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Category Archives: Compliance

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Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

SEC: $7 Million Award to be Split by Three Whistleblowers

On Monday, January 23, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) awarded more than $7 million to be split among three whistleblowers.  The three individuals helped the SEC in its investigation and prosecution of an investment scheme. The identity of whistleblowers is protected by law however, the SEC did disclose that the primary whistleblower will… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB’s 2017 Fair Lending Priorities

The CFPB recently issued its Fair Lending Priorities for 2017.  According to its December blog post, the CFPB plans to increase its focus on the following three areas, which it describes as “presenting a substantial risk of credit discrimination for consumers.” Redlining: The CFPB “will continue to evaluate whether lenders have intentionally avoided lending in… Continue Reading
Anti-Money Laundering, Compliance

FinCEN Opens 2017 with SAR Sharing Guidance for Casinos

Financial institutions’ ability to share suspicious activity reports (“SARs”) within the corporate organizational structure serves as an important tool for Bank Secrecy Act compliance and risk avoidance.  FinCEN began 2017 by reminding casinos of their ability to share information under this rule. Subject to certain limitations, casinos may share with domestic parents and affiliates suspicious… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

Companies Challenge CFPB’s Authority to Issue Civil Investigative Demands

As any company that has received a civil investigative demand (CID) from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) knows, the Bureau’s authority to issue CIDs is a powerful tool that leaves recipients with limited options to challenge or limit their compliance obligations.  Recently, the CFPB has fought back against CID challenges, asking two federal district… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

In Data Privacy, Don’t Forget the State Attorneys General

State attorneys general play an active role in data privacy and security matters. Their involvement is increasing as they grapple with changing technologies and threats, rapidly evolving state laws and their relatively broad consumer protection authority to engage private sector custodians of personal data such as retailers, financial institutions, technology companies, and health systems. In… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

The U.S. Department of Justice is Ramping Up its Enforcement of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Think you are in compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act?  Now would be a good time to make sure since the federal government is increasing its enforcement efforts as part of its Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is a federal law that provides a wide range of protections to… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

The Yates Memo and Individual Representation

At the November 2, 2016 Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) Compliance and Legal Society Regional Seminar in New York, a SIFMA panel discussed the “Yates Memo,” its effect on internal investigations, and considerations regarding individual representation. The Yates Memo is a September 9, 2015 memorandum issued by Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

Tuesday’s GOP Wins May Put the Brakes on the CFPB’s Controversial Oversight of Auto Lending

The CFPB’s imposition of its auto lending guidelines, and use of its admittedly flawed proxy-methodology to determine discriminatory lending in auto finance, may come to an end under the GOP controlled White House and Senate. The CFPB’s current guidance, published in a March 2013 Bulletin, has been largely criticized as limiting competition and increasing interest… Continue Reading
Compliance, Fraud, Deception and False Claims

Department of Education Adopts Rules Increasing Student Loan Risk for Schools

As we previously reported, in June the Department of Education (DOE) proposed new rules relating to when students could assert a borrower defense to repayment, effectively a discharge of student loans.  On November 1, DOE adopted the rules in substantially the same form they were proposed. In commentary, DOE observes that the former borrower defense… Continue Reading
Compliance

Effective November 3, 2016: Final DoD Cyber Incident Reporting Rule

On Tuesday, October 4, 2016, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a long-awaited final rule implementing statutory requirements (10 U.S.C. §§ 391, 393) as part of 32 C.F.R part 236 regarding the reporting, by defense contractors, of certain cyber incidents relating to the contractor’s electronic systems.  These reporting requirements are above and beyond what contractors… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering, Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

UK set to shake up Corruption and Money Laundering Enforcement

The UK Government introduced the Criminal Finances Bill to Parliament today (13 October 2016), which will now start its passage through the parliamentary approval process before becoming law. The Government hopes that the Bill “will significantly improve the government’s ability to tackle money laundering and corruption, recover the proceeds of crime, and counter terrorist financing”, and… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

I Can’t Get No (Financial Product) Satisfaction: CFPB Complaint Database Exceeds One Million Complaints

On September 27, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its Monthly Complaint Report capturing a high-level snapshot of trends in consumer complaints.  In conjunction with releasing its September Report, the CFPB confirmed it has handled over one million consumer complaints.  The CFPB describes consumer complaints as “submissions that express dissatisfaction with, or communicate suspicion… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

At Long Last, CFPB Issues Final Rule on Prepaid Accounts

The CFPB today finalized its rule on prepaid cards.  Over four years in the making, the final rule, which weighs in at nearly 1700 pages, provides “strong federal consumer protection for prepaid account users,” according to prepared remarks of CFPB Director Richard Cordray.  The final rule covers not only traditional “general purpose reloadable” cards, but… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance, Energy Enforcement

A Compliance Plan for the Extractive Industries Payment Disclosure Rule

In the prior post we described the SEC’s new Rule 13q-1 that took effect on Monday (September 26). In this post, we discuss steps covered companies should take to comply with the rule. To review: Rule 13q-1 requires issuers involved in the commercial development of oil, natural gas and minerals to disclose payments they, their… Continue Reading
Anti-Money Laundering, Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

FinCEN Associate Director for Enforcement Delivers Remarks at Title 31 Conference, Stresses Importance of Culture of Compliance

On the day after his appointment in August 2016, the Associate Director for Enforcement for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Thomas Ott, addressed the National Title 31 Suspicious Activity & Risk Assessment Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.  In his remarks, he (1) covered recent enforcement actions, (2) sought to dispel myths or misconceptions about… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

Payment Processor Challenges CFPB’s Allegation That It Engaged in Unfair Practices

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (“CFPB”) lawsuit against payment processor Intercept Corporation remains pending, and recent briefing sheds light on what could result in broad implications for the payment processing industry and CFPB enforcement at large. We previously reported on the CFPB’s suit against Intercept, pending in district court in North Dakota.  The CFPB alleges… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB Issues Safe Harbors under FDCPA for Mortgage Servicers

On August 4, 2016, in conjunction with issuing the final mortgage servicing rule, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an interpretive rule under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).  Although a mortgage servicer’s conduct is not always governed by the FDCPA, as the CFPB explains in the interpretive rule, servicers that acquire a… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

BancorpSouth Bank Agrees to Pay More Than $10 million to Settle Charges of Redlining and Discrimination in Mortgage Underwriting and Pricing

On June 29, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and BancorpSouth Bank (BancorpSouth) agreed to settle allegations of redlining and discrimination in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Housing Act.  Notably, this case marks the second instance of the CFPB’s new approach to redlining analysis, which,… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB’s Supervisory Highlights Regarding Auto Lending

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) recently issued its Supervisory Highlights – Issue 12, Summer 2016 report, addressing, among other industries, automobile origination.  The report reflects supervisory activity generally completed between January 2016 and April 2016 and makes it clear that there is increased scrutiny and consumer complaint activity in the auto lending industry.  The… Continue Reading
Compliance

SEC Loses Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower

On Friday, July 8, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Sean McKessey, Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower, will be leaving his post by the end of the month.  Jane Norberg, Deputy Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower will serve as Acting Chief until a replacement is found. McKessey… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance, Securities and Commodities

DOJ’s First Corporate Enforcement Action Under Pilot Program

In April 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement Plan and Guidance, which includes a one-year pilot program to incentivize individuals and companies to voluntarily self-disclose Foreign Corrupt Practices Act-related (FCPA) misconduct, cooperate with DOJ investigations and remediate controls and compliance programs.  Under the guidance, the DOJ may extend… Continue Reading

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