NYDFS Fines Italian Bank $235 Million for Repeated Violations of BSA/AML Laws

Banking State Issues Anti-Money Laundering Bank Secrecy Act NYDFS

On December 14 the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) announced the imposition of a $235 million fine against an Italian bank and its New York branch as part of a consent order addressing “significant violations of New York Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) laws.” According to the consent order, a NYDFS investigation identified “compliance failures . . . arising from deficiencies in the implementation and oversight of the transaction monitoring system located at the New York Branch,” as well as “non-transparent practices to process payments on behalf of Iranian clients” and “shell company activity indicative of potentially suspicious transactions” and a general “breakdown in audit and management oversight.” The consent order findings stipulate that the wrongdoing dated back to 2002, but also acknowledge that the Bank made the decision to discontinue certain of its non-transparent practices in 2006. In addition to a civil monetary penalty, the consent order also requires that the bank continue to engage an independent consultant to help “remediate the identified shortcomings,” “audit the Bank’s transaction review efforts”, and submit a report of its findings, conclusions and recommendations within 60 days. Thereafter, the Bank must submit, in writing for NYDFS review, across-the-board enhancements to its internal control policies and procedures.