The following posts provide a snapshot of selected UK, EU and global wholesale financial regulatory developments of interest to banks, investment firms, broker-dealers, market infrastructures, asset managers and corporates.
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Bank of England Consults on Revisions to Statement of Policy on Enforcement
04/15/2024
On March 28, 2024, the Bank of England published a consultation paper on revisions to its Statement of Policy and Procedure on its approach to enforcement, published in January 2024, to reflect enhancements to the BoE's enforcement powers granted under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023.
Read more. -
UK Conduct Authority Consults on New Approach to Enforcement and Publication of Enforcement Investigations
02/27/2024
On February 27, 2024, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority published a consultation on revisions to its Enforcement Guide, setting out proposals which aim to simplify the guidance and increase transparency around the FCA's enforcement actions. Responses to the consultation may be submitted until April 30, 2024.
Read more. -
UK Financial Conduct Authority Announces New Approach to Speed Up Issuing Statutory Notices
11/26/2021
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a policy statement setting out its new approach to issuing statutory notices, which will take effect from November 26, 2021. The FCA publishes statutory notices when exercising certain enforcement and supervisory powers, such as varying or cancelling a firm’s authorization, refusing an application for authorization or approval of an individual, and imposing requirements on firms.
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European Securities and Markets Authority Proposes Improvements to Transparency Directive
03/03/2021
The European Securities and Markets Authority has written to the European Commission proposing a series of improvements to the EU Transparency Directive, taking account of lessons learned in the Wirecard case. Wirecard, a German payments group, collapsed in 2018 when it was revealed that €1.9bn was missing from its public accounts. Several of its senior managers remain under police investigation for alleged crimes including fraud and market manipulation. In ESMA's view, the case has highlighted the need for timely and effective enforcement of financial information and proposes the following amendments to the EU Transparency Directive to help achieve this.
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European Central Bank Publishes Guide to Pecuniary Penalties for Prudential Regulatory Breaches
03/02/2021
The European Central Bank Banking Supervision division has published a guide to its method for setting pecuniary penalties for breaches of prudential regulatory requirements by Eurozone banks that are directly prudentially supervised by the ECB. The ECB will adopt a two-stage approach, first determining the base amount, and then deciding whether to adjust that amount by reference to a range of factors.
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European Securities and Markets Authority Reports on Sanctions Imposed Under UCITS Directive
12/12/2019
The European Securities and Markets Authority has published its second annual report on the sanctions imposed in 2018 under the Undertakings for Collective Investments in Transferable Securities Directive. The UCITS Directive requires national regulators to inform ESMA annually of information relating to all penalties and measures they have imposed under the Directive during the previous calendar year, which ESMA then compiles in a single annual report.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Report on Loan Enforcement Laws Across the EU Published
12/03/2019
The European Commission has published a study analyzing the individual and collective loan enforcement laws in the 28 EU member states. The report, authored by Dr Steffek, University of Cambridge, sets out in anonymized format the results of the study on member state loan enforcement laws from the perspective of the bank as lender enforcing a loan contract against a company, a sole trader, a partnership or a consumer as borrower.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
EU Report on Sanctions and Measures Imposed under MiFID II in 2018
07/17/2019
The European Securities and Markets Authority has published a report on enforcement actions taken across the EU for breach of the revised Markets in Financial Instruments package. The report covers administrative sanctions and measures as well as criminal sanctions in aggregated form for 2018. ESMA notes that the data is limited because MiFID II has only applied since January 3, 2018, and some Member States were late in applying the requirements. Therefore, ESMA does not believe that it is possible to detect any trends using the limited data. ESMA will produce the same report annually, based on the submission of information from national regulators.
View the report. -
UK Regulator Publishes Final Mission Approach Documents for Supervision and Enforcement
04/24/2019
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published its finalized Approach to Supervision and Approach to Enforcement, following feedback to its consultation between March 21 and June 21, 2018 on drafts of the two approach documents. The documents should be read alongside the FCA's Mission document which was first published in October 2016 and most recently updated in November 2017. The documents form part of a series of formal approach documents explaining the FCA's approach to regulation in more depth.
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US Authority Settles Charges Against Peer-to-Peer Virtual Currency Exchanger for Violating Registration and AML Requirements
04/18/2019
The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has announced that it has settled charges against Eric Powers, a peer-to-peer exchanger of convertible virtual currency, for violating the registration, program and reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act. This marks FinCEN's first enforcement action filed against a peer-to-peer exchanger of virtual currency and represents the first time that FinCEN has disciplined an exchanger of virtual currency for failure to report currency transactions, as required under the Bank Secrecy Act.
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US Securities and Exchange Commission Charges Digital Asset Trading Platform Founder for Operating Unregistered Exchange
11/08/2018
The Securities and Exchange Commission has accused the founder of a digital asset trading platform of failing to register as a national securities exchange. Without admitting or denying the charges, the founder agreed to pay $300,000 in disgorgement and a $75,000 penalty, and to cease and desist from future violations of Section 5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The SEC said that the trading platform facilitated secondary market trading of ERC20 tokens, which are a type of digital asset issued and distributed on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform provided a marketplace that matched buyers and sellers of digital assets through the use of its order book, using smart contracts to validate, confirm and execute orders.
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UK Prudential Regulator Fines Senior Managers For Failing to be Open and Cooperative
11/07/2018
The Prudential Regulation Authority has announced that it has imposed financial penalties on two senior managers for failing to be open and cooperative about an enforcement action into the U.K. subsidiary of a Japanese bank by the New York Department of Financial Services in 2014. The PRA's enforcement action follows the financial penalties that it imposed in 2017 on this entity and an affiliate for breaching Fundamental Rules 6 and 7 of the PRA Rulebook in that the firms had (i) failed to communicate relevant information about the settlement with the DFS; and (ii) failed to inform the PRA of the potential implications of the DFS matter for certain senior managers.
The latest fines have been imposed on the former Chair and a former Non-Executive Director for failing to inform the PRA that a senior manager might be restricted from conducting U.S. banking activities as a result of the action by the DFS. The PRA only learnt about the issue after publication of the DFS consent order. This meant that the PRA could not assess the implications or supervise any contingency planning.
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UK Conduct Regulator Bans Former LIBOR Submitter From Performing Any Regulated Activity
11/01/2018
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published the Final Notice (dated October 30, 2018) that it issued to a former employee of a major international bank, prohibiting him from performing any function relating to any regulated activity carried on by any authorized or exempt person, or exempt professional firm. The individual was convicted in June 2016 of conspiracy to defraud for manipulation of the U.S. Dollar LIBOR and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The conviction related to misconduct between 2005 and 2007.
The FCA has concluded that the individual's criminal conviction for an offense of dishonesty, involving financial crime and market manipulation, demonstrates that he is not fit and proper to perform functions related to regulated activities. It considers that, while the misconduct occurred over ten years ago, its seriousness and the severity of the risk which the individual poses to consumers and to confidence in the financial system are such that it is appropriate to impose a prohibition order.
View the Final Notice.TOPIC : Enforcement -
US Securities and Exchange Commission Halts Fraudulent Initial Coin Offering
10/11/2018
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it halted a planned initial coin offering and related pre-ICO sales by Blockvest LLC and its founder, Reginald Buddy Ringgold, III. In seeking an emergency court order, the SEC alleged that Blockvest had falsely claimed that it and its affiliates received regulatory approval from various agencies, including the SEC and a fake agency called the "Blockchain Exchange Commission." Blockvest and Ringgold also allegedly used the National Futures Association seal in making false claims about their regulated status, even after the NFA sent them a cease-and-desist letter for doing so.
The SEC also charged that Blockvest and Ringgold violated the antifraud and securities registration provisions of the federal securities law. The SEC sought injunctions, return of ill-gotten gains plus interest and penalties, and a bar against Ringgold participating in any future offering of securities.
The Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division's Cyber Unit, Robert A. Cohen, said that "the SEC does not endorse investment products and investors should be highly skeptical of any claims suggesting otherwise." In addition, the SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Office of Customer Education and Outreach jointly issued an investor alert on the use of false claims regarding SEC and CFTC endorsements.
View the SEC's announcement. -
UK Conduct Regulator Fines Retail Bank for Failures During a Cyber Attack
10/01/2018
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a final notice issued to a U.K. Retail Bank for breaches of Principle 2 of the FCA's Principles for Businesses. Principle 2 requires authorized firms to conduct their business with due skill, care and diligence. The Bank was subjected to a cyber-attack in November 2016, when attackers deployed an algorithm to generate authentic debit card numbers that were then used to make unauthorized transactions. While the attack did not involve loss or theft of customers' personal data, the FCA found that the attack left the Bank's personal current account holders vulnerable to a largely avoidable incident that occurred over 48 hours.
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UK Brokerage Firm Fined for Inadequate Controls Against Potential Market Abuse
09/27/2018
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a Decision Notice (dated June 7, 2018) imposing a fine of £409,300 on a U.K. brokerage firm for failure to take reasonable care to organize and control its affairs responsibly and effectively with adequate risk management systems in relation to the detection and reporting of potential instances of market abuse.
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US Federal Judge Affirms Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Authority to Police Virtual Currency Fraud
09/26/2018
The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an order confirming that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission maintains the authority to police virtual currency fraud. The order was issued in response to a motion to dismiss charges against My Big Coin Pay, Inc. and several individuals for operating a fraudulent virtual currency scheme through which they solicited customers to purchase a virtual currency known as My Big Coin (MBC).
The CFTC's initial enforcement order, filed in January 2018, accused the defendants of operating a fraudulent virtual currency scheme through which they solicited more than $6 million from customers throughout the U.S. by making false and misleading claims that MBC was actively being traded, was backed by gold and could be used anywhere MasterCard credit cards were accepted. The defendants also were alleged to have misrepresented MBC's daily trading price in reports on its website, when no daily trading price existed because MBC was not actively being traded.
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US Agencies Issue Multiple Digital Asset-Related Enforcement Orders
09/20/2018
The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority have issued three digital asset-related enforcement orders, and the SEC also suspended trading in two securities that track the value of digital assets. The orders mark an uptick in digital asset enforcement from previous months.
Crypto Asset Management, LP
On September 11, 2018, the SEC alleged that hedge fund manager Crypto Asset Management (CAM) had caused its Crypto Asset Fund (CAF) to fail to register as an investment company based on its digital asset investments, marking the first time the SEC has invoked the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) in an enforcement proceeding against the managing member of a pooled investment vehicle that invests in digital assets.
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Final Defendant Sentenced in UK Regulator's Prosecution of £2.8m Investment Fraud
09/17/2018
The final defendant in an investment fraud case has been sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment following "Operation Tidworth", the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority's largest and one of its most complex fraud investigations to date. Five other defendants received prison sentences on September 4, 2018 for their roles in share fraud carried out through a series of boiler room companies which led to the loss of more than £2.8 million of investors' money. Many of the investors were elderly or vulnerable and lost life-changing sums, which in some cases amounted to their life savings. The six defendants in the fraud have together been sentenced to a total of 28.5 years' imprisonment. The final defendant was considered to be the instigator and main beneficiary of the fraud.
The final defendant must serve a total of 13 years in prison, having received an additional sentence of 2 years'; imprisonment in a separate prosecution by the Crown Prosecution Service and the City of London Police.
View the FCA press release.
View details of the sentences handed down on September 4, 2018.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Conduct Regulator Bans Former Trader for Euribor Manipulation
09/14/2018
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has issued a Final Notice to a former employee of a major EU bank, prohibiting him from performing any function in relation to any regulated financial activity. The individual had been employed to trade interest rate derivative products referenced to benchmarks including the Euro Interbank Offered Rate.
The FCA had previously issued a Decision Notice to the former trader in April 2017 imposing a prohibition and a fine of £6.5 million, following a finding that, between March 2005 and June 2009, the former trader had been knowingly concerned in a contravention by his employer of Principle 5 of the FCA's Principles for Businesses, which requires firms to observe proper standards of market conduct.
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US Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies Reaffirm the Role of Supervisory Guidance
09/11/2018
The U.S. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection issued an interagency statement explaining the role and legal status of supervisory guidance.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Five Individuals Imprisoned for £2.8m UK Investment Fraud
09/04/2018
Five defendants have between them been sentenced to a total of 17.5 years' imprisonment, following a fraud prosecution brought by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority.
The FCA's statement announcing the sentencing highlights the investigation as one of the FCA's most complex fraud investigations to date and the first FCA prosecution of an offense of perverting the course of justice. Between July 2010 and April 2014, the defendants cold-called members of the public and subjected them to high-pressure sales tactics to persuade them to purchase shares in a company that owned land in Madeira. A number of entirely false claims were made to persuade potential investors to invest. Many of the investors were elderly and vulnerable and suffered life-changing losses.
The FCA proposes to commence confiscation proceedings against the five defendants under the Proceeds of Crime legislation. A sixth defendant will be sentenced on September 14, 2018.
View the FCA press release.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Bank of England Establishes Enforcement Decision Making Committee and Appoints Members
08/03/2018
Following a consultation that ran between November 2017 and February 2018, the Bank of England has published a policy statement on the procedure and necessary revisions to existing policies and procedures required for the establishment of an Enforcement Decision Making Committee.
The EDMC has been established as a response to a recommendation from HM Treasury arising from its review of enforcement decision-making at the U.K. financial regulators. HM Treasury had recommended the establishment of a functionally-independent decision-making committee composed of independent members with expertise suited to the Prudential Regulation Authority's regulatory focus. The BoE has gone beyond HM Treasury's original recommendation and, going forward, the EDMC will be the BoE's decision-making body in contested enforcement cases that relate to all areas in which the BoE has enforcement powers (that is, prudential regulation, financial market infrastructure, resolution and note issuances). It will ensure the necessary functional separation between the BoE's investigation teams and decision-makers.
Alongside the Policy Statement, the BoE has published revised statements of policy and procedures reflecting the EDMC's establishment. These cover the EDMC's remit and operation and the selection, appointment, remuneration and governance of EDMC members. The BoE has also issued a press release announcing its appointment of six EMDC members. Members are appointed for renewable, fixed, three-year periods and cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.
Read more. -
Five EU Banks Fined for Issuing Credit Ratings Without Authorization
07/23/2018
The European Securities and Markets Authority has fined five EU banks for issuing credit ratings without being authorized to do so by ESMA. The Credit Rating Agencies Regulation requires firms to register with ESMA as a Credit Rating Agency before issuing credit ratings to ensure that such ratings are independent, objective and of adequate quality.
ESMA found that the banks had each issued credit research to their clients that included shadow ratings and opinions. ESMA deemed that these aspects of the reports amounted to a credit rating as defined in the CRA Regulation. None of the five banks have been authorized by ESMA under the CRA Regulation, nor have any of them applied for such authorization.
The banks have a right of appeal to the Board of Appeal of the European Supervisory Authorities.
View ESMA's press release and decision notices. -
UK Serious Fraud Office Confirms Benchmark Manipulator Sentencing and Will Pursue Retrial of Bankers for Benchmark Manipulation
07/19/2018
The U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office has announced that two former bankers that had been convicted of conspiracy to defraud for manipulating the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (EURIBOR) have been sentenced to a combined total of just over 13 years' imprisonment. The SFO has also announced that it is going to pursue a retrial of three other bankers for whom the jury could not reach verdicts.
View the SFO's announcement.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Two Bankers Found Guilty by UK Court of Manipulating EURIBOR
07/12/2018
The U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office has announced that two former bankers have been found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to defraud for manipulating the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (EURIBOR). One other former banker has been found not guilty by a jury. The findings follow an investigation launched by the SFO 2012.
The jury could not reach verdicts on the case of three other bankers. By July 20, 2018, the SFO will inform the court whether it intends to proceed with a retrial. The two convicted bankers will be sentenced on July 20, 2018.
View the SFO's press release.TOPIC : Enforcement -
US Federal Banking Regulators Issue Policy Statement Regarding Coordination of Enforcement Actions
06/12/2018
The U.S. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued a policy statement with respect to notification and coordination of formal enforcement actions. The policy statement was issued in response to the rescission of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council's "Interagency Coordination of Formal Corrective Action by the Federal Bank Regulatory Agencies" revised policy statement, which was issued on February 20, 1997. The interagency policy statement provides that when a federal banking regulator determines that it will take a formal enforcement action against any federally insured depository institution, depository institution holding company, non-bank affiliate, or institution-affiliated party, the agency should consider whether the enforcement action involves the interests of another federal banking regulator. If it is determined that the enforcement action does involve the interest of another federal banking regulator, the agency proposing the enforcement action should notify the other relevant federal banking agency or agencies at the earlier of when written notification is provided to the subject financial institution regarding the enforcement action, or when the respective agency determines that an enforcement action is expected to be taken. If it is determined that the enforcement action does involve the interest of another federal banking regulator, the agency proposing the enforcement action should provide sufficient information to allow the other federal banking regulator to take necessary action in examining or investigating the financial institution or institution-affiliated party.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Major European Investment Bank Settles Charges of Manipulation, Attempted Manipulation and False Reporting of Reference Rates
06/04/2018
On June 4, 2018, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed and settled charges against a major European investment bank, and the U.S. Department of Justice entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the bank relating to charges of manipulation and attempted manipulation of LIBOR and Euribor at various points from 2006 to 2012.
The CFTC and DOJ alleged that from around 2010 to 2012, the investment bank made deliberately false reports of USD and Euro LIBOR and Euribor to artificially lower the bank's submissions to create the appearance that the bank was able to borrow money at more favorable rates and was therefore more creditworthy than it was.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
New Memorandum of Understanding Signed Between UK Financial Conduct Authority and Insolvency Service
05/21/2018
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority and the Insolvency Service have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a framework for their cooperation in matters of common interest.
Both the FCA and the IS have statutory powers of investigation and enforcement under their respective enabling legislation. Both organizations are also legally obliged, from May 25, 2018, to handle personal information according to the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation.
The areas of cooperation include misconduct, investigations and enforcement within their respective remits.
The MoU outlines the structure and process for the FCA and IS to be able to exchange information (including personal data) and intelligence, in a lawful and proportionate manner, to further their respective objectives. The MoU includes details of the circumstances in which the FCA will be permitted to disclose confidential information (such disclosure generally being prohibited under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) and outlines how each of the two organizations will treat information that is subject to legal professional privilege, including the circumstances in which privilege might be waived. The FCA and IS have agreed to apply a number of principles for the exchange and use of information, including the sharing of intelligence, the use of information for investigations and enforcement or other action, how data security controls will be applied and how data breaches will be handled.
The FCA and IS will monitor the effectiveness of the MoU and review it from time to time as necessary. The MoU has been published on the website of each organization.
View the MoU. -
European Commission Proposes Protective Legislation for Whistleblowers Reporting EU Law Breaches
04/23/2018
The European Commission has published a proposal for a Directive on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law. Whistleblowers help prevent damage and detect threat or harm to the public interest that may otherwise remain hidden, but fear of retaliation can often discourage them from reporting concerns.
The importance of providing effective whistleblower protections for safeguarding the public interest has been acknowledged both at European and international level. At EU level, whistleblower protections are currently provided only for specific sectors and to varying degrees. This means that, in many situations, whistleblowers are not properly protected against retaliation. The proposed Directive will address this fragmentation by encompassing "the broadest possible range of categories of persons, who, by virtue of work-related activities (irrespective of the nature of these activities and whether they are paid or not), have privileged access to information about breaches." Areas covered include financial services, money laundering and terrorist financing.
Read more. -
UK Regulator Consults on Mission Approach Documents for Supervision and Enforcement
03/21/2018
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published two consultations, seeking feedback on draft documents setting out its regulatory approach to supervision and enforcement. The two documents, once finalized, will form part of a series of formal "approach documents" explaining the FCA's approach to regulation in more depth. They should be read alongside the FCA's Mission document, which was first published in October 2016 and most recently updated in November 2017.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Government Launches Independent Review Into the Prudential Supervision of the Co-operative Bank
03/06/2018
HM Treasury has directed the Prudential Regulation Authority to conduct an independent investigation into the prudential regulation of the Co-operative Bank plc during the period 2008 to 2013. HM Treasury is empowered to require the Financial Conduct Authority or PRA to undertake investigations where it considers that such an investigation is in the public interest and the relevant regulator has not launched an investigation on its own initiative. The investigation will consider the actions, policies and approach of the Financial Services Authority and one of the successors to its functions, the PRA, during their respective periods in charge of prudential supervision, including the withdrawal by the Co-operative Bank from the bidding process to purchase bank branches from Lloyds Banking Group (known as Project Verde).
Read more. -
UK Financial Conduct Authority Fines and Bans Former Trader for LIBOR Manipulation
03/05/2018
A former trader at a major financial institution has received a £180,000 fine and been banned by the U.K. FCA from performing functions relating to regulated financial activity. This follows on from the FCA’s £226.8 million fine against the institution in 2015 for its breach, in relation to LIBOR, of Principle 5 of the FCA Handbook, namely that “A firm must observe proper standards of market conduct.”
The employee, who worked as a short-term interest rate derivatives trader, acted as the primary JPY LIBOR submitter for the institution. Between 25 July 2008 and 11 March 2010, the FCA found that the employee acted improperly and was knowingly concerned in the institution’s breach of Principle 5 through:
1. Making requests to the institution’s CHF LIBOR submitters, in an attempt to influence their LIBOR submissions;
2. Taking into account trading positions when making his own submissions for JPY LIBOR; and
3. Improperly agreeing with an external trader at another financial institution to make certain JPY LIBOR submissions at the request of the external trader.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in First Contested Failure to Prevent Bribery case
03/01/2018
The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that a refurbishment company, Skansen Interiors Limited, has been found guilty of failure to prevent bribery under section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010.
This is the first contested case under section 7 of the Bribery Act, which criminalizes commercial organizations for failure to prevent bribery by persons associated with them. A defence to this offence is available if a company can show that it has adequate procedures to prevent bribery and Skansen unsuccessfully argued that it had such controls in place.
The CPS alleged that Skansen's managing director at the time bribed a project manager at a real estate company to award refurbishment contracts worth £6m to Skansen.
In its defence, the company argued that it was a small business of around 30 people operating in a single location out of an open-plan office, and therefore did not need sophisticated controls for its procedures to constitute “adequate” ones under the Act. There were checks and balances in place relating to the payment of invoices. It also argued that the company ethos was for everyone to act honestly and ethically, with a number of policies referencing the need for employees to act in an open and honest manner.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
US Department of Justice and Federal Financial Regulators Allege AML Failures at Large US Financial Institution and Its National Bank Subsidiary
02/15/2018
The U.S. Department of Justice entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with a large U.S. financial institution, which includes a $528 million forfeiture, alleging that the institution’s national bank subsidiary willfully failed to maintain an adequate anti-money laundering program in violation of U.S. laws and regulations. In a related action, the U.S. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System issued a cease-and-desist order against the institution, alleging that the institution lacked adequate risk management and compliance policies and procedures to ensure compliance with certain anti-money laundering requirements. The order requires the institution to submit to its respective Federal Reserve Bank a written plan to strengthen the board of directors’ oversight of the institution’s firm-wide anti-money laundering risk management and compliance program within 60 days of the order, to submit revised policies and procedures within 30 days of the order and that a subsidiary of the institution submit a written enhanced customer due diligence program within 60 days of the order. All submissions must be acceptable to the institution’s Federal Reserve Bank. In addition, the order imposes a $15 million civil money penalty. The Federal Reserve Board press release accompanying the order further noted that the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network had also announced monetary penalties against the institution’s national bank subsidiary.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
US Commodity Futures Trading Commission Fines Investment Bank for Attempted Manipulation of Benchmark Swaps Rate
02/01/2018
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has issued an order settling charges against the US investment arm of an international bank for attempted manipulation of the US dollar International Swaps and Derivatives Association Fix (USD ISDAFIX), a global benchmark that indicates the prevailing mid-market rate for the fixed leg of a standard fixed-for-floating interest rate swap.
The order alleges that from at least January 2007 through May 2012, the firm attempted to manipulate the USD ISDAFIX by bidding, offering and executing transactions in targeted interest rate products near the time of the benchmark's daily publication in order to influence the final published rate and improve the firm's positions. The order also alleges that certain employees of the firm who were responsible for making USD ISDAFIX submissions attempted to manipulate the published rate by submitting rates that were false and misleading in order to move the USD ISDAFIX to a more desirable level that would benefit the firm's positions.
The firm agreed to a $70 million fine to settle the charges. In the order, the CFTC recognized the firm’s cooperation with the investigation and remedial actions taken by the firm to strengthen internal controls and policies relating to all benchmarks, including the USD ISDAFIX.
View the CFTC's press release. -
US DOJ, Commodity Futures Trading Commission Charge Three Banks and Multiple Individuals in Spoofing Schemes
01/29/2018
The US Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced enforcement actions against three banks and multiple individuals involved in alleged commodities fraud and spoofing schemes.
Each of the banks settled civil CFTC charges relating to manipulation of the price of precious metals futures contracts traded on the Commodity Exchange, Inc. through spoofing techniques (including placing an order with the intent to cancel before execution), and by trading in a manner designed to trigger customer stop-loss orders. The three banks were each ordered to pay a civil monetary penalty, which ranged from $1.6 million to $30 million. According to the orders, all three banks cooperated throughout their respective investigations. Additionally, the DOJ and CFTC announced criminal and civil charges against various individuals. These individuals allegedly engaged in various spoofing and manipulative and deceptive schemes in various precious metals and other futures markets. In its continuing litigation, the CFTC is seeking a range of civil monetary penalties, disgorgement, and permanent injunctions against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, along with trading and registration bans for several of the individuals.
View the DOJ's press release.
View the CFTC's press release.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Department of Justice Issues Letter Limiting Use of Agency Guidance in Civil Enforcement Actions
01/25/2018
US Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand issued a letter regarding the use of agency guidance, defined in the memo as “any agency statement of general applicability and future effect. . .that is designed to advise parties outside of the federal Executive Branch about legal rights and obligations,” as a tool for civil enforcement actions. In the letter, Ms. Brand references a November 16, 2017 memo from US Attorney General Jeff Sessions entitled “Prohibition of Improper Guidance Documents.” The letter from Ms. Brand reiterates that guidance documents may not be used to circumvent the notice-and-comment rulemaking process. The letter also highlights that Department of Justice personnel are prohibited from using agency guidance documents as a means to require that regulated entities take or refrain from any action not otherwise mandated by law or regulation, and that non-compliance with agency guidance should not in and of itself result in an enforcement action. The letter notes that while agency guidance may be used for other purposes, such as showing that the financial institution had knowledge regarding its obligations under law or regulation, DOJ personnel should not use non-compliance with agency guidance as presumptive or conclusive evidence that a financial entity violated the underlying law or regulation.
View full text of DOJ letter.TOPIC : Enforcement -
US Commodity Futures Trading Commission Charges My Big Coin Pay, Inc. and Its Founders with Fraud and Misappropriation of Customer Funds in Virtual Currency Scheme
01/24/2018
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has announced the filing of an enforcement action charging Nevada-based firm My Big Coin Pay, Inc. and its founders with operating a scheme through which they fraudulently offered the sale of a virtual currency, known as “My Big Coin.” This enforcement action follows two CFTC enforcement actions against other fraudulent virtual currency schemes within the preceding week.
The My Big Coin Pay, Inc. complaint alleges that from January, 2014 to January, 2018, the defendants fraudulently solicited more than $6 million from customers throughout the United States by making false and misleading claims that My Big Coin was actively being traded, was backed by gold and could be used anywhere MasterCard credit cards were accepted. The defendants also allegedly misrepresented My Big Coin's daily trading price in reports on its website, when no daily trading price existed because My Big Coin was not actively being traded. Additionally, the complaint alleges that any payouts customers did receive were a result of a Ponzi scheme in which My Big Coin Pay, Inc. used funds from other customers to pay off previous investors.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Federal Reserve Board Adjusts Maximum Civil Money Penalties
01/10/2018The US Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System announced a final rule adjusting the maximum amount of its civil money penalties. This adjustment is made to account for inflation, and is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. The announcement contains a table reflecting each adjusted civil money penalty, organized by statute. The adjusted civil money penalties took effect on January 10, 2018.
View text of the final rule.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Conduct Regulator Bans RBS Trader for Manipulation of Japanese Yen LIBOR
01/08/2018
The Financial Conduct Authority published a Final Notice in relation to Neil Danziger, a former RBS interest rate derivatives trader, in connection with his involvement in the manipulation of Japanese Yen LIBOR. The FCA imposed a financial penalty of £250,000 on Mr Danziger and prohibited him from performing any function in relation to any regulated financial activity.
The FCA found that Mr Danziger was knowingly concerned in a breach of Principle 5, which requires firms to "observe proper standards of market conduct." In particular, when acting as a Substitute Submitter for JPY LIBOR from time to time, Mr Danziger improperly took into account the requests of other traders and trading positions for which he and other traders were responsible. At other times, he made requests to Primary Submitters in an attempt to influence RBS's LIBOR submissions. Mr Danziger had also recklessly engaged in wash trades with the purpose of paying brokerage to brokers for no legitimate commercial reason.
This is the latest in a series of FCA actions against individuals involved in the LIBOR scandal. In addition, five people have so far received criminal convictions for their parts in LIBOR manipulation in the UK. Investigations into alleged LIBOR manipulation continue.
View the FCA Final Notice.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Two Charged By UK SFO As Unaoil Bribery Investigation Deepens
11/16/2017
The UK Serious Fraud Office has charged two individuals in relation to the SFO's ongoing bribery investigation into Unaoil.
Ziad Akle (Unaoil's former territory manager for Iraq) and Basil al-Jarah (Unaoil's former business partner in Iraq) have both been charged with conspiracy to make corrupt payments, contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1977 and the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906. It is alleged that the payments were made between June 2005 and August 2011 in order for Unaoil's client, SBM Offshore, to secure various contracts in Iraq.
A third individual, Saman Ahsani, is currently subject to an extradition request to Monaco on related charges.
The SFO launched its investigation into Unaoil in March 2016 following a series of reports (which were published in the Australian media) alleging corrupt behavior by a number of international corporations seeking to secure business in the Middle East. The SFO is investigating Unaoil, its officers, employees and agents in respect of various alleged offenses of bribery, corruption and money laundering.
Mr. Akle and Mr. al-Jarah will appear before Westminster Magistrate's Court on December 7, 2017.
View the SFO press release.TOPIC : Enforcement -
Bank of England Consults on Procedures for Decision Making in Contested Enforcement Cases
11/10/2017
Following positive feedback to its consultation in 2016 on the establishment of an Enforcement Decision Making Committee, the Bank of England has published a consultation on the detailed statement of procedure and the necessary revisions to existing policies and procedures that will be required to implement the proposals. The EDMC is being established as a direct response to a recommendation from HM Treasury arising from its review of enforcement decision-making at the UK regulators. HM Treasury had recommended the establishment of a functionally-independent decision-making committee composed of independent members with expertise suited to the Prudential Regulation Authority's regulatory focus. Once established, the EDMC will be the BoE's decision-making body in contested enforcement cases that relate to prudential regulation, financial market infrastructure and resolution. It will ensure the necessary functional separation between the BoE's investigation teams and decision-makers. The consultation paper sets out detailed proposals on the EDMC's remit and operation and the selection, appointment, remuneration and governance of EDMC members.
Comments on the consultation are requested by February 2, 2018.
View the BoE Consultation Paper.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Regulator Secures £350,000 Confiscation Order Against Convicted Insider Dealer
07/24/2017
The Financial Conduct Authority has secured a £350,000 confiscation order against Damian Clarke, a former Schroders employee who was convicted of nine counts of insider dealing in June 2016. Over a nine year period between October 2003 and November 2012, Mr Clarke had received inside information relating to significant corporate events such as M&A announcements while employed as an assistant fund manager and later as an equities trader. Mr Clarke used this inside information to place trades using accounts in his own name and in the names of family members.
View FCA Press Release.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Financial Conduct Authority Takes Action Against Two Individuals for Market Abuse
04/07/2017
The Financial Conduct Authority has banned and fined two individuals for market abuse. Mr. Niall O'Kelly and Mr. Lukhvir Thind were Chief Executive Officer and Financial Controller, respectively, at Worldspreads Limited during the relevant time. The FCA found that both individuals had deliberately and repeatedly disseminated false and misleading information relating to Worldspreads Limited, a publicly listed company, in contravention of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Regulator Fines Former Investment Banker for Communicating Confidential Information Via WhatsApp
03/29/2017
The Financial Conduct Authority fined former investment banker Christopher Niehaus £37,198 for sharing client confidential information over WhatsApp. Mr. Niehaus was previously a managing director in the Investment Banking division at Jefferies International Limited. In this position, and on a number of occasions between January 24 and May 16, 2016, Mr. Niehaus shared confidential information with a personal acquaintance, who was also a client of the firm. The information related to a competitor. Mr. Niehaus shared the information via the instant messaging platform, WhatsApp. The information shared included the identity of the client, details relating to the client mandate and the fee Jefferies would charge for their involvement in the transaction. In exchanging such information the FCA found that Mr. Niehaus had failed to act with due skill, care and diligence and was therefore in breach of the Statements of Principles and Code of Practice for Approved Persons. The FCA reduced the financial penalty imposed by 15% following Mr. Niehaus' full admission in an early interview. Mr. Niehaus qualified for an additional 30% discount by agreeing to settle at an early stage of the investigation.
View the press release.
View the FCA's final notice.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Regulator Takes Enforcement Action Against Firms for Failing to be Open and Cooperative
02/09/2017
The Prudential Regulation Authority fined The Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd and MUFG Securities EMEA plc for failing to be open and cooperative with the PRA about an enforcement action into BTMU by the New York Department of Financial Services. The DFS had investigated BTMU regarding possible breaches of US sanctions laws about which a settlement was reached in 2014. BTMU was fined by the PRA for breaching Fundamental Rules 6 and 7 of the PRA Rulebook in that it failed to communicate relevant information about its settlement with the DFS which meant that the UK regulatory implications were not adequately considered and that its reporting responsibilities to the PRA could not be met. BTMU also failed to inform the PRA of relevant information relating to the DFS matter. MUS was fined for breaching Fundamental Rule 7 because it failed to inform the PRA of the potential implications of the DFS matter for a senior MUS individual, which meant that the PRA could not consider whether the circumstances did or might impact that individual's fitness and propriety. BTMU and MUS were was fined £17,850,000 and £8,925,000 respectively, both figures incorporating a 30% discount, pursuant to the PRA Settlement Policy, which the firms qualified for because they agreed to settle at an early stage of the PRA's investigation.
View the PRA's final notice.
View the DFS consent order.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Regulators Finalize Changes to Enhance Their Enforcement Decision-Making Processes
02/01/2017
The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority published a joint Policy Statement on changes to their enforcement decision-making processes. The changes are in response to the recommendations set out in HM Treasury's Review of enforcement decision-making at the financial services regulators (known as the Enforcement Review), published in December 2014, and the report by Andrew Green QC in the enforcement actions following the failure of HBOS (known as the Green Report), published in November 2015. The Enforcement Review and the Green Report made three overlapping recommendations about the regulators' decision-making processes covering pre-referral decision-making, communication and cooperation between and within the regulators and informing the subject of an investigation about the matters under investigation.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
UK Regulator Fines Major Bank for AML Control Failings Related to Mirror Trading
01/31/2017
The Financial Conduct Authority published a final notice issued to a major bank and fined it £163 million for failing to maintain an adequate anti-money laundering control framework between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015.The bank notified the FCA in early 2015 of concerns about its AML control framework after the bank had begun an investigation into suspicious securities trading, known as "mirror trading". The orders for both sides of the mirror trades were received and executed by the bank's Moscow office. The Moscow office executed the trades on behalf of the bank via remote booking by directly booking trades to the bank's trading books in the UK. The FCA's investigation revealed that the mirror trading was able to be executed by the bank's Moscow office because of the widespread deficiencies in the bank's AML control framework, in particular, the bank performed inadequate customer due diligence, failed to ensure that its front office took responsibility for it's Know Your Customer obligations, used flawed customer and country risk rating methodologies, had deficient AML policies and procedures, had an inadequate AML IT infrastructure, lacked automated AML systems for detecting suspicious trades and failed to provide adequate oversight of trades booked in the UK by traders in non-UK jurisdictions.
Read more.TOPIC : Enforcement -
European Securities and Markets Authority Requests a Review of its Sanctioning Powers Under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation
01/30/2017
The European Securities and Markets Authority published an open letter to the European Commission asking it to consider several issues relating to its supervisory and sanctioning powers under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation and emphasizing similar aspects relating to Credit Rating Agencies. The letter follows the Commission's Report, published on November 23, 2016, assessing the issues arising from the implementation of the requirements of EMIR in which the Commission proposed a legislative review of EMIR in 2017. ESMA submitted four reports to the Commission in 2015 on the functioning of EMIR which included recommendations on how EMIR could be enhanced. The letter highlights the areas in those reports that ESMA considers the Commission should consider as part of the EMIR review this year.
Read more.