Money laundering

The White House's $5.8 trillion spending proposal to Congress includes more dollars for anti-money-laundering enforcement, Small Business Administration loan guarantee programs and affordable housing financed by community development financial institutions.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency slammed the San Antonio bank for anti-money-laundering violations. The penalty is the latest in a series of regulatory problems for USAA.

Four of five bills aimed at countering Russian aggression in Europe won significant bipartisan support from the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday. But the panel adopted a bill intended to expand the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's ability to hunt down Russian assets over fierce Republican opposition.

The impact of U.S. sanctions against Russia on U.S. banks has so far been limited. But further escalation could lead to anti-money-laundering compliance challenges and invite cyberattacks, among other consequences.

Canadian banks have frozen just over 200 accounts under emergency powers invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that are meant to end protests in Ottawa and at key border crossings, a government official said this week.

Banks are still seeking clarity from law enforcement on how to handle the alleged protesters’ accounts. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said some accounts have already been frozen as part of a financial crackdown on those accused of paralyzing the nation's capital.

Coinbase Global, Gemini Trust and Robinhood Markets are among firms helping to build a platform to comply with a U.S. money laundering rule as crypto and financial technology companies seek to satisfy existing requirements and head off stricter oversight.

The registry created by the law — whose implementing rules are being written now — is worse than useless, pairing unverified data with severe penalties for misuse. It will confuse bankers, burden small businesses and embolden crooks.

The U.S. Treasury Department is looking more closely at potential money laundering and the financing of terrorism through trading high-value art.

A proposal by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network would create a pilot program allowing banks to do something they've long wanted: share suspicious activity reports with their own units in other countries. But many banks may take a pass if the agency doesn't ease the compliance requirements, experts say.