Law and regulation

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has reorganized to strengthen its enforcement of the nation's anti-money laundering laws.

The FTC's move to hold payment processors responsible for the deeds of unscrupulous merchants could result in higher prices or less choices for small businesses and consumers.

Ambiguous language in the 2012 national mortgage settlement has caused widespread confusion about the legality of foreclosing on delinquent borrowers who have filed paperwork on mortgage modifications.

American Express (AXP) has hired Brett Loper, a top aide to U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, to run its Washington office.

By warning the Bitcoin Foundation to cease and desist from allegedly acting as an unlicensed money transmitter, California may be either targeting the wrong group or trying to ensnare others.

There’s no magic potion for providing low-income people with low-cost financial services. But the combination of technology, ingenuity and the capitalist incentive has solved many problems before.

Lenders are falling short in efforts to prevent discrimination in areas outside housing, the head of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau told members of Congress.

WASHINGTON — The House and Senate banking panels are hosting several eagerly anticipated hearings this week, including a regulatory showdown over "too big to fail" and a confirmation hearing for Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

RuPay debit cardholders in India can now use their cards to make online purchases, using Acculynk's PaySecure online PIN pad authentication.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is turning up the heat on the Federal Home Loan Banks for offering cheap financing to private student loan provider Sallie Mae.

The Department of Justice faces a serious challenge to its aggressive pursuit of fair lending cases following a Supreme Court decision to hear a case involving the controversial theory of "disparate impact." American Banker editors discuss the implications of the high-profile case for banks and the rest of the mortgage industry.

A Nebraska woman filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status against collection agency General Collection and law firm Truell Murray & Associates, both based in Grand Island, Neb.

Total System Services expects to complete its $1.4 billion acquisition of NetSpend on July 1, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Supreme Court said Monday it would hear the case that calls into question several recess appointments President Obama made last year, including one that made Richard Cordray the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has taken action against a Missouri bank and freed four others from regulatory actions.

More equity would enable banks to absorb more losses without becoming distressed or needing taxpayer support. Long-term debt is a poor substitute, particularly for the largest banks.

Regulators have been intensely negotiating revising a leverage ratio under the Basel III capital rules, prompting speculation about what approach policymakers will take — and just how high they may go.

A former bank executive in Georgia has pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding a bank that had received funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

A new Texas law addresses concerns that community banks will suffer if big-box retailers and large banks begin to team up on pricing.

WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers are calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to explain its rationale behind new fair lending guidelines for auto lenders.