Compliance & Ethics

Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) has ruled in favor of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), rejecting an appeal from Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) over a hefty fine for failing to properly fulfill its role as a depositary. This ruling, which dates back to February 13, 2025, strengthens the KNF’s oversight powers and sets a critical precedent for financial market supervision in the country.

This week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced two settlements involving False Claims Act (FCA) violations. Evolutions Flooring, a California-based importer, and Seoul Medical Group, a healthcare provider, will pay a combined total of over $70 million to resolve allegations of fraudulent activity. These settlements highlight the DOJ's ongoing efforts to enforce compliance and hold companies accountable for misrepresentations made to the U.S. government.

The General Court of the European Union has handed down a ruling on the high-profile cartel case in the European Government Bonds (EGBs) market, and while it’s largely business as usual for most of the banks involved, there’s a bit of a twist. While the court mostly upheld the European Commission’s 2021 decision, it did make some adjustments, particularly when it comes to the fines imposed on UniCredit and Nomura.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is signaling a return to its traditional enforcement focus as it adjusts to new leadership. According to a report from Reuters, Sam Waldon, the SEC's acting enforcement director, made clear during a securities industry event on Monday that the agency under its new direction will zero in on more familiar ground—areas like insider trading, fraud targeting the elderly, and issues around accounting and disclosure violations.

Robinhood may have expected a slam dunk with its new prediction markets hub, but now it’s drawing full-court press from Massachusetts regulators. The popular trading app is under investigation by the office of Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, after launching a new feature that lets users bet on the outcomes of events—starting with NCAA March Madness basketball games. The hub, which went live on March 17, invites users to buy and trade contracts tied to the likelihood of specific outcomes, from sports scores to Fed interest rate decisions.

Live Nation Entertainment, the powerhouse behind Ticketmaster, has agreed to a $20 million settlement over accusations made by its shareholders. The settlement, still subject to court approval, comes as part of a class action lawsuit that claims the company misled investors about its competition strategies and potential antitrust risks—allegations that have been hanging over the company like a storm cloud.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has just issued an interim final rule that revises key aspects of the Corporate Transparency Act. As of now, U.S. companies and U.S. persons will no longer need to report their beneficial ownership information (BOI) to FinCEN. Instead, the new focus is squarely on foreign companies doing business in the United States, with a clearer framework that streamlines compliance requirements.