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Industrial scale money laundering originating in Southeast Asia's Mekong region has gone global. It's the infrastructure that handles the proceeds of pig butchering scams, child pornography, trade in human body parts, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and people trafficking. Cross-border crime networks fueled by cryptocurrency is linking the world's most dangerous criminals and allowing them to scale up and automate money laundering. This activity is increasingly linked to terrorist financing as well as sanctions evasion. In this episode Helen Chan, Regulatory Intelligence expert joins Rachel Wolcott, senior editor to discuss the scale and scope of crypto money-laundering-as-a-service and its origins in Southeast Asia's gambling industry. Helen and Rachel talk listeners through how crypto exchanges may be using regulatory arbitrage to get licensed, which in turn can open the door to organized crime groups. To date China and the U.S. have mounted the strongest regulatory and enforcement response, while other jurisdictions like the UK and the European Union seem to be operating on an outdated assumption that crypto money laundering is low risk. Links: UN Office on Drugs and Crime report: Casinos, Money Laundering, Underground Banking and Transnational Organized Crime in East and Southeast Asia: A hidden and accelerating threat: https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/documents/Publications/2024/Casino_Underground_Banking_Report_2024.pdf ANALYSIS: Highspeed wash: how organized crime's global crypto, gambling networks automated money laundering Inside paywall: http://go-ri.tr.com/09c1Ja Outside paywall https://regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/document/I7F1F59A0CF4811EE95DBBC91F36F90D4 KYC: Firms marketing super-fast customer onboarding vulnerable to account-opening, mule attacks: https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/investigation-fraud-and-risk/kyc-update-customer-on-boarding/ IMPACT ANALYSIS: Fake regulators and VATPs surface on new fraud front in Hong Kong: http://go-ri.tr.com/VYGpP2 COLUMN: China’s crackdown on "pig butchering" invites domestic crypto scrutiny: http://go-ri.tr.com/kRawN7 Reuters report on Alvin Chau, Macao gambling tycoon: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/macau-court-sentences-junket-mogul-18-years-jail-tvb-2023-01-18/ Connecting Chinese and American Scam Victims: https://www.chainargos.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Connecting-Chinese-and-American-Scam-Victims-9-January-2024.pdf Crypto exchange HTX's Seychelles strike off complicates asset recovery efforts, increases compliance risk for partner firms: http://go-ri.tr.com/htRT2h https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7118129918885961729/ Contact us: [email protected] [email protected] Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

Bribery and corruption are set to head the agenda for law enforcers and corporate compliance departments in 2024, with a raft of new statutes and orders making for a particularly demanding environment. The UK's Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, passed in October 2023, is the most important British legal reform on economic crime, fraud, bribery and corruption in more than a century. In the United States, the Treasury Department in December 2023 outlined plans to target corruption in 2024. To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, Treasury published a fact sheet detailing its plans to tighten the U.S. anti-money-laundering regime. It will also continue providing guidance to help financial institutions detect and report corruption-linked activity. In this episode, Brett Wolf, U.S. anti-money-laundering reporter for Regulatory Intelligence, and Nick Kochan, a freelance journalist, join Alexander Robson, managing editor, to discuss the legislative agenda and its implications for anti-corruption professionals. They also address the likely direction of the Serious Fraud Office under its new director, as well as upcoming elections in the UK and United States. Regulatory Intelligence published outlook pieces throughout January, including one on bribery and corruption. Links Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/56/enacted H.R.4737 - Foreign Extortion Prevention Act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4737?s=1&r=29 Behind the Regulatory Intelligence paywall OUTLOOK 2024-Bribery and corruption high on law enforcement agenda in UK, U.S.: http://go-ri.tr.com/VpZMGs FACT SHEET: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ACTIONS TO PREVENT AND DISRUPT CORRUPTION: http://go-ri.tr.com/vPjf5O Contact us: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/regulatory-intelligence Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

When it comes to crypto regulation the United States is a global outlier because the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Gary Gensler its chief executive, steadfastly believe crypto assets are securities as defined by current legislation. Where the SEC sees issues, it pursues crypto businesses through the courts and in turn, sometimes companies sue the regulator. Litigation, not regulation, is how spot bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETF) came to launch in mid-January despite SEC objections. Grayscale Investments sued the SEC last year after it refused its application to convert its Bitcoin trust into an ETF. The SEC declined to appeal and ultimately approved 11 ETF applications at the same time. In this episode, Todd Ehret, senior regulatory expert in the U.S. and Rachel Wolcott senior editor in London discuss spot BTC ETFs' launch, the SEC's Twitter fail, ETF fee wars, custody and what firms selling these products should be aware of in terms of customer suitability. Regulatory Intelligence published outlook pieces throughout January, including for crypto. Please see the link below for our rundown of crypto regulatory developments in the U.S., UK, Europe, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Links INSIGHT: Compliance considerations for broker-dealers and investment advisers surrounding Bitcoin ETFs: www.regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/document/IA098EF20BA3E11EEAE81D84738F78F00 OUTLOOK 2024-Litigation vs regulation; divide opens between U.S. and rest of the world on approach to crypto: http://go-ri.tr.com/kiapX5 Compliance Clarified Season 9, Episode 10: Cross-border crypto fraud enforcement and the globalization of money laundering as a service: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/season-9-episode-10-cross-border-crypto-fraud-enforcement/id1548510826?i=1000637022734 Tether and pig butchering: chainargos.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Connecting-Chinese-and-American-Scam-Victims-9-January-2024.pdf Casinos and cryptocurrency: Major drivers of money laundering, underground banking, and cyberfraud in East and Southeast Asia: unodc.org/roseap/en/2024/casinos-casinos-cryptocurrency-underground-banking/story.html Contact us: [email protected] [email protected] Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

In this episode, Lindsey Rogerson, senior editor at Regulatory Intelligence is joined by Henry Engler, senior editor, to discuss what is happening with climate reporting for U.S. financial firms. Uncertainty looms large over sustainability regulation at the Federal level. The possible return to the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump and two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and their likely effect on climate rules in the financial sector are discussed. At the State level it is a different picture. California lawmakers passing California SB-253 Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB253) and SB-261 Greenhouse gases: climate-related financial risk Act (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB261) mean there is a lot for compliance, legal and risk professionals to be getting on with. Henry sets out what firms need to be doing now to ensure they are ready for the new rules by 2026. Links Recording of Henry Stern speaking on a panel at COP28: www.youtube.com/live/lGTasIEUmzA?feature=share ESG: Navigating past the noise by Henry Engler, Lindsey Rogerson and Yixiang Zeng can be downloaded here: www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/esg/esg-navigating-past-the-noise/ Green House Gas Protocol: https://ghgprotocol.org/scope-3-calculation-guidance-2 Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

In this episode, Trond Vagen, European correspondent at Regulatory Intelligence, is joined by Mike Cowan, senior regulatory intelligence expert, to discuss the challenges that face compliance officers in 2024. 2023 was a mix of geopolitical unrest and economic instability. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East continued to influence world economies. The year started with a mini banking crisis as Silicon Valley Bank, First Republic, Signature Bank and Credit Suisse all failed resulting in changes to regulations to prevent future failures. Emerging risks added new dimensions to a compliance officer’s workload. The development of cryptoassets continued with the headline event being the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and the prosecution of its owner Sam Bankman Fried. Regulators pursued the achievement of environmental targets and preparations for operational resilience regulations within firms progressed at pace. The rapid development of artificial intelligence solutions acted as a “double-edged sword” for compliance officers. On the one hand, the regulatory environment developed at different speeds in different jurisdictions and on the other, the use of AI solutions to streamline compliance tasks cannot be ignored by compliance officers, at a time when investment in the compliance function may be limited. All this set against changes to the more traditional compliance areas of culture and conduct, product development and financial promotions, financial crime prevention, trading and selling regulations and post-sale customer-focused operational processes. These issues remain regulatory risks in the new year with the outcome of regulatory developments due in 2024. Links: OPINION: 10 things compliance officers must consider in 2024 – EU and UK: https://regintel.thomsonreuters.com/#accelus/ri/%7B%22location%22%3A%22%23ri%2Fdocument%2FI38B04440AEDF11EE869FF1A8839232E7%2Fview%22%7D Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

The United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28) is underway in Dubai. Past COPs have led to governmental initiatives that have real consequences for financial services businesses in their day-to-day operations. Transition plans and internationally agreed sustainable reporting standards are two examples of this. In this episode of Compliance Clarified, Alexander Robson, managing editor of Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence, is joined from Dubai by Lindsey Rogerson, senior editor for Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence, to discuss the key initiatives emerging from COP28 and what they will likely mean for financial market participants. The discussion includes the methane pledge and what that will mean for asset managers and banks' lending books, and the significance of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCOs) consultation of 21 good practices for integrity in carbon markets. It also considers some of the emerging winners in terms of asset managers winning multi-billion-dollar investment mandates. The Compliance Clarified podcast series covers a wide range of topics that affect compliance officers at financial institutions and aims to help them navigate the often challenging regulatory environment. It considers the significant challenges of the day and offers practical ideas for emerging best practices. The podcast is available on Google, Apple & Spotify Additional resources: Navigating Past the Noise Report from Thomson Reuters: www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/12/ESG_Navigating-Past-the-Noise.pdf Asset managers with proven green credentials to benefit from wall of money: http://go-ri.tr.com/qEbXTI Central banks announce task force on adaptation finance: http://go-ri.tr.com/tZIsYM Net Zero Banking Alliance unveils transition finance metrics to help banks better report on decarbonisation efforts: http://go-ri.tr.com/J9bIfx CFTC consults on voluntary carbon derivatives, as voluntary framework reached on environmental offset standards: http://go-ri.tr.com/WWCVNt IOSCO consults on good practices to promote integrity in voluntary carbon markets: http://go-ri.tr.com/2qPwFg IFRS launches sustainable knowledge hub at COP28: http://go-ri.tr.com/gEoJIo Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

Former crypto chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried's guilty verdict stemming from the FTX fraud and collapse already seems like old news in a period of serious enforcement action related to crypto scams and industry misconduct. This tenth episode of season nine brings together Helen Chan, regulatory intelligence expert in Hong Kong and Rachel Wolcott, senior editor in the UK to unpack themes emerging from recent initiatives from Chinese law enforcement, Europol, and U.S. regulators as well as the Department of Justice and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen). There has been that $4 billion Binance mega enforcement in the U.S. which saw the chief executive forced to step down, pay a $50 million fine, and potentially face jail time. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week brought charges against Kraken, adding to the number of crypto exchanges facing U.S. enforcement action. Not to be left out, Europol recently issued a big report on money laundering that focused in part on crypto. It too has been busy working with EU member states as well as the U.S. to take out crypto mixers and deal with crypto-related money laundering and fraud. Helen and Rachel also discuss the proliferation of money laundering as a service amongst organized crime gangs and their use of crypto. The episode starts with a look at Chinese law enforcement's efforts to take down pig butchering gangs and ends with Helen's advice to compliance officers navigating this increasingly complex landscape. Links China's crackdown on "pig butchering" invites domestic crypto scrutiny: www.linkedin.com/posts/helenhchan_chinas-crackdown-on-pig-butchering-activity-7135118841197576193-K62M?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Hong Kong's SFC silent on HTX legal troubles as banished exchange operates freely in the city: www.linkedin.com/posts/helenhchan_htx-operations-hong-kong-activity-7123519728999927808-0FJI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop UK FCA signed off registered crypto's change-in-control to e-money firm fined for sanctions breaches, linked to Ukrainian PEPs and fraud: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7120708996084195328/ Crypto exchange HTX's Seychelles strike-off complicates asset recovery efforts, increases compliance risk for partner firms: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7118129918885961729/ SPECIAL REPORT-How "pig butchering" scams have emerged as a billion-dollar crypto industry: https://regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/document/I0E082C3089FA11EE8156BA093D3C55E7 The other side of the coin: Europol analysis of financial and economic crime: www.europol.europa.eu/cms/sites/default/files/documents/The%20Other%20Side%20of%20the%20Coin%20-%20Analysis%20of%20Financial%20and%20Economic%20Crime%20%28EN%29.pdf SEC charges Kraken for Operating as an Unregistered Securities Exchange, Broker, Dealer, and Clearing Agency: /www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-237 Contact us: [email protected] [email protected] For more information about Regulatory Intelligence, click here: legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/regulatory-intelligence Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

This episode features a special guest Michelle Giddings, head of anti-money laundering at the Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Giddings joins Rachel Wolcott, senior editor at Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence in London. TRRI usually covers anti-money laundering (AML) strictly from a financial services viewpoint. However, with the focus on accountants' and law firms' role in preventing financial crime like money laundering and sanctions evasion since the advent of the Ukraine war and now the war in Gaza, it is instructive to look at how these professionals are supervised in the UK. Five years ago, the Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervisors (OPBAS) was established to supervise the 25 professional body supervisors in the legal and accountancy sector of which the ICAEW is one. OPBAS is part of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The OPBAS approach has been criticised from lawmakers as not being robust enough to manage AML risks arising from accounting and law firms. The most recent OPBAS report in April, however found improvements but said many professional body supervisors were falling short of expectations. The UK government is considering changing its approach to supervising professional services firms like accountants and lawyers for anti-money laundering purposes. One of the options on the table is eliminating OPBAS and moving to a single regulator or a consolidated professional body supervisor—which could see one regulator supervising 100,000 firms. Giddings talks Compliance Clarified through the ICAEW's response to the government's consultation on professional body supervisory reform, criticism of professional body supervisors' performance, ICAEW thematic review of money laundering reporting officers (MLRO) as well as its annual review of AML supervision. LINKS: ICAEW Consultation response: Supervisory Reform consultation response (icaew.com) Role of the Money Laundering Reporting officer: www.icaew.com/regulation/aml-supervision/aml-thematic-reviews/the-role-of-the-money-laundering-reporting-officer 2022/23 anti-money laundering supervision report: www.icaew.com/regulation/aml-supervision/anti-money-laundering-supervision-report UK Government consultation: Reforming anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing supervision: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-anti-money-laundering-and-counter-terrorism-financing-supervision AML: UK professional body supervisors focused on boosting SARs quality, information sharing http://go-ri.tr.com/nRE5uK Contact us! [email protected] For more information about Regulatory Intelligence, click here: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/regulatory-intelligence Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer. Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion. Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discus

This episode of Compliance Clarified brings together Rachel Wolcott, senior editor in London and Brett Wolf, senior anti-money laundering editor for the Americas to discuss Hamas, terrorist financing and the U.S. response to the 7 October attack. It has been a little over a month since Hamas fighters launched a brutal attack on Israel, unleashing a war, and leaving thousands of civilians dead. The attack took Israel and the world by surprise and raised questions about whether enough attention is being paid to terrorist financing in the Middle East and beyond. In this episode, Brett and Rachel talk through actions various U.S. agencies have taken in response to Hamas' attack to address and describe their financing activities to financial institutions and others who unwittingly or willingly are enabling funds to flow to Hamas. Topics covered include: Hamas’ current funding New U.S. sanctions and policy responses Hamas money flows red flags Disputed role of crypto in financing This episode was recorded before the UK imposed new sanctions on Hamas on 14 November. Links: Outside paywall U.S. Treasury issues additional Hamas sanctions alongside UK, meets with the private sector: https://regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/document/IDC26C880832211EE918ACE7D4282A8B3 U.S. Treasury, Commerce Departments urge financial institutions to police export control evasion worldwide: https://regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/document/IFD79AB107CDD11EE918ACE7D4282A8B3 Inside paywall U.S. Treasury Department issues alert on Hamas money flows, shares 'red flags': http://go-ri.tr.com/XhT6BP U.S. Treasury official lays out a three-pronged approach to combat Hamas financing, including financial institutions' role: http://go-ri.tr.com/wA1rvN U.S. Treasury targets Hamas 'secret investment portfolio' in response to attack on Israel: http://go-ri.tr.com/PmPeXZ U.S. Treasury moves to designate crypto mixers a 'primary' laundering concern under PATRIOT Act authority: http://go-ri.tr.com/ST0DV1 Contact us! [email protected] [email protected] Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

Singaporean police conducted a nationwide raid (http://go-ri.tr.com/7Nm3aO) and arrested 10 ethnic-Chinese businessmen on Aug. 15. The police seized more than S$2.8 billion, making it one of the world's biggest money laundering cases (https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/assets-seized-singapore-money-laundering-case-now-2-bln-minister-2023-10-03/). In this episode, Nathan Lynch, Asia managing editor, and Yixiang Zeng, reporter in Singapore, discuss how the case began back in 2021 when the authorities were alerted by banks via suspicious transaction reports (http://go-ri.tr.com/0Aeefi) and then the police started investigating these alerts. This case is also part of a broader campaign by Asian governments to counter a huge surge in money laundering linked to organised crime. Against this backdrop, the Singaporean government is setting up an inter-ministerial committee (http://go-ri.tr.com/K6Q9E8), which will help revamp the country's financial system and strengthen its anti-money laundering regime. The Compliance Clarified podcast series covers a wide range of topics which affect compliance officers at financial institutions and aims to help them navigate the often-challenging regulatory environment. It considers the big challenges of the day and offers practical ideas for emerging best practices. Programme notes Singapore says $2 billion in assets seized in money laundering case (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/assets-seized-singapore-money-laundering-case-now-2-bln-minister-2023-10-03/#:~:text=Simultaneous%20raids%20in%20mid%2DAugust,jewellery%20worth%20S%241%20billion. Suspects back in court over Singapore's swoop on major money laundering ring (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/suspects-back-court-over-singapores-swoop-major-money-laundering-ring-2023-08-30/ Bungalows, cars seized in Singapore's billion-dollar swoop on money laundering (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/bungalows-cars-seized-singapores-billion-dollar-swoop-money-laundering-2023-08-17/ MAS will not tolerate the abuse of our financial system for illicit activities (MAS press release): https://www.mas.gov.sg/news/media-releases/2023/mas-will-not-tolerate-the-abuse-of-our-financial-system-for-illicit-activities Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

Whistleblower cases have re-emerged in a growing share of enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SEC Chair Gary Gensler and Enforcement Director Gurbir Grewal have emphasized the need to protect individuals who report misconduct. Last week, Grewal said, "The SEC's whistleblower program is a critical part of our enforcement efforts. Each year we receive thousands of whistleblower tips, and throughout the history of the program, those tips have resulted in billions in monetary recovery." In this episode of Compliance Clarified, Todd Ehret, senior regulatory intelligence expert for Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence, is joined by Richard Satran, senior correspondent for Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence, where they discuss the current round of whistleblower enforcement actions from the SEC. Since the implementation of the SEC's whistleblower program under Section 922 (http://go-ri.tr.com/iEXjLU) of the Dodd-Frank Act in 2011, the SEC has awarded more than $1 billion to whistleblowers who have submitted tips regarding securities violations that have resulted in numerous enforcement actions. Securities Exchange Act Rule 21F-17(a) (http://go-ri.tr.com/N6wOnr) states, "No person may take any action to impede an individual from communicating directly with the Commission staff about a possible securities law violation, including enforcing, or threatening to enforce, a confidentiality agreement with respect to such communications." The SEC Office of Examinations (http://go-ri.tr.com/Q8XtDG), in a 2016 alert, warned that, at minimum, in any examinations, it will review for whistleblower rule violations in compliance manuals, codes of ethics, employment agreements, and severance agreements. Many of the enforcement actions involve the language used in separation and non-disclosure agreements. In a 2016 enforcement action involving Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company allegedly included very broad non-disclosure language in its separation agreements, asking employees to "keep in strict secrecy and confidence any and all unique, confidential and/or proprietary information" belonging to the company. Even though this agreement did not prohibit whistleblower communications with the SEC expressly, the lack of a carve-out citing whistleblower protections was still enough for the SEC to flag it as a Rule 21F-17(a) violation. The Compliance Clarified podcast series covers a wide range of topics that affect compliance officers at financial institutions and aims to help them navigate the often-challenging regulatory environment. It considers the significant challenges of the day and offers practical ideas for emerging best practices. The podcast is available on Google, Apple, and Spotify. Additional Resources: Loophole in FCA whistle-blowing rules leaves regulator "disconnected," says lawmaker: http://go-ri.tr.com/2OkJvj SEC targets separation and severance agreements that impede whistleblowers: https://regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/document/IB012302073DE11EEB0FFC2B000B13E50 For more information about Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence head to: https://regintel-content.thomsonreuters.com/ Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.

Australian financial institutions and their senior executives are preparing for a new Financial Accountability Regime, which will bring in a UK-style framework for senior management accountability. Under the Financial Accountability Regime (FAR), institutions will need to establish an accountability map for their directors and senior executives along with an array of conduct and compliance obligations. The object of the FAR is to impose a tougher accountability framework for the banking, insurance and superannuation industries and their directors and most senior and influential executives. Financial institutions will need to understand the requirements of the legislation and executive need to understand how they may be held accountable for their decisions and compliance failures. But will the laws be effective? Do they lack teeth? And will they genuinely improve conduct across the financial sector, in line with the recommendations of the Financial Services Royal Commission. In this episode of Compliance Clarified we have Nathan Lynch, Asia-Pacific manager for Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence (TRRI), in discussion with Niall Coburn, a TRRI regulatory expert based in Brisbane, Australia. Related Reading: IMPACT ANALYSIS: Financial Accountability Regime looming for Australian firms and their senior executives: http://go-ri.tr.com/HxMybv IMPACT ANALYSIS: Australia regulators preparing for Financial Accountability Regime — firms on notice: http://go-ri.tr.com/He0KT6 Regulators to continue focus on holding individuals to account, despite mixed results of previous years: http://go-ri.tr.com/s65YX4 PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY: Poking the BEAR - Australia striving for executive accountability: http://go-ri.tr.com/Vzqeza Developments in individual accountability: UK, Australia and Hong Kong: http://go-ri.tr.com/bDgqX1 OPINION: Senior manager regimes: reasonableness the flaw to accountability: http://go-ri.tr.com/UH1x7U Compliance Clarified is a podcast from Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence. Listen to wide-ranging, insightful discussions on all things compliance for financial services firms. We delve into the hot topics of the day, the challenges faced and offer up practical ideas for emerging good practice. We de-mystify regulation and explore the art, as well as the science, of the ever-expanding role of the compliance officer.  Enforcements, digital transformation, regulatory change, governance, culture, conduct risk – anything and everything impacting the compliance function is up for discussion.