Compliance Radar
Who was sanctioned, and for what?
Fines, court rulings and incidents from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa: 2,207 cases from 44 jurisdictions, each with an official source and checked against that source before publication. Filter by country, area of law and sector. Click a chart to drill down one level.
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When?
per year, by date of decision| Period | Cases | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | €3.75m |
| 2023 | 2 | €150,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | €37.3m |
| 2025 | 10 | €59.3m |
| 2026 | 5 | €4.39m |
29 cases
27 Jul 2026 Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SAFederal Criminal Court fines Banque Lombard Odier CHF 3 million over money laundering €3.23m
The Bundesstrafgericht (Federal Criminal Court) found Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SA guilty of failing to take adequate organisational measures against aggravated money laundering by a former relationship manager who in 2011 and 2012 handled accounts of a criminal organisation holding proceeds of corruption in the Uzbek telecommunications market; despite warning signs, the bank's anti-money-laundering functions did not sufficiently ensure that the origin and purpose of the funds were investigated and documented. The bank was fined CHF 3,000,000 and bears procedural costs of CHF 24,561.49; it was acquitted on the remaining charges, and proceedings for acts before 27 July 2011 were dismissed as time-barred. The judgment is not final.
Warning signs about the origin of large inflows must be investigated and documented by the anti-money-laundering function itself, not just by the relationship manager.
Anti-money-laundering: investigating conspicuous inflows and documentation
- Authority / court
- Bundesstrafgericht (Strafkammer), Anklage der Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i.V.m. Art. 305bis Ziff. 1 und 2 StGB (Urteil SK.2023.42)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- The long time elapsed since the offences (2011/2012) was taken into account as mitigating.
- Published
- 27 Jul 2026
Original amount 3,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 Jul 2026.
- Bundesstrafgericht, Medienmitteilung vom 27.07.2026 (SK.2023.42) Court press release
- Bundesstrafgericht, Dispositiv SK.2023.42 vom 27. Juli 2026 (englische Fassung, anonymisiert) Court decision
- BA-Medienmitteilung vom 29.11.2024: Bank Lombard Odier und ein ehemaliger Mitarbeiter wegen schwerer Geldwäscherei beim Bundesstrafgericht angeklagt Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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10 Jul 2026 Volksbank Düsseldorf Neuss eGBaFin: 210,000 EUR against Volksbank Düsseldorf Neuss over monitoring and reporting gaps €210,000
Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed fines totalling 210,000 EUR on the cooperative bank: business relationships were not monitored on an ongoing basis or with enhanced scrutiny, additional information was not obtained and suspicious activity reports were not filed or were filed late. The function of the money laundering reporting officer had been outsourced to an external service provider with several clients.
Institutions that outsource the anti-money laundering function remain responsible themselves for ongoing monitoring and timely suspicious activity reports.
Ongoing monitoring of business relationships and suspicious activity reporting
- Authority / court
- Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- § 56 Abs. 1 S. 1 Nr. 20, 36, 38 und 69 GwG; Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 17 Sep 2026
- Volksbank Düsseldorf Neuss eG: Bafin setzt Bußgelder fest Press release of an authority
- Bekanntmachung zur Volksbank Düsseldorf Neuss eG (§ 57 GwG) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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27 Feb 2026 MBaer Merchant Bank AGFINMA withdraws MBaer Merchant Bank's licence over serious anti-money laundering deficiencies Order
Following enforcement proceedings, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) found serious, systematic deficiencies in anti-money laundering due diligence, organisation and risk management; the bank enabled clients to circumvent official asset freezes and executed transactions for sanctioned persons. FINMA had withdrawn the bank's licence and ordered its liquidation; with the withdrawal of the appeal before the Federal Administrative Court, the orders took effect on 27 February 2026. The day before, FinCEN had proposed designating the bank as an institution of primary money laundering concern.
Systematic anti-money laundering and sanctions deficiencies can cost a bank its licence – not just money.
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Schweizer Geldwäschereirecht und Bankenaufsichtsrecht (laut FINMA)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Employees
- 50 to 249
- Published
- 27 Feb 2026
- FINMA-Verfahren: MBaer Merchant Bank AG in Liquidation Press release of an authority
- Massnahmen bei MBaer Merchant Bank AG Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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20 Feb 2026 BVwG reduces FMA penalty against private bank over unclarified beneficial owners €356,000
From 2017 to 2020, an Austrian bank specialising in private and investment banking had not adequately examined the ownership and control structure of an offshore holding client despite the lack of evidence on shareholders, trust arrangements and beneficial owners. The Austrian Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVwG) confirmed the infringement but reduced the additional penalty imposed by the Financial Market Authority (Finanzmarktaufsicht, FMA) in its penalty decision of 17 December 2024 from 476,000 to 356,000 EUR (total penalty 436,000 EUR less FMA penalties already paid), because the FMA had taken the seriousness of the offence into account twice and the bank had cooperated, admitted its errors and terminated the client relationship; an appeal on points of law has been permitted.
For offshore holdings with trustees, prove the beneficial owner with supporting documents – a self-declaration is not enough.
Identifying beneficial owners in holding and trust structures
- Authority / court
- Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVwG); Straferkenntnis der Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) vom 17.12.2024
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- § 9 Abs. 1 erster Satz i. V. m. § 6 Abs. 1 Z 2 FM-GwG; § 35 Abs. 1 und 3 i. V. m. § 34 Abs. 1 Z 2 und Abs. 2 FM-GwG; § 22 Abs. 9 FMABG (Zusatzstrafe)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- reduced
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Culpability
- negligent
- Mitigating circumstances
- Reduction by the court because the wrongfulness of the offence had been counted twice, cooperation, admission of the facts and of guilt, and termination of the client relationship
- BVwG W204 2306222-1 vom 20.02.2026 Court decision
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Feb 2026 BVwG upholds 588,000 EUR FMA penalty against major bank over incorrect risk classification €588,000
The Austrian Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht, BVwG) dismissed the appeal of a listed major Austrian bank and upheld the fine of 588,000 EUR (plus 58,800 EUR in procedural costs) imposed by the Financial Market Authority (Finanzmarktaufsicht, FMA) in its penalty decision of 19 November 2024. From 2017 to 2020, the bank had not adequately risk-classified three business relationships and had disregarded sector risks such as gambling and precious metals trading as well as cash intensity; an appeal on points of law has been permitted.
Customers from gambling or precious metals trading with a high share of cash belong in a higher risk class – otherwise the enhanced obligations are missing.
Risk classification of cash-intensive high-risk sectors
- Authority / court
- Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVwG); Straferkenntnis der Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) vom 19.11.2024
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- § 6 Abs. 5 i. V. m. § 34 Abs. 1 Z 2 und § 35 Abs. 1–3 FM-GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- BVwG W204 2304676-1 vom 17.02.2026 Court decision
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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16 Dec 2025 Hardeck Möbel GmbH & Co. KGFurniture retailer Hardeck: 379,503 EUR fine for breach of AML due diligence obligations €379,504
The Arnsberg regional government (Bezirksregierung Arnsberg), as anti-money laundering supervisor for the non-financial sector, imposed a fine of 379,503.50 EUR, final since 16 December 2025, on the furniture retailer as a dealer in goods for breach of due diligence obligations under the German Money Laundering Act (Geldwäschegesetz, GwG).
Furniture retailers, as dealers in goods, are also obliged entities under the GwG – breaches of due diligence obligations can trigger six-figure fines.
Identification for cash payments in the trade in goods
- Authority / court
- Bezirksregierung Arnsberg (Geldwäscheaufsicht Nichtfinanzsektor)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Geldwäschegesetz (Sorgfaltspflichten); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not reported here.
- Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG – Bezirksregierung Arnsberg Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link
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28 Oct 2025 Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale (Helaba)BaFin: fine against Helaba over inadequate monitoring systems for money laundering prevention €20,000
By decision of 28 October 2025 (final since 7 November 2025), Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed a fine of 20,000 EUR because, from October 2022 to September 2023, the Landesbank operated data processing systems for money laundering prevention that were only partially adequate. Under the German Banking Act (KWG), the criteria by which monitoring identifies suspicious transactions must be documented, and the systems must be checked regularly by an independent auditor.
Transaction monitoring needs documented indicators and a regular independent quality review – the mere existence of software is not enough.
- Authority / court
- Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- § 56 Abs. 2 Nr. 11b KWG (Betrieb angemessener Datenverarbeitungssysteme zur Geldwäscheprävention)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 10 Dec 2025
- Mangelhafte Geldwäscheprävention: BaFin setzt Bußgeld gegen die Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale fest Press release of an authority
- Bekanntmachung zur Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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13 Oct 2025 J.P. Morgan SEBaFin: 45 million EUR against J.P. Morgan SE over late suspicious activity reports €45m
By decision of 13 October 2025 (final since 30 October 2025), Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed a fine of 45 million EUR on J.P. Morgan SE because the institution had culpably breached its duty of supervision in the internal processes for filing money laundering suspicious activity reports; from 4 October 2021 to 30 September 2022, suspicious activity reports were systematically not filed on time. BaFin points out that, in the case of systematic infringements, the amount of the fine can be based on the institution's total turnover.
File suspicious activity reports without delay – systematic backlogs in the reporting process are themselves an infringement, and the fine can then be calculated on the basis of the institution's total turnover.
Filing money laundering suspicious activity reports without delay
- Authority / court
- Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Suspicious activity reports
- Legal basis
- § 130 Abs. 1 OWiG (Aufsichtspflichtverletzung) i. V. m. Pflichten nach dem GwG (Verdachtsmeldungen); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 Abs. 1 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 6 Nov 2025
- Mängel in der Geldwäscheprävention: Bußgeld in Höhe von 45 Millionen Euro gegen J.P. Morgan SE Press release of an authority
- Bekanntmachung zur J.P. Morgan SE (§ 57 GwG) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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22 Aug 2025 Varengold Bank AGBaFin: 3.3 million EUR fine and penalty payment against Varengold Bank €3.8m
By decision of 22 August 2025, Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed a fine of 3.3 million EUR because the bank systematically filed suspicious activity reports late from June 2023 to March 2025; in February 2025, a penalty payment of 500,000 EUR had already been imposed for failure to comply with a 2023 order concerning Iran-related transactions (total 3.8 million EUR). In addition, in July 2025 BaFin ordered comprehensive remediation of the deficiencies in money laundering prevention, with an action plan and reporting obligations.
Failing to implement a supervisory order risks penalty payments and a comprehensive package of measures in addition to the fine.
Suspicious activity reports and handling of high-risk transactions
- Authority / court
- Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Suspicious activity reports
- Legal basis
- Bußgeld: § 56 Abs. 1 S. 1 Nr. 69, Abs. 3 GwG; Anordnung: § 51 Abs. 2 GwG, § 44 Abs. 1 KWG; Zwangsgeld: § 14 VwVG i. V. m. § 17 FinDAG; Bekanntmachung nach § 57 Abs. 1 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Repeat case
- yes
- Published
- 16 Sep 2025
- Varengold Bank AG: BaFin ordnet umfassende Mängelbeseitigung in der Geldwäscheprävention an und setzt Geldbuße fest Press release of an authority
- Bekanntmachungen zur Varengold Bank AG (§ 57 GwG) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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22 Aug 2025 Bank J. Safra Sarasin AGBank J. Safra Sarasin: 3.5 million CHF fine for money laundering in the Petrobras complex €3.73m
Between 2011 and 2014, the bank did not take all the necessary organisational precautions, with the result that bribes flowed to Petrobras executives through several account relationships (around 71 million USD in attempted or completed aggravated money laundering). Fine of 3.5 million CHF; because of a settlement of 16 million CHF with Petrobras, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft, OAG) waived a compensation claim.
Unusual payment flows involving clients close to PEPs must be escalated and, if necessary, rejected – responsibility lies with the bank as an organisation.
Anti-money laundering and PEP clients
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis Abs. 1 und 2 StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- Time elapsed since the offence, organisational corrective measures after the affair became known; no compensation claim because of the payment of 16 million CHF to Petrobras.
- Published
- 22 Aug 2025
Original amount 3,500,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Aug 2025.
- Bundesanwaltschaft verurteilt Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG (Strafbefehl) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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22 Aug 2025 J.P. Morgan (Suisse) SAJ.P. Morgan (Suisse): 3 million CHF fine in the 1MDB complex for deficient anti-money laundering controls €3.2m
Between October 2014 and July 2015, around 174 million CHF from predicate offences in the 1MDB complex passed through the bank in 43 transfers, even though negative information about the Petrosaudi managers involved was publicly available. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft) convicted the bank by summary penalty order and imposed 3 million CHF; a compensation claim was waived because the 1MDB fund is being compensated as a private claimant.
Publicly available negative information about clients must feed into the risk assessment and be capable of stopping transactions.
Customer due diligence and adverse media screening
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis Abs. 1 und 2 StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- Time elapsed since the offence, very good cooperation in the proceedings, compensation of the private claimant (1MDB).
- Published
- 22 Aug 2025
Original amount 3,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Aug 2025.
- Fall 1MDB: Bank JP Morgan Suisse mit Strafbefehl verurteilt Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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20 Jun 2025 Saxony: 7,000 EUR fine against art dealer over due diligence obligations and risk management €7,000
The Saxony State Directorate (Landesdirektion Sachsen), as anti-money laundering supervisor for the non-financial sector, imposed a fine of 7,000 EUR on an art dealer, announced in anonymised form, for breaches of the due diligence obligations and risk management requirements under the German Money Laundering Act (GwG). The authority had previously issued several orders on risk management in the art trade, backed by the threat of penalty payments.
Art dealers need a written risk analysis and must identify buyers for transactions of 10,000 EUR or more.
AML obligations in the art trade
- Authority / court
- Landesdirektion Sachsen (Geldwäscheaufsicht Nichtfinanzsektor)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Geldwäschegesetz (Sorgfaltspflichten, Risikomanagement); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Bekanntmachungen gemäß § 57 GwG – Landesdirektion Sachsen (lfd. Nr. 36) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Jun 2025 Banque Pictet et Cie SABanque Pictet: 2 million CHF fine for laundering Petrobras bribes €2.13m
Between 2010 and 2013, 54 transfers were processed through the bank by which bribes of around 4.1 million USD connected with SBM Offshore's charter contracts with Petrobras were concealed. The bank had not classified high-risk accounts as such and had inadequately monitored transfers; the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft) imposed a fine of 2 million CHF on the bank.
Risk classification and transaction monitoring must take effect before individual relationship managers approve payments.
High-risk clients and transaction monitoring
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis und Art. 322septies StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- Time elapsed since the offence, very good cooperation, organisational corrective measures after the Petrobras affair became known.
- Published
- 17 Jun 2025
Original amount 2,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Jun 2025.
- Banque Pictet et Cie SA und ehemaliger Vermögensverwalter per Strafbefehl verurteilt Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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27 Feb 2025 Morgan Stanley (Switzerland) GmbHMorgan Stanley (Switzerland): 1 million CHF fine for organisational deficiency in money laundering case €1.06m
In 2010, the company's legal predecessor did not take all necessary and reasonable organisational precautions to prevent a relationship manager from committing aggravated money laundering with assets derived from bribery offences in Greece. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (Bundesanwaltschaft) concluded the proceedings with a summary penalty order of 1 million CHF.
Under corporate criminal law, organisational deficiencies do not become time-barred when the employee leaves – controls must be demonstrably effective.
- Authority / court
- Bundesanwaltschaft
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Internal controls
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 Abs. 2 StGB i. V. m. Art. 305bis StGB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 27 Feb 2025
Original amount 1,000,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 Feb 2025.
- Bundesanwaltschaft schliesst Strafuntersuchung gegen Morgan Stanley (Switzerland) GmbH mit Strafbefehl ab Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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15 Jan 2025 Saxony: fine against estate agent for breach of AML due diligence obligations €800
The Saxony State Directorate (Landesdirektion Sachsen), as anti-money laundering supervisor for the non-financial sector, imposed a fine of 800 EUR on an estate agent, announced in anonymised form, for breach of the due diligence obligations under the German Money Laundering Act (GwG). The list of announcements shows numerous further fines and reprimands against agents ranging from 50 to 5,000 EUR.
Estate agents must identify both contracting parties in good time – even small offices are subject to active anti-money laundering supervision.
Identification of contracting parties in property brokerage
- Authority / court
- Landesdirektion Sachsen (Geldwäscheaufsicht Nichtfinanzsektor)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Geldwäschegesetz (Sorgfaltspflichten); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Bekanntmachungen gemäß § 57 GwG – Landesdirektion Sachsen (lfd. Nr. 29) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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25 Nov 2024 KT Bank AGBaFin imposes 30 fines totalling €600,000 on KT Bank for AML and banking law breaches €600,000
BaFin (German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) imposed 30 fines of 20,000 EUR each, 600,000 EUR in total, on KT Bank AG. Among other things, the bank had not effectively monitored its internal safeguards, had not retained identification records, had not continuously monitored business relationships, had not recorded the names of beneficial owners, had failed to file suspicious activity reports and had granted loans without fully reviewing the financial circumstances under the disclosure requirements. The decision of 25 November 2024 has been final since 20 December 2024.
Many gaps in the customer process, from identification to suspicious activity reporting, are fined individually and add up.
Identifying beneficial owners and continuously monitoring business relationships
- Authority / court
- Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- § 56 Abs. 1 Nr. 3, 7, 20, 21, 30, 33 und 69 GwG; § 56 Abs. 2 Nr. 5 KWG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 23 Jan 2025
- BaFin: KT Bank AG: BaFin setzt Bußgelder fest (23.01.2025) Press release of an authority
- BaFin: Bekanntmachung zur KT Bank AG (§ 57 GwG) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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17 Sep 2024 a Swiss private bankFINMA: private bank seriously breached AML duties, CHF 12.7 million confiscated €13.5m
The Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA, Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) found that the bank, despite warnings, inadequately checked and documented beneficial ownership and the background of transactions in business relationships with complex structures possibly attributable to a now-deceased businessman accused of tax evasion, which at times held up to USD 1.7 billion. FINMA confiscated CHF 12.7 million of unlawfully earned profits, prohibited the bank from taking on new clients with increased money-laundering risks until compliance is restored, ordered a review of all client relationships and of higher-risk transactions from 2018 to 2022, and appointed an audit agent. The ruling issued in June 2023 has been final since August 2023.
Since aggravated tax offences count as predicate offences, banks must investigate tax-risk warning signs just like other money-laundering risks.
Aggravated tax offences as a predicate offence to money laundering; duty to investigate
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Finanzmarktaufsichtsrecht: Geldwäschereiprävention, angemessene Organisation und Risikomanagement (Einziehung zugunsten der Staatskasse)
- Action
- Disgorgement of profits
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Mitigating circumstances
- The bank cooperated in the proceedings and took its own organisational, operational and personnel measures during the proceedings.
- Liability of senior managers
- FINMA opened three enforcement proceedings against individuals.
- Published
- 17 Sep 2024
Original amount 12,700,000 CHF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Sep 2024.
- FINMA, News (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Company name anonymised since 17 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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12 Aug 2024 a German digital bankBaFin: EUR 1.25 million fine on a digital bank over late suspicious activity reports €1.25m
BaFin imposed a fine of EUR 1,250,000 on a German digital bank. According to BaFin, between March 2021 and June 2023 the institution systematically filed money laundering suspicious activity reports with the FIU late. According to BaFin, the decision is final.
Suspicious activity reports brook no delay; filing them systematically late over years can lead to a fine in the millions.
Filing suspicious activity reports with the FIU on time
- Authority / court
- Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Suspicious activity reports
- Legal basis
- § 56 Abs. 1 Nr. 69, Abs. 3 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 1 Oct 2024
- BaFin, Maßnahmen und Sanktionen (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Company name anonymised since 12 Aug 2026 · Direct link
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18 Jun 2024 a Swiss private bankFINMA: Swiss private bank breached anti-money laundering rules for two PEPs Order
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) found that, for two politically exposed persons, the bank insufficiently clarified the origin and purpose of assets – transactions of more than 300 million USD from a Lebanese state institution between 2002 and 2015 – and only reported them to the reporting office in September 2020. It ordered a review of all PEP relationships, a ban on new PEP relationships until the review is completed and the appointment of an audit agent; the decision was not final at the time of publication (date of the announcement used as decision date).
In PEP relationships, document the origin and purpose of large payments; a report made years later is no report.
Dealing with politically exposed persons (PEPs)
- Authority / court
- Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Schweizer Geldwäschereirecht (laut FINMA)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 18 Jun 2024
- FINMA, News (Übersicht) (Entscheidung 2024) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 4 · Company name anonymised since 18 Jun 2026 · Direct link
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5 Jun 2024 a German car dealerCar dealer: 12,866 EUR fine for breach of AML due diligence obligations €12,866
A fine of 12,866 EUR, final since 5 June 2024, was imposed on the motor vehicle dealer by the Arnsberg regional government (Bezirksregierung Arnsberg), as anti-money laundering supervisor for the non-financial sector, for breach of the due diligence obligations of the German Money Laundering Act (Geldwäschegesetz, GwG), and the company was publicly named.
Car dealerships must identify and document buyers for cash payments of 10,000 EUR or more – sales staff must know the threshold.
Customer identification when selling vehicles for cash
- Authority / court
- Bezirksregierung Arnsberg (Geldwäscheaufsicht Nichtfinanzsektor)
- Area of law
- Money laundering and terrorist financing · Customer due diligence
- Legal basis
- Geldwäschegesetz (Sorgfaltspflichten); Bekanntmachung nach § 57 GwG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Automotive
- Bezirksregierung Arnsberg, Bekanntmachungen nach § 57 GwG (Liste) (Entscheidung 2024) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 4 · Company name anonymised since 5 Jun 2026 · Direct link