For financial institutions, 2025 has started with a sobering reminder that the cost of missteps just got steeper. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has raised the maximum civil money penalties (CMPs) it can impose, adjusting for inflation as mandated by federal law. These updated limits, effective immediately, apply to violations dating back to November 2, 2015.
In a twist fit for a WWE storyline, Vince McMahon, the once-dominant figure at the helm of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has landed himself in hot water—this time, outside the ring. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged the former WWE CEO with failing to disclose two significant settlement agreements to the company, leading to financial misstatements that echo through WWE’s books like a mistimed body slam.
The insurance industry across the European Union just got a serious regulatory facelift. With new amendments to the Solvency II Directive and the introduction of the Insurance Recovery and Resolution Directive (IRRD), published on January 8, 2025, in the EU’s Official Journal, the rules of the game have shifted. These reforms promise not just a sturdier insurance sector but also a more prepared one—ready to weather crises without leaning on taxpayers to foot the bill.
H&R Block, a household name when it comes to tax season, has found itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The company recently settled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for $7 million, after being accused of misleading advertising and leaving frustrated customers in its wake. While the fine may seem like a drop in the bucket for a company of H&R Block’s size, the bigger story here is the shift in how tax prep companies might approach consumer relationships and compliance moving forward.
Small business set-aside programs are meant to give the little guys a fighting chance in the competitive world of government contracting. But for one Virginia company, bending the rules to snag those contracts came with a hefty price tag.
In a move that feels long overdue for millions of Americans, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has delivered a game-changing ruling. Medical debt is officially out of credit reports. Yes, those maddening medical bills you didn’t realize you owed—or thought were covered by insurance—can no longer tank your credit score.
In a historic move, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has hit three major oil companies—XCL Resources Holdings, LLC (XCL), Verdun Oil Company II LLC (Verdun), and EP Energy LLC (EP)—with a $5.6 million fine. The fine settles allegations that the companies violated antitrust laws through illegal coordination before a merger, a practice known as “gun jumping.” This marks the largest penalty ever imposed for such a violation in U.S. history.