Financial crimes

The future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Fed’s supervisory regime for the biggest financial institutions, reform of the Community Reinvestment Act and a host of other industry-related issues are on the ballot this November.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is seeking to create a better-defined standard for effective AML compliance programs and is considering whether to impose formal requirements that banks assess their laundering risk.

The company's outgoing CFO discussed ways the asset cap is stunting growth, but provided no updates at an industry conference on when the restriction might be lifted or the types of jobs it will cut.

The 57 charges involve $175 million allegedly stolen from the small-business loan program. Defendants are accused of lying on their applications and using funds to buy cars, jewelry and other luxury items.

The bank discovered the actions, all of which were tied to the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, after noticing that suspicious amounts of money had been deposited into checking accounts owned by bank employees, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The bank said the conduct includes “instances of customers misusing Paycheck Protection Program Loans, unemployment benefits and other government programs.”

The National Credit Union Administration issued one prohibition notice for August.

Mary Mack is expected to say that other employees were scared of Carrie Tolstedt, according to the bank’s regulators. Tolstedt, one of five former Wells executives facing civil charges in connection with the bank’s phony-accounts scandal, could be fined as much as $25 million.

The executive shuffle at the company continues as Credit Suisse America’s Paula Dominick is hired to replace Mike Roemer as chief compliance officer. It also hired or promoted four line-of-business chief risk officers and an enterprise testing leader.

The federal banking agencies clarified that minor violations of Bank Secrecy Act rules will typically not result in a cease-and-desist order.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., was finally declared the winner weeks after election day, while Rep. Lacy Clay of Missouri was defeated by a progressive challenger.

The regulator banned a former employee of a Florida-based credit union from working at any federally insured financial institution.

Lexicon Bank in Las Vegas, whose chairman was a professional gambler, is actively courting poker players to open deposit accounts for their tournament winnings.

Legislation that would force transparency around company ownership would be better than another burdensome anti-money-laundering rule.

After the House passed a defense spending bill that included the provision ahead of negotiations with the Senate, industry representatives are optimistic Congress will finally shift the burden of reporting true-owner information from banks to their business clients.

The regulation allows banks to add employees with past convictions for trivial crimes after the industry complained the prior rules were too severe.

Quantexa, which uses artificial intelligence to detect money laundering and other financial crime, is already being used by HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank.

The National Defense Authorization Act, approved in a vote late Tuesday, includes measures to require companies to disclose their true owners at the point of incorporation and to improve information-sharing between banks and the government.

Banks' fear of big penalties, the changing tactics of nimble criminals and a greater openness among regulators to new approaches are among the factors driving big investments.

Unity Bancorp must improve its policies and procedures and increase staff training on following Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering laws.