ENFORCEMENT

AML / KYC

China Should Reduce SWIFT Use in Case of US Sanctions – Report

By Editors | 30/07/2020

China should prepare for potential US sanctions by increasing the use of CIPS for cross-border transactions, and by developing legislation similar to the EU’s blocking statute.

AML / KYC

HK Police Arrest Five in Transnational Credit Card Fraud Probe

By Editors | 29/07/2020

The syndicate members allegedly used credit card details stolen from cardholders in Singapore, US and Europe to make fraudulent online purchases of electronic products in Hong Kong.

Enforcement

SEBI Offers One-time Settlement for 500+ Errant Brokers

By Editors | 29/07/2020

SEBI identified instances where trading participants were consistently making losses on stock options trading, only to reverse the losses later in the day or the next day.

AML / KYC

Sri Lanka Fines 2 Banks, 3 Finance Firms for AML Failures

By Duruthu E Chandrasekera | 29/07/2020

Sri Lanka’s FIU has revealed that two banks and one finance company were penalised in 2019, and two other finance companies in 2020.

AML / KYC

MAS Revokes Capital Markets Licence for AML Breaches

By Editors | 28/07/2020

Apical Asset Management lacked basic AML/CFT controls despite complex ownership structures used by some of its clients. Its two directors were reprimanded.

AML / KYC

Court Convicts Former Malaysian PM in 1MDB-linked Corruption Trial

By Editors | 28/07/2020

Najib Razak was found guilty of three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of power.

AML / KYC

Westpac Issues Update on Threshold Transaction Reporting Issues

By Editors | 28/07/2020

Westpac says it failed to report about 175,000 transactions to AUSTRAC as required, and may have filed 365,000 TTRs incorrectly.

Enforcement

Hong Kong Court Sentences Ex-HKMEx Chairman to Four Years Jail

By Editors | 27/07/2020

The 62-year-old Barry Cheung was found guilty a week earlier of conspiracy to defraud the SFC into letting HKMEx keep its licence to provide automated trading services in Hong Kong.

AML / KYC

New Report Highlights Ineffectiveness of Global AML/CTF Systems

By Manesh Samtani | 25/07/2020

A lot of countries may have strong AML/CTF systems in place, but in practice they are not working, says a new report from the Basel Institute on Governance.