to an IBM report.
OFAC sanctions entities providing electronic components for Iranian weapons
Five individuals and seven entities in Iran, China, and Hong Kong have been targeted for U.S. sanctions by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for helping to obtain components used in Iran’s missles and drones.
FCA wants input on how Consumer Duty overlaps with existing rules
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority is asking for input on which of its existing rules for financial services overlap with the year-old consumer duty rule, with an eye toward streamlining and simplifying both rule packages.
Western International Securities to pay $1.5M over repeated supervision failures
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ordered Western International Securities to pay $1.5 million for failing to implement a supervisory system to detect and respond to excessive trading, the firm’s fifth consent order with the regulator since 2019.
Treasury official slams Florida ‘anti-woke’ law for ‘undermining’ BSA compliance
Brian Nelson, Treasury Department under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, warned in a letter that Florida’s “anti-woke” banking bill may “materially undermine” financial institutions’ compliance with federal AML/CFT laws and U.S. sanctions.
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.
CPE Webcast: Proactive AI compliance: 4 essential steps to minimize exposure
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance rapidly and organizations expand their usage to optimize efficiency and productivity, implementing internal AI policies to ensure regulatory compliance and minimize exposure remains a hot topic.
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.
French bus part supplier CBM to pay $2.4M to settle DOJ fraud allegations
A French bus parts supplier will pay more than $2.4 million in penalties, disgorgement, and restitution to settle charges that it fraudulently misled its U.S. customers about the source of some of its parts.
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.
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.
Sept 10 | Five automation trends to modernize InfoSec compliance
In this session, we’ll introduce a new approach to enterprise-wide program development and automation that can meet the modern complexity of businesses today.
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.
Sep 17 | Extra guac, extra insights: How to engage learners on a Chipotle burrito budget
When Chipotle began to strengthen their E&C program in 2020, they were met with a lot of resistance to traditional compliance training.
FTX reaches $4 billion settlement with CFTC in bankruptcy court lawsuit
FTX Trading and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have agreed on a $4 billion settlement in bankruptcy court to settle the CFTC’s lawsuit against the failed crypto trading platform.
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.
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.
CPE Webcast: GRC readiness: Your roadmap to effective integrated risk management
Taking on challenges from the always changing regulatory environment to cyber risks and data security requires a proactive, integrated approach to governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) management.
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.
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.
Q&A: Seaco general counsel, compliance head on environmental regulations
Dominic Buckwell, general counsel and compliance head at global marine container leasing company Seaco, discussed key themes including anti-money laundering, sanctions, and why the industry needs common environmental reporting standards.
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.
FATF removes Jamaica, Türkiye from watchlist; adds Monaco, Venezuela
Jamaica and Türkiye made “significant progress” addressing deficiencies in their anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) programs, warranting their removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list.