Trump’s actions against CFPB will ‘significantly harm consumers,’ coalition of 23 AGs warn
Twenty-three attorneys general from across the country are warning that President Donald Trump’s efforts to defund and disband the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would “significantly harm consumers” and “reduce oversight of big banks.”
FinCEN issues new beneficial ownership information compliance date, but experts say unlikely to hold
Uncertainty continues to swirl around a requirement that small businesses and foreign entities file beneficial ownership information with the U.S. Treasury Department.
Interim DOJ Civil Division head nominated to take on full role
President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Brett Shumate, the current acting head of the Civil Division at the Department of Justice, to assistant attorney general of the division. Shumate’s nomination to the arm of the DOJ that primarily handles civil cases comes at a time when Trump’s administration ...
DOD health contractors rack up more than $100M in excess payments, DOJ alleges
Six health centers that contracted with the Department of Defense, intentionally overbilled the government for more than $100 million, the Department of Justice alleged in announcing a settlement with one of the plans.
DEI programs are under attack. Compliance should help plan what comes next
U.S. President Donald Trump has proven himself to be a chaos agent in the opening weeks of his second term, firing federal workers, shuttering agencies, and issuing executive orders that attempt to upend policies and laws he doesn’t like.
Former Deloitte partner dinged by PCAOB for failures in Bancolombia audit
A former Deloitte partner will pay $75,000 and be barred from working as a public company registered accountant for two years by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board after violating audit standards during a 2016 audit.
Senate votes along party lines to confirm RFK Jr. as secretary of HHS
The U.S. Senate has approved Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, placing President Donald Trump’s controversial pick at the helm of a $1.7 trillion department in transition.
Trump has called for a six-month ban on FCPA enforcement. How should compliance respond?
With a six-month ban on enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, compliance should retreat from fear-based messaging and instead focus on why ethical practices make good business sense, experts say.
Lawsuits filed to save CFPB amid Trump push to shutter financial watchdog
Enforcement and all other operations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have come to a screeching halt under Trump administration directives but a pair of lawsuits aimed at keeping the agency open mean the stoppage could be short-lived.
DOJ orders Lockheed Martin to pay $30M over defective pricing on F-35 contracts
The Department of Justice announced it reached a settlement with Lockheed Martin stemming from allegations of “defective pricing on contracts for F-35 military aircraft.” The deal comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi was confirmed by the Senate, which will shift the DOJ’s focus away from white-collar misconduct.
Photo gallery: Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit
Compliance Week’s Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit, held Feb. 10-11 in Alexandria, Va., gathered legal, compliance, and risk professionals in person for the first time since before the pandemic to benchmark best practices on managing cyber risks.
BSA failures lead to $42M fine for Brink's over unregistered cash shipments to Mexico
Armored car company Brink’s Global Services will pay $42 million in penalties to settle charges laid by federal regulators for violating anti-money laundering provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Bondi-led DOJ sharply pivots away from prosecution of corporate FCPA violations
The U.S. Department of Justice under new Attorney General Pam Bondi will de-emphasize white collar misconduct linked to bribes and foreign corruption, instead prioritizing corruption cases linked to human smuggling and the trafficking of narcotics and firearms.
Apex Clearing Corp. to pay $3.2M over improper disclosures, distorting investor payouts
A clearing firm agreed to pay $3.2 million and certify that it put in place compliance measures under an agreement with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
What’s keeping compliance leaders up at night? Struggles and strategies for 2025
Managing the unrelenting pace and increasing complexity of regulations is the top concern among compliance professionals, according to a recent survey by Compliance Week and Resolver.
CFTC’s Pham announces end to ‘regulation by enforcement,’ consolidates task forces
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s enforcement division will end the practice of “regulation by enforcement,” according to Acting Chair Caroline Pham.
Arizona couple pleads guilty in vast $1.2B skin graft false claims case
Two owner-operators of three Arizona medical companies have pleaded guilty to billing more than $1.2 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government health programs in less than two years, the Department of Justice said.
CFPB issues $2.5M penalty against Wise in last action of Chopra era
A fine by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) against the U.S arm of London-based foreign exchange company Wise could be one of the agency’s final actions as a new regulatory regime reportedly froze rules and litigation amid calls for defunding.
FBI, Europol shut down hacking sites selling personal info, tools for cybercriminals
Two massive hacking websites–where criminals sold everything from stolen social security numbers to tools for cybercriminals to gain access to computers–have finally been shut down by an international law enforcement team, the Department of Justice announced.
KuCoin latest crypto firm to pay hefty price for violating BSA with $297M penalty
The Sechelles-based owner of cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin has agreed to pay nearly $300 million in penalties–and cease doing business in the U.S. for two years–to settle charges that it failed to properly monitor potential criminal activity on its network.
Inside Cyprus’ efforts to stem money laundering and sanctions evasion
Are there success stories in the international fight against money laundering and sanctions evasion? The island nation of Cyprus is making its case.
DOJ indicts five in remote IT work scheme to circumvent North Korean sanctions
Five people, including two Americans, allegedly duped U.S. companies into hiring North Koreans for contract IT work, and funneled millions in U.S. dollars to the sanctioned regime, the Department of Justice said.
Ex-nursing home operator who defrauded Medicaid sentenced to 12 years in prision
The former operator of a Massachusetts homecare agency was sentenced to 12 years in prison for defrauding Medicaid of more than $100 million, the Department of Justice said.
CPSC fines Google-owned Fitbit $12M for failing to report smartwatch burn hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered Google-owned Fitbit to pay more than $12 million and comply with certain undertakings to settle allegations the company knowingly failed to report a serious burning hazard with its Ionic smartwatches.
Experts say DORA compliance not coming easy as more firms pass buck to IT providers
New rules have come into effect across the European Union to promote better cybersecurity and IT resilience across the financial services sector, but experts warn that compliance is likely to be patchy and regulatory enforcement across the bloc perhaps even patchier.
Trump gives TikTok 75-day reprieve after ban goes into effect
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday delaying the Department of Justice (DOJ) from enforcing the long-awaited TikTok ban. While the social media platform’s fate is still up in the air, Trump signaled his support for it being sold, with the U.S. as a “partner.”
SEC charge against CCO in penny stock scheme raises more questions about gatekeeper liability
A recent complaint by the Securities and Exchange Commission against the chief compliance officer of a Chicago-based investment firm contains some of the most worrisome examples of how CCOs can be found liable for misconduct at their firm.
Walgreens ducked compliance, filled fake opioid prescriptions, DOJ suit alleges
Walgreens skimped on compliance and filled millions of prescriptions for narcotics that weren’t medically necessary, the Department of Justice alleged in a complaint against the company, first brought by four whistleblowers.
SEC fines LPL Financial $18M for failed due diligence on new, high-risk accounts
Broker-dealer LPL Financial will pay $18 million to settle charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission that its anti-money laundering program did not properly vet customers and failed to close or restrict thousands of high-risk accounts.
Amex to pay $230M in penalties to resolve charges it deceived customers, banking partner
American Express will pay approximately $230 million in fines and penalties to settle allegations that it deceptively marketed credit card and wire transfer products, and also misrepresented the tax benefits of two payroll wire transfer products.
Wells Fargo fined $35M, Merrill Lynch $25M over improper cash sweeps
Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch will pay $35 million and $25 million, respectively, to settle allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission that their handling of investment accounts’ cash sweep programs violated federal law.
The Rise, Fall, and Rise of Crypto: Lessons from FTX amidst a changing regulatory landscape
As President Trump assumes power, the crypto industry is in the spotlight. Trump has tapped popular crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC, and crypto proponents feel positive about gaining fast-tracked guidance. Crypto experts and industry leaders share insights into what the industry needs from regulators to drive innovation.
GM sued by FTC for selling location and behavioral data without drivers' consent
General Motors failed to disclose to customers that it tracked their precise locations and driving behavior and sold the data to third parties, the Federal Trade Commission alleged in a proposed order.
Cash App owner Block to pay $175M over fraud caused by lax consumer protection practices
Block, the owner of Cash App and Square, will pay $175 million to settle allegations that its lax consumer protection practices put customers at high risk of fraud, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said.
FTC orders Mobilewalla, Gravy Analytics to stop collecting geolocation data without permission
Two large data brokers, Mobilewalla and Gravy Analytics, collected billions of records containing sensitive geolocation and personal data of millions of people, and then sold it without their consent, the Federal Trade Commission said.
SEC fines cannabis hedge fund $150K for bogus AML policies, ties to Russian oligarch Abramovich
Cannabis hedge fund Navy Capital Green Management agreed to pay $150,000 to settle charges levied by the Securirties and Exchange Commission that the firm misled investors about its AML/CFT policies and allowed a sanctioned Russian oligarch to invest.
Musk sued by SEC for failing to disclose Twitter stock purchases quickly enough
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person and the apparent right-hand man of incoming U.S. president Donald Trump, has been taken to court for a third time by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly violating securities law.
FDA bans Red No. 3 dye after decades of concerns over possible health risks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday it has revoked authorization for color additive Red No. 3 from food, beverages, and drugs. Health concerns over dye have existed since it was banned from cosmetics in 1990 after it was found that large doses led to the development of cancer ...
SEC issues $63M in fines to dozen firms in ongoing off-channel comms sweep
Twelve more firms have been dinged with fines by the Securities and Exchange Commission for failing to properly supervise employees who used off-channel communications to conduct company business. In this latest round of enforcement actions, nine investment advisers and three broker-dealers will pay a total of $63 million.
CFPB sues Capital One over 'cheating' customers on savings account interest rates
Capital One promised very high interest rates on millions of savings accounts but the bank didn’t deliver, losing customers more than $2 billion, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleged.
White House, BIS attempt to strengthen AI chip export controls in final days of Biden presidency
In tandem with the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, the Biden administration issued a new rule on export controls of domestically produced artificial intelligence chips.
Robinhood to pay $45M fine to settle securities law violations by broker-dealers
Robinhood, a disruptive force in the market for Main Street investors but also a serial offender of securities laws, will pay a total of $45 million to settle numerous violations of SEC rules and regulations by two of its broker-dealers.
New CFPB payment privacy rule on the way for gaming companies, cryptocurrencies, Big Tech
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued a proposed rule aimed at protecting the privacy of the public when using novel digital payment systems, such as those offered by large technology platforms and video gaming companies.
Broker-dealer BMO Capital Markets to pay $41M to settle trade supervision lapses
A broker-dealer subsidiary of Toronto-based BMO Financial Group will pay nearly $41 million in penalties to the Securities and Exchange Commission to settle allegations that its traders issued misleading disclosures on bonds for three years, causing $19 million in harm to its customers.
CCC names Cambridge University Press & Assessment GC to board
Copyright Clearance Center announced the election of Catie Sheret, general counsel for Cambridge University Press & Assessment to its board of directors.
Corebridge Financial adds GC
Corebridge Financial announced that Polly Klane will join the company as general counsel in February.
Falvey Insurance Group names CRO
Falvey Insurance Group announced the appointment of Eric Newman as chief risk officer.
Cannabis company dinged by SEC over ‘round-trip’ transfer to inflate year-end cash
A cannabis company agreed to pay $225,000 to settle allegations that funds were temporarily deposited into its year-end accounts for the sole purpose of inflating year-end cash, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
Experian failed to correct flawed financial data about consumers, CFPB complaint alleges
Experian, the credit reporting giant, let compliance slide when it came to addressing consumer complaints about incorrect data, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a lawsuit against the credit agency.
Welltower names legal chief
Real estate investment trust Welltower announced that Matthew McQueen has been appointed chief legal officer after previously serving as executive vice president – general counsel.