Compliance & Ethics

Two U.S. subsidiaries of MGI International LLC (Global Plastics LLC and Marco Polo International LLC) have agreed to pay $6.8 million to resolve civil liability under the False Claims Act for failing to pay customs duties on Chinese plastic resin imports. The companies, based in New Hampshire and New York respectively, admitted to undervaluing goods and mis-declaring their country of origin between 2019 and 2024, according to a Justice Department press release issued Wednesday.

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is keeping consumers front and center in the fight for fairness. In its newly released 2024–25 compliance and enforcement report, the regulator laid out a year’s worth of action designed to hold energy companies accountable and ensure that vulnerable Australians aren’t left in the dark.

‍The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has taken disciplinary action against three banks for failing to meet anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) requirements, citing serious deficiencies in their transaction monitoring systems and oversight.

A consortium led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, including Blackstone, has acquired a majority stake in NAVEX, a global provider in ethics, risk, and compliance software, in a deal that demonstrates growing investor appetite for governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platforms amid increasing regulatory complexity.

Interactive Brokers LLC has agreed to pay nearly $11.83 million to settle a wide-ranging enforcement case with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The fine stems from thousands of transactions spanning more than seven years that violated multiple U.S. sanctions programs, including dealings linked to Iran, Cuba, Syria, Crimea, Russia, and Chinese military-linked firms.

Brussels has approved its most comprehensive sanctions package yet against Russia, marking the 18th wave of EU action since the start of the war in Ukraine. The new measures aim to ratchet up pressure on the Kremlin’s energy revenues, financial lifelines, and military-industrial backbone, while also closing loopholes and clamping down on sanctions evasion through third countries and shadow networks.

July was quiet on the institutional front, but the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) didn’t let misconduct slide. Instead of targeting banks, the regulator issued a number of prohibition orders aimed squarely at former bank employees who crossed the line, from check fraud and ATM manipulation to outright theft and criminal convictions.