GRC Report Staff

Brent Wible, Chief Counselor for the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division, delivered a keynote address recently at the American Conference Institute’s (ACI) International Conference on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Speaking to an audience of legal experts, government officials, and corporate leaders, Wible reflected on the DOJ’s remarkable achievements in 2024 and outlined its continued commitment to combatting global corruption.

McKinsey & Company Africa (Pty) Ltd (McKinsey Africa) will pay $122 million to resolve charges of bribing South African government officials in a years-long scheme. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the settlement as part of a coordinated effort with South African authorities, underscoring the growing international push against corporate corruption.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced its Fiscal Year 2024 enforcement results, setting a new benchmark with an unprecedented $17.1 billion in monetary relief and sanctions. This record-breaking figure, which includes $2.6 billion in civil penalties and $14.5 billion in disgorgement and restitution, underscores the agency’s dedication to maintaining market integrity and enforcing compliance across an increasingly complex financial landscape.

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has just launched a public consultation on a set of proposed regulations. These rules, aimed at crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), focus on the appointment of a central contact point (CCP) in host Member States to help ensure these businesses comply with local anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) regulations.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced a settlement with Aiotec GmbH, a Berlin-based company involved in sourcing industrial equipment for the energy sector. The company has agreed to pay $14.55 million to settle potential civil liabilities arising from a breach of U.S. sanctions laws under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has released new guidelines on data transfers to third-country authorities and approved the implementation of a European Data Protection Seal, marking significant steps in clarifying and strengthening data protection under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

A new survey by PwC reveals that less than half of companies required to report under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in 2024 are fully confident in their ability to meet the directive’s ambitious sustainability reporting standards. Despite the widespread recognition of the directive's significance, just 42% of respondents from large companies required to report on sustainability by next year feel fully prepared. For companies due to report the following year, that confidence drops to a mere 14%.